Candy's small kitchen sits outside the CityDomes. Her rare chocolates conjure hidden queues of children every morning. They grin as she hands each their single piece then hurries them on. A commotion draws Candy's attention to the front. The kids quieten. She retreats. A man's tossing shelves in the dark. He looks weak, but her... Continue Reading →
Timeless
Despite countless weeks spent on coding and design, she'd almost forgotten the outfit. School notification; dance-hall activated. Eyes closed, chest tight, time to upload. Other students uploaded too, filling the dark virtual dance-hall with a chaos of colour. The guests contrasting with timber decor meant for long-lost tuxedos and ballgowns. She took a moment to... Continue Reading →
Balloon
“Parcels, games, entertainment. Done. Got the coding for decorations? I still couldn’t find it in the system.” “Found something better. But I’ll need help.” We finished everything just as guests arrived, entry pad scanning in each individual. The VIP was en-route, guided by my partner. We all hid. When they arrived, the room scanned my... Continue Reading →
Fireweed
My private aug showed ages beside every face in the room, but maintained each digitally overlaid, customisable appearance. “Miss-“ the one hundred and forty-three earth-year old who didn’t look a day over twenty. “Doctor,” I corrected. Doubt flashed across all faces. “Project Fireweed will be swift and precise,” I announced to the group, “replacing current... Continue Reading →
To the Edge
“Due end of week,” she said. I accepted the file transfer. “Anything else?” “Check in on the dome too, yeah?” “Or we’ll all die?” “Cold,” she said, her aug profile smirking. “Mars is colder.” “Answers for everything.” “This trip wouldn’t work without me,” I said. “Don’t be so sure.” We ended comms. I stared at... Continue Reading →