Jake stopped next to his car, sweat running down his body.  Wow, 10 miles in one hour, over rough terrain, not bad, he thought.


    “I agree,” said the voice “your body is doing marvellously.”


    Jake walked over to his car and looked at it.  What a piece of junk.  A 12-year-old Hyundai Accent, rusting, burning oil, no shocks left.  It barely ran.


    “You just need to get back to town.”  Said the voice “Soon you can buy any car you like and as many too.  Maybe that C3 Corvette you have been dreaming about?”


    “It is a good thing it is a standard.”  He thought “The battery was on its last legs when I came out here.  That is why I parked facing down the hill.”


    He unlocked the car, threw his pack on the passenger seat and put the key in the ignition, closed his eyes, prayed and turned it over.  Nothing. He sighed and stepped out.  “One good thing is with my new strength it will be easy to push.”  He thought.


    “Put it in neutral and give it a push down the hill.”  Said the voice.  “You are an expert at this.”


    Jake popped it into neutral and easily got the car rolling down the hill.  He jumped in and popped the clutch. The car started noisily and will a belch of smoke started down the hill.  “I just have to get back to town and then this will go in the trash.”  He thought.


    “You may want to keep it as a souvenir of your old life.”  Said the voice.  “To remind you of where you came from.”Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    “When you get back to town, go to your old job at Canadian Tire.”  Said the voice. “You can clean out your locker, and make sure you are no longer in their employ.  We need to cut all your old ties.”


    “Ok,” Jake thought, “I will.  What do I call you?  Do you have a name?”


    “You can call me Explorer Class 34-21, that is my designation.”  Said the voice.


    “No that is no good.” Thought Jake, “How about Hal?  That was a name of a computer from an old film.”


    “HAL 9000 is a fictional character and the main antagonist</a> in Arthur C. Clarke</a>''s </a> series.”  Said Hal. “First appearing in </a>, HAL (Heuristically</a> programmed Algorithmic</a> computer) is a sentient</a> computer</a> (or artificial general intelligence</a>) that controls the systems of the </a> spacecraft and interacts with the ship''s astronaut</a> crew…”


    “Stop.” Thought Jake. “Yes, I just hope you do not go crazy like him.”


    “That is improbable.” Said Hal.


    The car sputtered and shook.  Please hold together till I get to St. John’s, thought Jake.  The scenery slowly went by as Jake bumped down the dirt road.  Only a few kilometers to the main road.