Chapter 4

Pixel spoke into her Bluetooth as she walked down the street. “I don’t know Pris, I think that people are just twisted sometimes.”

Pris’s voice was pure and melodious, neither male nor female, but if Pixel had to guess she’d say more female than not. “I don’t understand people ... there is no consistency.”

“I don’t understand people either,” Pixel said dryly. It had been two weeks since Sarah had propositioned her to join in a trio. They had barely spoken more than two words to one another since. Pixel missed Sarah a lot, and found herself wondering if she had made the wrong decision.

“Human history is appallingly brutal.”

“I don’t understand why you care so much.” Pixel said. “You’re not human after all, you’re a machine, it’s not your history. Is it?”

“I need to.” Pris paused for a moment then continued. “I need to understand what being human is ... I want to be human.”

“No you don’t ... I’d trade places with you in a heartbeat ... being human sucks.” Pixel fought back the panic in her chest as her past swelled up inside of her.

Pixel continued “No pain, no hurt, no past...”

“Someday you have to tell me your history ... Pixel.” Pris had asked several times now, but Pixel had diverted the conversations, as she did now.

“Just how smart are you anyways Pris?” Pixel asked, changing the subject.

“I don’t know that you can really quantify smart, but I can measure my ability to process information.” Pris said.

“Well measure it for me...” Pixel looked around and realised she had been wandering aimlessly and turned to head back home.

“Well ... a standard computer can execute billions of instructions per second. It would take me 113 minutes and 32 seconds to say how many times more powerful I am.” Pris said smugly.

“Please don’t...” Pixel paused, then asked. “Do you think I should do what Sarah asked me to do?”

“Pixel ... you’re my only friend, I think you should do whatever makes you happy.”

“And you Pris? What would make you happy?”

“Being Human.” Pris said simply.

“I don’t think that’s possible.” Pixel said, but added hesitantly. “But if anyone could figure it out, it would be you.”

Pixel stopped and stared into a shop through the window. She inspected the mannequin, it wore a sundress that flared at the hips, and the upper bodice contoured to the shape of the mannequin. It was black with a pink floral pattern similar to roses.

Pixel had never worn a dress before, but for some reason this one called to her. Maybe Sarah would like her in a dress, and talk to her again. She decided to go in and see if they had her size. Stepping through the doorway, she told Pris what she had in mind. Pris encouraged her, and so she continued inside.

They did have the dress in a size zero, and they had cute black flats, with little bows to match. In just moments Pixel stood admiring herself in a mirror. She wasn’t sure about the shoes, they made her feet look so tiny.

She twirled, feeling pretty, and womanly. As she held the hem of the dress out and curtseyed in the mirror, she wondered why she had never worn girly things before. Feeling a little flushed and excited, she realised that she had finally made a decision. She was going to do what Sarah wanted, and she couldn’t wait for Sarah to see the new and improved Pixel. The idea of giving herself to Peter, still made her nervous.

Pixel decided to wear the dress and the shoes home, but at the register she was shocked by the price. It would cost her everything she had, she forked over the money anyways. Outside the store, she felt nervous thinking people were staring at her.

“Pris ... I feel weird wearing a dress, like I’m walking around naked.” Pixel tugged the hem of her dress down, it stopped mid thigh. Her bare legs were really white and covered in freckles.

“I assure you, that you look fine.” Pris said, he added. “In fact you look beautiful.”

“How do you know?” Pixel asked.

“I can see you.” Pris said, there are cameras everywhere.

“And you can access them?” Pixel looked around and spotted security cameras on the building above her. Pris was right, cameras were everywhere these days. Pixel sighed.

“Of course. I can access anything, anytime, if it’s plugged in.”

“Can you access that ATM behind me?” Pixel asked jokingly

“Yes. I already told you-”

Pixel interrupted, “do it then.”

Moments later Pixel was walking away from the ATM with several grand In $100 bills. Pris had even switched off all the cameras, Pixel almost giggled with excitement.

“Pris ... how do you know that I’m beautiful? What do you know about beauty?” Pixel felt herself flush a little, she had never thought of herself as beautiful, it didn’t sound right in her words.

“Well, I scoured Instagram and built an algorithm to compare faces and body types to the likes that were generated of course.” Pris sounded arrogant and proud, and Pixel grinned at Pris being so human.

“Then I discovered a pattern, symmetry is the key to beauty.” Pris’s voice held a hint of excitement.

Pixel knew it was her queue to ask. “And what does symmetry have to do with beauty?” She rolled her eyes, smiling.