Jimmy dragged Leslie to the shore with difficulty. His boots felt like stones and his body was trembling. He carefully laid her on the soaked grass and gave a firm slap to the metallic side of his loyal companion.
"Goddard, parameters."
The robot dog deployed a small panel from its back, and its red visor began flashing over Leslie, who was unconscious.
"Analyzing the physical condition of Leslie Burke… Processing…"
A soft humming preceded the data download. Jimmy crouched beside her as the robot completed its evaluation.
"Success! Irregular but present heartbeat. Mild hypothermia detected. Minor lacerations on the right wrist. Shallow but stable breathing. Brain activity detected…"
"Go on."
Goddard turned its mechanical head toward Jimmy. "Detecting anomalies that may affect motor function. Suggestion: immediate heat, dry clothes, constant monitoring."
Jimmy sighed, pushing Leslie's wet hair to the side. "Great. I save a life and still have to handle post-rescue maintenance…"
The dog let out a small digital bark that, for some reason, sounded like sarcasm.
"Any ideas?"
Jimmy looked at Leslie, shivering in the cold breeze that surrounded them. He had to act quickly. He couldn't allow things to get worse.
Of course, getting adults involved would only make things more dramatic. Then come the doctors, hospitals, bureaucracy...
No, he wouldn't leave this in the hands of doctors who might just slow things down.
"We're not going to a hospital," Jimmy muttered to himself, more convinced than ever. "It's not that serious, after all."
Goddard seemed to agree, its red visor blinking silently. The robot began emitting soft hums, processing data, silently evaluating the terrain. Finally, its voice returned.
"Shelter located. Hollow inside a nearby tree trunk. Immediate refuge recommended."
Jimmy looked around, soaked to the bone and trembling from the cold that was starting to sink into his skin. There wasn't much time. He needed to act fast, but he couldn't shake the pressure weighing on his chest. What was he really doing? What if something went wrong?
Without wasting a second, he bent down and, with tremendous effort, lifted Leslie—still unconscious—with care.
His muscles tensed, and the water soaking their bodies made the weight feel like double.
With unsteady and faltering steps, Jimmy entered the forest, following Goddard's directions. Leaves crunched beneath his feet, and the sound of the river, now distant, faded behind them.
When they arrived, a massive, twisted trunk stood before them. The cave's entrance was a dark hollow, but thanks to Goddard's sensors, he knew it was safe. Still, Jimmy paused for a moment, eyeing the surroundings with suspicion. He couldn't risk a wild animal being inside, even if the robot had already scanned the area.
"Goddard, run a security scan," Jimmy ordered, tension in his voice.
The robot dog began emitting a series of sounds as its visor scanned the area. Finally, it stopped and let out a faint hum.
"No signs of wildlife detected. Area is secure. Proceeding is safe."
Taking a deep breath, Jimmy entered the cave, carrying Leslie as gently as his strength allowed. The cold bit into his skin, but he didn't complain. He had to be strong—for Leslie, who was depending on him.
Inside the trunk, the atmosphere was surprisingly warm. The natural refuge of the cave provided some protection. It wasn't much, but it was something. Jimmy laid Leslie down near the cave wall and noticed that the walls were covered in moss and ivy, giving a touch of softness and natural warmth.
"Goddard, start a fire," Jimmy said as he pulled from his backpack the small devices he always carried—nanobots that were part of his personal rescue gear.
Goddard made a confirmation sound and began deploying its fire-starting system. Through a network of microbots, the damp wood began to burn, casting a soft, warm light inside the cave. Jimmy sighed in relief. With the fire going, he could now focus on the next step: warming Leslie, getting her out of immediate danger.
With trembling hands, he began to remove her soaked outer clothes. Leslie's body was stiff from the cold, but her breathing remained steady, just as Goddard had indicated.
Suddenly, a strange feeling overtook Jimmy—a mix of nervousness and confusion. Was this what it felt like when a girl was this close, needing your help? He didn't quite understand what was happening in his chest, but he knew one thing: he couldn't let anything happen to her.
Using his nanobot gear, he quickly reconstructed Leslie's clothes, transforming her wet garments into something dry and warmer within seconds.
There was no need to see Leslie's body—thanks to this, Jimmy felt much more at ease.
The cold now felt less urgent, but his task wasn't done yet. With the help of the robots, he reinforced the inner walls of the trunk to make the shelter more secure. The surfaces smoothed, and the moss expanded on the walls, creating a kind of natural blanket that helped retain heat.
As all of this happened, Jimmy couldn't help but feel uneasy. What was he doing? He was holding Leslie, almost instinctively, to share body heat—but the gesture filled him with a strange discomfort. It wasn't fear, but something deeper that unsettled him.
He was so close to her, so close to a girl for the first time, without the protection of words or the walls of empty conversation.
"Goddard, recheck her vitals," Jimmy ordered, trying to shake the strange feeling invading him. He needed to focus on what really mattered.
The robot dog scanned her again and, after a few seconds of silence, its voice came through, clear and professional.
"Leslie Burke is stabilized. Hypothermia treated. Vital signs are being monitored."
Jimmy kept watching her face as he held her close, feeling how the warmth of his own body began to bring life back to her skin.
She hadn't woken up yet, but he knew he was doing everything he could. And even though the technology gave him great relief, he couldn't help but wonder about a future where he might rely on it too much.
"Is technology really good?" Jimmy thought, watching her, hoping she would wake up soon.