The Universe Expanded

The Grey

Galilea sighed as she peered over her small grey cubicle and out the window. It was a bright sunny day. A few sparrows fluttered about and the trees were finally covered in buds after the long, stale winter. She knew the sight of such nice weather would be enough to please most of the people around her but, for some reason, she still felt like the space she occupied was pointless.

She glanced around the office. Everyone was lost in their work with their heads down, typing away diligently. The sound of the keyboard strokes created a mind-numbing rhythm which only served to push Galilea deeper into her state of boredom. She was a programmer for a humdrum little firm in the city. It wasn't anything impressive, especially since no special training was required to complete the monotonous tasks set for the team.

She turned back to her computer and finished her last line of code for the day. Another sigh escaped her lips as she turned off her monitor and rose from her chair. She grabbed for her bag and jacket and made her way, quickly, to the door. Some fellow team members glanced up at her as she left. A few eyes seemed jealous that she was already done for the day.

Nothing was said as she departed. No goodbyes or goodnights uttered as she approached the elevators. It was a testament to how hypnotizing the surroundings of this grey office really were.

Stepping into the elevator, Galilea took in a deep breath and tilted her head back. The fluorescent lights encouraged a small headache to form and she switched her gaze from the ceiling to the floor. I can't keep doing this. She thought to herself. The bell rang and she made her way from the elevator, out the main doors of the building and onto the now sunny street.

After a moment of hesitation, she opted to carry her jacket as she walked, feeling the warmth of the sun on her pale skin. The doctor had told her she suffered from Seasonal Affective Disorder when she had seen them a few months previous. She was sure the assisting Humanoid Resident Nurse, or HRN as they were normally referred to, had gotten her blood tests wrong. She had tried to explain to the doctor her lack of feelings had been present for much longer than the wintery months. After he waved her off and gave her some pills, she figured she should have waited to discuss the dilemma with the doctor when it was closer to the middle of summer. Maybe then he would have paid more attention.

Regardless, she couldn't shake the feeling that she was missing out on the feelings others around her felt so fervently. She saw a couple sitting on a bench in the middle of the crowded city, talking and laughing, about what she didn't know. What is it like, to smile with such happiness? Have I ever really smiled that way? If I have, then I suppose the feeling isn't really as amazing as the facial expressions make it seem.

As she watched, someone passing by rammed into her shoulder causing her to step back and snap out of her daze. It was then that Galilea realized she had come to a complete halt in the middle of the walkway and was outright staring at the couple.

"Watch it!" A girl shouted from behind her. That must have been who bumped into me. Galilea blushed slightly, out of brief embarrassment and hurried on her way back to her apartment. By the time she reached the end of that very same block she fell back into a similar haze. Only this time, she was staring at an ad.

It was a poster advertising for a new movie. It read: Of Days Gone By, Coming This Summer. The image it held was of a man in an old military outfit from hundreds of years ago. It looked like the movie was to be set between the 2000s and 2200s. Galilea felt a pang of sadness in her heart as she continued her walk home.

How nice must it have been to actually do something for yourself. I mean, sure, it wasn't really survival then but I'm sure every action done was more meaningful. She couldn't deny the strong yearning she felt inside herself whenever she read or watched anything pertaining to the eras before her own. The year 2607 was filled with mundanity. She hated the fact that humans before her time had worked so hard to make a world where they didn't have to do anything. It took the very meaning out of leisure.