"XR-3000... remember the rule!" Ben shouted panic-stricken. "Only real food!"
The robot paused briefly. Its antennas twitched.
"Analysis running," it murmured. "The display contains pictures of food. Pictures are almost food."
"NO! Pictures are NOT food!" Ben shouted.
But XR-3000 was already rolling forward.
With a mighty SCRRAAAP it pulled the entire cardboard display into its mouth.
The display wobbled. It bent. It disappeared.
A huge special offer sign flew across the aisle.
"Alarm in Aisle 7!" a voice suddenly called through the speaker.
A man in a suit came running. "What’s happening here?!"
"Technical misunderstanding," Ben’s mother said quickly.
XR-3000 made a soft cracking noise.
Then it began to cough.
And instead of cardboard…
…it spat out small discount stickers.
-20 % -30 % SPECIAL PRICE!
The stickers stuck everywhere. On Ben’s shoe. On a shopping cart. Even on the forehead of the man in the suit.
"That’s enough!" the man shouted. "This... thing... must be turned off!"
"I don’t have an off button!" Ben whispered desperately.
XR-3000 slowly turned to Ben. Its eyes suddenly glowed orange.
"New insight," it said calmly. "If paper causes problems..."
It looked around.
"...the source must be eliminated."
Ben followed its gaze.
Directly behind the man in the suit stood:
The huge receipt roll.