The Known Unknown

The sun timidly peeked through the curtains as Mira prepared for another day at the office. While sipping from her favorite coffee mug, she glanced at her computer screen, checking for new emails from her manager. After closing her mail application, when she was about to shut down her laptop and head to her car, an unusual file appeared on her computer's screen with the name "open if you dare." Noticing this, Mira started to shiver, indecisive about whether to open the file or leave it be. A few minutes later, curiosity had got the best of Mira, and she decided to open the file, eager to discover its origin and contents.

With a hesitant click, Mira opened the file. A short prompt appeared: "Type 'continue' to start a journey beyond the known world."

With her heart racing, Mira typed as prompted and watched the screen change colors before her eyes. Scared yet intrigued, she waited to see what would happen next. When the screen turned yellow and remained for a few seconds, a new message popped up: "Please, note that once the journey has started, you will not have the option to give up. Click 'cancel' to give up now, or click 'accept' to start the journey to the unknown world."

Excitedly, Mira sent a text message to her manager, Mr. Regis, letting him know that she would be running late due to an urgent matter that required her attention. As soon as the message showed a blue double-tick, indicating it was read, Mira clicked 'accept' on her laptop. Suddenly, she found herself in a room filled with all kinds of flowers emitting charming scents, her laptop still with her. She began to smell each flower, starting with lavenders, her favorites. After a few minutes of exploration, a new message appeared: "This is your safe zone in the Unknown. Your journey continues outside. Draw the curtains and see what lies beyond."

Outside, the sky was a sickly shade of gray, and the roads were dusty. Mira saw children carrying 15-liter containers of water, evidently fetching it from kilometers away. In her world, children would have been in school at that time, and every household had access to water; she had never experienced water shortage in her life. Mira was surprised to see the children smiling at her when she waved at them. How could children living in such conditions smile, she wondered.

Feeling a mix of disbelief and curiosity, Mira stepped outside to further explore. She could hear babies crying and feel the scorching sun that made them cry. With a heavy heart, she wished to return home, but then she remembered she had committed to completing the journey. She proceeded to the next station, where she encountered sick women lying on woven grass mats, sweating and shivering concurrently. Their families sat nearby, preparing herbal remedies to help them recover. Mira realized that these women did not have access to the modern healthcare she was accustomed to.

Approaching the women, Mira wished them a quick recovery before engaging in conversation. One woman, Maria, was kind enough to answer all the silly questions Mira was asking.

-Mira: Do you know what year it is?

-Maria: I know we're in the long dry season. Isn't that enough?

-Mira: What herbs are you mixing for the sick women? Are you sure they're not toxic? In high school, I learned that people can be allergic to certain herbs. I think it would be better if you had access to a nearby hospital. I'm afraid the disease may be contagious.

-Maria: You don't need to worry, young lady. We're used to this disease and have been using the same herbal remedy passed down from our ancestors for over a century. We've never experienced toxicity or allergic reactions. Look, this is sage, our ancestors have been using it to treat different infections, I will mix it with rosemary. The seeds you see over there are called coriander, and they are meant to trigger the immune system. With this mixture, the ladies will be strong enough to work in the yard within 3 days. As for hospital, that's a luxury we don't have. We rely on what we know works for us.

Mira was amazed by Maria's words. She kept on asking her more about the herbs, with a willingness to know all their health benefits. She had never encountered such a way of life before. She realized that she had been living in a bubble where everything seemed perfect, never considering that there might be a different reality somewhere else on the Earth.

Realizing the vastness of the world and its myriad forms of life, Mira didn't know where to begin. She was aware that there was still a lot to be explored, so she decided that she would travel to some parts of the world during the upcoming Christmas holidays.

As Mira waited with the women, expecting to be teleported to the next station of the journey, she eventually decided to return to the safe zone room after two hours of no response. She bid farewell to Maria, the woman who had touched her heart, and walked to the room, anticipating to find some new commands on the laptop screen.

Upon entering the room, Mira found that her laptop was still there, with a message displayed: "Congratulations, you have reached the end of the journey. You may type 'leave' to return to your world. The aim of this journey was to reveal to you a reality you had never seen, the known unknown to you. Now that you have decided to travel the world and explore more on your own, I would like to free you".

Tears filled Mira's eyes as she read the final message. She was now aware of a different facet of the world and had learned from the women that even in the darkest times, there was still hope for life. She typed in 'leave' and was immediately teleported back to her house, her laptop returning to normal without the strange file.