Steel Wool

By: Keskron

---

A collection of clangs, creaks, and the sound of metal scraping against metal accompanied the quadruped when it moved any part of its body. From the mild scrape of its ears twitching to the greasy squeaks of its tail swaying as it walked, even the most subtle movement would alarm anyone within a ten meter radius of its presence. So in response, it took to keeping to itself, hiding in the back alleys of vacant city lots, trying its hardest to keep still so as to not cause an echo of metallic clashes. Though the memory chip lodged deep into its iron skull identified it as a wolf, it was impossible for the machine to see reason in this claim.

Despite the accidental sentience, the accompanying data resting alongside the metal wolf's data core held enough information to give it the idea that it was an anomaly. In place of a thick coat of silver fur was a collection of whirring gears and sheets of overlapping steel. Rather than sporting a tail resembling a fur tree, it bore a long strip of cords and metallic overlays. I am no wolf, it thought to itself as its illuminated eyes peered over its scrap metal paws. I am anomaly.

For a long time - longer than it could keep track - the anomaly spent its days traversing the empty roads of the metropolis it resided in. According to what knowledge it held, the fleshy residents that occupied the numerous buildings - humans, they were called - were told not to step outside for longer than a set amount of time. When they did, they wore odd contraptions on their faces that resembled the head of a mosquito. These devices were practically glued to their heads, and covered every inch of the skin above their neck with a black coat of leather. Two sets of round openings for their eyes, which even then were made of some transparent material, and a long snout with an orifice like a sponge were the only features that made their heads anthropomorphic.

Shielded by these masks meant to filter the off-yellow mist that always fogged up the atmosphere, the minor treks the humans made outside their homes were short and fleeting. The anomaly rarely had a chance to study the two-legged beings. But it knew enough to know that the humans did not bode well in the murky haze.

Like most days, the mechanical canine found itself wandering across the urban wasteland. The sun was just beginning to survey the atmosphere with its sharp rays, causing the higher end of skyscrapers to be visible amidst the dreary haze. The asphalt beneath the anomaly's iron paws crackled as it trudged upon the roads. Even the mere act of walking let loose a symphony of grinding cogs rubbing against the terrain. These constant pops and squeaks had become so ordinary to the anomaly that it rarely noticed any other noise. Even the distinct echo of a scream coming from a nearby alleyway couldn't cause it to flinch.

At that moment, the clattering of the anomaly's gait stopped. Paws stagnant, ears perked, the anomaly halted every jingling function in its body. Was that a cry for help? Never in its life had it received such a sound in such a distressing frequency. The acuteness of the shout pierced the metal in its ears, making the steel canine's artificial skin reverberate. Again, the noise was emitted. Its pitch was high enough make the anomaly cringe in fear and pain. It'd never surveyed a human shriek, but its data logs told it that the cries being emitted were ones of distress.

Despite its distaste for sudden movement, the anomaly stretched the chords in its legs in one brisk movement and started to run in the direction of the scream. The sharp metallic clangs of its limbs resonated in a series of unpleasant crashes. The way its sockets whirred made its sprint sound like a siren.

When it turned the corner between two brick buildings, the image of a human appeared in its line of sight. However, unlike any mosquito-faced human it had seen before, this human's face was uncovered. No insect-like mask. For a moment the anomaly could only stare at the being. At first, it didn't think this could be a human at all. This human was small - smaller than the anomaly had ever seen before. And it was more than tiny in stature. The human appeared misshapen compared to the other larger versions of its kind. With a round, pink face and almond eyes that matched the color of oak, this human displayed features different than what the anomaly had ever encountered. The only layer of clothing the little one wore was a strange contraption below its waist. Laying there like a turtle flipped on its shell, the human whimpered and cried as its limbs flailed.

At that moment, the anomaly felt a tugging piece of information unveiling from its data core. This was a special human. This was what bigger humans cherished. This was called a baby.

Once again, the baby screamed. The anomaly growled at the sound. For some reason, the sharp cries disturbed its unpolished sound-detecting system. The screams made its mind flutter and ring. But despite this, the anomaly stepped closer to the infant until it was staring down at the red-faced one.

For the first time in its life, the anomaly did not know what to do. Humans never left their young alone, especially not outside without the safety of their masks. How long had this infant been here? Surely not too long, for it still had the ability to cry. That meant oxygen was somehow finding its way into the babe's lungs.

The anomaly lowered its canine snout and sniffed at the child. A complex wave of information was sent into its data core through the aroma it inhaled - information that led the anomaly to believe that the infant would be dead soon if it wasn't exposed to cleaner air.

Death was commonplace among humans, it knew. Though it had never witnessed the end of a human's life, it knew that the experience brought what was known as sadness. Sadness was of the more complex emotions, the anomaly had learned. It was neither good nor bad, but rather a necessity. Yet the anomaly couldn't help but feel that this infant was not meant to die today. But the metallic wolf knew it would have to act soon, because the constant screams had stopped. The baby was motionless save for a barely noticeable expansion of its chest.

Whether it was from a random program sprung from its data core or an act of unknown instinct, the anomaly did not know. But at that moment, it felt a boiling stream of hot air begin to fester in the middle of its torso. Heat was now emitting from its body, making its limbs creak and its chest expand. The torrent of rising air traveled from the pit of its abdomen up into its throat, until finally the surge of air slithered into its jaws and escaped the coils of its metal snout in a thundering burst. Immediately a sharp melody shattered the silent atmosphere as the anomaly roared at the sky. Never in its life had the anomaly experienced such a turbulence of force. The sound of its howl ricocheting off its steel organs was so loud, it could see the glass windows of buildings begin to blur in response to its deafening might.

It didn't take long for a crowd of properly-masked humans to gather at the sight of the anomaly's howl. But by the time the mob of confused adults had made their way to the alley they saw nothing but an infant in desperate need of medical attention, and the steel-plated canine had begun to run away from the site of its outburst. The humans would take care of their young, it knew. They would see that the infant would recover. But as for the anomaly, a series of questions ran through its head. Never in its life had it howled before. Never had a bark, a whine, or even a yip escaped its throat. Never had it garnered any evidence to confirm its relation to the majestic beasts it was modeled after.

Perhaps the marking of a wolf was not a slender frame splashed with soft hairs and earth tones. Perhaps what made a wolf was the song it sung, to which the anomaly - the wolf - had never recognized before.