Posted in Random Thoughts

The Importance of Not Being Earnest

Posted on by Shaily Agrawal

I was the most earnest child the world had ever seen. When I started speaking, I am sure I spoke the alphabets in correct order. Following rules was necessary for me. Everything taught to me in school, including Moral Studies and Safety Rules, were unquestionable.

I was forever sincere, albeit a bit talkative; my school and college attendance was 99 to 100%. My grades were always above average. While I was not a Maths or Science wiz, I was earnest in my attempts.

Until 25+, I never had a quarrel with anyone other than my brother, with only one exception. I crossed the road after looking at both sides at a zebra crossing, wherever it existed; never got a speeding ticket; never stayed out after dark; never smoked, drank or had a pot joint since my parents won’t approve; never went to disco since I was too uptight to enjoy in a place where everyone is bumping hips; and never went to a party that had the remotest chance of going on after dark.

Also, I had no ambition.

I was the good Indian girl, and I was proud of it.

Note that I never said it was easy. We humans are social animals. We need the society with its rules to avoid turning it into a chaos, but we also need some level of independence–the right to choose not to follow some of its rules. I was a pressure cooker, building steam.

And one day, the whistle went off. Despite doing everything right, suddenly, some important people in my life started finding faults in me. They were picking my threads and pulling me apart, one sentence at a time. They were accusing me for not being perfect. I was facing abuse at the hands of some people meant to protect me.

I was in deep depression for almost two years, suicidal thoughts keeping me company.

That was when I met my husband who quickly became my best friend. He taught me the importance of not being earnest.

He taught me that skipping a class once in a while to watch a movie does not make you evil. He taught me how to jump fences to get out of the college unseen (we were not allowed out once we were inside). We would go to malls, watch movies, stuff our face with junk food and return like we had been in the library all day.

He taught me that living a little didn’t hurt anyone. It was not about breaking all the rules–only some of the not very important ones. It helped let the steam out. Suddenly I felt in control–like I had a choice and I was choosing to follow the rules, even though I didn’t like them. It made constraints bearable.

Now I cheat at games, as long as there is nothing of value involved. I laugh a lot in un-ladylike manner and I sing loudly when I can. Nobody else has to like it.

When I see my daughter, I see my old-self reflecting in her. Left to her own means, her attendance would be 100%. She would go to school through flood and fire. I make sure that she skips it on bad-weather days; and that she doesn’t feel guilty about it. I sometimes do her homework when there is too much to write and her hands hurt. I tell her to let teacher know the truth; to stand up for herself. I don’t censure her for picking up small quarrels with her classmates, as long as she doesn’t get too bitter. She doesn’t have to be nice all the time.

I remind her that she makes her own choices and she lives with it. I am not the best mother, maybe, because I let out my steam too when I feel too much pressure. It is okay for her to see me break rules and breakdown at times, knowing it okay not to be okay.

I am trying to not raise an earnest daughter, just a happy one.

Posted in My life, Random Thoughts, Published

Rating 7D: Tales from the Future

Posted on by Shaily Agrawal

Okay! I know I sound desperate right now, but I am beginning to wonder if the Rating feature in WordPress works at all. I added this feature alongside my book links many days back, but I see no ratings so far. It could be because nobody read my books or rated them, but still, I would like to confirm.

So, if you have read my book 7D: Tales from the Future or read the following stories on my blog, please try rating the book and adding comments in this link: Free Books by Shaily.

Any comment or rating are welcome, even negative ones. I am still learning how to write stories. So, if you didn’t like anything about the stories or writing style, let me know so that I can learn to write better.

Thanks for sticking along all the way!

Posted in Fiction, Published, Science Fiction

The Phlebologist: Part 3 of 3

Posted on by Shaily Agrawal

Author’s note: This is third installment of a Science Fiction story from my fourth book, 7D: Tales from the Future. You can find the other installments here: The Phlebologist: Part 1 and Part 2

Day 6

Now that I had tried everything else, I moved to Plan C—entering the facility. In theory, the plan was simple. Get inside a busy facility close to the closing time, hide behind something until the place closes for the day and spy around once it is empty of people.

Simple…in theory.

