Lena wiped the sweat from her brow as she worked the assembly line. The familiar hum of machines filled the factory floor, a sound she had grown accustomed to over the years. She had been here for almost a decade, assembling parts for the latest consumer electronics. The work wasn’t glamorous, but it paid the bills. She had a steady routine—wake up early, put in her hours, and go home. It wasn’t much, but it was enough to keep her small family going.

Her coworker, Greg, was a different story. He had been with her from the beginning, both of them starting as apprentices when the factory was first built. But Greg wasn’t like Lena. He had always been more tech-savvy, always tinkering with things in his spare time. He had taken night classes in automation and robotics, working hard to learn the skills that kept him one step ahead of the machines.

Lena admired Greg, but she never thought she’d need those skills herself. After all, the factory had been good to her. She had a steady job, a reliable paycheck, and no reason to change things. But lately, things had started to feel different.

The new machines that had been installed over the past few months were faster, more efficient, and operated with greater precision than any of the workers ever could. Lena had heard whispers that the company was planning to reduce the number of assembly line workers to make room for more robots.

Today, as Lena adjusted a faulty part on the conveyor belt, she overheard her supervisor speaking to a group of managers. “The new machines are cutting down our labor costs. We’ll be downsizing soon—those workers who can’t adapt won’t make it.”

Lena’s stomach tightened. She couldn’t afford to lose her job. She had two kids at home and a mortgage that was due at the end of the month. She had worked hard to keep this job—harder than most of the younger employees, who were still figuring out their place. But she didn’t have the skills Greg did.

Across the room, Greg was working with the new robots. He was adjusting the settings on one of the machines, his hands moving with precision. He looked up as Lena approached.

“I heard about the downsizing,” she said, trying to keep her voice steady.

Greg nodded. “Yeah, I heard the same thing. They’re going all in on automation. The machines are faster, cheaper, and they don’t need breaks.” He paused for a moment, his gaze drifting to the robots that were moving flawlessly along the conveyor belt.

“You’ll be fine,” Lena said, forcing a smile. “You know all this tech stuff. You’ll have no problem finding another job if this place closes down.”

Greg sighed. “I’m not so sure. Automation is moving fast, but not everyone can keep up with it. There are always people who get left behind.”

Lena looked down at the floor, trying to make sense of everything. She had worked here for so long, doing what she was good at. But now, she was beginning to feel like a relic. The machines were replacing her, and Greg—he was the future, the one who had learned how to work alongside technology instead of against it.

Later that day, as Lena packed up her things and prepared to leave, she passed by the break room where Greg was sitting, looking over his phone.

“Hey, Lena,” he called out. “You should think about taking some courses. There are programs that teach you how to operate the machines, even program them. It might not be too late to learn.”

Lena hesitated. “I’m not sure I have the time for that, Greg. Besides, I’ve never been good with computers.”

Greg gave her a reassuring smile. “It’s not about being good at computers. It’s about adapting. The world’s changing, Lena. If you want to keep your place in it, you’ve got to be willing to change too.”

Lena stared at him for a long moment, the weight of his words sinking in. She didn’t know if she was ready for that change. But she knew that the factory she had known for so many years wasn’t the same anymore. The machines were taking over, and she wasn’t sure if she could keep up.

As Lena walked out of the factory that evening, she looked up at the sky. The sun was setting, casting a warm glow across the city. It was beautiful, but she couldn’t shake the feeling of uncertainty that had taken root in her heart.

For the first time in years, she wondered if she had made the right choice staying where she was—or if she, like the machines, would soon be obsolete.