Starting over pt4

The group had settled on a small corner dinner. Ripley got the impression this was a spot he frequented by the way the two kids didn't really it but leaned over the bar and chatted with he chef and waitresses. She and the guy who she learned was named Conice sat across from each other in a booth in the corner. She watched Reece laugh and shoved a handful of fries in his mouth.
" um...I'm not trying to be rude but...I thought you said skins didn't come here?" She asked then looked around at the other patrons. They all had at least some kind of enhancements, it made Reece sort of stick out and since she didn't have any indicators, her as well. " they don't usually...I had to bring him with me when I came." He didn't elaborate and she didn't press instead changing the topic. " can I ask...how...why....did you choose to be a syn?" He didn't answer for a while just watched Reece and the girl who's name was Robby. " yes and no...yes cuz I coulda just died but no cuz he woulda been left alone in tha world and so it wasn't much of a choice really." She nodded. " your parents?" She asked peeling places of a napkin onto the table. " gone...never knew our dad's...our ma got sick and we couldn't afford the operation for her it was a slow and long death..by tha end of it we was almost glad just cuz it was over and she didn't have taken suffer anymore you know?"
She didn't. She had never known anyone who had gotten sick And even if she had sheknew they would have had the credits to do hat they needed to get better. He kept talking his eyes distant and glossy like he was lost in some time in the past. Like he had been holding this I'm a while and it was all just coming out. " we got lucky with my accident...my insurance covered me. Got really lucky...working In a warehouse uptown for one of tha real fancy companies. The lifter bot malfunctioned and dropped a whole load on me..I was floor supervisor.." he laughed to his self and flexed his left hand. " crushed almost all of me so bad there wasn't really a way to fix it without the operation...it's not like getting a whole syn body...it Hurts for a while...the minds feels the difference I the two body's trying to be one." He out his hand down. " after than the company moved me to a different factory. Down town. Not as good. Cuz my insurance and then eventually cut me do to cut backs or whatever." She guessed he realized he was till talking cuz he stopped and shrugged. " but whata ya gonna do." She nodded looking down and moving the little paper peaces into smaller piles. " I didn't chose this...I was never even asked...my taxi...a railcar malfunctioned and derailed...I don know how far I fell...actually I don't know much of what happened to me..I just woke up like this and was told they didn't have a choice...though I think it was my dad's choice...my mother acts scared of me...and my sister hates me now...we were so close before." He didn't look at her but nodded his head " that's rough man."
The kids came back and slid into the booth with them. " they said there's going to be alittle party later we should go. " Reece said. Ripley looked at her watch " actually its pretty late and I should get home...it's a long walk back." Robby looked at her like she was crazy " and dangerous.." Reece sipped a milk shake " no really...but hey you can stay with us!" She herd a thud and knew Conice had kicked him under the table. They had a stairs off and he sighed clearly losing their silent argument. " yeah that's fine I guess." He grumbled " but no party it's I got work in the am and you got school. We need to go to bed." Ripley blinked at him in surprise " you sleep?" She asked He looked at her with a frown the realized why she asked what seemed like a ridiculous question. " oh yeah...I'm not full syn..I still have huma components that need human things like sleep and food and stuff." Robby smiled at her " I don't sleep either. You kinda miss that the most hu?..no more dreams." Riply nodded. Her heart sank. She hadn't even thought of that part of it...no more dreams.