Gulup. That was the sound Armin’s companion was making. His breaths had turned to soggy coughs, and Armin didn’t know what to do. It was far too late to call for a Medical Officer... and the stuff at his house was only the basics for first aid. He didn’t know how to fix a… Continue reading Plugged In, Chapter Eight: Business as Usual
Most people don’t appreciate time. Their precious routines make time seem like nothing more or less than a light breeze skimming the roofs of their houses: unnoticeable, unassuming, uninteresting. It comes, it goes, it leaves them behind until, like a long-extinct leaf, it blows them away with it. Time is nothing to most people. … Continue reading Plugged In, Chapter Seven: The Bleeding Man
“Don’t you look the part of the solider preparing for battle?” The Governance official, all careful manicure and styled hair, chuckled at him. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you were walking into a war zone rather than a delivery system. That’s all you are, after all, sweetie, a delivery man. Does that… Continue reading Plugged In, Chapter Six: The First Day
“Did it live up to your expectations?” “Oh, yeah, sure it did,” Armin answered his father. Rune Fisher stared evenly at his son, ignoring the several blinking and buzzing computers behind him. “I noticed you were looking forward to it.” “Yeah, you and my other three hundred friends.” “I doubt your… Continue reading Plugged In, Chapter Three: The E-Mail
The siren woke him up. It screeched endlessly, and the emergency lights in his house blinked on and off, on and off. “I’m coming!” Armin shouted, rolling onto the floor and running to the door. He looked outside his window and saw the tram pulled up to his house. Its stop at his doorstep… Continue reading Plugged In, Chapter Two: The Unfortunate Drafter
Is there a problem? That was what the e-mail asked. It was typed in a professional, sans-serif font; the letters were italicized, but not in anger. No. Instead, the slanting of the words was like a friendly hug. How nice, really, that the Governance would be concerned for just one person in a population… Continue reading Plugged In, Chapter One: Master Your World
