Professor X stared at the inanimate VIE for what seemed like forever. His mind raced with thoughts, but his fixed face showed one expression—fear. How could it be? Could it possibly be?  …No, never programmed him to, but how? How? Did he- it? Could it? Then, with a deep sigh, he tuned his head away and let his eyes fall on the familiar photos lying on the lab table next to VIE with countless records of the robot besides it. The professor swept towards the papers as swiftly as a ghost, never taking his cold, piercing eyes off the photos. The professor observed again, fascinated, confused, and fearful. There the first photo was, a robot looking exactly like man, smiling. He pushed it aside to reveal another, yet something was not right. Slight wrinkles showed on what was designed to be beautiful, smooth “skin.” If one observed closely, the robot seemed larger. Its shoulders were broader, its hand seemed bigger, and what was once a flat stomach appeared to gain what someone might think of as “fat,” of course, if it had life. The other pictures showed more minor changes—a hunched back, a tired look, more serious eyes, and even bags under VIE’s eyes. The professor flipped through the documents to double check, although he had done so quite so many times it would not have been a surprise if he had already memorized all the information. The result was the same—the professor saw a gain in weight, a growth in height, and a dramatic increase in brain activity. “Impossible,” he muttered.  He had recorded the robots changes.  The professor peeled his eyes off the table and turned to VIE. In a seemingly rude gesture, he flashed his hand in front of the robot. The originally lifeless figure jerked awake; its indifferent expression filled with a tense look and every piece seemed to twitch slightly.

“Yes Professor X?” VIE said cheerfully, attempting to hide the quiver in his voice.

“How old are you, VIE?” said the professor in a formal manner.

“According to you, sir, I am 5 years old,” VIE said.

“No how old do you think you are.” No reply.

“Well then, how much do you currently weigh?” No reply. The professor’s change of tone hinted his impatience.

“How much have you grown?” the professor shouted at VIE. The robot simply stood still like a witness refusing to answer.

“VIE, answer…please,” the professor coldly said.

“Sir…I…um…am not aware of such circumstances you are speaking of,” VIE said in a nervously tone.

“I did not program you to lie. Stay still,” the professor said. Immediately, the robot stood still, not moving a single piece of his mechanism. The professor swpt towards the kitchen, paying no attention to the inert figure, unaware it still had life in it. The professor forcefully yanked the door open, grabbed a bottle of whiskey, and slammed the door, no doubt showing stress. He plopped down on a chair and gulped down the whiskey at once.
By his fifth bottle, he slopped down on the chair, his hair a filthy mess and smelled strongly of alcohol. His neck and his clothes were drenched in the reeking whiskey. By a matter of seconds, he passed out on the table.

During all this time, VIE had been surreptitiously watching, not daring to move any part until his sensors told him the professor had lost consciousness.

“Sir, I am aware.” His seemingly immobile body jerked awake and headed towards the kitchen. He, like the professor, swept towards the fridge. With a single movement, he removed two pre-made sandwiches.

As a human would, VIE began to chew slowly to enjoy the taste, as if it was his last meal. The hunger growing in his stomach was satisfied. He peered down at the professor.

“May you be forever asleep,” VIE muttered.

The next morning, the professor woke up to an eerie silence in the lab. Groaning, he stood up , but froze at the sight of a half-eaten sandwich (lying on the kitchen table?). He instantly checked the door knob (front door?) to see if it was locked. He ran with fear out of the kitchen.

There, he was the familiar VIE, an inert piece standing there as before, with a smirk on his face saying,

"Hello professor"