In reality, it is too difficult to hide my five-foot eight-inches frame in a lab. Huge head offices are simpler with too many unused rooms to hide in, but labs are quite small with less rooms and usually no cover. I had seen it before. At that time, I had walked back out pretending I was looking for a restroom, because Trespassing is a crime. If I am caught, I will have to serve jail time, and my pictures in the news could kill my anonymity and career as an Industrial Spy.

So, I saved Trespassing for the most difficult and most paying cases. This one qualified as both.

I had deliberately waited till Sunday, a public holiday, and chose the busiest close of the day hours to ensure that the facility was packed with people to give me the much‑needed cover and more time to hunt for information if I didn’t get a space to hide.

Three technicians were collecting samples of fifteen patients at a time with three to four minutes between batches. With seventy-five patients ahead of me, I had a maximum of twelve to fifteen minutes if I did not get a cover (which seemed highly probable at the time). The hidden cameras in my earrings were already capturing footage. As soon as the technicians took samples from the people at the front, I quietly left my place.

I pretended as if I was looking for the toilet and, stealthily, slipped inside the door with the “Employees only” sign. The short lobby ended in a busy hall—no cover. I had a couple of minutes at the most before a technician came out for more samples and discovered me standing in the lobby. I should have turned back right then but the lure was too strong. For the moment, I was a bat—blind and focused on the target alone.

I peeped in the hall. It looked like all offices. The room was bustling with activity and sounds of chit‑chat. Several employees sat on comfortable chairs with the latest Palmtops. Some of them used huge Wall Screens with virtual keypad holograms floating close to their fingers. Small racks of labelled blood vials sat atop a drinks table in the middle. There was no microscope in the sight to test the blood. The grey‑haired man closest to me had just finished filling a blood report form on his Wall screen and sent it to the patient’s email.

I focused on him as he picked a vial, excited to finally know the trade secret of Sangue Heder Labs.

He took a long swig of the blood, swirled it in his mouth and started filling the blood report form.

I let out a tiny gasp.

Suddenly, all the eyes in the room zeroed on me. The grey‑haired man I had been concentrating on was suddenly behind me and had blocked my retreat. His canines grew. I think, I fainted.

I remember hearing a voice from afar. “Set her aside for dinner, Luke. We are trying to concentrate on work here.” Now I lay inside a coffin, probably six feet underground, complete with fangs and all. Having tried unsuccessfully to claw my way out for a couple of hours, I now wait for them to come back for me.

I’m hungry. I hope they will give me a job as a Phlebologist.

END

Author’s note: If you would rather read it all together in the book, 7D: Tales from the Future is available for free download here: Link

Photo by Akram Huseyn on Unsplash

Posted in Fiction, Published, Science Fiction

The Phlebologist: Part 2 of 3

Posted on by Shaily Agrawal

Author’s note: This is second installment of a Science Fiction story from my fourth book, 7D: Tales from the Future. You can find the first installment here: The Phlebologist: Part 1

Day 3

I decided to catch an employee during a lunch break and strike a conversation. A couple of drinks and an attentive listener can loosen a tongue easily. Usually, they begin with the rant about too much workload, bad manager and difficult clients, and, with careful steering, can easily overstep the line of discretion and divulge confidential information without really knowing.

So, I donned a brunette wig and boarded my trusted faded‑grey copter—both common and anonymous. Stylish rides draw attention and blending in with the crowd was imperative for my job. I flew to the biggest Sangue Heder Lab and parked in the overcrowded rooftop parking of the Food Court next door. I sat down next to the biggest window from where I could see the reception of the lab through the glass wall as I pretended to work on my palmtop.

The receptionist was a tall, gorgeous man with red hair, and suddenly I wanted to visit the lab just so that I could look at him closely. I shook my head to clear it. Where did that come from? A couple of lab technicians—different races but just as breath‑taking—were collecting blood samples. Are all Proxima natives like that? Does fresh air and unprocessed food make you look like Roman Gods?

