Random Fiction #2 – 112818

Holding hands as they teetered on the edge of the robot wall, Sean and Nancy took turns stepping lively along the ledge.

“Careful now,” Sean said, “Fifty meters is a long way down, so don't look down if you're going to get freaked out.”

Nancy let go from Sean's grasp and raced along ahead. “Last one to the end gets to do fifty burpees.”

“Ugh, you would have to call that out, wouldn't you?” Sean said. He took off on a dead sprint along a beam barely wider than a football. “You know how bad burpees are for you, and I'm not even being a wuss. They just plain old suck for the health of your shoulders.”

“Yeah, yeah, just get your butt over here.” Nancy was almost to the edge when Sean kicked it into gear and caught her just as she reached the limestone wall.

The late-afternoon sun beat down through the moist tropical air as they collapsed together in a tangle of arms and legs.

“This wasn't quite what I had in mind,” Nancy said, sitting upright as she untangled from Sean. With his face still close, she brushed away beads of sweat from Sean's upper lip, his faint blond peach fuzz glistening in the light.

Sean grabbed her hand and pulled it close to his lips, pursing them together to blow a cool mint breath over her fingertips. The sweat beads blew away, landing lightly along the seam of the yellow tank top barely covering her left shoulder.

He leaned in for a kiss, sensing the moment called for a little more than holding hands.

“ATTENTION! ATTENTION! This is a restricted area! Please exit the facility immediately!”

A loud buzz from a nearby white drone interrupted the moment.

Sean and Nancy pushed away from the wall for a better view of their surroundings. They were the only ones within a thousand meters, and not by accident. The maze of stark white tile offset by the dirty beige limestone walls was designed for security, not for two young lovers on their second date.

“YOU HAVE THIRTY SECONDS TO COMPLY,” the drone entoned. “FAILURE TO EXIT THE PREMISES WILL RESULT IN YOUR ARREST.”

Sean jumped to his feet, holding out a hand for Nancy to follow.

“Come on,” he said, “I know of a way out of here and away from the peering eyes of the drone.”

Sean carefully led her on a path back the way they came, careful not to look down or else he'd freak himself out. He hadn't expected to see a drone all the way out there, but he had other options.

Under the canopy of still more white tile, a side path through the farthest wall lay ahead.

“YOU HAVE TEN SECONDS TO COMPLY,” the drone said, continuing the countdown. “FAILURE TO EXIT THE PREMISES WILL RESULT IN YOUR ARREST!”

“Yeah, yeah, we heard you the first time,” Sean said. His left wrist buzzed as the drone overrode his watch link with the countdown. “Three, two, one…”

Sean pushed against a crack in the wall and a door opened before them. Stepping quickly inside, he slammed it shut behind them, pinning Nancy against it.

“Now, where were we?” Nancy asked, pulling Sean closer in for a kiss in the dark.

“SEAN! WHERE ARE YOU?” screamed a voice from his watch link. The lights in the room flipped on, spoiling the mood yet again.

“Um, hi, mom,” Sean said, covering his wrist link with his right hand. He was supposed to be home way earlier. “I'm out with Nancy at the lab works. We're taking some notes and will be leaving in a few.”

“Hi, Nancy,” Sean's mom said. “I was worried when I saw an alert come through from the Drone Force System. I thought you might be in trouble again.”

“Nah, we're both okay, must have been a malfunction,” he lied. “I'll see you in a few.”

“Okay, bye sweetie, love you!”

“Love you, too, mom, bye!” Sean said, turning multiple shades of crimson.

“Awww…look who's still mommy's little monster?” Nancy teased. “That's so cute, especially since I've never seen so many shades of red before.”

Sean reached up with his right hand to scratch his neck, slyly putting it back down over Nancy's shoulders. He forcefully pulled her in close.

“Now, where were we?” he asked, dimming the lights with his watch link.

Copyright © 2018 Chad V. Holtkamp.

All rights reserved.

Nareeta Martin