Prompt from seat14C.com
At 4:58am on June 28th, 2017, the passengers on board ANA Flight 008, en route from Tokyo to San Francisco, are cruising at an altitude of 37,000 feet, approximately 1,500 nautical miles off the West Coast of the United States. A small bump, otherwise noted as a barely perceptible bout of turbulence, passes Flight 008 through a temporary wrinkle in the local region of space-time. What these passengers will soon find out as they descend into SFO is that the wrinkle has transported them 20 years in the future, and the year is now 2037.
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"Noah.... I mean Dr. Lockhart" She smiles while playing with her pearl earring. Her fingers tremble ever so slightly. The green eyes have a young innocence about them. If not for the slight crinkles at the edges I wouldn't have put her past twenty.
"I'm Dr. Eleanor Burke, I work with Dr. Hawking. This way, please. My car's outside. I'll take you straight to his office."
There's something about her. Her face. Very familiar. I wasn't expecting anyone to pick me up, much less a qualified doctorate whose time seems far too precious to be chauffeuring me. "I haven't collected my luggage yet," I stutter.
"The luggage will be brought to the car." Another smile. Once again a tinge of nerves seep out of the pretty face. "Here in San Fran, we don't like to waste time on airport protocols."
I thought Tokyo was developed but this is way beyond my imagination. Who knew SFO had advanced so well. That's when I take in my surroundings. Things are definitely different here.
At one turning I stop to take in the advert about a maid for the house. A robot. The plastic girl whizzes around the house on a hover-board doing chores. Dr. Burke holds me by my elbow and guides me out of the airport.
"You have AI's for a maid? Wow, this feels more like 3017!"
"Oh, that's just a silly experiment. Don't worry about it."
She gets behind the wheel and I slide into the passenger seat of the vintage Jaguar. A small screen in front of me rises from the dashboard. A robotic voice says, "Welcome back Dr. Lockhart. It's been a while–"
Dr. Burke snaps the screen shut.
"Another silly experiment?" I can't stop myself from asking.
"You were always so smart." She has a dreamy look in her eyes.
"How'd you know how smart I was? Have we met before?" Where have I seen this face?
"Oh... Oh no... we haven't. I just meant... meant as in how Dr. Hawking described you."
Before I can say anymore she starts the car. We join a hyperloop underground highway that jets us off at phenomenal speeds into the city.
"Aren't you guys worried about CO2 emissions?"
She laughs. "Carbon's invested here as fuel."
"You're kidding, right. That sort of technology doesn't exist."
She refuses to speak, instead, switching on the music and Enya belts out 'Only time' from the car stereo in a voice sweeter than chocolate.
"I love this song." I smile.
Dr. Burke nods as if that's not news to her. A slight tinge of sadness sweeps over her face and I wonder if it's the song or something I said.
I catch her chewing her crimson painted fingernails. For a doctorate, she seems very nervous to meet me. A nobody. A fresh Ph.D.