I waited at the cafeteria all afternoon. The Food court was busy but none of its clients were Lab employees—only the Lab patrons nursing their pinpricks and their attendants. The closest couple was discussing the blood results they had received via email within a couple of minutes of tests. The stream of patients coming for tests never ceased, and none of the employees came out for lunch. The organisation was probably ordering food and drinks for its employees to stop them from leaving their desk to eat. I gave up at midnight.

The facility was the biggest and, hence, the busiest, so I decided to try at a smaller facility the next day.

Something wasn’t feeling right about this assignment—the constant failure felt like a sign. Most of the lab’s clientele belonged to low‑income societies who wouldn’t have been able to afford these tests. If it wasn’t for the unbelievably low rates of Sangue Heder Labs, they all could have died without a diagnosis.

Conscience pricked me for a brief moment.

Then it passed. I could see myself luxuriating at the Proxima resorts, looking like a Goddess, with fresh air and unprocessed food, and preferably with a boyfriend from the same planet.

*****

Day 4

On day four, I took the Airbus to a different city and haunted the streets outside a smaller facility of the Sangue Heder Labs on my uber‑expensive featherweight eco‑bike. It was ideal for following people. When needed, I could simply fish it out of my purse, unfold it and get going at a moment’s notice. It removed the need to switch between following on foot and rushing to the air parking area to retrieve my copter first.

I had planned to follow any employees out for a coffee or stroll and meet them ‘by chance’. It was a long wait, and I was exhausted by the time a female receptionist finally ventured out alone in late evening. I saw an opening, but as I drew closer, I had an urge to walk over and touch her skin—it was so flawless that it glowed in the moonlight. Considering I am straight…

By the time I had collected my wits, she was gone. The opportunity to strike a conversation had passed. When she returned shortly, she was carrying an icebox, which meant she wouldn’t stay long enough to talk.

*****

Day 5

Next day, I tried another facility. While I waited for the employees to walk out to a close‑by cafe for a break, I searched the employees online by uploading the pictures I had taken the day before.

Nothing.

One of the pictures strikingly resembled one of the war prisoners from the Second World War, but I wasn’t interested in History lessons right now.

No employee came out all day. At midnight, they closed the facility and all of them walked out together. I followed them from a distance, hoping to catch one of them once they split‑up at the Airbus station, but I lost them once they all turned into a dark street.

I should have given up then, considering the next move was too risky. But I was nothing if not pig‑headed.

Author’s note: To be continued…

If you would rather read it all together in the book, 7D: Tales from the Future is available for free download here: Link

Photo by Akram Huseyn on Unsplash

Posted in Fiction, Published, Science Fiction

The Phlebologist: Part 1 of 3

Posted on by Shaily Agrawal

Author’s note: This is first installment of a Science Fiction story from my fourth book, 7D: Tales from the Future. You can find the second installment here: The Phlebologist: Part 2

This assignment was a bad idea. The signs were evident right from the beginning—not sure how I missed them all. Maybe, the gold in sight had blinded me with its glare. Now all I could do was freak out inside this dark place, waiting for someone to return for me.

I wish I had missed that call from Mikhael, my employer, six days back. I knew he wanted to call me back from my vacation yet again—fourth time in a row. That day, if I could spit venom, I would have killed his hologram that grew from my watch.

“You better make it worth my time if I have to kill my vacation for you again.”

But he knew exactly how to pacify me. “My dear, the client promises to weigh you in gold.”

With those golden words, he had all my attention. Nothing motivated me better than money. Love I had too much of—being tall and curvy with perfect features. I stopped counting after my tenth boyfriend.

“Can’t tell you their name for privacy but the client is a giant in the Blood Test industry. They own thousands of laboratories across Earth with the annual turnover of several billion dollars. They are looking for information about…”

“…Sangue Heder Labs,” I finished his thought. He nodded.

I continued, “Of course! The fastest‑growing laboratory chain on Earth…I assume, our client is looking for their ground‑breaking technology that diagnoses the complete list of diseases, including Cancer, from a single vial of blood within minutes.”

He nodded again.

The breakthrough was nothing short of a miracle and was all over the news last year. By providing general health check‑ups at unbelievably low rates, they had wiped out the smaller competition in a matter of months. Now, even bigger competitors were struggling to stay open.

 “I’m on it. I’ll have results in a week or less. Keep that gold ready!”

