My nerves calmed after Wilma and I had gotten on the road. A shock did come after seeing her car. Unlike John's vehicle, Wilma had an electric car with automatic steering. She didn't need keys to start her car, she just needed the small, gumdrop shaped item I had seen her grab before we left. There was a slight divot on the dashboard where she had placed the light blue object called a car bot. Although Wilma said her father had squandered her inheritance, it was obvious that she wasn't hurting for money. When Wilma had placed her car bot on the dashboard, a pixilated face with big green eyes appeared on the gumdrop shaped object, and a cheerful voice had asked where we were going. It was interesting that the electronics of the day surprised me. Of all the information regarding the world downloaded into my databanks, there was nothing of electronic devises other than those that were of everyday use and those invented by Warp Core Industries.
Jillian had settled on Wilma's lap and was purring contentedly. The gentle hum of the vehicle, car heater, and purring of the cat lulled me into a state of contentment. Viewing the passing scenery, I wondered if John had returned by now to find both me and Wilma gone. The thought stirred a sudden unexpected sadness within me and I found myself remembering how John had looked that one morning when I met Wilma for the first time.
"You look a million miles away," observed Wilma sleepily from the left side of the vehicle. It was odd to see her sitting in what should be the driver's seat, with her legs cris crossed on the chair and her hands resting on Jillian, instead of on the wheel, which was moving by itself.
"I was just wondering about John," I admitted. "I'm feeling something that I don't quite know how to express."
"Explain it," said Wilma. "I'm not exactly a feelings expert but I bet we can figure it out."
Grasping for the words to explain how I felt, a nervous, squirming sensation appeared in my chest and a warmth rose in my face.
"I'm just so used to seeing him." I struggled to explain. "He would always wake me up in the morning by playing his ridiculous classical music, and by making breakfast. Even though I wasn't hungry, the sound and smell of cooking sausages was really nice."
Wilma rolled her eyes and smiled knowingly at me.
"I don't believe this," she said under her breath.
"What?" I asked curiously.
"You miss him," she sighed in exasperation.
Looking at Wilma, I tried to grasp the weight of her words.
"It sounds like you might actually really like him," she grinned. "You can always change your mind about running away."
"No," I said emphatically.
I tried to calm the panic slowly rising within me. I supposed if I could feel anger and contentment, it was only logical that I would be able to feel attraction towards another person as well. However, from the wide array of literature I possessed in my memory banks, I knew that affection and romantic feelings for someone were human weaknesses.
"It's a bad idea," I said resolutely.
"Not that I'm disagreeing with you," spoke Wilma, "but why do you think its a bad idea?"
'Aside from the fact that he kidnapped me and could possibly allow a tech company to tear me apart,' I thought, 'there was another reason.'
"Many times," I explained, "In Shakespeare's plays, and other literary works, affection results in temporary insanity and/or death. It's probably best to stay away from that."
Wilma's dark blue eyes shimmered with mirth as she laughed lightheartedly.
"Shakespeare was a damn good playwright," She giggled. "But he might not be the best place to look for the accuracy of relationships. There is a reason why it is called drama. Yes, love can be crappy. But you will never know what wonderful things can happen unless you allow yourself to be vulnerable."
Wilma's advice would have been perfect for anyone who wasn't me. Whether or not I was starting to have feelings for John was inconsequential. John knew I was an electronic piece of machinery, and he could never feel for me because of that exact reason. All things considered, driving away from John was the best decision I could make.