“He died this morning… in the rain; and I feel that I am sure to follow. In honor of my love’s passing, I’m setting these recordings to transmit endlessly, in the hope that one day they will be heard by… anyone….”

Click…

 

My name is Eric Michael Reed; I am a 21 year old, unemployable college English major, thumbing it as a blue-collar worker at a water treatment plant. Up to this point my past was a blur, a myriad of jumbled thoughts cascading down the waterfalls of confusion. Indifferent to my plight and ambiguity, my story begins on one particular evening, an evening that I will never forget, and neither did she….

As I recall… I was lying in bed, eyes closed for only a moment; when suddenly it felt like my mind had started a new recording, a memory segment had just been initiated. I opened my eyes, my cloudy vision cleared to the sight of an empty ceiling, as my minds canvas was still filled with darkness. At that moment, a flickering appeared from my left, which seemed to come out of nowhere. The image of a half-expired, lit, dripping candle, sitting next to my thermal-clock; both battling to occupy the same space on my cluttered night stand came into view. I rolled over and gazed out the window, in belief that I would see the moon appear from over the horizon, but this was not the case. “10:37PM, 100 degrees, September 12, 2147,” I saw, as it became etched into my subconscious.

I emptied my mind and rolled back over, seeing my paid-for baby. She wasn’t just any woman, but a model Violet AI, hot off the line; my first experience with an AI. Yes, the expense was daunting, but she was well worth it, what a hooker! She had it where it counted, given her small built frame of 5’2”, 115lbs. I swear, if I didn’t know she was an android....

I sat up in bed, knees folded, hands locked around them, as if I were protecting myself from the outside world, a world I so desperately wanted to escape from. Then suddenly, I saw my image in the mirror from across the bedroom, one that I had nailed onto the wall some years ago.

It showed a reflection of me and my bedroom window, which I turned around to look out, feeling a cool, gentle breeze. I gazed up, seeing Mars in its pristine condition, shining true. The gravity of my plans altered my transcendental state. “I will… make it there one day,” I thought, as my attention drifted off to a different venue. “It would’ve been nice to see the Moon come over the Eastern sky one last time.”

At that moment, I felt a gentle touch on my hand which woke me from this lucid, dreaming state. I glanced over, seeing Violet gazing back up at me, no verbal message was needed. Her actions alone relayed her true intentions; she was… she was ready for round two.

Then abruptly, our sexual silence was broken with an old fashion ring from my cell. “That’s odd, who in the world would be calling me at this late hour?” I asked myself, picking it up. “Hello?”

“Eric, it’s Tom.” he said, in a shaky voice.

“Tom Clay, by all the Gods, how the hell have you been?”

“Good, Eric, but I don’t have much time… I need your help… we need to meet… our old hangout, the Snack Shack, on route 83… you know the one… can you be there in an hour?” he asked, his voice now reflecting a sense of urgency.

“Yeah, sure, I’ll be there.” I said, as I heard him hang up. That was strange, no word from my old college roommate for years and now… bam, a phone call. “The last I heard, he jumped this rock, trading it for a better place to live.”

I slowly placed the cell down and just stared at it, thinking maybe he was just lonely, being a geek and all, but in no way did this hinder my thoughts of Violet. I then turned my attention back to her, now seeing the candlelight glisten off every inch of her, a silhouette of her curves on the covers. I could see her knee-length red hair flowing with the waves of the sheets; extending to the far edges of my imagination.

She gazed up at me with those big, beautiful, bright-blue eyes. “So… my knight in shining armor, doth thou feel the need to polish thy sword once again?” she inquired, with her irresistible smile. She then reached out and gently touched me.

“Violet… my dear, I’ve got some important business to attend to, I hope you don’t mind?” I asked, standing up to get dressed.

She rolled over and out from under the sheets, completely nude now, as she stretched across the bed, revealing herself; showing off her magnificent body. She started playing with her red hair, twisting it in her fingers seductively; no doubt trying her best to make me change my mind.

It took all of my willpower to resist and to shake my head. “As you wish… but you have no idea what you’re missing out on!” she answered, now swirling her fingertip on the bed sheets. It was as if she were making a bull’s-eye for me to sit on.

I smiled, knowing she wasn’t about to give up that quick; her programming was working in overdrive. “You do know that a moving target is harder to hit?” I asked, as she looked at me.

“But… I’m not moving!” she replied, in the sweetest voice. Just then, I felt another gust of wind blow in from the open window; it seemed to have happened right on cue. I could smell her erotic perfume, a mind-numbing fragrance that quickened my pulse, driving me wild with prehistoric thoughts.

“Stand strong, Eric, stand strong.” I thought. I had to resist the vampire-type trance she placed me in. “…No…” I blurted out, as if it was forced from the depths of my willpower, fighting its way up through my caveman lust.

“I mean… no-thanks, Violet, I’ll call you later,” I said, in an ill-forgotten fashion. Thinking I must be nuts, as she arose in the most tantalizing way that could be imagined. She slowly slipped her little black dress back on; it had red lace, positioned in strategic places, to make her even more alluring. She made her way towards the door, every movement screaming; ‘Sex!-Take Me Now!’

She stopped as she reached it and turned around, seeing me admiring her. “Beautiful… what’s your series number?” I asked. “I just want to make sure I have the same Violet AI series next time I order?”

At that moment, she was hugging the edge of the doorway, lifting her leg, brushing her thigh on the frame; I could have sworn I could hear the trim moan in ecstasy. “Series 3; it would be my pleasure to do… I mean… to see you again, and next time, it’s on me, my knight,” she said, winking, as she slipped out of the doorway and faded quickly into the night.

