The Oasis

Chapter 1

Chapter 1 The Beginning

Beep, Beep, Beep

The sound resonates through my skull bouncing from eardrum to eardrum. I open my eyes as the morning light pours through my window. It's a beautiful sunny day outside, but I am tired and my bed is comfortable.

" Snooze Sulu" I command to the beeping in my head.

Sulu is a PIA ( Personal Interface Assistant). When each child reaches the age of 5 they are brought into the Health Center, where they are implanted with a PIA. Each citizen of POD 14 has one. It is a simple set of microchips, one placed just under the skin of the left wrist and the other at the base of the skull and into the brain stem. It was invented from an old technology called a ABI ( auditory brainstem implant). They can be used for a number of things. PIA keeps a record of health maintenance for each host. They also manage schedules, social media accounts, and many other daily functional needs. They have minimal human characteristic, with abilities like male or female voices, mine is a man's voice and his name is Sulu.

Sulu is named after one of my father's favorite sci fi characters, from a show that existed only before Creation.

" I'm afraid you have maxed out your allotted number of snoozes Magda". Sulu replied sarcastically.

My studies are in the computer sciences, and for the last few years I have been hacking the coding on my own PIA to give it certain human characteristics such as sarcasm.

"Fine I'm up" I grudgingly reply.

"You have 27 minutes to get ready for the education center before you are due downstairs for breakfast. You're Mother and Father have already left for the day."

" Thank you Sulu"

" You are most welcome Magda"

I stretch out beneath my warm grey sheets, pulling my toes up to relieve the tension that had built up in my calves overnight. I swing my legs over the edge of the bed and hesitant for a moment before placing them on the frigid white tile floor. After twenty one years you would think I would be used to that cold floor, but it makes me shudder every morning.

I sluggishly drag my feet to the closet on the far side of my bedroom. It's a pretty plain room. The walls are a little greyish blue and the floors are slated with large white tiles,that are only broken up by the bed fixed in the middle of the room.There is a desk in one corner, where I spend most of my time.

There are no photos on the wall or knick knacks on the tables. Nothing is personal. Personal effects only matter after 30, and even then most don't have much. The only personal item I own is a small charm necklace , a simple circle with a star on the outside, that I wear around my neck every day. I was given the necklace what I was 12 years old by my parents. There is a simple engraving that says "To guide your way".

Everything I own is a shade of grey, because that is the color for RING 2. Bright colors are left only for the privileged citizens of The Oasis.

I stop to stare out the small window closest to my closet door. It is a beautiful day. Why wouldn't it be, today is a special day. Today was the day the ambassador of The Oasis was visiting the Higher Education Center.

" 22 minutes until breakfast." Sulu chimed in, reminding me to get a move on.

I flip through the sparse grey clothing hanging in my closet. I want to wear something a little more special, more than just the plain grey button down shirt and grey pants I wear everyday. I flip through until I find it, the single grey dress I own. It's main purpose is for special occasions, such as holidays and testing day.