"Forever 16"

"In 2243, the earth was inundated by technological advances. Alongside our new technology, came more fuel that needed to be burned and our ozone with it. With increasing temperatures, mass flooding occurred and amongst the disarray, a man named Dukke Bellthorne made his presence known to the world.
Presenting the world's population with a resolution, "PyschConnect." Bellthorne invented the first biomedical gel-like substance to halt aging effects caused by the earth's gravity and atmosphere. However, instead of putting Earth's remaining population into cryo-sleep, he chose to bridge everyone's consciousness to a mass interconnected society called “The Reality” which was made to replicate a more ideal world. A world that showed its environment more empathy and compassion.
The project was estimated to last 125 years. During that period, people were to become educated and informed on surviving in a now foreign and uncultivated region. The first few decades went better than anyone imagined. The sensors on the outside detected just as much growth as what had been happening on the inside, but suddenly, without forewarning, Dr. Bellthorne disappeared without a trace. With no one able to step up and lead the last generations into the future, citizens turned back to the government that had failed them once before.
Returning to complacency, the mission of salvation was soon forgotten and many had given up hope of ever disconnecting from the all too perfect world they now lived in. Instead of “disconnecting” from “Reality” the government placed them under the “Mandatory Indolent Act.” “By having the citizens live out a never-ending cycle of a perfect life which has been stimulated by “PhychConnect,” instead of dealing with the problems of the outside world, with the government in full control, leaning into autocracy, not even the word of the people was safe from political persecution. With no hope left, we the people continue to live out their lives being content with still being well-connected and without a worry of the outside world for the last 499 years," finished Kristian.
“Alright, let's give Kristiain a round of applause. That was a prime example of how a “Disconnected” might describe our reality. You may go sit down,”
Mr. Keith looked down at his watch
“ Unfortunately, we don’t have enough time for our next speaker. Icarus you’ll have your turn tomorrow when we return and if you could stay after class: I’d like to talk to you.”
I know I've been struggling recently, but does he have to hold me after class?
RIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNGGGGGG
“That’s the bell; you are dismissed. Have a good rest of your day. Now Icarus before you transport home, I just wanted to say Happy birthday."
"Wow, thank you for remembering, sir."
"Hard to forget when I've been instructing you for almost five centuries. How old are you turning this year?"
"I'll be 515 this year, only three more years till I stop being instructed!"
"Yes, that's quite close. I can imagine how excited you are. I still can’t believe that I was only 28 when I connected, anyway, I hope you have a great rest of your birthday,” He concluded with a warm smile.
Double tapping the left part of my thumb, I repeated the term “Kodu” like I have a million times before. While “Reality” calibrated my transport, my mind wandered to Mr. Keith. Mr. Keith had a wife who was pregnant when they connected, unfortunately, you can’t connect an unborn consciousness, so for almost 500 years Mrs. Keith has been waiting for her baby to be born. After waiting so long, Mr. Keith has become extremely patient for the time we disconnect and is extremely patient with us and treats us like our age instead of the adults we are not.
Another side effect of the gel is that your brain doesn’t continue to develop, and if you're already in adolescence, you stay there until you “disconnect” from “Reality.” Soon an automated voice appeared in my head, “KODU transport error.”
When I opened my eyes, I was cold, struggling to breathe. I found myself surrounded by gel. With nowhere to go, I reach up, trying to break through the gel. A voice soon sounded in my ears,
“MOTION DETECTED, GDS ACTIVATED”
GDS?? What sounded so familiar…It was the drainage system. Soon all the gel would be out, and I could move freely and talk to all the others. Wait, would there even be others? The government decided to keep us in “Reality” and they didn’t warn us, or me, that I was being “disconnected.”
With the newfound ability to breathe, I gasped for air. With the gel now emptied of my cryo-chamber, I sat up, just to fall back again remembering; that this is the first time this body has been used for almost 500 years. I reached up and felt my fingers move as the blood flowed more, and my heart rate quickened.
Seizing hold of the sides of the bars, I tried to sit up slowly this time. The air was still and frigid with bright hospital-like lights weighing down on my eyes. Looking around I came to see everyone still sleeping, surely I can't be here alone.
I'd never been by myself; The thought of it sent shivers down my spine. Maybe..maybe if I lay down, I can reconnect, but wait how would my body handle it? I don't know how to re-immerse myself in the gel or hook it back. For all I know, it's a two-person job. I struggle to breathe again, pushing out air faster than what my body can take in.
I think...I think I'm having a panic attack. We don't have these in "Reality" because there's nothing to worry or panic about. Everything is regulated and censored to a tee. In and out, I repeat this breathing technique until I can regulate my breaths. Nice, slow, and smooth.
Doing my best to wake my legs up, I lift myself onto the side railing of the chamber. Swinging my legs over I look at the ground. Though I’m not even a foot off the ground; I'm nervous. How would it feel? I’d be taking my first steps all over again. Would I even be able to walk?
