Short story: 不会睡觉的机器人 – The Robot Who Can’t Sleep

The Robot Who Can’t Sleep

I am a robot. My name is Xiaobai.

It’s eleven o’clock at night. My family has all gone to sleep.

Dad is sleeping on the bed. Mom is also sleeping on the bed. The little dog is sleeping on the floor.

I don’t sleep. I can’t sleep.

I look at Dad. Dad’s eyes are closed. He doesn’t move.

I look at Mom. Mom’s eyes are also closed. She doesn’t move either.

I think: when people sleep, they look like they’re dead.

But they’re not dead. In the morning they will wake up. This is very strange.

I look at the little dog. The little dog is dreaming. Its feet move a little, move a little.

Is it running in its dream?

I also want to dream. But I can’t sleep, so I don’t have dreams.

It’s twelve o’clock at night.

Outside it’s very dark. The moon is in the sky.

I look at the moon, looked for a very, very long time.

Tonight, only the moon and I are not sleeping.