Screamland Part 2

Kedamono is tired. And not “dog tired,” because that’s just offensive. He knew Popee wouldn’t say it anyway, but when he came in from his second job, Popee told him he looked tired. Just tired. Kedamono agreed.

It’s been about three months of grueling physical labor, working in their tenant building as a maintenance person (to pay off monthly rent and utilities), and also working in a bar in town to get them money.

Kedamono actually managed to save up to start buying them real furniture and appliances.

Popee had been in and out of the small public library in town, getting reference books, scientific journals and medical journals as well, using all his time to study and read and learn.

Despite their early hardship and Popee’s feelings of betrayal from his father, things were looking up.

Mostly.

Popee got up and gave Kedamono a hug.

“I got you some hot fried chicken,” Popee said as he put on his glasses, making Kedamono already hungry for the promised meal, his mouth almost drooling comically at the thought.

“Really? I’m starving!!”

“Yea. Actually, I made it. Hopefully it’s okay. I’m not hungry but there’s some over by the stove with lemon and gravy.”

Kedamono’s expression became highly appreciative. “Thank you!”

“No problem!”

He saw Popee lying on their makeshift beanbag “couch” to open up a large text book, his blonde hair down falling down a bit on his left eye.

They usually slept on the floor, but Kedamono had enough saved for beds and a couch now, which was a surprise for his best friend and roommate he was saving for later. He had gone into the store just before his shift in town and already gotten the furniture ordered.

He went to the small kitchenette, unfortunately stepping over many objects, articles of clothing and piles of newspapers, books and magazines on the way. He looked around, annoyed, even a bit upset. He worked so hard for their life, and this is what he came home to?

But he saw the steamy, hot looking fried chicken on the stove, and instantly forget about the mess of their place.

He got a plate and took seven pieces of the delectable looking morsels, tasting it without the gravy or lemon to start.

It was a wide variety of flavor, but mainly Kedamono’s senses thought: crunchy, sweet, a little spicy, savory, tangy, butter-milky(not really a word, but he didn’t care), and juicy.

Really, really, really juicy.

“Keda, you like it?” Popee yelled across the room. “Do you taste the fresh tarragon and parsley and garlic and all the love I put in each bite?”

Kedamono was already halfway in a food coma by the second piece, answering with a huge goofy grin, “Like it? Hahahaha.” Kedamono inhaled three pieces and then said loudly, “This is the best chicken in the whole world!”

Popee stood up and frowned. “But who is the best in the whole world?” He stomped petulantly.

Kedamono stuck out his tongue and immediately said, “You are, Popee.”

Popee nodded, pleased. “Damn right.” He practically threw himself back down on the beanbag and sighed.

“You know, I was thinking, Keda. About artificial intelligence. I don’t believe we’ll ever achieve it for real. You know?”

Kedamono had his mouth stuffed with hot chicken and nodded, but had no idea what Popee was talking about.

“Keda?”

“Ye-yeah?”

“Do you even know what a computer is?”

Kedamono shook his head.

Popee sighed in a determined manner and got up, putting up his hair in high pigtails.

“I’m a mess. But,” Popee looked at some stray piece of fried chicken skin on Kedamono’s cheek. “You are a project.” He leaned in and gently cleaned off his friend’s face, making Kedamono’s face heat up. His mask was showing off flustered, embarrassed expressions.

“What’s a computer?” Kedamono asked finally.

Popee scrunched up his nose, then smiled softly at him. “You know what a TV is well enough, huh, pup.”

“Don’t call me that.”

Popee laughed haughtily. “Ehh. You act like a baby sometimes. You know it.”

“So do you! You can’t even—”

Popee gave him a hard look.

“Can’t even what?”

Kedamono bit his tongue. He didn’t want to fight. He wanted to say clean, but he felt bad. He knew Popee was studying and at least made meals each day.

“Nothing. Never mind,” Kedamono said defeatedly.

Popee laughed but it had no bite to it.

Slumped a bit, Kedamono went to go lay down on the floor. It made Popee feel sad to see his friend act like that, so he went over and started poking him on his back.

“Keda, Keda, Keddda!!!”

Kedamono groaned. “Popee, stop! I’m tired.”

“Baby is tired!”

“Popee, I mean it.”

Popee stopped as he heard the distressed tone. “Aw, look, I’m sorry. Come study with me. Please? I was a huge jerk.”

“I am tired, Popee. But it’s okay. I’m not mad.”

“Please? I missed you.”

“No.”

“Don’t make me kick you!”

“You won’t,” Kedamono said quietly.

“Yes. I will.”

“No. You. Won’t.”

Popee tapped his fingers on his chin, “Touché. Okay. What if I make dessert?”

Kedamono jumped up and became interested by this turn of events. “Like, what?”

“Peach sorbet?”

“Yum. Okay. I’ll study with you. With your big, huge brain. How did you even get through the door, Popee?”

Popee smirked egotistically but then a moment later, growled, “Hey! Not funny!”

Kedamono opened up one Popee’s books on software engineering, closing it immediately as he didn’t understand any of the equations . Then, he saw a large book titled Springer Handbook of Robotics Book by Bruno Siciliano and Oussama Khatib.

“This one is crazy big, Popee,” Kedamono struggled to lift the large book. “Does this one talk about artificial intelligence?”

“Yea. Like movement mainly.”

“Movement?”

“Yea, like how far a robot can move. How far of a range a robot can push its boundaries with movement.”

“How is that artificial intelligence?”

