While in the most atrocious of agonies, dragging himself through the corridors, he thought of what would happen once he sat foot in civilization


    Technically he was a deserter who escaped from the battlefield. Even if they would forgive him his injuries were far too severe for average healthcare. He saw many men with those types of injuries and he knew what the law said in those cases.


    Both hands and feet would have to be cut. If he was lucky, he could plead and pay the doctor to save one of his arms or legs. He would live the rest of his life with a degrading leg or hand.


    He would have to find another job somewhere else. What type of jobs could he do? Not a manual type of job to be sure. A secretary? Maybe, but more probably he would end up like those old soldiers, on a river with a fish pool, hoping that what they catch would be enough for their family and themself.


    The pain brought him back to the present moment. That wasn’t the moment for those thoughts. That was the moment to fight.


    He continued to wander for what felt like hours before stumbling upon a hole in the wall, light shone through it. Artificial, bright light. He must have been very close to the surface. He carefully walked searching for something to hold to while passing the hole.


    There was a little hill, a slippery little hill.


    There wasn’t another way. If he was fortunate it would take a few hours before finding another hole, even days!


    “How bad could this little hill be?” he started walking and a little bot approached and scanned him.


    <<Unedentify personal, please state your Name and ID please>> the little bot said.


    If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.He nearly couldn’t believe his eyes, this was a trash bot. One of the older model for sure but it could call a hospital.


    <


    The little bot stopped and processed the Informations <<Invalid ID. According to the logs you are dead.>>


    He looked at the bot terrorized, if he was dead this meant that it’s apartment, house, healthcare and job, and everything that he had was taken away by the state to be given to someone else.


    <<I was lost on the battlefield. They must have given me for dead.>>


    The robot looked at him with those green cold glowing eyes, processing and sending who knows what informations and messages. His light bulb twitched for a second


    <<Your logs have been updated.>> he said


    <<Wait, what?>>


    <<Autorization has been given. A medical squad has  been called. I suggest you sit somewhere and put the least amount of pressure on your injured legs.>>


    <<Th-thanks.>>


    <<Don’t worry.>>


    Pxan was confused, was this bot AI so advanced to reply to him and give medical advice? No, a switch of some kind must have happen.


    <<What are you doing in there!>> a voice from afar yelled.


    Two men came near the hill, two-state sweepers.


    He sat near a rock putting the least amount of pressure on its legs.


    <<O my god! Is that an Unhelm?!?>> he rushed to his little trash staff.


    <<No, I am not a monster.>> Pxan said laughing a bit.


    <<Then- who are you? And what are you doing in there?>>


    << He is Pxan 451774. 27 years old. Male. Policeman. Living in district 13 middle quarters. Dispersed in battle and found again 34 hours after. Currently he is severely injured>> the little bot said.


    The sweeper looked at the bot and at him <<How are you even alive?>>


    <<I don’t know...I don’t know.>>