Up in Flames

2018:

Her kitchen was on fire.

Correction: the kitchen in her hotel room was on fire. The flames were dancing around the melting chocolate-covered marshmallows, the graham crackers were outrageously burnt, and the fire alarm was ringing its poor heart out.

Apparently, graham crackers were highly flammable.

And yes, she was trying to toast s'mores over a stove. It had been a long day, and she spent exhausting hours sucking up to old geezers in ridiculous suits. She didn't even like champagne anyways.

Pepper was supposed to receive a grant pertaining to her newest patent, but the investors got cold feet at the last minute. They bailed shamelessly like a bunch of wealthy dweebs who didn't care about her life's work.

Guess the Fire-blazing Glowstick of Cheese (trademarked) wasn't gonna be the hit she expected. The 1% just didn't have any creativity. Who didn't need a flaming stick to mix their cheese?

And of course, she was a stress-eater. Big time. So it was the perfect occasion to create her all-time favorite meal, the ultimate s'more.

Instead, she ended up with a phone in her hand, spewing curses at the automated voice messaging system.

"I have a slight problem here in room 209, and someone needs to get their idiotic butt up here before the hotel BURNS DOWN."

The chipper voice responded, "Please press one if you need to talk to a staff member. Press two-"

She quickly jabbed the first button.

"Good morning, how may I be of-"

"There's a FREAKIN' fire in my room, and you guys don't provide fire extinguishers!"

An awkward pause.

"I'm sorry, I didn't get that-"

"What didn't you get?! There's fire in like, my room, with a capital F!"

"I'm sorry, I don't seem to understand what you're trying to say. Please wait while I contact the manager."

"Jesus Christ," she cursed into the receiver.

The pleasant sound of classical music drifted from the phone as Pepper coughed bitterly. Fumes of black smoke were pouring from the flaming walls, no longer small enough to be extinguished by a cup of water.

Screw this.

Dropping the phone, she figured her best bet would be to run. Run out of her room, past the clueless receptionist, and out into the frigid air; all the while screaming "FIRE" at the top of her lungs.

Outside, she watched the flames creep up the side of the hotel, smoke trickling through the windows as a crowd poured out of the lobby. Some were watching, horrified, as the hotel went up in flames. Others were escaping in their cars, scattering like mice.

Sirens screamed in the background, getting louder, but it was too late. The damage was already done.

Watching the chaos, Pepper shook her head in disappointment. If she couldn't trust humans, who could she trust?

A new idea took shape in the back of her mind. Something about AI and scanners...

Oh well.

It still sucked that she was never going to get that s'more.

2025:

Reporters crowded around Pepper, cameras flashing. Their eyes followed her around like she was a goddess.

If a goddess fidgeted awkwardly, and didn't know how to talk to cameras.

She escaped the pandemonium by climbing up stage. Instantly, she felt a wave of nausea as the crowd went silent and stared.

There was a lot of people.

Her fingers quivered as she brought the microphone to her mouth. "The Hotel Sensor Detector 2.0, name still negotiable, is... an innovation of the next generation."

She shakily gestured to the screen behind her. "I could tell you all about it... and drive myself to a panic attack-"

A couple snickers from the crowd.

"-or I could just show you."

The lights dimmed, and an unknown voice echoed from the speakers.

"The Hotel Sensor Detector 2.0 uses the breakthrough technology of artificial intelligence to enhance lives."

The screen flickered to life, showcasing a distressed-looking person sprawled out on the couch in a hotel room. The picture then focuses in on what seems to be a rectangular prism with a swivel head. It's digital screen shoots out streams of light to read the person's facial features.

"Scanners in this device pick up on the internal and external emotions emitted in the room by the occupant. His expressions and electrical signals in his brain are then matched with the patterns of already known feelings."

The Hotel Sensor Detector then produces a can of soda from its pre-packed collection. Its body on wheels allows for swift transportation of the object to the awaiting beneficiary.

"Once these feelings are identified, the artificial intelligence reacts accordingly to each emotion. For example, this man was feeling quite down after being dumped by his date."

A few people from the audience catcall.

"Now, his needs can be properly catered to. And this is only the start."

A myriad of pictures sped through the footage, each of a happy customer aided by their temporary Hotel Sensor Detector. One particular picture lasted more than a few seconds. It was of the helper wielding an ingrained fire extinguisher while a female stood back in relief.

"Even fires can be stopped without needing a phone call. We no longer have to live in fear of delayed human decisions."

A few scattered claps ended the lecture, but soon grew in volume as people cheered loudly. As soon as Pepper stepped off the stage, a swarm of reporters engulfed her.

"Are alcoholic beverages served with this robot?"

"How'd you come up with this?"

"Is this a government plan where they secretly monitor our every move?"

"What are your plans for the future?"

She laughed nervously. "I don't know what the future holds...but as of now, I feel like we're heading in the right direction. Life is based on the choices we make, so it's our choice to make the future."

2100:

The AI might have taken over the world. But that's the business of the people in the future.