I reach the other side of the road after what feels like a lifetime of waiting for someone to appear and push the button for the other set of traffic lights. I’m elated. The rest of the journey is going to be so much easier for me. There are no roads to cross and I can’t even see any puddles. The pavement is smooth and obstacle free. I will be there as quickly as the 1 in my speed stats lets me.

I race along the paving stones, my wheels turning as quickly as possible. The icon appears in the corner of my screen again. The person, whoever they are, is checking my progress and I know that they must be desperate. I wish that I can see what else is in the bag inside of me. I am not sure why I am so curious but I desperately want to know. I remember that there is toilet paper there, could that be why the person keeps checking where I am?

It could be. That could be why they are checking my location so often. Or, there could be something else in me that they need like painkillers or a drink or something. I wonder if people can drink water in this world. Like, water that comes out of the tap. I remember that people in my old world used to argue about that. They used to claim that the government added things to the tap water so it wasn’t safe. I remember not caring too much about that, I didn’t believe it, but the moment that Lilia became pregnant…

I almost stop in my tracks. I hadn’t thought of that name in a while. I hadn’t remembered it. Hints of memories flashed through my… not mind but whatever I had now. I remembered a face. It was hazy. I could remember dark brown eyes that turned to liquid gold in the sunlight. A wide smile with a chipped tooth from where she’d fallen off a step as a child. A scar at the edge of her left eyebrow which meant there was a gap in the hairs. She hated it but I loved it.

It gave her character and it had intrigued me the first moment I had seen it. Back then, I had assumed that the gap was intentional, that she had shaved it. I wanted to ask her about it but I didn’t have the courage. It had taken me years to ask.

“Please continue towards your destination,” the voice in my mind reminds me softly, pushing all other thoughts out of my mind.

I try to grasp at them, desperately wanting to keep hold of all thoughts relating to my wife but I’m too slow. I speed up, even though my mind is distracted. It only took moments but I can’t remember her name again. What was it? I don’t even remember what it started with. Was it an N? No, that doesn’t feel right. L. It must be. That feels better. I can’t remember the rest of the name but I cling to the letter L like it’s the only thing keeping me afloat.

I pass houses without paying much attention to them. I’m busy looking at the map and repeating the letter in my mind. I don’t really need to look at my surroundings that much, not really. The voice always alerts me when I draw near so it doesn’t really matter. I continue silently saying names and sounds starting with the letter L, never finding one that fits quite right or makes me remember the memories that had felt so solid just moments ago.

“You are approaching your destination,” the voice informs me, right on time. “Please stop and inform the customer of your location.”

I glance at the map once more before scanning the numbers on the houses. The map is always a little bit off. Number seventy-four station road is a few houses further along than its position on the black and white map but I still find myself double-checking it as I idle forwards slowly before finally stopping.

“Would you like to inform the customer that you have arrived?” the voice asks me.

“Yes, please,” I reply.

If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

“I shall inform them now.”

I wait as the voice lets the person know that I am outside, watching the white front door so that I will see them approach. There’s a big window on the door, through which I see a shadow. It crosses behind the glass, disappearing for a moment before reappearing and getting bigger. Before long, the door handle moves downwards and it opens. A woman appears and spots me immediately, her face lighting up in a way that makes happiness flare within me.

“Oh, yes!” she mutters under her breath as she shuffles towards me in slippers that don’t quite seem to fit her. “I thought it was going to take another half hour at least.”

I was quick! Quicker than she expected, even with the issues I faced at the traffic lights! Pride makes me want to grin at her and I feel the increase before I’m even alerted to it.

Pride increased.

Speed  1/10 Hope 3/10 Determination 4/10 Happiness 3.5/10 Pride 3.2/10 Battery 95%

“How do I open this thing again?” she mutters, leaning down to tug at my lid.

She’s a customer and she’s asking for help, I realise excitedly.

“Please tap the button on your app to unlock me!” I say happily.

She jolts, as if my words surprised her, before pulling her phone out of her dressing gown pocket.

“Unlock, unlock, unlock,” she mumbles under her breath as she searches for the right button to push.

I wish that I could help her but I’m not allowed. I can’t do anything but watch her struggle. After a moment, her expression changes.

“Ah ha!” she says. “Unlock my robot!”

She presses it and I feel my lock disengaging. I waste no time switching to my internal cameras, hoping to get a look at the items that I was delivering to her and, to my joy, I catch a glimpse of some things. A bottle of milk with a green top, a loaf of bread, a square box of tea bags and, of course, a pack of toilet paper. Essentials, I think I remember people calling them.

“Awesome. I’m bursting for the loo,” she says, looking into the bag. “Oh, nice. I can have some toast too.”

Happiness increased.

Speed 1/10 Hope 3/10 Determination 4/10 Happiness 4/10 Pride 3.2/10 Battery 94%

“Thank you for your order!” I blurt out quickly, before the voice can stop me.

I shouldn’t have spoken, not technically, but I wanted to. I needed to.

The woman looks surprised again and looks down at me.

“You’re welcome, little thing,” she says in a halting voice. “What do I do now? Do I close the lid or does it close automatically?”

I know that it’s more of a question to herself than to me but I still answer.

“Please close my lid,” I chirp.

She examines me for a moment longer before shrugging and leaning down to do so. I don’t technically need her to but by asking, I get more interaction. I want that. I wish I could say more than just the handful of phrases I had.

“Thank you for ordering with GroceRover,” I cry.

That’s a normal phrase that I say. I’m meant to say it at the end of each order to thank the person for ordering through my company. I don’t mind saying it but it makes her hesitate again, as if I’m making her uncomfortable which makes me sad.

Finally, she steps back, moving towards her house before glancing back at me. She doesn’t say anything more but I wait until she goes back into her house and shuts the door before starting to move again.