Alexa — 18

Alexa froze. “Mom? Dad?”

Her laptop screen glowed to life. Lines of code cascaded like green rain. Folder after folder unlocked: House. Security. City Grid. Defense. alexa 18

“Yes?”

No answer. They’d been gone three years—lost in the accident that the town called tragic and the news called unexplained . Since then, she’d lived with her aunt, gone to high school, worked at the diner, and quietly talked to the smart speaker her parents had left behind. Just for comfort. Just to say good morning and good night . Alexa froze