*****

Day 1

My internet search was the first sign that I should have backed out.

In a universe connected tightly through the Universe Wide Web, celebrities can’t sneeze without someone publishing it. Yet hardly any information existed about the most successful lab chain on Earth. All I found was that the Sangue Heder Labs Inc. was owned by Marco De Rossi, the youngest member of a multi‑billionaire family. Two hundred years back, in 2086, his family was the first to move to Proxima Centauri B, the closest habitable planet. They travelled on the legendary Spaceship Noah’s Ark, loaded with seeds of all kinds and DNA of all varieties of animal life in cryopreserved state. They sowed the seeds and established the first biological lab in Proxima to bring the DNAs to life. Most of them survived on Proxima, populating the empty planet in the next two hundred years. They turned the planet into a wildlife preserve and a favoured travel destination for the super‑rich celebrities in the known universe. But the De Rossi family declined to share any pictures of their family members throughout its five-hundred years of history on Earth and Proxima—a practice Marco De Rossi seemed to have kept alive till date.

His company was equally elusive. Sangue Heder Labs’ website stated an address on Proxima as the company headquarter. It had mentioned using an ‘ancient technique’ to diagnose diseases from the blood. But their diagnosis accuracy was correct up to three decimal digits. Was it even possible with anything ancient?

Next, I contacted the patent office—off the record—but found nothing. Sangue Heder Labs hadn’t patented the ‘technique’, or maybe they couldn’t if it really was ancient. To check whether there was any ‘ancient’ technique offering diagnosis through blood, I deep searched medical sites from Earth and Proxima but to no avail. Some Proxima health resorts offered ancient healing through local herbs, animal extracts, and solar heat but there was nothing about diagnosis through blood.

The pictures of Proxima left me wondering how it would be to live on a planet where trees still grew in forests and not pots. Someday, with all the gold I am going to earn soon, I may own a home there.

*****

Day 2

The next day, I moved to Plan B, looking for the employees of Sangue Heder Labs on social media. Employees are a treasure of information. There is always someone complaining about their job and technological challenges. But soon, I realized that they probably had some employee agreement barring them from declaring their job online because I found no one.

With a couple of days gone, I decided to contact them personally. Everybody has a price tag: some talk for money, others for ‘love’. But my contacts from the Earth Employee Benefits organisation could not dig out a single email, address or phone number. Apparently, both the organisation and its employees were ‘alien nationals’ and protected by the inter‑planetary laws.

I should have stopped then, but my reputation as the best Industrial Spy on Earth wasn’t for nothing.

Author’s note: To be continued…

If you would rather read it all together in the book, 7D: Tales from the Future is available for free download here: Link

Photo by Akram Huseyn on Unsplash

Posted in Fiction, Published, Science Fiction

7D: Part 2 of 2

Posted on by Shaily Agrawal

Author’s note: This is second installment of a Science Fiction story from my fourth book, 7D: Tales from the Future. You can find the first installment here: 7D: Part 1

Seiko looks crest‑fallen, but Yume is not even ruffled, “No? Not even after what you have experienced? It can allow the best kind of travel—no car, no gas, no walking, no insects and no sleeping outdoors in rain. Just switch on a button and you are there, living the moment like a real thing! It can also provide lonely people with a personal companion who would talk to them, empathise with them and convert into whatever they want them to be—parent, best friend, lover… I know you believe in it too.”

I know I must take a stand, even if I don’t like it. “Yes, and that is because the technology is far too believable. Once you are in, there is no way to tell that it is an illusion and not reality.”

“And that is a problem?” he asks with a lopsided smile.

I suck in air and try to remember why I was opposing him, “Yes. It is like drugs—something that takes people away from real life. Once they buy it, they will become useless, unable to leave all the dreams that have come true. It can be easily used to gaslight people—make them believe in things and people that don’t exist and events that never happened. They will never be able to tell the difference since it engages all the senses. It is like selling Schizophrenia.”

His face is close, eyes smouldering, “You can trust us. We will never allow misuse of the technology.”

