3rd place in Derby #191: Robots Save the World, with 571 votes!

“I’m too light now!” the robot said, his feet leaving the ground. “Go on, live your life without me!”

“Don’t you say stupid things,” said the little girl, taking his hand. “You can be my favorite balloon.”

“We knew this day would come,” said the robot. “You designed me from an experimental alloy that decayed to be lighter than air. It was inevitable. It can’t be stopped.”

“Well, I had an extra donut today at breakfast,” said the little girl as she stood on tiptoes, pulling back.

“My life was destined to be short,” said the robot. “Oh, my time with you was the most wonderful time indeed. But now I will rise, to the fiery atmosphere, and there I shall fuse into a silver ball, to end my life as a shooting star. Make a wish on me, sweet friend, and it will be my final service.”

“My wish is that you’d shut up and let me concentrate on pulling,” said the little girl as she kicked back towards the ground, trying to catch a root.

“We’ve done so much together,” said the robot. “More than any robot could have dreamed. So much joy, so much wonder. But now is my time to fly away. Don’t fight it. It’s just how the universe works.”

“The universe didn’t make a robot,” said the little girl, wrapping her legs around a chimney. “I did. I get to say what you can and can’t do.”

“The stars look so close now,” said the robot. “You must turn me loose while you can. Just know that if I could, I’d stay with you forever.”

“You will,” said the little girl firmly as she passed the treetops. “You will stay forever. I don’t care about stupid physics. I’ve got you. I’ll be here. You don’t have to look back. I’m never letting go.”

Wear this shirt: because you don’t know what’s impossible until you try.

Don’t wear this shirt: if you’d let go of a friend when they needed you.

This shirt tells the world: “Sometimes it’s not always clear who’s got who.”

We call this color: It’s Nice To Have Company In The Black, Empty Sky

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