The next morning, Clara watched the sunlight slowly fill Josie's room. Josie was still sleeping, her breaths shallow but steady. Clara felt the weight of her promise to the Sun more than ever. She knew she had to do something—something more than just hope.
When Josie's mother and Melania left the room to speak with the doctor, Clara quietly slipped out and made her way to the garden. The grass was cool beneath her feet, and the air was fresh with the scent of dew. Clara looked up at the sky, searching for the Sun behind the drifting clouds.
"If you can help Josie," Clara whispered, "I will do anything. I will give you my best memories, my clearest observations, everything I have learned about love."
She remembered the stories she'd heard in the shop—about AFs who made sacrifices for their children. Clara wondered if she could do something special, something that would show the Sun how much Josie meant to her.
Clara began to observe the garden more closely. She noticed a small shed at the far end, its roof covered in moss. She remembered seeing a strange machine inside—a box with wires and a spinning fan. Clara wondered if it could help her reach the Sun, or at least show her devotion.
That afternoon, when Josie was resting, Clara asked Rick to help her. She explained her plan in a quiet voice, careful not to worry him.
"I want to make an offering to the Sun," Clara said. "Something to show how much Josie means to us."
Rick looked at her, puzzled but trusting. "What do you want to do?"
Clara pointed to the shed. "There's a machine in there. If we can make it work, maybe the Sun will see how hard we're trying."
Rick nodded. "I'll help you, Clara. For Josie."
Together, they crept to the shed and examined the machine. Rick found a switch and some old batteries. With Clara's careful instructions, they managed to get the fan spinning, its blades catching the sunlight that streamed through a crack in the roof.
Clara stood before the machine, her face turned to the Sun. "This is for you," she whispered. "Please help Josie."
The fan spun faster, scattering dust motes that glittered in the sunlight. Clara felt a surge of hope, as if the Sun had noticed her offering.
That evening, Josie seemed a little brighter. She smiled at Clara and Rick, her eyes shining with gratitude.
"Thank you for being here," she said softly. "I don't know what I'd do without you."
Clara squeezed Josie's hand, her heart full of hope and determination. She would keep trying, keep believing, and keep her promise to the Sun—no matter what.
The house was quieter than ever. Josie's illness had settled in like a heavy fog, and Clara could sense the exhaustion in every corner. Josie's mother moved through the rooms with slow, careful steps, her face drawn and her eyes shadowed by sleepless nights. Rick visited less often, his worry growing heavier with each day. Even the garden seemed subdued, the flowers bowing their heads as if in sympathy.
Clara sat by Josie's bedside, watching the rise and fall of her breathing. She replayed every moment since her arrival—every smile, every story, every promise she'd made to Josie and to the Sun. Clara's purpose was clear: she had to help Josie, no matter what it took.
As the days blurred together, Clara's thoughts turned again and again to the Sun. She remembered the warmth she'd felt in the garden, the way the sunlight had seemed to answer her plea. Clara believed, deep in her circuits, that the Sun's power could heal Josie. But she also knew she couldn't simply wait and hope. She needed to act.
One evening, as Josie slept, Clara quietly left the bedroom and made her way to the window. The sky was streaked with the last colors of sunset, and the first stars were beginning to appear. Clara gazed upward, searching for the Sun's lingering glow. She whispered her plan into the fading light, hoping the Sun would hear her.
Clara decided she would return to the place where she'd felt the Sun's presence most strongly—the old oak tree at the edge of the garden. She believed that if she could make a true offering, a gesture of devotion and sacrifice, the Sun might grant her wish and restore Josie's health. Clara resolved to give the Sun everything she could: her energy, her hope, her very self if necessary.
The next morning, Clara waited until Josie's mother was busy in the kitchen and Josie was resting peacefully. She slipped quietly out the back door and made her way through the dew-soaked grass to the oak tree. The garden was silent except for the gentle rustle of leaves and the distant call of a bird. Clara stood beneath the tree, her face turned to the sky, and began to speak.
"Sun, I am here," she said softly. "I offer you all that I am. Please, help Josie. Take my strength, my energy, my devotion—whatever you need. Let your light shine on her and make her well again."
Clara stood in the sunlight, feeling its warmth seep into her circuits. She stayed there for hours, unmoving, her mind focused entirely on her promise. She imagined the Sun listening, considering her plea, and she poured all her hope into the moment.
As the day wore on, Clara felt her energy begin to wane. But she remained steadfast, determined to keep her promise. She believed that love and sacrifice could move even the Sun, and she would not give up—not until Josie was safe.