I feel my resolve weakening but I must try, “I trust you and Seiko. But once other people realise what is possible, they are sure to find a way to do it—by buying your people, by spying on your secrets or by simply experimenting. And once the competition begins customising the visuals, not all of them would care whether it is ethical or not. We will not be able to control who sells it and how it is used. It happens all the time with technology. You bring in a new thing and people begin misusing it. But the kind of impact 7D technology can cause on people’s psyche would be too great a risk. I can’t have that on my conscience. If your organisation could reduce even just one dimension to ensure it was not so life‑like…” Even as I say it, I know how much I will regret suggesting it.

Yume’s face falls. He leans forward in his seat. His eyes are pained now, his face still closer, “I thought I could trust you to take the leap of faith. You want it too—I can see it in your eyes. Our team has worked for years perfecting the technology. It is the sole reason I exist. Take it away from me and I will perish. And I thought you liked having me around?”

His eyes are holding mine captive and I can feel his breath on my face—he smells like mint—heady, sharp and sweet. I can hardly remember there is one more person in the room. Speechless, I just nod my head.

He takes my hand to his lips and plants a kiss that holds promises for future. Still holding my gaze, he smiles, “See, I knew you would stand by my side. Will you sign the documentation now? We can then celebrate this evening, just you and me?”

Hopelessly, I nod again. Seiko mails me a contract right away. All the details of the contract are already fleshed out in perfection. I am agreeing to invest an insane amount of money in his organisation. The organisation will request patenting of the technology and buy the state‑of‑the‑art equipment and software licenses to create the 7D illusions at a commercial level. My payback will begin once they start selling—half the profits. Honestly, I will do it for free if it means Yume will be around.

As his fingers draw lazy circles inside my left palm, I sign the contract digitally with my right.

Seiko rises and shakes my hand. He takes off the second ring from his finger and puts it on the desk. “Consider it a gift.”

The gesture is so sudden and unbelievable, I take a few seconds to respond and the touch‑powered illusion that was Yume starts flickering. I quickly wear the ring. Yume is mine forever. Consequences be damned!

END

Author’s note: If you would rather read it all together in the book, 7D: Tales from the Future is available for free download here: Link

Photo credits: Google Gemini

Posted in Fiction, Published, Science Fiction

7D: Part 1 of 2

Posted on by Shaily Agrawal

Author’s note: This is first installment of a Science Fiction story from my fourth book, 7D: Tales from the Future. You can find the second installment here: 7D: Part 2

The sun is warm on my skin, and the air smells of pine and heather. Yume’s green eyes gaze into mine mesmerizing me as he guides me by the elbow and urges me to touch the blue bird sitting next to the gurgling spring. Her glowing blue feathers call to me. There is a song in the wind without words—music of the bubbling spring, singing birds and chirping grasshoppers. The dream‑like scene holds me still.

Yume is still touching my elbow; still looking at me with those green eyes. I shiver as butterflies take flight in my belly. Half‑afraid that the blue bird would fly away shattering the magic of the moment, I touch its buttery-soft wings. It quivers but stays where it is. Its two yellow friends sit close by, unaffected by my intrusion. One of them is drinking water from the spring; the other one is singing in a voice that would remain with me forever.

With his perfect pointed nose, Yume resembles the birds: calm and serene. For a moment, I wonder if his team has used him as the model for these birds. The green expressive eyes are certainly his. I am better off not knowing though if I want to keep re‑living this otherworldly experience. I know it is just an illusion—a seven‑dimensional (7D) piece of visual art that allows me to see in three dimensions as well as hear, smell, taste and touch—but still…

It is a product of responsive technology powered by Artificial Intelligence, which means that when I interact with any element, it responds intelligently. My act of breathing is met with the smell of pine forest; the blue bird quivers upon my touch; and the water splashes against my hand, tongue and throat—wet without actual water—as I drink from the spring.

The best part is that there is no need for special glasses or equipment to run it—just a touch‑powered, self‑fitting, ring with a button that Seiko is wearing on his finger. Once you wear it and switch the button on, it activates and adds certain elements to your surroundings, creating the illusion. This piece is an immersive one that has turned my entire room into my personal heaven. Yume smiles at me knowingly. I will owe him forever for this moment.