Looking around one more time before all my focus goes to my legs, I see a cylinder-like shape with four legs. It’s a cane! Dr. Bellthorne knew how to think ahead. Taking a step down I collapsed to my knees. That stung. I know it wasn’t as bad as it felt but I hadn’t felt anything like it in a long time. I struggle to stand grasping at the rail on the chamber trying to pull myself up. This isn’t working, I looked back over to the cane. I guess this is my only choice. With only one way to move around I crawled, well dragged myself. When I retrieved the cane, I was already short of breath. Grabbing hold of both the rails in the cane I pull myself up.
Though it wasn’t pretty, I used the rails and cane as a sort of crutch, walking back and forth, till I could feel my body begin to work again. My clothes were still wet and stiff, and I was still wearing the modified hospital gown they gave me, the only difference was these pants. I imagine I should find something to warm myself up with. Looking around, there’s a hallway.
As I make my way down the hall, I see all the other “Reality” citizens lined against the walls. They all look the same as how we left each other. Without realizing it, I found myself in the hall looking back and forth at the doors reading the name tags: Screening Room, Food Storage, Armory, Infirmary, and Miscellaneous Items. Maybe they’d be in here? You’d think there would be a lock on the door, but nothing. Opening the door there are at least 30 racks of boxes.
Looking at the box, I see all different types of boxes. Hair ties for the girls, recreational activities, and clothes. Found them!! Looking into the boxes, there are bags on bags without outdoor clothing. Each bag contained a dry-fit shirt, insulated EDU pants, crew-length socks, a Carhart jacket, and a pair of water-resistant, steel-toe hiking boots.
Once I finished getting changed, I went back to the cryo room. Looking at all of them I was reminded how alone I was, seeing them sleeping like this, knowing I looked exactly the same a few hours ago was a little unnerving. Did they notice I was gone yet? Were they even looking for me?
Though no one from our chamber has gone missing; people in general disconnected every few decades. No one would come looking for me. I would have to go to them if I wanted any chance of making it back to the “Reality,”
CLANG
I heard footsteps inching closer, what could it be? Has someone else disconnected? No, that couldn’t be possible. I'm in the chamber room, I would've seen or heard them sooner. Whoever it was, I wasn't alone.
“W-who’s there, I’m warning you-- don’t come any closer. I have a cane and I know how to use it.”
I fell back, still not able to walk quite the same. As the footsteps got closer, I stumbled backward trying my best to put some distance between me and who or whatever this was. All of a sudden I heard a voice one familiar but not quite the same.
“A cane? Who do you think put that there, Icarus?”
“Mr. Keith! How did you get here? Did you disconnect too; How come I didn’t see you come out of the chamber; What do you mean you put the cane there?
“Slow down Icarus, I’ll explain everything. Before the “Great Connect,'' I went by another name, Dukke Bellthorne. When everyone was logging in, I was approached by government officials who offered to buy “PyschConnect” from me and take over the project. I refused, unable to give up our possible salvation to the people who had let us down already. However, they would take no for an answer. They broke into my house and trashed my baby’s nursery to warn us.
With fear in my heart, I felt no other way but to give it up. They devised a plan for me to go missing and live under a new identity because they couldn't keep the “Reality” running. With no other choice, I gave it up, but I’ve slowly been taking my revenge.”
“Mr. Keith, what do you mean revenge?”
“With the ability to disconnect myself, I also discovered that I could disconnect into other people's bodies and have control of their consciousness. In each brand of “PhyschConnect,” there was always some government official or someone close to them. I would log out the official and enter the body of the one closest to them with the promise of “Re-connecting” them.” They were all too trusting, all too ready to go back to their perfect little worlds.
“Mr. Keith, how could you do that? I know what they did was wrong and horrible but you were leaving these people to drown in gel thinking that their loved ones had killed them.”
“Yes, well awful things are done when you're in pain.”
“You wouldn’t do that to me would you?”
“You're not related to any government officials, now let's get you back into "Reality ". I may have clicked the wrong person when I went to take my next revenge.”
As we talked Mr. Keith continued to help me back into my cryo-chamber, the door was shutting and locked with a click. I saw something in his eyes I’d never seen before.
“Mr. Keith opened the door. Open the door please.” I could feel the gel slowly wrapping around me.
“Sorry kid, I forgot to mention your mom is the secretary of technology; which is still a government official.”
“No,” I began to cry, to sob. This can’t be it. My breathing had become shallow and quick. “Pleaassee, PLEASE” tears coming out of my eyes I’ve come to realize there is no getting out of this. “please..”
“ I wasn’t lying when I said I misclicked, I meant to select your mom to disconnect and use your body to permanently disconnect her. It’s a shame..”
Just as I had been able to breathe earlier, that too was being taken from me and no breathing exercise could fix this. I no longer cared for those monster excuses, soon I would be dead and my mother to follow. Despair had filled my heart. Grasping at the fog-filled glass, hoping for escape, I lift my head towards the light. Knowing I would go right back to sleep, just one I wouldn’t ever wake up from. Took in the last breath, shed the last tear, letting the world fade into black.