Wednesday has come around again and I’m happy to present this week’s flash fiction.
Olswon perched on his stool with the magistrate prattling behind him. “And we simply must know what cause the automic to… to… misbehave.” Olswon could hear the man wringing his hands. Understandable since the machine had trampled smack through the center of his swearing in.
Understandable, but the nerves weren’t helpful. Swiveling Olswon stopped his turn with a foot on the stool’s leg. “Magistrate.” He bobbed his head. “While I appreciate your urgency, hoovering won’t help.”
“I…” The man’s hand hung suspended mid-gesture. “I suppose you’re correct. Well then, I’ll be off.”
“And the guards too,” Olswon said.
The magistrate glanced at the others who had been silently watching. “But your safety. The danger.”
“Is manageable. Less so if there are more about to confuse it.”
“You’re restarting it?” The magistrate paled.
Olswon shrugged. “Only finitely way to resolve the problem.”
The magistrate wrung his hands and glanced at the door. Voices rumbling could be heard through the wall.
“And keep it from spreading.”
The magistrate nodded quickly at that. “Yes, yes. I can see the wisdom in such. However, I insist they remain outside the door.”
Olswon nodded and turned back to the automic. “No issue there.” Fiddling, he listened to the men retreat. As soon as the door closed, he switched the automic on. “Come on boy, I want the part you refuse to give to anyone else,” he said as steam whistled and gears ground back to life.
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