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Short Stories Science Fiction Unfinished: "MENU - the multi-sensory entertainment network unit" (working title)
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Unfinished: "MENU - the multi-sensory entertainment network unit" (working title) |
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| Written by Linus Kiess | |
| Tuesday, 06 May 2008 | |
| Last Updated ( Wednesday, 07 May 2008 ) |
Sam smiled deeply breathing in the refreshing air, and immediately got started. He could instruct the creation system using hand and finger movements it understood and could command it with words. Years ago the last illegal users of thought reading devices had surrendered final traces of the technology – Sam had seen it in the news. That wouldn’t be real art anyway, he appreciated. With enough time he could sculpt the finest details of this world to his imagination’s liking. Not just what thing’s looked like, no, but how all senses would experience them. Fundamental laws of physics could be rewritten in a sentence, trees could have artificial personalities – but Sam didn’t do much abstract art. Once a supportive teacher had labeled his creations “Interpretations of historic nature” – whatever that meant. This afternoon he wanted to go “horse” riding.
“Warning, impending power shutdown in thirty seconds… Store current memory and exit?” the voice politely asked. Mum and Dad wanted him out – right now. Sam got ready to be told off.
“You disappoint us, Sam,” were the first stinging words of welcome back that his father, Fenton, shot at him. The way he said it quietly made it worse. “You need to use your time extremely efficiently to be successful in this world” he always said, and repeated for this occasion. “Why aren’t you dressed for dinner yet?” he added sternly, rhetorically, and marched out of the room to prepare himself. Sam’s mum approached him with an expression that held worry, frustration and love. She sighed, “You know how hard we work to give you the best chance of making it... Your Dad had a hard day. He shouldn’t have let it out on you. We just really need you to do your part, Sam.”
Despite her own flaws, Linley had an uncommon knack for being a mother. Sam nodded thankfully in apology, looking down. “I did the work though,” Sam stated. “So did the other kids!” Linley got upset, but then composed herself and thought for a moment. “Sam, one day you’ll understand – but right now listen to me carefully: you need to do more than the others to stay at the top. That’s very important. Stay at the top!” she emphasized, not for the first time. She had never said much more about why, and Sam had never dared ask. “Okay Mum, I’m sorry…” He wasn’t – but that was all it took for now. Sam already looked forward to basking in the creations of his imagination (and checking out other people’s) in the MENU tomorrow.
After the device in the bathroom gave him a fresh haircut, and he had taken an air-blast wash, Sam put on the “best” suit he owned, “most suitable for the occasion”. The public MENU archives allowed you to explore what the world had been like before the shortages started. Some of these worlds were fictional, some based on real footage – Sam sometimes wished he had been born in those days. The things they did back then – like cleaning themselves with real water, shooting it at other kids as a game, and not wearing these stupid suits. It was appealing.
The collar was just tight enough to be uncomfortable – so it was done up right. Hearing the access request tone from the hallway, Sam knew the guests were here. He swore to himself, in gleeful anticipation of the next two or so hours – sitting at the table stiffly, forced to listen to his parents demean themselves, listening to bargaining over “business deals”, and having to constantly show off what a perfect happy family they were. Putting on an obedient smile at mentions of “what great potential our young boy Sam has”, and if there was any “information about opportunities for such a clever young man”. When they had left, three full hours later, Sam just wanted to be alone.
His father Fenton had a position in the New Energy Corporation. …
Comments (1) |
 05-07-2008 05:45, but IMHO the severity of the water problem is overstated. A society using stillsuits would be fighting for survival at subsistence level in primitive conditions. But yours is a society with advanced technology. It might be better to place control of the last river at issue, rather than the last few drops of perspiration. » Reply to this comment... |
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