1 Prologue: The Kaleidoscope and a New World
[After much wait, Medacorp is proud to announce the launch of our latest Augmented Reality technology: Kaleidoscope]
With these words, Sheriv Nazar, changed the world as we know it forever. Plastered on every holographic billboard, screen, and phone is her face, and her new tech child: two pieces of thin membrane-like devices that resembled contact lenses.
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[The Kaleidoscope Commercial]
"Change the way you see reality. With a simple installation process and identity verification, you can live in the world you've always wanted to."
"Do you want to vacation in the Bahamas? Just imagine it and the Kaleidoscope will allow you to see what you've imagined through its cutting-edge brain mapping system."
"Tired of carrying multiple devices? With the Kaleidoscope's immense server capacity and connection with multiple tech industries, it can replace the need for a physical device by using advanced holographic technology."
"Change the way you live now through the Kaleidoscope"
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*beep* With a flick of a remote, the TV turns off.
"Bah! Look at that fancy smancy stuff. Kids nowadays don't leave the house and their solution is more technology?! I swear this world is doomed," says a man close to his 60's as he takes another swig from his beer bottle.
He wears a tank top that barely covers his massive beer belly and the plastic chair he is sitting on is miraculously holding up his immense weight as if to say to the universe that it will do its job until its dying days.
"Come on sir, you're drunk again," a young man around his late teens says gently behind the counter of the convenience store. He is wearing a white polo shirt covered by a blue apron with the name, Yondu Convenience, proudly printed on it. "Do I have to call your wife again?"
"I'm going, I'm going," replies the man. "Take care Devon," and with a wave of his hand, he disappears into the darkness of the alleys.
Moments pass but for the drunken man, the minutes seemed like hours. His already blurry eyes protested by spinning the images he was seeing into a swirling mess. Then, as if agreeing with this act, his stomach also did its own dance. He is now near a trash bin in the dark and musty alley street, blessing the side of a brick building and the cobblestone street with his stomach contents. His only company in this alcohol induced ordeal are the few rats that stop to give him sympathy.
"Damn, I'm really getting too old for this," he grumbles as he continues to release the few dollars he spent a few minutes ago.
*CLANG* *CRASH*
The noise was sudden but the man lifted his eyes slowly to the source of the commotion. Perhaps he was too weak or just did not care. But one thing is for sure, the person he's seeing is a comrade.
"Had a few too much to drink too huh?" he says as he wipes the side of his mouth.
The silhouette, now illuminated by the dim street lights, struggles to stand up after tipping over a trash bin and falling onto the bags that were strewn about. After a few tries, it seems that they have surrendered to their fate and just lied there.
The old man, now more concerned than humored, gingerly edged closer toward the figure. Then, before he could get too close, a gruff and deep voice came from among the trash.
"Don't ya think this world ain't changing for the better?" he chuckles.
"Hey man, I just had a couple o' drinks from the convenience store nearby. I'm not too drunk to talk philosophical with you," he chuckles in response.
The trash man sighs. "Don't get it twisted. This world ain't half bad. But sometimes, fate has a way with messin' with ya. Ya know what I mean? Rich people become poor, poor people become rich, powerful people one day, then trash the next. Ain't this world just plain unfair. As if it's all an elaborate prank?"
"Look man, you can keep lying on the trash but don't make too much of a habit of it. Imma go now. My wife is gonna kill me if I'm not at home in time again.," he turns and wobbles towards the opposite direction.
"Wait a tick," the man grunts as he brings something out of his pocket and put it on the ground beside him. "Take this. I ain't got use for this no more."
He raises his silver eyebrows. "What's that?"
"It's just a box. At least for now," he replies.
"Is it one of those puzzle things?"
Still not moving from his position, he chuckles once again and sighs. "Yeah. Ya could say that. If you don't want it, maybe ya can find someone who's into that sorta thing."
The old man chuckles in reply. "Yeah, I can think of a nerd who'll love something like this." He then swiftly puts the object in his pant pocket and walks off.
As the tank top and the obviously overweight body of the old man finally disappears into the cold night, the trash man looks up into the sky only to see the giant Medacorp zeppelin hanging over the night sky of the metropolis. "Yeah, this world ain't so bad."
