The wind is coming tonight, the flashwall stated in a flat tone.
Ellery assumed even AI was fed up with the same thing day after day. Last night it had been, the rain is coming tomorrow. And of course it came. The weather predictor was always correct. Everything was now always correct. Boredom was a fact of life.
The rain gauge attached to the food-room wall, measured 150ml – probably another 150 to go before the rain stopped.
Ellery hoped that the soak in the community space would drain. They hadn’t seen Noakes the drain-clearing droid for a while. They studied the community space monitor on the flashwall.
The little red boat was still in its mooring and its roof was intact.
They nodded at the weather monitor and selected - speed of the wind for tomorrow. One hundred, it said.
Mmm, thought Ellery, I’d better check the moorings.
Ellery hadn’t been outside for some time and decided to physically check the boat, rather than use the AI. They knew they wouldn’t meet anyone else. Most people stayed in their pods during the rains, operating buttons for their every need.
They stood inside the capsule wardrobe and selected rain. Suitable clothing was put on them. They slid down the outside chute labelled, ‘boat.’
Ellery hit the dockside with a bump. The floating pontoon was a lot higher than the computer setting realized. They would have to adjust that when back in their pod. The pontoon bobbled about in the already swollen moat. The rain pattered on the metal boards. Ellery slipped and slid towards the edge of the pontoon.
‘Hey, what are you doing?’ The voice came from the P.A. system built into the wall of the pod.
It was a masculine voice, definitely not AI. Ellery hadn’t heard one of them for a while. There weren’t many cis men around nowadays.
‘You - why are you out of your pod?’ the voice questioned in a demanding tone.
Ellery didn’t answer; they were too busy clinging on to the boat which they had now slammed up against.
‘I’m coming down, stay there,’ said the masculine voice.
Ellery thought, definitely not a robot, they’re not stupid enough to say ― ‘Stay there!’
A figure clad in yellow rainwear quickly approached Ellery.
He’s staying upright, Ellery thought. They felt their feminine hormones surging.
The man pulled Ellery up by their arms and held them in a bear hug. He walked towards the suckchute and waved his hand. The weather-guard swooshed open. Still holding Ellery in a bear hug, he stood inside the chute.
‘New sucker-boots,’ he said to Ellery, as they looked at his feet. ‘Maybe you need to get some.’
‘Do they do them in pink?’ Ellery asked looking for the man’s eyes.
‘A question you’ll have to ask your dresser,’ he said. Putting Ellery down, he held out his gloved hand.
‘Gormond,’ he said.
‘How delightfully old-fashioned of you,’ said Ellery taking his hand.
The chute sucked and threw Ellery forward towards the man’s chest. He smelled good. Musk and lavender mix. Their favourite.
‘Ellery,’ they said, ‘we’re pleased to meet you.
‘I’m the new pod-keeper,’ announced the man, removing his visored helmet. ‘The droid croaked it.’ He laughed, a throaty, attractive laugh.
Ellery smiled. This was a handsome man, they thought, straight nose, clear skin and piercing blue eyes. One of us could be tempted.
‘Do you do sex on a first meet?’ asked Ellery.
‘I do anything you want; I’m an android, employed by the B Pod Federation to keep its employees safe and happy ― oh ― and also clean the drains,’ he added, with a giggle.
Ellery smirked. Not a bad way to spend a wet day, she thought, hoping for a few more rainy days to come.
About the author
Lynn is a regular writer for Cafelit. Her first flash fiction collection, The City of Stories is published by Chapeltown Books. See 5-star reviews - #amazonthecityofstorieslynnclement Lynn has stories in The Best of Cafelit 11 12 & 13.
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Thanks for publishing, Gill.
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