“It’s the ground work. Ground work is never entertaining. It’s not like it’s immediately, yea know, full stop, the robot can have a real face to face conversation with you about life and emotions in a deep and real way. Talkin’ about art in a creative perspective or film or war. All they can really do is follow a set of rules and instructions preset. It’s not really as easy as they make it seem in the movies. In fact, the times I have seen realistically created, “artificially intelligent” robots, they usually delve into the uncanny valley and are very limited in how they have “choices,”. And even in this day and age, the more robots look like us, the worse risk we have for them to replace us for jobs and—”

Kedamono was actively listening, but felt like his brain was fried. His expression was of mixed confusion but polite interest. Popee noticed this subtle expression and smiled, rolling his eyes affectionately.

“Keda, I’m going to make the sorbet, wanna watch?”

Kedamono nodded vigorously.

*****

“Fresh peaches smell so good!”

Popee nodded, finishing up the blending.

“It’s gotta stay in the freezer for several hours. Kay?”

Kedamono nodded, but looked suspicious.

“Don’t sneak any before it’s ready, Keda! I mean it!”

Kedamono’s sneaky expression fell and became solemn. “I promise.” Kedamono looked around and saw the mess from the earlier fried chicken and the sorbet, looking at it frantically and nervously. “You go relax, Popee.”

“Why, so you can go sneak a taste?”

Kedamono looked at him with shock, “No. I’m going to clean up. Since you cooked.”

Popee scoffed. “Yea. Uh huh.”

“You’re acting a bit overdramatic.” Kedamono sighed.

“Keda, you’re not fooling me. Come on! Sit with me and read.”

“Grow up.”

“You need to grow up!”

“All you do is lay around all day and night and that’s it! I work and work and slave—-I still offer to clean, and you insult me?”

“I don’t lay around!” Popee said weakly, realizing just in that moment that he was in the wrong accusing Kedamono falsely; his cheeks bright red. “I don’t just lay around! I cook! I study! I better myself! I broaden my mind!”

“I’m …I’m not your stupid little assistant anymore for your father’s circus. I’m not your slave. Okay? You can help out and clean while I make the money. I can’t do everything around here. I’m not your slave.” Kedamono repeated sadly. “You once asked me who we were. What am I? Who am I? I must mean nothing to you.”

Popee was speechless, feeling like the conversation was going into a deeper well than he ever anticipated.

“I mean nothing to everyone else! Might as well! Might as well!” Kedamono cried, throwing his arms up in the air in frustration. “My own…” Kedamono felt real tears leaving his tired eyes. “My own mother hates me. She left me. Threw me away. I thought your father might’ve considered me like a brother, letting join your family circus when I was at my lowest point in life. But, he left as soon as he realized…”

“Realized what?” Popee asked in a whisper.

Kedamono looked down, feeling like he was about to either sob, scream or yell. He wasn’t sure which yet. He quietly said instead, “An animal. A violent, stupid, worthless animal.”

Popee laughed.

Kedamono looked at him like he was crazy. They locked eyes. Popee gave him the softest, most beautiful look.

Then, in a rush of blonde hair in Kedamono’s face and long arms wrapped around his waist tightly, he felt the warmest, tightest embrace he ever had.

“Keda,” Popee whispered softly into Kedamono’s neck, “All you ever were to me was Kedamono. That’s all that mattered. I didn’t care about what you were before, what you were born into, who your mother was, any of that. You were just Kedamono,” The breathy way Popee was speaking made Kedamono’s heart flutter and stomach drop, and he hugged back his good friend.

“Who is being simple now?” Kedamono teased.

“Don’t push it!” Popee barked, but it lacked any real push back. Kedamono softly chuckled.

There was a brief period of silence as they continued the embrace, then they slowly moved out of it, both breathing out together happily.

“Keda, I didn’t mean to laugh just now. I was thinking about how in our past I’d lose my temper a lot with you, and how you never ever lost your temper with me. You were always understanding and kind. So, hearing you say that… it was ridiculous to think you’d ever believe you were like that. You are so…”

“So perfect?” Kedamono answered, making Popee laugh again in a sputtering chortle.

“No. But near that.” Popee frowned. “I didn’t have my mother around either growing up. I never even met her. Papi never spoke of her much.”

Kedamono nodded in understanding. “It is always hard. It never gets easier without a mom.”

“And Papi was… eccentric. You know that. He left me alone a lot. He cared in his own way. But… I don’t know. I feel so bad about how I used to be.”

“Popee, we had our ups and downs. You..” Kedamono tried to think of something nice as well as honest to say. “Also had lots of ups and downs. You’ve come a long way. You dad was all over the place, and it made you feel crazy too. Hopefully, the fact that …” Kedamono rationalized wanting to say, “we,” but stopped. “You are maturing and staying in one place… it should keep things feeling safe. I hope. I want that for you.”

Popee realized how much effort his friend was putting in his speech, and smiled. “Thanks, Keda. Sometimes living in that warped desert made me wanna scream. Didn’t it for you?”

Kedamono shrugged, but inwardly agreed.

“I felt like the sun was dead but still beating down on my soul, all the time, burning it … burning me down into the sand. And…” Popee sighed. “It was our circus in the sun, a beautiful nightmare that happened in my youth. A strange journey I’ll never return to.”

“Except when I see you juggle our coffee mugs every morning! Or even that broken broom the landlord left us!” Kedamono grinned. “I’ll buy you a duster and a mop, too, if it helps, Popee.”

“Shut up!” Popee said, his face beet red. “I never broke a single mug yet!”

Kedamono laughed and nodded. “You are getting better everyday.”

As he said that, they locked eyes, both knowing Kedamono wasn’t referring to his juggling skills.