GLANCE INTO THE FUTURE
Episode 1,2,3
I opened the door and quietly sneaked in and hid myself beneath the bed where I saw – Robin rubbing his eyes ,he stood besides the bed and rolled up his eye lids .
To his shock, things around were completely changed and he found himself in a peculiar room (Oh too early to say so) and he could see an ultra modernised setup around him.A voice came from his bed (may be) 7 hrs 13 min sleep deactivated. He looked around in inquisition and found a small touch pad near his foot.
He stepped on it suddenly lights glowed and the wall got vanished opening a gateway to another spooky place where the only identifiable object was a round ceramic seat ( not for driving) . He sat on it and the music started and played some chords for a minute and the adorable robot arrived and projected the news and weather report on the overseeing glass panel.
Then the robot recited some words regarding the schedule and tasks to complete for that day. …………….
He flushed the toilet(I was ashamed standing there but have to) and heard the cyclonic whirlpool and vacuum suction. He saw a brush stand and picked up one (as he didn’t knew which to pick neither I) and put it in his mouth and it swirled round the teeth and rubbed the tongue .He then came out and saw a wide panel besides him .
He stepped forward and touched it , some skyscrapers began to appear with brilliant colors lights flashing before his apartment and then suddenly he heard a suish sound followed by someone coming down the lift. The gate opened and closed again giving off the first human to see till now.
It was his mother which looked a bit older and wore an embroidered dress ,came on a floating scooter.
He touched his own face in amazement , found some moustache sticking to his untoned skin.
His mother asked him to reach him study room Asap, as his practicals are going to start.
He was confused and was going to ask his mother but her gadget flashed and she vanished. Then Robin moved forward and stepped on disc , a robotic voice was heard asking locations.
He was speechless but blurted out study room as his mom had told him. The disc went floating towards the metallic lift.Inside he saw some strange characters.
When he pressed them it read global language. I followed.
Soon lift slid down to the 118th floor almost without shaking and Robin smelled the roses kept there. The lift opened and his disc went forward and entered to a big hall full with people( humans) chattering and robots walking with trays carrying refreshments or equipments .
Oh, some he recognised as his friends.
The hall was glaring with lights and noises of notifications and chatters. It was also full of mini robots and chairs arranged in 3 d space with people shifting in varying dimensions.
Suddenly a 3d hologram of a person with whiskers and broad spectacles flashed across the hall and all stood up……
He became curious. As he stepped forward the robot checker scanned his iris and confirmed his identity. The robot gave him a slip and instructed him ” R5 block6 elevation 7 tilt 78″.
Robin sat on a carrier seat and inserted the slip . The seat by itself got aligned at the instructed seat.
The the sensors noticed his presence and the valves of air conditioners turned in his direction. an apparatus 3d hologram was projected for some minutes and them countdown started. The task (as announced by the invigilator) was to locate the faulty parts and suggest suitable solution by clicking on the tablet laid before.
After the completion of test a robot brought parts of the actual machine and the test object. Some words flashed on the table( global language probably). Robin chose translation option (his mind hopefully worked now) old English option and then it became clear that the task was to assemble the parts with full calibration and take reading of the test object.
Robin was baffled as he was not used to such practical(I could guess by his expression and body language). He ran his eyes around and saw students building the model and others solving calculations . Seeing this made him even more restless.
Then Robin picked up a part and started fitting it into another like a jig saw puzzle but since he did not knew the correct arrangement and calibration , he couldn’t complete it in time. The clocks rang sirens and the tablets got automatically shut off .
Then the robots arrived and took the model and the test subject back from his tray.But strangely even the robots reacted with an expression of pity for Robin(may be due to artificial intelligence).
Then the seat came down and Robin dismounted. The the robots at the entry announced that brunch will be served in the adjoining hall. Robin followed the other students to the grand serving hall with chairs of ebony and sweat free fabric coated along with.
The hall smelled like jasmine(but I don’t like it) and Robin booked a seat close to his acquaintance. At times he tried to talk but was interrupted by the buzz that marked the beginning of order time. Robin looked on the 3d holograms of alluring ,Mouth-watering dishes and ordered 2 for himself(not for me).
