Morning found them still in the cell. It was unusually quiet. Daniel’s head ached. This time, Jasper was awake before him, and when Daniel opened his eyes, he saw him staring up at the small window in the corridor—the only source of light reaching them.


    “Where’d you get this, bro?” Jasper asked, holding the lantern.


    “Patrick gave it to me last night.”


    “Patrick?”


    “From the next cell. He’s one of them.”


    “One of who? The company or Reed’s people? Bro, I’m seriously starting to lose track of who’s with us and who’s against us.”


    “Patrick’s with the company. They put him in here to check on us.”


    “And how are we?”


    “You tell me how you’re doing. I was fine, but then I fell asleep.”


    “When Billy left, you passed out and slept like a rock. I couldn’t catch a wink.”


    “Did anything else happen?”


    “Nah. That fatso was snoring so loud you could hear it all the way here. I didn’t know robots could snore. Damn, they’ve made them realistic. At least with him, I’m sure he’s a robot. All his parts were hanging out. He fell apart right in front of us, remember?”


    Daniel sat up a little. He tried to stand. It was their fourth day in the town, with plenty of time still ahead. Yet here they were, locked in a prison in a made-up town, held by robots and facing a death sentence—also from robots. It felt like Judgment Day. But he had the assurance of those who’d built the robots that everything would be fine.


    His confusion was total.


    “Did that Patrick guy say why they attacked us?”


    “He said it wasn’t supposed to happen. They’ve pulled Reed’s two helpers. If everything’s okay, they’ll bring them back.”


    “To finish us off? Bro, at first, everything was amazing. Now we’re in prison, facing death threats, with people hiding among the robots and nothing but lies.”


    “We’re seeing the game through, Jas. That’s what we agreed.”


    Jasper fell quiet. Heavy footsteps echoed down the corridor again. Billy was coming their way. Daniel tried to sit up once more. It was a little tough, and his vision blurred with every sharp movement.


    “Hey, idiots,” the fat man said, appearing before them in all his splendor. Daniel could see him better now. Where his parts had once protruded, there was now a fresh layer of skin, forming something like scars. His face was still as ugly and repulsive as ever, his walk clumsy due to the two massive thighs rubbing together through his pants.


    “You’re blocking my sun, you hulk,” Jasper shot back.


    This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.


    “Excuse me, mister,” Billy said, stepping back unexpectedly. “Enjoy the sun—it might be the last day you see it. Or at least, I hope so.” More of his obnoxious laughter followed.


    “You’ll be waiting a while. Just let me out…”


    “And then what? Gonna say you killed me again?” Billy laughed. “Come on, animals!” His tone shifted. “One at a time. You first, the skinny one,” he said, pointing at Daniel.


    Daniel stood and approached the bars.


    “Hands forward.”


    Daniel extended his hands, and Billy snapped on the handcuffs.


    “Don’t do anything dumb. Let’s play it out,” Daniel whispered to Jasper. There was no need for unnecessary moves.


    Jasper got up and mimicked Daniel’s actions. A second pair of handcuffs clicked onto his wrists this time.


    “Ah, you bastard!” Jasper couldn’t hold back.


    Daniel had just settled down when he turned and saw Billy wiping his face. Jasper had spat on him.


    “They won’t let me beat you in here, but before you swing from the rope, I’ll ask to give you a good thrashing. Just for my own fun,” Billy said, his face red.


    “I’ll beat you even with my hands tied, fatso.”


    Honestly, it amused Daniel a bit. In a real situation, he’d probably be terrified. But this wasn’t real. Before him stood Jasper and Billy, dressed in nineteenth-century clothes, equal in size and ready to brawl. It was downright funny.


    “Back, you pig! Back!” Billy yelled. Jasper obeyed this time.


    The lock clicked, and the iron door creaked open slightly. Billy stepped back a safe distance and waited for them to exit on their own.


    “Come on, I don’t have all day. They’re waiting.”


    Jasper stepped out first, followed by Daniel. As they passed the neighboring cell, Daniel glanced inside. A man, about forty, beardless with very short black hair, sat on one of the benches. He was dressed almost entirely in black, with no hat or accessories. His boots were too polished and clean for the setting. He stared sadly at the floor. Daniel tried to catch a glimpse of his face but couldn’t. If this was the same Patrick, he was hiding well.


    “Billy, what about me?” the man said softly, without looking up, playing a mysterious role. “Jake said you’d let me out today.”


    “You know, Patrick,” Billy said, standing in front of his cell. “Hands forward.”


    Billy cuffed Patrick and opened his cell, placing him third in their makeshift lineup.


    The darkness and the blows to their heads had thrown off both Daniel’s and Jasper’s coordination. Their eyes weren’t used to the bright light, and as they stepped out of the small prison, they had to keep them shut for a few minutes.


    “Didn’t you want the sun? Here, look!” Billy taunted from behind, deliberately tripping Daniel by kicking his heel every few steps, making him stumble. Daniel wondered who he hated more—Reed or Billy. They were equally loathsome.


    The prison was near the sheriff’s house, separated only by a short alley that led mostly nowhere. On that street stood three tall poles, reaching nearly to the second story of the houses, each with a rope dangling from it.


    “Stay here! You’re tied up, so even if you run, you won’t get far.”


    Billy went to the sheriff’s house and knocked on the door, moving as slowly as ever, dragging his feet in the sand.


    “Isn’t this a bit much, Patrick? Gallows?”


    Daniel could finally see him. He had shoulder-length black hair, a clean face, and was handsome. His clothes didn’t quite fit the era—it was clear they’d dressed him up at the last minute. But he stayed in character:


    “Relax, boys,” Patrick said with a smile. “Just enjoy the story. Play it out. That’s why you’re here.”


    “You sure they won’t hang us?” Jasper cut in. “They weren’t supposed to hit us either, in theory.”


    “They’ll try. But the company owes you compensation for yesterday’s incident.”


    “Meaning?”


    “Just enjoy it. Isn’t that why you’re here? To live the story.”