Let Me Stay Close To You

One step into the battleship and everything felt like a totally different place. I couldn’t even feel Marco’s cheerfulness or Zayne’s reassuring presence anymore. All you could hear was whispers from a couple group of men praying followed by little mettalic noises. Seeing Marco in this state felt weird since i hadn’t seen him looking this way in a really long time so i decided to check up on him.

« How you’re doing? »

« Better than ever» he replied, after managing to force a smile

Seeing someone this built feeling so small felt pretty weird

« I’m sure you’re gonna be fine, because no matter what, i have your back » i said while placing my hand on his shoulder

He smiled before looking down in emptiness and thanked me

Later, I attentively searched for an unoccupied spot after giving my long-time friend a few warm words.

« Come here »

I managed to turn my head towards the voice calling me

It was Arthur again.

I sat besides him and let my thoughts float for half the journey by looking out through the window. I thought about nothing and everything, mostly things about my childhood, my friends and things that lead me where i am right now. Next, i was thinking about how last night, i knew nothing about the guy i was sitting besides and now we are semi-buddies. I subtly tilted my head to side to observe him. He had been looking straight into the wall for 5 hours now. I still couldn’t get my finger around what felt odd about him. Everything about him seemed calculated and thoroughly made, on the inside as well as the outside...he almost looked like... some type of doll.

« You guessed it, didn’t you? »

I didn’t say a word in hope to get further explanation.

« Don’t know why you feel so comfortable

around me even though we just met, you must think i’m some type of sociopath huh? »

« That’s what i’ve been thinking, yes. » i replied.

« Well, Caleb, that’s because i was made in a lab »

« Oh!? So you’re an andro-»

He shut my mouth with his hand and told me to quiet it down.

« No, we aren’t that deep yet. » he said while laughing a little for the first time since we’ve met

« I’m just an human whose appearance was made from scratch. When genetic modifications we’re exclusive to cosmetic uses only, My father decided to alternate my dna in order for me to look like this. He gave me the most sympathetic features to assure me to have a good social impact he to be « at the top of the food chain » like he likes to say. You should have seen his face when i decided to join the army instead. So me, a fairly tall man with perfect blonde hair and blue eyes has a short father with black hair and brown eyes. »

He took a little break from speaking then managed to say.

« I think i grew close to you because you look like...what i would’ve looked if i stayed normal. Sorry that’s all. »

« I would’ve loved to look like my parents and not have an artificial face to suit stupid standards i didn’t ask to fit. It really has me thinking about if it hasn’t affected my personality too and made me artificial to the core, unable to find who i was really meant to be... so please... let me stay close to you to keep feeling like myself. »

I was without words before the words this tall broken man had just gave me.

« Sure, stay by my side. » i replied.

He simply smiled and kept quiet for the rest of the ride.