/Had we but world enough and time/

It’s risky, but Arkady doesn’t want to leave her room, wants to spend the night cuddling with her in her small, rickety bed that they both barely fit into.

They’re both tired from what just happened, and before their post-orgasmic bliss wears off, they’re both asleep, stark naked, embracing.

It’s 0700 and Arkady and Electra wake up at the same time, Arkady with rather sizeable morning wood. Electra works her tongue magic on his cockhead and he comes, this time over her mouth. She licks her lips, feasting on his jizz, as if it’s the tastiest thing she’s had in a while.

Fuck, that’s really, really hot.

They take turns in the shower, Arkady going first, then Electra. Arkady dresses in the clothes he was wearing the previous night and walks back to his room after a final, passionate kiss. He changes into new clothes, then walks to the mess.

Breakfast is as usual.

He asks her to his cell afterwards. They stay there, together, Arkady lost in thought, Electra lost in the copy of Pale Fire she brought along.

Eventually, Arkady picks up a book of his own and reads until lunch. Somehow, the presence of the other makes both of them feel more comfortable, like maybe they’re not in a prison after all.

But they are, and when Arkady remembers that, his mood darkens a bit, almost imperceptibly, but enough to ruin what they had going for a bit there.

He repeats, “We need to get out.”

She nods. “If you’ve got any ideas, hit me.”

He doesn’t, but he’s confident he’ll come up with one in the future.

Lunch, and a bit of a break from the heavy reading they’ve both been doing. They don’t talk on the way there. Arkady takes a note of the barred skylights.

Probably electrified. Escape isn’t going to be that easy.

They reach the cafeteria. For the first time in eighteen years, it’s gone dark.

Arkady looks to Electra, stunned. She looks back at him, timidly asks, “Is… is this… normal?”

Arkady shakes his head. He’s still in shock, but decides to walk in. Maybe… maybe… I don’t know. Why?

All of the robots are their, at their normal tables. All are completely still.

Arkady walks up to one of them, nudges them, prepares to earn an irate glare.

Nothing. The robot stays perfectly still.

Arkady repeats the same with the next robot, getting the same results. He goes down the line almost robotically, sure that one of the robots is still… functioning. Not dead. Fuck, I’m beginning to treat them like humans. They’re just objects.

Then why do I care so much?

Meanwhile, Electra’s at the door on the other side of the mess. The one she first came to this prison through.

She doesn’t know this, but Arkady, when he first became aware that he was imprisoned, tried to escape through the door. He hadn’t even touched the handle when he was tackled by a guard and confined to his cell for days.

It’s supposed to be locked. The door handle is supposed to be electrified, and there’s a little scanner above to verify the ID of whatever robot tries to open the door. It’s got a weight sensor to make sure that whoever is unlocking it is the same weight as a robot, and a camera to make sure that they look the same as a robot. The door can be barred with a thick sheet of metal on the outside in case of emergency. No one should be able to get out.

Electra doesn’t know any of this. She tries the handle.

The door is heavy, but swings open effortlessly.

She steps out onto the gravel right outside. She sees the grass she hasn’t seen since she was eight. A crow is in the sky.

It’s fucking beautiful.

Arkady notices. He sees the Outside, the Outside he’s wondered about since he was a child, the Outside that Electra told him about, with the grass, the trees, even a bird.

It’s fucking beautiful.

His eyes tear up, as do hers. They hug each other for a while.

They’re free.

This one’s a little bit short, but I had to end it here.