            “It being our first date, I‘ll give her this, she is just as mysterious as any other woman I’ve ever dated. I guess the big difference was… she was built to please.”

She was relentless, her stamina only spurred my need to exercise more, due to the fact I was out of shape. I walked around closing the windows, engrossed in my thoughts about being single, and how much I missed the touch of a real woman. If it wasn’t for that offer that I received in the mail from AAU, I would have never even met Violet. In my mind she wasn’t real, but the smell of her perfume was still lingering throughout the house, still driving me crazy, it made me think she really was human. Even knowing this didn’t stop me from getting into my electric car, better known back then as an Electro, and heading out to the old Snack Shack on route 83. On the drive there, I remember glancing up for a second, forgetting that I wouldn’t be able to see the Moon. It seemed weird that they covered it over in black; a piss poor attempt to block some of the Sun’s rays.

The road was vacant of any other vehicles; this put me at ease, due to the gangs being nocturnal. I then passed a WG transporter sitting behind some bushes. Not more than a minute later, I saw his flashing lights in my rear view mirror. “Shit,” I thought, slowly pulling over and rolling down my window, waiting for the inevitable.

He walked up in a commanding way. “This is just a routine stop… License and ID please,” he said.

I reached over to get my ID out of the glove box, and as I did, out of the corner of my eye, I noticed he had stepped back and reached for his gun. The feeling I wasn’t going to see tomorrow lingered in my mind. I started to panic and I slowly handed my ID to him. He could see that my hand was trembling; he quickly snatched it from me. Laughing, he turned and walked back to the transport, picked up his mic and started talking to headquarters. Moments later, he returned, now standing at my door, a thought ran through my mind, “Did I pay my insurance this month? Shit!”

“Mr. Reed, everything seems to be in order, but slow it down some.”

“Yes, Sir,” I said, relieved; now knowing that I must have paid my insurance.

Dealing with the WG was like a double-edged sword, protection from the gangs proved to be invaluable, but they also had the reputation for turning on the public. I waited until he left before I pulled out and continued on my journey towards the Snack-Shack. When I arrived, I pulled into the empty parking lot. The first thing I noticed was how decrepit the place had become. I hadn’t been there for years, it was in shambles; the windows were broken, lights were smashed, the front door was all boarded up and the paint was peeling off of everything. There is a big, ancient sign nailed to the front of the building, announcing, “Out of business… Forever!”

It was as if the owner had possibly incurred a tragic loss to cause its closing, a sad but typical ending for so many businesses on the Earth at that time. I pulled up next to the building and turned my lights off, not wanting to bring any attention to myself.

I sat there in the darkness, eyes peeled and ears tuned. “I should have stayed home and took Violet up on her offer.” I thought.

I then started glancing around the old place, it brought back so many memories; the alcohol, the women and the drugs were all part of the perfect college toga party, which was my last great adventure here. I then started reminiscing about the more distant past, and the bittersweet truth that led up to this point.

There was a time in the world when things were good, and the human race was ignorant to what was going on around us, or I should say that we all took life for granted.

When I turned ten years old, the first modern-day super-massive solar flare occurred, an event that knocked out half the planet. Soon after, the world’s leaders started to realize that cooperation was becoming paramount. They came together to enact a new World Government (WG), one that would have full control of everything. They felt that this would be best for the survival of the human race. The first act of the WG, was to conjoin the top scientists of the world, by forming a World Space Agency (WSA) of 2136, to control all matters regarding the emergency evacuation of the Earth, if it were to become necessary.

I recall seeing the first world-cast on TV from the WSA, an announcement declaring a solar system disaster; the reporter’s words sent a chill down my back, even at my tender age.

 

“The WSA has confirmed today, that after many years of research, new data now suggests that the Sun is much old than first thought, at 4.5 billion years. It’s now believed that its true age is more around 9 billion years. This age places the Sun in its pulsating phase, it will continue to deteriorate every year. There are already signs of increased solar radiation, a 5 percent increase in mass, and an increase in super-massive solar flare activity; which are most likely to occur more frequently every year. The WSA has come to the understanding that as these events unfold, it will make the world more and more uninhabitable in the near future. We are working around the clock to come to a solution, more information can be found at...”

 

Some internet address flashed on the screen, but the site was closed down within minutes due to an overwhelming response. My mom and Dad sat on the couch, in dismay at what they had just learned. I’m not sure why, it wasn’t anything they caused, or their generation, it was pure and simple astrophysics.

The second act of the WG was to plunge the world into martial law; it lasted for almost five years before it was lifted. Afterwards, things started settling down; I guess people just got used to knowing the Earth was doomed.

The clock was ticking, every year it got a little hotter, there were some projects started, like sending ships to Mars and Europa, and even Titan. Due to the increase in size of the Sun, these places also changed. Mars polar ice caps melted and flooded the plains with oceans and lakes, Europa’s icy surface melted, revealing what now appears as a great ball of water, and Titan became more Earth-like. But still, man looked to the all-mighty-dollar, the WG believed it was too expensive to send the masses, but they did offer passage to the ones that could afford it. So, as the world turns, the rich would be saved… and the poor will fry. A lucky few uneducated, underprivileged became willing slaves to survive, only because they were cheaper than androids, and more trustworthy. Unfortunately, I fell right into the cracks, too poor to leave, and too educated to be a slave. So, I was stuck on this desert of a planet, as it slowly dyed up. The ones that were stranded here lived life the best they could, hence the androids, but even they started to diminish over time, and there was no one left that could fix them. About half of the population left, a quarter died and the remaining quarter just scurried around the planet trying to earn, or steal, funds to get off this rock, and by this time, most of the WG had also left. Money was abolished, replaced with credits equaling the value of the dollars.