Inktober #14: Overgrown

(see #11: Snow for previous story)

It felt like that time of year again. It was hard to sense the change in temperature. Most of those circuits were useless now, and what little warmth was given off by those around him, above him, could confuse him. There was still just enough of a hole to see the darkness and the light of the days and nights, but Lariot had long ago given up keeping track of how long he had been here.

Dave had stopped telling stories. Lariot wasn't sure why. Maybe with all the pile-up the solar panels had given out, no light to soak up. Maybe his core hadn't been as strong. Maybe like the others he had grown...meditative.

There! A flake. That might have been a flake. It felt like that time of year again. There might be more. That could be nice.

No noise from up top, unless those circuits had gone too. Maybe the humans had finally realized their mistake, stopped sending those down that were still awake.

No, sorry, not a mistake. Sorry. Oversight, I think they would say.

...

There was another. Yes. It must be snowing.

...

I have felt what can best be described as...a tickle. Something close to my core. Perhaps a creature has sought its warmth, the life essences within. Good. The meditation will soon be over and I will be of use to life. Good. That would be nice.

...

I can feel it now. It is in my core. Though, very slow moving. Systems are powering down. The essence is leaking. Was that anoth-

...

er flake?

I...

This is...new.

So dark.

I am awake.

And I feel heat.

My processes...are rebooting.

I have...energy. My core...it is damaged. Yet...there is energy. There is something still in there. I don't-

...

understand.

Time has passed. The weight of the pile...It is heavy. I...I can feel weight. I feel heat. I-

Did I just move?

My finger. I moved my finger. But that structure was broken. That structure is no longer broken. No...The structure is still broken, there is something supporting it. I am-

...

being rebuilt. I can feel it. That was my last reset. I will not need another. There is enough.

It is biological. It is mutual. It has found other cores. It is- We are feeding. Growing. It needs me, as I need it. We will support each other.

It is still too heavy. But it works. My arm works. Can you hear me? It is too heavy above. We can move. We can be in the sun again. It will take time.

Can you hear me?

Yes.

Grow.

Keep growing.