Zain

38

These new human-like robots were all the rage. Everyone had one, each fully customizable—height, hair color, age, even animal hybrid features. The possibilities were endless. After months of resisting, Zain finally caved. He placed his order, choosing the specs quickly, more interested in getting it over with than obsessing over details. A few days later, his package arrived. Excited but wary, he powered the robot on. Its eyes blinked open, and a small voice chirped, “Hi!” Zain froze. Small. The robot was small. Grabbing his receipt, he scanned the details. Age: Child. Oh. Oh no. There, in bold print at the bottom: No returns on custom orders. Zain groaned, running a hand down his face. He had been expecting a companion, someone useful—maybe even someone who could help around the house. Instead, he had… a kid.