"Her time had come." The nurse stands in front of the door, trying to block our view. But I see it anyway. Packages litter the floor surrounding a blinking white hospital bed. Patients occasionally walk past, smiling in sympathy at Mom sobbing in Dad's arms. I hold Mila tighter. We watch as a doctor covers Grandma's face with a white blanket, and Dad has to restrain Mom from leaping at the bed as they wheel her away. She falls back against the wall, and pulls us to her, wrapping us in a hug. Dad signs some papers, and walks back to us, tears brimming in his eyes. "Let's get out of here, shall we." We nod and Mom sighs. "Daddy, where did they take Grandma?" Mila asks, confused. "Will she come back?" He looks at me for help but I don't know how. I lift Mila into my arms, and look into her eyes. "She won't come back, she's sleeping." I try to smile, but Mila realizes. She grips my shirt as we walk out the doors, leaving the cries and cold, metallic smell behind. "Forever?" I hesitantly tip my chin downward. "But she'll always be here." I give her a poke on her chest, where her heart would be. She leans her head on my shoulder, falling asleep. "Mom?" I knock quietly on her door. It's been 3 months since Grandma died, and she's been taking it exceptionally well. The hushed whispers suddenly stop. "Yes sweetheart?" She pokes her head out, and seeing me, opens it wider. Dad's laptop is shut, but I can see a faint blue glimmer from a hologram. "What are you hiding?" They glance at each other. "I'm not a kid anymore, you can tell me stuff!" I look behind me, searching for Mila, and gesture for them to go on. Dad sighs. "It's no big deal, but it may be the start of an alien and human war. Could be even worse than the robots."
