×

menu
Penana
US
search
search
Popular Tags
What Others Are Reading
Loginarrow_drop_down
Registerarrow_drop_down
Please use Chrome or Firefox for better user experience!
close
Comments close
Show more...


favorite
0
comment
0
arrow_back_ios_new
Prev
arrow_back_ios_new
Next
format_color_text
Style
open_in_full
Expand
list
Menu
coins
Sponsor
campaign
Request update
share
Share
report
Report
×
Login first to show your name as a sponsor, or donate with Pena Coins.

× Pena Coins Credit Card

Close
People Who Like This
#85

SCENE 82 – "The Babysitting Begins"

Author Author
May 2, 2025 70 3 Mins Read
x
No Plagiarism!Qv2eBgoqvGqHmBjyzMEgposted on PＥNAＮＡ

INT. THE CUBE – MORNING

74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7Zpzid6O3K

A knock rattles the door early in the morning.

A practically sprints to open it, his face lit up with an excitement usually reserved for cartoons and new snack deliveries.

74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ3cXgNW0xh

He swings the door wide.

74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyZ2ae3GAxr

A (grinning)

"Good morning!!"

74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5Z6xKXfH1A

Standing outside are Josh Anderson and Violet Solace, both carrying bags and looking very... surprised.

74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNj4ZIVZ6Vm

Josh blinks, his optics doing a little mechanical whirr as he takes in the tall, smiley bot who is definitely not Jason.

74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeQ3A1DbjKH

JOSH (awkwardly clearing his throat)

"Uh... hi? Is Jason here?"

74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGe5ARm9Mme

Before A can respond, Jason skids into view, still pulling a hoodie over his head and looking like he lost a fight with his own bed.

74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0B3xKiI964

JASON (huffing)

"Yeah, yeah, I’m here. Long story—roommates."

74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaGVpcwouUX

Josh raises a brow, but shrugs it off in classic Josh fashion—if it’s weird, it’s probably normal for Jason.

74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaykkcNZa6u

Violet, on the other hand, immediately grins like a shark spotting blood.

74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2KqUsyf1Ib

VIOLET (teasing)

"Roommates? What, you finally got sick of living with just your own depressing thoughts?"

74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6uirwHO357

Jason rolls his eyes.

74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQvsAzmnUri

JASON (grinning back)

"Yeah, figured I should diversify the mental illnesses around me."

74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQcBG8QnLUd

They both laugh like it’s the funniest thing ever.

Josh sighs, looking between them helplessly—clearly used to this dynamic.

74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY23OzhqHZx

Violet nudges Josh’s arm with an elbow.

74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7mW2dar1ht

VIOLET (smirking)

"Remember college? When I had to drag your sorry ass out of the laundry room 'cause someone glued your pants to the floor?"

74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB9GTgoMlZ0

JASON (cackling)

"Best prank of the semester. You were screaming like a kettle."

74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVbOCSHZgp7

Josh mutters something about "trauma" and "therapy bills."

74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwvJAqb1Z2G

VIOLET (mocking, to Jason)

"And you were always the bad influence. Top of the food chain."

74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsHvEHoxE1W

JASON (mock innocent)

"Hey, you were the one encouraging me! If I’m the poison, you're the damn delivery system."

74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk4sVeFa5T9

They both exchange an evil, nostalgic look.

Josh just groans dramatically, as if he'd aged a century just standing there.

74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5ukIENUnjL

Meanwhile, A gently cradles Emily—a small, egg-shaped data pod with a soft pulsing blue glow—like she’s made of clouds.

74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx9Q300QVz8

A (whispering, awed)

"She’s adorable."

74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKFtkbvfWbD

Violet softens a little, watching A hold the pod with such care.

74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlS0tkWzvXN

VIOLET (grinning)

"Take good care of her, alright? She likes soft humming noises and hates loud banging."

74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGHVC7ZF6Mz

Jason snorts.

74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlCZS17nZHI

JASON (deadpan)

"Perfect. We’re a rock band of chaos and murder. What could go wrong?"

74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkAw8Ftb2NR

Josh gives a nervous chuckle, handing A a tiny manual titled "Emergency Data Pod Care" written in about 500 words of technobabble and legal threats.

74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnWoTNO8bLy

JOSH (half-joking)

"If she explodes, you’re buying us a new kid."

