The Wooden Door

It was the year of 3080. Technology had become so advanced that many people of the city of Zena were already ¼ of a computer of maybe ½ of a computer if they were rich enough to afford it. About 80 years ago scientists had made a breakthrough discovery that the human body could be fused with machinery to make it stronger, faster, studier and overall more reliable.

Since that time, many people had either had a limb replaced with technology or had decided to dress themselves in suits of armor. The suits of armor weren’t as effective as fusing yourself with the technology, but it would do for the lower-class people. 

About 50 years ago the government had announced that for every person in every family there would be a chip inserted in the armpit. They explained that this was to help the civilization thrive and to learn more about the human body. Later that year, apparently the people had found out that it was to track the movements of all the people and to control them to some degree. Of course, the people rebelled but they could do nothing and eventually settled down to live their normal lives. After that had settled down, the scientists had announced that they had created a computer that would be able to sense human motives and counter them if they proved to be dangerous. 75% of the population had agreed that in exchange for protection, food and shelter they would submit to this giant computer. However 25% of the population revolted against a smart-computer knowing their every move.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Maxwell Brenden Stone jerked awake as a light flashed before his eyes. He squinted at the bright blinking alarm across the room and shouted a certain command to shut it off. Once his alarm clock was turned off he dragged himself out of bed to look in his holographic mirror. His black hair was artfully styled despite the fact that he had just rolled out of bed. His mouth grinned at himself and he started to prepare for the school day. He threw on his suit pants, dress shoes and then his white dress shirt. He smoothed the shirt out so there wasn’t a wrinkle in the shirt and then buttoned on a dark blue navy vest that matched his pants and brown shoes. Max nodded to himself pleased that he would look good to his parents for school. This was everyday clothes, but his father and mother expected the best of him and said that he should dress like his station of life. 

Max’s father, also known as Axel Edward Stone, was one of the wealthiest men in the city of Zena.  His father was a dashing man with sandy hair and turquoise eyes along with a figure that stated that he worked out in the gym 5 hours a day. Max’s mom, Eliza Ruby Stone, was also a renowned figure in the city for her beauty and her figure. She was the top model in the city and was constantly called by companies to have her walk their little fashion show.

The young man walked down the stairs and greeted his parents who were sitting in the kitchen. “Good Max, you are finally up. Today your father and I are going to see a man that would be willing to donate millions to the family business if we cut a deal with him.” she stated as she inspected her nails. “Report cards come in today so I expect all top grades and no comments on how you have gotten into fights with other boys your age.” She glanced up at the clock on the wall and sighed. “Off to school you go or you will be late again.” she made a shoeing gesture with her manicured hands and waved to her son. “See you after school.” she said curtly. Max’s father didn’t even look up as he said goody-bye: although that was to be expected of course. The man was to be serious and the woman was to do all of the talking. Max stepped into the transport pod and closed his eyes waiting to arrive at school.

BRING! BRING! BRING! 

“Maxwell Breden Stone has arrived at school!” He stepped out of the school pad and glared at the annoying all-knowing school computer. Every city had one school and in turn each school had one mother computer that would report their actions to the main mother computer every month. If an action was concerning enough the action would be flagged, the student tracked and the situation disposed of. 

Max hurried to his classroom and sat down in the seat that had been assigned to him earlier in the year. His name on the screen up at the front of the classroom beeped green signaling that he was in class. He looked at the clock on the top right-hand of his desk. It read 7:59. Right on time as usual. As he watched it the clock ticked 8:00 and school had begun. Those who were not in their seats would be marked absent and would have a letter sent to their parents. Pupils were expected to be on time with all of their supplies and in their uniform, sitting straight in their chairs. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After sitting in 4 classes, each lasting one hour, he went to lunch and inserted his card into the lunch machine. It gave him his favorite meal. He smiled and went to sit at his table full of his buddies, the popular kids. Usually there was no trouble and everyone knew which table they sat at at the beginning of the year. However this time there seemed to be a transfer student that was trying to sit in his spot. When Max stepped up behind the kid the whole cafeteria went silent, watching to see what would happen. Max smiled at the kid, kicked him out of the way and then sat down. Next thing the kid knew he was being dragged out of the cafeteria and would be frozen for his weird thinking. 

Once the lunch period was over he made his way to his final class, history. He plopped down in his seat once again, almost late to class. 60 seconds later history started; the door locked and an announcement was blared over the loudspeaker. 

ATTENTION STUDENTS, PLEASE REMAIN SEATED IN YOUR PROPER CLASSROOMS. THERE HAS BEEN A DISTURBANCE IN THE SCIENCE LAB THAT WILL BE TAKE CARE OF SHORTLY. AGAIN, PLEASE REMAIN SEATED IN YOUR PROPER CLASSROOMS.

Max raised his eyebrows but said nothing as class was underway. After class he stepped into his pod and transported home, right into the middle of the kitchen. He didn’t hear anything, but that wasn’t usual as his mother and father had told him that they had a meeting and those usually took a while. Max had decided to get something from the kitchen, but on the way something strange had happened…..a false wall had opened up and revealed a room where he had never gone before. He took a cautious step forward into the room and it closed behind him. Panicked he backed up against the wall until the room lit itself and he could see that there was a long corridor.

His right foot stepped forward and his left foot followed. He wasn’t sure that he would be doing this, but curiosity got the better of him and he started walking slowly down the corridor which was lit by gentle lamps to the left and the right: hung on the walls in an old fashioned way. 

Surprised by a door that stood in his way as he looked up he saw that the door had a lock programmed into it. No matter, he was 65% cyborg so he could crack the lock, which he did promptly with no problem. The heavy wooden door swung open and there stood 4 computers. One was focused on him, one on his mom and one on his dad. He saw himself on the 3rd screen playing video games and then in the corner staring at his screen in wonder. Then, the door opened with a bang and his parents were walking into the room arguing when they noticed Max.

His father stepped up. “You shouldn’t be here. It will change the world.”