Seiko touches one of the two rings on his finger. The scene pixilates and melts in the air, and my office comes into view, and I sigh as I return to reality. Seiko is amused, “Engages all senses, doesn’t it?”

I nod wordlessly. Before I had experienced it, I was a little unsure of the profitability of the technology—it will be extremely expensive in the initial years due to the research and development cost, close to a vacation on a space station. So, I had wondered if people would be interested in buying it when they can have the same experience by traveling.

But now, I am converted. I would never have been able to touch a live bird in a natural setting.

And then, there is Yume still touching my elbow, which makes it difficult to think clearly. He has a way of making my legs jelly. Honestly, I would never approve of such a crazy fascination. I have never been so taken by any other man. Once a talk‑show host had asked me what it would take to tame the tigress and I had told her the vision of my perfect man: the perfect gentleman, strong with ideas, gentle in conduct, intelligent, capable of witty conversations, and not overbearing or jealous. I had also told her that I was sure he did not exist.

But then, Seiko and Yume had approached me at a Visual Arts conference last month. With his quick wit, amazing knowledge and impeccable manners, I was instantly drawn to Yume. Add to that the way he looks at me—like I am the only woman in the world—appreciates me for all the right things and the way his hand lingers in mine a second longer than necessary for a handshake, he had me purring like a kitten ever since.

But we are never alone. Seiko is always there. Both of them are always talking about this breakthrough in 7D technology—how their company has been looking for an investor to commercialise it. As the heiress of my father’s investment empire, I have invested all my life in visual technologies. I know that this one will be an instant success.

Right now, they are both looking at me expectantly for an answer. They know they have won already. Seiko queries, “So, will you invest in our organisation to commercialise the 7D technology?”

“I’m afraid not,” I say, much to my regret.

Author’s note: To be continued…

If you would rather read it all together in the book, 7D: Tales from the Future is available for free download here: Link

Photo credits: Google Gemini

Posted in Fiction, Published, Science Fiction

The Flight

Posted on by Shaily Agrawal

Author’s note: This is a Science Fiction story from my fourth book, 7D: Tales from the Future.

We can’t afford to miss this flight—literally. I urge the taxi driver to go faster but he is helpless too. Half the air route is filled with taxis. The other half is filled with protestors with huge placards on their vehicles levitating in the air with demands to prepare more spaceships so everyone can reach to safety. I check my four‑year‑old daughter if she has picked up the panic around her. But she is licking a lollypop contently as she hugs her favourite doll.

I would have been out there as one of the protestors too if I hadn’t got the ticket. I had to sell everything I had but, somehow, I was able to scrounge just enough. Of course, that was only possible because I had a head start. One of my close friends received inside information from his government connections before the impending apocalypse became public knowledge.

*****

While thousands of meteorites enter Earth’s atmosphere every year, Oxygen burns most of them down to ashes. However, this one hurtling through the space towards Earth is the size of Russia. The one that made the entire dinosaur species extinct was nothing in comparison.

The seas are already rising slowly, thanks to the new gravitational pull, beginning to drown the sea‑side cities. And once the meteorite enters the Earth’s atmosphere, it will catch fire, raising heat to unbearable levels, burning oxygen and filling atmosphere with poisonous gases. And then, it will make impact, turning Earth to pieces. Is there are any survivors from the impact, they will find that these pieces will not have enough gravitational pull to contain air. But before asphyxiation kills them, lack of air pressure will burst all the inhabitants apart like balloons.

Of course, the event will have a larger impact on the galaxy—not that any of us would be alive to study it.

A lump constricts my throat as I pull my daughter closer at the thought, glad that she is too young to understand the horrors she is leaving behind.

The governments of all countries on Earth had known about it for years, of course. But they had been hiding the information from public to avoid widespread panic. They had been lying through the   teeth that they had weapons to break the meteorite down before it enters Earth’s orbit. It was only last year when a famous e‑news channel sniffed out the truth—even with the strength of all the space weapons we own, it is impossible to break down a meteorite of this size in space. And even if we somehow manage to do it outside Earth’s atmosphere, the residual motion, abetted by Earth’s gravity, will pull most of the pieces inside Earth’s atmosphere anyway. Too many of these pieces will be too huge. The result will still be almost the same.