Within an hour the hall was filled with rich aroma of delicies order by others(as his order has not yet arrived).
Then the robots came around the tables and played violin to rejoice the students.
Then the 3d printer printed his order(Robin’s order) and the robots brushed the top with flavour and color and sprayed with aroma and injected the juices to the dish.
The aroma variations synchronised with the flickering of lights.When the most awaited order arrived, it left Robin awestruck…………..
The transparent box full of some colored pastries labelled with flavours,smell and the filler liquid( energy drink) along with some solid mass of fibres(for digestion).
It was served before him. Robin read the instructions displayed on its cover. He inserted his admit card and took it out.Robin saw two modes there-manual,automatic.
In inquisition he pressed the automatic mode(which later proved a fallacy). There began the work of box. 4 extentions crawled out and reached his mouth. Then he heard that he have to select the order and timing of the beads and give the durations and quantity of drink included in intervals.
He was now baffled as well angry as he was hungry and his stomach ached. He choose the random order and the normal duration option(a bigger mistake).
Then he plugged his head phones and heard the news headlines.
The headlines were stranger than fiction and he could not remember them. Then the extentions came into function and brought the pastries close to his mouth.
Oh now he remembers one(headline)-“the Quartz import from Saturn was interrupted due to meteroid collision”.
Then it( robotic arms) puts the pastries inside his mouth which burst with flavours,cheese and spices when grabbed between the teeth.
The the straw comes up and fits itself between his lips. Automatically the fluid elevates(maybe due to a hydraulic pump) and splashes into his mouth.
This process continues for 10 min , but is sometimes intervened by the thumping of fibrous mass inside the cavity.
It was very frustrating 10 minutes for him but any how it passed and the extentions were drawn back.
Then he inserted the admit card back to the box and he heard that the diet details were uploaded for future reference by dietician.
He clings it back to his pocket and goes in the direction of rushing crowd .While leaving he saw a robot reading a manuscript sitting on the cozy sofa.
Some got on there scooters and others on skate boards(electronic) but he has got none. He stood near near the gateway in the hope that his old friends would invite him to there scooters.
But time passed ,without seeking a glimpse from them.He got disheartened but suddenly a girl came to her and invited him on her robot horse.
He mounted on her pony and initiated the talk(after a long time he had a human conversation). He asked her “where are we heading”,”what’s happening”. The she hurled the pony to lift and pressed the G 000 button replying Robin that they are going to see the Ecology project which is in another estate.
This time the lift did not smelled roses but lime instead.The lift slid open to the H launcher(now we know horizontal launcher).
They dismounted the pony and proceeded towards H launcher. He asked her “how far is it?”.She said 660 miles near the bio reserve.He was speechless(and I too).
They enters the human size capsules and were loaded to the launcher.The robot uses the UV torch and labels his destination as BR P2201.y5
His heart was thumping .She noticed his emotions and said”Your body can be lost forever in virtual space if not teleported properly.”
He started shivering with fear ,she later said “no need to worry ,it is a just a mechanical launcher” and comforted him.The plunger thugged from behind and he felt like accelerating endlessly.
It was dark for a few minutes ,then he felt like stopping.He could feel the rush of blood on his brain.He was carried out by a robot(no surprise now) and his capsule was opened.
He stood out and waited for her, but later remembers that she might be on a different project.He felt sad like loosing an old friend.
Seeing some other students rushing inside, he traced there path.
Finally finding himself in a big semi hemispherical building with dimmed lights(hopefully no more elevators).
As he enters he was welcomed by pollen grains and water droplets falling on his face.His jaw dropped and eyes popped out , on seeing an artificial ecosystem……
TO BE CONTINUED…..
What do you think I was? Comment below…
© [Shivashish Kulshreshtha] and [https://shivashishspeaks.wordpress.com], [2017]. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to [Shivashish Kulshreshtha] and [https://shivashishspeaks.wordpress.com/] with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
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