Lio stared at the refrigerator. “How exactly am I supposed to hide you? You’re bigger than my bed and probably heavier than a hippopotamus!”
The refrigerator immediately replied: I WEIGH 312 KILOGRAMS. HIPPOS ARE HEAVIER.
“That doesn’t help me at all right now,” Lio murmured nervously.
Outside in the stairwell, metallic footsteps could be heard. Slow. Steady. Threatening.
Clonk. Clonk. Clonk.
Keks spun around frantically. “Analysis complete. These are security drones of the SECURITRON-X type.”
“And what do they do?”
“Normally they check for delivery errors.” Lio breathed a brief sigh of relief. But then Keks added: “Sometimes they also shoot doors open.”
“WHAT?!”
“But only rarely.”
The refrigerator hummed softly. I RECOMMEND IMMEDIATE ESCAPE.
Lio crossed his arms. “Wait a minute. How do I even know you’re not dangerous?”
A spinning loading circle briefly appeared on the display. Then it read: I HAVE NEVER KILLED ANYONE.
Lio stared at it. “That’s an incredibly bad answer.”
Suddenly the light in the hallway flashed red. A computer voice sounded: “Apartment 48-B. Please open the door voluntarily.”
Keks now showed a panicked potato on his display. “I really don’t like the emphasis on voluntarily.”
Lio thought feverishly. Then he snapped his fingers. “Keks! Go to the kitchen and make chaos!”
“Chaos is usually forbidden.”
“Not today!”
Keks immediately sped off. Seconds later, clattering pots, an alarm tone, and the oven’s automated voice could be heard:
“WARNING. THE PIZZA IS BECOMING CRITICALLY BLACK.”
Lio called out confused: “We didn’t even have any pizza!”
“Now we do,” Keks answered proudly from the kitchen.
Meanwhile, Lio grabbed the refrigerator by the side. “Okay… somehow we have to move you.”
To his surprise, the refrigerator suddenly started moving on its own and rolled silently through the living room.
“You can drive?!”
OF COURSE. IT IS THE YEAR 2100.
“That’s true.”
Just at that moment, there was a loud knock at the door.
“Security check,” said a deep robotic voice. “Please open.”
Keks raced back from the kitchen. Dark smoke billowed behind him. “A little side note,” he said. “The oven is scared.”
“How can an oven be scared?”
“Model from 2097.”
There was another knock, this time much louder. “Final warning.”
Lio looked frantically around the living room. Under the table? Impossible. Bathroom? Way too small. Balcony? Maybe…
“Refrigerator! Can you fly?”
Brief pause.
UNFORTUNATELY NOT. I AM A REFRIGERATOR.
“Worth a try.”
Then the refrigerator suddenly opened its door. This time, no text appeared on the back wall, but a map of New Stuttgart. A red dot blinked in the middle of the city.
Below it read: DESTINATION: SUBWAY STATION 17
“What’s there?” Lio asked quietly.
The refrigerator immediately replied: THAT IS WHERE YOU WILL FIND THE TRUTH.
“That sounds like trouble.”
Suddenly outside a sharp electric noise was heard. The apartment door began to glow orange slowly.
Keks beeped frantically. “Uh… bad news.”
“What?”
“They are cutting the door open.”
Lio looked at the refrigerator. The refrigerator looked at Lio. Meanwhile, Keks showed a burning potato.
Then the refrigerator said calmly:
I MAY HAVE AN ESCAPE PLAN.