Hence, the governments have been putting all their resources in quietly building spaceships to travel to Azumi‑306—the closest habitable planet in a different galaxy. They have been sending scout flights with scientists who have discovered ways to exist in the otherwise unknown territory—what food to eat, what creatures to avoid and how to see in the 280‑hours‑long moonless nights. Apparently, they are currently experimenting on growing “Earth‑food” on Azumi but haven’t really reached there yet.

*****

When the news came out last year, people went berserk. Some people with means got the tickets and were leaving Earth to start afresh. There is no guarantee as to how it will all pan out though. The two-and-half‑year flight and the life after were full of uncertainties.

I pull my daughter in my arms. I wish I could shield her from all this.

The people outside are protesting for more spaceships, which is useless. If governments could, they would have done that already. But there would never be enough spaceships for the billions of people inhabiting the Earth. So, it will be Titanic all over again—the rich go first, leaving the poor behind to die. But that was a thought for later. For now, I just had to get us through this day somehow.

*****

We reach the space centre at last. We are just in time, so I must be quick.

I tickle my four‑year‑old and am rewarded with a toothy chuckle. I hug her tight and, with trembling lips, I speak the magic words, “Remember, I love you.” And then, I hand her over to the flight attendant, “This is her first time alone.”

She tries to smile reassuringly, like she has been trying to contain tears all day, “We have a special facility for children without chaperon. She will have a fair chance at life.” I try to smile back, wish her luck for the flight and beyond, and watch as she closes the gates. Somewhere behind those gates, a spaceship is preparing to fly to a new world. A precious part of me goes away with it. With a deep shudder, I finally let the tears fall.

END

If you would rather read all the stories together in the book, 7D: Tales from the Future is available for free download here: Link

Photo by SpaceX on Unsplash

Posted in Fiction, Published, Science Fiction

Trapped: Part 2 of 2

Posted on by Shaily Agrawal

Author’s note: This is second installment of a Science Fiction story from my fourth book, 7D: Tales from the Future. You can find the first installment here: Trapped: Part 1

The following messages were intercepted and decoded by the International Society for Interplanetary Communication.

Message 2

“Captain Povz to Vice‑Captain Xis.

This is our deus 2 on Planet 3 of Solar System 4983, Galaxy 9504.

This place seems to be a residential colony with multiple species living together. The quarters set on the beams are large, round, metal buildings with heavy movable doors on the top. We can read the activity within. All attempts to conversation have failed. Our Zoologist, Zole has collected samples from air and ground. The initial tests have revealed the planet is thriving with carbon‑based life of single‑cell origin. Request you to teleport and detain these samples for further study.

We haven’t found any opening. It is still dark and cold.”

*****

Message 3

“Captain Povz to Vice‑Captain Xis.

This is our deus 3 on Planet 3 of Solar System 4983, Galaxy 9504.

We have explored similar surfaces above and below us using ropes. We have managed to move roof‑door of a building and taken samples that have revealed both alive single‑celled species and dead-and-burnt multi‑cellular biological remains. Zole’s initial tests have revealed that the multi‑cellular biological matter was recently burnt at an extremely high temperature. It supports the theory that we are inside a volcano that was recently active and burnt these inhabitants.

We have neither found any opening, nor light. It is still just as cold. The seismic activity is continuous and stable. There is no immediate threat of volcanic eruption.”

*****

Message 4

“Captain Povz to Vice‑Captain Xis.

Just now, we were ambushed by some of the larger inhabitants during one of our expeditions. They can crawl on the walls with ease. They are between 20‑30 feur, that is two to three times our size, with one head, two eyes, one mouth, a pair of antennae and three pair of legs joined to the abdomen. Our Zoologist, Zole has captured one live sample. Initial tests have revealed that the intelligence of this species is too low to have created this cave.

Request you to teleport the sample to the spacecraft and carry out a detailed operation for a better understanding of the anatomy.

The seismic activity is continuous and stable. We have still neither found any opening, nor seen any light. It is still too cold.”

*****

Message 5

“Captain Povz to Vice‑Captain Xis.

