Jessika Downes-Gössl

But Keiko stubbornly stays put and doesn't even try to listen to what Mem-RE wants to tell her. Instead, She sits down and starts to work. The sounds of all the office workers blend into one. It is environmental and hypnotic. MRE is momentarily transported into another world. The clipping of staplers is like the chirping of cicadas. The rustling of paper is like the wind through leaves.

The sips of coffee are like the flow of a fresh water stream. It looks at Keiko. eager to see if she has been transported with it. But when it looks into her eyes, it no longer sees the girl who once danced with a cherry blossom doll. Her gaze is distant. Mem-RE suddenly has another idea. It opens up the door on its chest and reaches inside.

The sips of coffee are like the flow of a fresh water stream. It looks at Keiko. eager to see if she has been transported with it. But when it looks into her eyes, it no longer sees the girl who once danced with a cherry blossom doll. Her gaze is distant. Mem-RE suddenly has another idea. It opens up the door on its chest and reaches inside.

The sips of coffee are like the flow of a fresh water stream. It looks at Keiko. eager to see if she has been transported with it. But when it looks into her eyes, it no longer sees the girl who once danced with a cherry blossom doll. Her gaze is distant. Mem-RE suddenly has another idea. It opens up the door on its chest and reaches inside.

Still sitting there, untouched by the years, is Keiko's dolls. Mem Re holds her in its hand for a second. It remembers the day she was made. It remembers how she flew and laughed and lay down on the grass. It remembers as if it had been the one there with her, not Keiko. MemRE doesn't want to give this memory up. MemBots don't have childhoods.

Still sitting there, untouched by the years, is Keiko's dolls. Mem Re holds her in its hand for a second. It remembers the day she was made. It remembers how she flew and laughed and lay down on the grass. It remembers as if it had been the one there with her, not Keiko. MemRE doesn't want to give this memory up. MemBots don't have childhoods.

Still sitting there, untouched by the years, is Keiko's dolls. Mem Re holds her in its hand for a second. It remembers the day she was made. It remembers how she flew and laughed and lay down on the grass. It remembers as if it had been the one there with her, not Keiko. MemRE doesn't want to give this memory up. MemBots don't have childhoods.

They don't get to have memories like this one for themselves. And Keiko doesn't even miss the memory. She's an adult. She's an engineer who wears grey suits now. What is she going to do with the memory of a cherry blossom doll? Even though it is sad to let it go, MemRE puts the doll down on Keiko's desk. Keiko glances quickly at it, and then away again.

They don't get to have memories like this one for themselves. And Keiko doesn't even miss the memory. She's an adult. She's an engineer who wears grey suits now. What is she going to do with the memory of a cherry blossom doll? Even though it is sad to let it go, MemRE puts the doll down on Keiko's desk. Keiko glances quickly at it, and then away again.

They don't get to have memories like this one for themselves. And Keiko doesn't even miss the memory. She's an adult. She's an engineer who wears grey suits now. What is she going to do with the memory of a cherry blossom doll? Even though it is sad to let it go, MemRE puts the doll down on Keiko's desk. Keiko glances quickly at it, and then away again.

And then, the fog clears from in front of her eyes. It is as if the sun has come out once again. She looks back at the doll and her eyes go wide. Oh, she says. But she cannot say any more. Because she is too busy remembering. She remembers the smell of honey and green sap coming from the cherry blossoms over her head. She remembers the dew of the grass as it brushes against her toes.

And then, the fog clears from in front of her eyes. It is as if the sun has come out once again. She looks back at the doll and her eyes go wide. Oh, she says. But she cannot say any more. Because she is too busy remembering. She remembers the smell of honey and green sap coming from the cherry blossoms over her head. She remembers the dew of the grass as it brushes against her toes.

And then, the fog clears from in front of her eyes. It is as if the sun has come out once again. She looks back at the doll and her eyes go wide. Oh, she says. But she cannot say any more. Because she is too busy remembering. She remembers the smell of honey and green sap coming from the cherry blossoms over her head. She remembers the dew of the grass as it brushes against her toes.

She remembers the hum of the flying insects and the blue of the sky. And she remembers that she used to dance. Then Keiko picks up the cherry blossom doll, holding her delicately. And she remembers that the reason she wanted to be an engineer in the first place is because she wanted to make things. She once wanted to be the kind of adult who could be friends with dolls and robots forever.

She remembers the hum of the flying insects and the blue of the sky. And she remembers that she used to dance. Then Keiko picks up the cherry blossom doll, holding her delicately. And she remembers that the reason she wanted to be an engineer in the first place is because she wanted to make things. She once wanted to be the kind of adult who could be friends with dolls and robots forever.

She remembers the hum of the flying insects and the blue of the sky. And she remembers that she used to dance. Then Keiko picks up the cherry blossom doll, holding her delicately. And she remembers that the reason she wanted to be an engineer in the first place is because she wanted to make things. She once wanted to be the kind of adult who could be friends with dolls and robots forever.

Why is she sitting behind this desk? Why is she wearing this grey suit? She stands up and looks at all of her colleagues in their desks next to her. They all look so tired. They all look like they have forgotten something important. Keiko follows MemRE out of the office building. They walk and they roll all the way across the little town to the MemBot warehouse.

Why is she sitting behind this desk? Why is she wearing this grey suit? She stands up and looks at all of her colleagues in their desks next to her. They all look so tired. They all look like they have forgotten something important. Keiko follows MemRE out of the office building. They walk and they roll all the way across the little town to the MemBot warehouse.

Why is she sitting behind this desk? Why is she wearing this grey suit? She stands up and looks at all of her colleagues in their desks next to her. They all look so tired. They all look like they have forgotten something important. Keiko follows MemRE out of the office building. They walk and they roll all the way across the little town to the MemBot warehouse.

Keiko looks around at all the hibernating Membots. Somehow, even with their sleeping metal faces, they look just as tired as her colleagues did. They all look like they have been forgotten. Keiko takes off her grey suit jacket and gets down on the floor next to Mem AA. When she calls for a tool or for a light to be shone in the right spot, Mem RE is there to help her.