4

                                    

                                          
"These are a lot heavier than they look," Nym complained, managing to lug the broken android out of the alleyway and into the street. She dropped it unceremoniously on the sidewalk, panting.
                          
"Doesn't surprise me." Krisi shrugged. Then she knelt down and poked at the head of the android, which had ceased to respond.
                          
Nym bent down and began to try and discern the various limbs from each other. "What do you think led to him being left all tangled up?"
                          
"Couldn't say. To my knowledge, no one here has weapons that could mess up an Android," Kirsi said. She moved to help Nym untangle the Android from itself and soon the two girls had it mostly laid out. One of the arms was missing and all the joints mangled in some respect, but they looked salvageable. Thankfully, the head remained intact, despite dents a couple of dents.
                          
"They're not really that scary up close," Kirsi said.
                          
Nym shrugged. "They never scared me."
                          
"You're weird."
                          
Both girls laughed. Then Nym bent forward and tapped on the android's blank faceplate. "Hello, Mr. Android?"
                          
No response.
                          
"Is it dead?"
                          
Nym looked up a Krisi with a blank stare. "It's an android, Kirsi. They don't die."
                          
Krisi waved her off. "You know what I mean."
                          
Rolling her eyes with a humored smile at her friend, Nym looked at the dents on the back of its head. "I don't think its "dead" per se, but it does look damaged. Should we do something about it?"
                          
"Don't ask me," Krisi said.
                          
"Alright then miss indecisive." Nym stuck her tongue out at her friend and laid the android's head back down. She thought a moment, scanning over the damage. "It looks like it could be fixed. Help me move it?"
                          
Kirsi nodded and gathered up the android's legs into her arms, grunting with effort. "Oof, this is heavy."
                          
"I told you."
                          
Nym gathered up the upper half carefully, resting the androids head against her stomach. She hoped it wouldn't wake up or turn on or whatever while they were carrying it.
                          
"Will your parents get mad at us if we take this back to your house?" Nym asked, looking back up the hill they'd walked down. She silently doubted her idea, her own intrigue pushed the doubt aside.
                          
"I don't think so. They let me collect scraps for my school projects, so why would this be any different?" Kirsi said, following Nym's gaze. She just frowned at seeing the hill, sighing a little. "We just need to be quick. Mom did say dinner would be at 8."
                          
Nym nodded and looked back down at the android, starting to move carefully. "Here, switch with me. I'll go ahead so you don't have to walk backward."
                          
"Thank you," Kirsi said as they carefully turned the android around.
                          
Nym took the lead and carefully led them back up the road. They moved slowly at first as both girls struggled with the weight of the android and their own footing. Nym fought to keep the tube of her oxygen mask from catching on the sharp pieces sticking out of the android's messed up shoulder.
                          
By the time they reached the top of the hill, both were panting heavily, and Nym could feel sweat dripping around her oxygen mask. The house sat only a few feet away. With a little more effort, they dragged the android into what used to be a carport and settled it among the other junk.
                          
"You don't think it'll magically come on while we're at dinner?" Krisi panted, backing off.
                          
"I hope not," Nym said, wiping the sweat off her brow as she took deep breaths. She stared at the android some, though, frowning. A strange feeling crept over her but she shook it off and looked over at Kirsi.