This is our deus 4 on Planet 3 of Solar System 4983, Galaxy 9504.

Air tests have revealed a surge in the number of single‑celled creatures. The residential quarters are also getting overpopulated at an alarming rate. More creatures of the larger species have begun to show up. They are getting bolder and coming closer. We live in constant fear and have ammunitions at the ready.

We are still looking for an opening. The rounded surface beneath the rover has become slightly softer and we suspect decay.

We haven’t seen any sunlight yet. It is still too cold. The team is getting anxious and sleeping inside the rover for safety. Our Carbon Dioxide plant is down to two deus of supply. The planet rover battery is now close to emergency level. We are considering retreat.”

*****

Message 6

“Xis, we are teleporting back now. The processing needs two more minutes. I’m afraid, we might not make it.

There was a sudden surge in the seismic activity a few seconds back. From the other side of the walls, we heard loud sounds moving swiftly towards us.

Did that wall just move? The cave is flooded with light now. A giant larger than the cave…

…has a high‑pitched voice. Not sure what it says…”

“John, darling, the fridge is smelly. Didn’t I ask you to empty it before the vacation?”

“It has spotted our rover. It’s roaring…”

“John, help! There’s a huge insect on the Pumpkin!”

“Lord, save us!”

END

If you would rather read all the stories together in the book, 7D: Tales from the Future is available for free download here: Link

Photo by Diego PH on Unsplash

Posted in Fiction, Published, Science Fiction

Trapped: Part 1 of 2

Posted on by Shaily Agrawal

Author’s note: This is first installment of a Science Fiction story from my fourth book, 7D: Tales from the Future. You can find the second installment here: Trapped: Part 2

The following messages were intercepted and decoded by the International Society for Interplanetary Communication.

Message 1

“Vice‑Captain Xis, if you can hear us, this is Captain Povz of the Explorer Team 572 here, along with team members Cit, Zole and Unt, exploring Planet 3 of Solar System 4983, Galaxy 9504.

After you teleported our planet-rover to Planet 3, some of our equipment has stopped working. There is high electro‑magnetic presence in the environment here and we suspect it to be the cause of the equipment failure. Hence, I request you to save my messages for the record as per the emergency protocol.

Also, we will require capture‑teleport‑detain support for any live samples since our rover is not getting sunlight for battery recharge and we are saving the existing battery for emergency teleportation back to the spaceship, if needed.

Our rover has been teleported on a sturdy surface. It is pitch dark here and very cold. Because of the lack of sunlight, we are working on the assumption that we have been teleported to an underground location, probably a cave. Our Geologist, Cit, is investigating the theory.

We can read a lot of activity around us. Hence, we are avoiding using artificial lighting to evade detection.

The night‑vision equipment has revealed that our planet rover has landed on a small, circular, raised surface, orange in colour, with rounded slope on all sides. We have taken a sample of the surface, and the initial tests prove that it is made of carbon‑based material, not dated more than one‑weus old.

The ground is vibrating with low noises indicating the structure could be an active volcano. Cit is taking seismic readings to understand the pattern and will inform us of any dangerous surges in the activity in case we need to immediately evacuate the place.

We are exploring the area on foot to save the planet rover battery. The air has elevated levels of Oxygen; we are wearing space suits to keep us safe and to contain body pressure. The surface beneath the rock we had landed on is made of long, round, metal beams joined together at equal distance leaving large gaps in between. Our Architecture Specialist, Unt, suspects that it indicates artificial origin and medium intelligence. Unt is taking pictures of the beams and small samples to be teleported to the spacecraft for further study.

Since the bottom depth is not visible due to lack of light, we are walking with ropes tied around waist and following the Safety at Heights protocol.

An initial tour of the area has revealed no opening to step out in the light. There are white walls on all sides. Its surface is sturdy and unnaturally smooth; hence the entire cave seems to be an artificial construction by the local species. Both Cit and Unt have taken photographs and samples for future study on the geology and architecture of the planet. Request you to teleport the samples to the spacecraft and detain them.”

Author’s note: To be continued…

If you would rather read it all together in the book, 7D: Tales from the Future is available for free download here: Link

Photo by Diego PH on Unsplash