Memory Number 10689, Log Date March 19, 2025. City 3458, Section 9 Northern Village
I sit quietly in my grandmother’s chair gazing out the large picture window in my house. My eyes follow the blue jays as they quickly gather small twigs for their nest.
For a moment, I let my mind float back to when my mother was alive. We would spend the entire day outside walking in the woods and listening to the birds.
I always felt alive in the springtime, a welcomed relief after a long, cold winter.
My wrist chip pings. Within seconds, a hologram reminder appears – 14:00 meeting to discuss management of Watson Gen IV system. Sitting motionless, I watch the birds complete their task. A sensor detects no moment and pings my wrist again, prepare for scheduled meeting in 3 minutes, 42 seconds.
Standing, I walk across the room and pick up my virtual reality helmet (VRs) and engagement gloves. I have no motivation to work today yet it must be done. My mind continues to wonder as I think about my niece and nephew.
They use VRs to experience nature instead of going outside, part of me is jealous of the VR programs they use. The VR software is integrated into everything eliminating the separation between reality and VR. We create our worlds and can alter our reality within the set rules during free time.
Altering memories and changing past events is popular with the kids and teens, most of the adults not have such time for such luxuries or care anymore about the past.
I use to spend time creating unique VR programs for competition to earn extra free time or a pass for rides outside the city. Three years ago when I had to help support my brother’s family, I lost interest in the competition.
Amethyst, my niece, loves to listen to birds especially the extinct species. About ten years ago, a non-profit organization hired scientists and software integrators to instruct a system to develop a program enabling students to listen to extinct animal sounds.
The program is so popular, the non-profit sells a consumer version titled Feathers. Amethyst uses the program to create new bird species for her VR system. My favorite species are the large purple birds with orange beaks that only sing in the evenings.
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