74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTBDMEkFWoL

JASON (saluting lazily)

"Sir, yes sir."

74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZgWrgtiQqz

VIOLET (turning to leave, calling over her shoulder)

"Don’t let him teach her sarcasm before she even has legs!"

74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjoLtzt1YCk

JASON (mock-offended)

"Hey, sarcasm is a life skill!"

74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhGKcnzprnm

The front door clicks shut after them.

Silence falls over the cube... broken only by the soft pulsing of the data pod.

74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsu3XVklrf0

Jason turns slowly to face A and K, hands on hips.

74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTkzUcM8sRc

JASON (grimacing)

"Well, congratulations. We’re officially in charge of a tiny semi-sentient bean."

74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmBqilqlcFw

A cradles Emily proudly like he’s holding the future.

74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjACkEeWXBY

K scribbles a doodle of a baby pod wielding a giant axe on the wall behind them.

74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMTTaFK6Mbc

JASON (sighing)

"This... is gonna be a nightmare."

74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmK8J3qjfqL

FADE OUT.

216.73.216.154

ns216.73.216.154da2
favorite
comment 0
coins
0 likes Suggest Edits
Be the first to like this issue!
Next Issue >
close
Robotic Essences
home
Bookmark!
campaign Request update 0
Table of Contents
#0 Intro
#1 Welcome to Central City
#2 SCENE 1 – “Security Life” pt1
#3 SCENE 1 – “Security Life” pt2
#4 SCENE 2 – “Quiet Doesn’t Last”
#5 SCENE 3 – “Unwelcome Footprints”
#6 SCENE 4 – “Break the Silence”
#7 SCENE 5 – “The Parts We Don’t Talk About”
#8 SCENE 6 – “Still Breathing”
#9 SCENE 7 – “The Smiling Knife”
#10 SCENE 8 – “Ghost in the Pipes”
#11 SCENE 9 – “Right-Hand Problems”
#12 SCENE 10 – “Drag Marks and Doubt”
#13 SCENE 11 – “Below the Skin of the City”
#14 SCENE 12 – “What Shouldn’t Be There”
#15 SCENE 13 – “Echoes of Vision”
#16 SCENE 14 – “Fragments of a Dying Empire”
#17 SCENE 15 – “Shadows Don’t Bargain”
#18 SCENE 16 – “Rust Between Circuits”
#19 SCENE 17 – “The Breach”
#20 SCENE 18 – “Three Bots & a Parasite”
#21 SCENE 19 – “Paperwork and Parasites”
#22 SCENE 20 – “Smuggle Me Softly”
#23 SCENE 21 – “Oil, Info, and Idiots”
#24 SCENE 21 – EXTENDED: “Sleepover Protocols & Other Malfunctions”
#25 SCENE 22 – “Robot Makeover: Low Budget Edition”
#26 SCENE 23 – “Caffeine, Cloaks, and Casual Paranoia”
#27 SCENE 24 – “Rustfields”
#28 SCENE 25 – “Buzz and Circuits”
#29 SCENE 26 – “Tune-Ups and Tightropes”
#30 SCENE 27 – “Errands and Egos”
#31 SCENE 28 – “Groceries and Good Lies”
#32 SCENE 29 – “Dinner and Disclosures”
#33 SCENE 30 – “Steam, Suffering, and Swords”
#34 SCENE 31 – “Dicey Decisions”
#35 SCENE 32 – “Good Night, You Weirdos”
#36 SCENE 33 – “Dreamscapes”
#37 SCENE 34 – “Office and Off-Duty”
#38 SCENE 35 – “A Pleasant Stroll… with Minor Homicidal Undertones”
#39 SCENE 36 – “Wings and Wires”
#40 SCENE 37 – “After-Hours”
#41 SCENE 38 – “Alcohol & Stuff”
#42 SCENE 39 – “Shutdown.exe”
#43 SCENE 40 – “The Weight of Peace”
#44 SCENE 41 – “Midnight, Glitches, and Blankets”
#45 SCENE 42 – “Dawn of the Mildly Functional”
#46 SCENE 43 – “Commute to Doom”
#47 SCENE 44 – “An Office Full of Violence and Vending Machines”
