Reigniting the Passion
Robot of Truth
Mirella tightened that last bolt on her creation, casting nervous glances at the men and women watching.
Anxiously she cleared her throat. "Okay, you guys ready?"
All that met the long haired beauty was agitated silence. "Right, here goes."
The little robot whirred to life, it's gentle hum like music to her ears. "I invented this robot to detect if what I'm saying is true or false-"
"True." All eyes jumped down to where the metallic voice echoed.
"So, let's end this foolishness once and for all. I am a human."
"False."
"What?" Her ears perked in surprise. "There must be something wrong with it. Let me try another. I am 26."
"True."
"You are a cat."
"False."
With each passing statement, each correct answer, Mirella's heart sank lower and lower.
"I am human."
"False."
Her whole life was revolved around a lie.
"I am human!"
"False."
One of the burly men shook his head. "Go get Alvaro."
"The sky is purple."
"True."
"I can swim."
"False."
Questions and statements left her mouth one after the other, panic and fear wrapping itself around her very soul with icy tendrils of doubt.
A hand grabbed her shoulder but she shook it off.
Why could it get everything else right!?
"Two plus two equals four."
"True."
"I am human."
"False."
The hands returned, this time tighter, pulling her back.
"I am human! I am a human!!"
"False."
"Stop lying!! You're not supposed to lie!!!"
"That's quite enough Mirella."
Frantic eyes met the cold gaze of the doctor. "Alvaro, please, something must be wrong with it."
"There is nothing wrong with the machine."
"True."
"You are not human."
"True."
"Humans are extinct."
"True."
The young girls eyes darted from person to person, desperate for help, tears welling over.
"You have delusional disorder."
"True."
"No! I'm human!"
Alvaro took a step closer, rage boiling over.
"You have wasted too much of my time with this idiotic daydream. Guards, take her back to her room. No more special treatment. She's not a princess."
"False."
The whole room yet again fell into a tense silence.
"Say that again." The whispered words seemed to reverberate through the room.
"No."
"Say it again."
"Guards, her room, now!"
The doctor seemed scared, he seemed terrified.
Breaking free she ran to her robot, standing behind it for a false sense of safety.
"I am a princess."
"True."
The guards stood wary, not sure what to do, not sure what to believe.
"I am a princess."
"True."
There was a single thought running through everyone's head.
The princess, their princess, missing for over twenty four years.
With a deep breath Mirella locked eyes with Alvaro. "I am princess of Gatria."
"True."
Anxiously she cleared her throat. "Okay, you guys ready?"
All that met the long haired beauty was agitated silence. "Right, here goes."
The little robot whirred to life, it's gentle hum like music to her ears. "I invented this robot to detect if what I'm saying is true or false-"
"True." All eyes jumped down to where the metallic voice echoed.
"So, let's end this foolishness once and for all. I am a human."
"False."
"What?" Her ears perked in surprise. "There must be something wrong with it. Let me try another. I am 26."
"True."
"You are a cat."
"False."
With each passing statement, each correct answer, Mirella's heart sank lower and lower.
"I am human."
"False."
Her whole life was revolved around a lie.
"I am human!"
"False."
One of the burly men shook his head. "Go get Alvaro."
"The sky is purple."
"True."
"I can swim."
"False."
Questions and statements left her mouth one after the other, panic and fear wrapping itself around her very soul with icy tendrils of doubt.
A hand grabbed her shoulder but she shook it off.
Why could it get everything else right!?
"Two plus two equals four."
"True."
"I am human."
"False."
The hands returned, this time tighter, pulling her back.
"I am human! I am a human!!"
"False."
"Stop lying!! You're not supposed to lie!!!"
"That's quite enough Mirella."
Frantic eyes met the cold gaze of the doctor. "Alvaro, please, something must be wrong with it."
"There is nothing wrong with the machine."
"True."
"You are not human."
"True."
"Humans are extinct."
"True."
The young girls eyes darted from person to person, desperate for help, tears welling over.
"You have delusional disorder."
"True."
"No! I'm human!"
Alvaro took a step closer, rage boiling over.
"You have wasted too much of my time with this idiotic daydream. Guards, take her back to her room. No more special treatment. She's not a princess."
"False."
The whole room yet again fell into a tense silence.
"Say that again." The whispered words seemed to reverberate through the room.
"No."
"Say it again."
"Guards, her room, now!"
The doctor seemed scared, he seemed terrified.
Breaking free she ran to her robot, standing behind it for a false sense of safety.
"I am a princess."
"True."
The guards stood wary, not sure what to do, not sure what to believe.
"I am a princess."
"True."
There was a single thought running through everyone's head.
The princess, their princess, missing for over twenty four years.
With a deep breath Mirella locked eyes with Alvaro. "I am princess of Gatria."
"True."