#48 SCENE 45 – “Lunch Break and Clickbait Nightmares”
#49 SCENE 46 – “Rise and Resist (Routine)”
#50 SCENE 47 – “Unauthorized Research”
#51 SCENE 48 – “Wardrobe Upgrades”
#52 SCENE 49 – “Field‑Trip From Hell”
#53 SCENE 50 – “Afternoon Idleness”
#54 SCENE 51 – “Uno and Other Emergencies”
#55 SCENE 52 – “Tech on a Budget”
#56 SCENE 53 – “Delivery, Disobedience & Discoveries”
#57 SCENE 54 – “Questions & Quirks”
#58 SCENE 55 – “Privacy Settings”
#59 SCENE 56 – “Entertainment Planning”
#60 SCENE 57 – "Loyalty Reinforcement Seminar"
#61 SCENE 58 – “Friday‑Night Free Play”
#62 SCENE 59 – “Spire of Panic”
#63 SCENE 60 – “Lines, Orders, and Vines”
#64 SCENE 61 – “Infiltration”
#65 SCENE 62 – “Regroup & Re‑Arm”
#66 SCENE 63 – “Through Flesh and Steel”
#67 SCENE 64 – “Descent Protocol”
#68 SCENE 65 – “The Lungs Below”
#69 SCENE 66 – “Dead Air”
#70 SCENE 67 – “The Heart of the Hollow”
#71 SCENE 68 – “Overheat Protocol”
#72 SCENE 69 – “Sanitized and Sampled”
#73 SCENE 70 – “Totally Normal Roommates”
#74 SCENE 71 – "The Long Walk to Judgment"
#75 SCENE 72 – "Welcome Home, Idiot"
#76 SCENE 73 – "A Promise, A Vacation"
#77 SCENE 74 – "Field Trip to Food"
#78 SCENE 75 – "Cabin Fever"
#79 SCENE 76 – "Manners, Please"
#80 SCENE 77 – "Errands with Extra Steps"
#81 SCENE 78 – "Books, Pills, and Poor Decisions"
#82 SCENE 79 – "Pharmacy Phantoms"
#83 SCENE 80 – "Digital Birds and Binary Bees"
#84 SCENE 81 – "Babysitting? Seriously?"
#85 SCENE 82 – "The Babysitting Begins"
#86 SCENE 83 – "Chaos, Baby-Sized"
#87 SCENE 84 – "Midnight Meltdown"
#88 SCENE 85 – "The Dreams They Dreamed"
#89 SCENE 86 – "The Morning After"
#90 SCENE 87 – "Return of the Parents"
#91 SCENE 88 – "The Reveal"
#92 SCENE 89 – "System Error: Josh.exe Has Stopped Responding"
#93 SCENE 90 – "A Totally Normal Lunch"
#94 SCENE 91 – “Business As Usual”
#95 SCENE 92 – “After the Storm”
#96 SCENE 93 – “The Rim of Opinions”
#97 SCENE 94 – “Tales, Tails, and Talking at 2AM”
#98 SCENE 95 – “Surgery, Solo”
#99 SCENE 96 – “Sleepless Core”
#100 SCENE 97 – “Unknown Systems”
#101 SCENE 98 – “Orders and Oil”
#102 SCENE 99 – “Key Moments”
#103 SCENE 100 – “Three Days of Sky”
× Share Email
Click to Share!
Share to Facebook
Share to Twitter
 content_copy
Copy link to clipboard
 share
Other options
Share this Publication by Email
Add a personal message
×

Proceed

×
format_size
remove_circle_outline 20 add_circle_outline
format_line_spacing remove_circle_outline 20 add_circle_outline
REGISTER
LOGIN

Forget Password?
OR
Login with Facebook
×
Subscribe
Go to the magazine
/
+ Add tip
The tip will be charged every payment period
+ Add promotion code
Apply close
Recipient Name

Shipping address



Phone Number


JOIN
Pay with
xxxx xxxx xxxx
Update payment method
Confirm Cancel
This is a one-time purchase.
If you don't cancel before the trial ends, you will automatically be charged the subscription fee every until you cancel. Renews automatically every , unless you decide to cancel. You can cancel your subscription at any time.
You can pay with non-card methods if you subscribe for 12 months.
Please leave your contact phone number here..
We will reach you soon by Whatsapp at the tel number you provide.
Please enter phone number.

Credit card payment

You have subscribed to this plan already!

Never miss what's happening on Penana!
Turn on notifications
Later
Close
×
Interface Language:
Story Language: