Blogbuster - A comedy-laced blogger sci-fi thriller

27 - robot freeze

Violet took the elevator to the second floor and followed the directions to her suite. The architecture lived up to the hype. Minimalist interiors, modern furnishings, especially the ergo couches and the wall-sized screens in the common area. Vending machines were packed with drinks Violet couldn’t even pronounce. 

Pikachoo Sweat

Diverse-Tea

Waldmeister Burrn

La Coke Du Jour

She smiled. It was like the technerds met the neohipster crowd in a multi-billion startup complex. Violet noticed the other vloggers were just as dazzled. They pointed fingers, snapped pictures and smiled at each other. Ok, she thought, I’m almost impressed. She entered her suite and admired the white minimalist design with clearcut furniture, a king-sized bed and a thirty-two inch screen on the wall. Not to mention the freezer — a voice-automated refill station with contact to room service. She approached it first.

“Would you like to drink something, mylady?” the artificial voice said.

Violet froze in motion, stared at the peeping circle in the middle of the refrigerator door.

“Do you have spicy tomato juice with pepper?”

“My pleasure, mylady.”

Mechanical sounds of moving parts whirled in the background. The door opened up, a robot arm handed her the drink. Miniature umbrella and cut lemon piece included. Violet smiled.

“Now that’s what I call service.”

She took the juice and pressed it towards her lips. When the thick, herby liquid washed down her gullet, it rejuvenated every cell of her body. A drink from the heavens, thanks to technology.

“Do you like it?” said the artificial voice from the freezer.

Violet nodded. ‘Like’ was an understatement, it was the best tomato juice she’d ever drank.

“Two tomato thumps up,” she said and moved towards her king-sized bed.

The surface was soft and…computer-controlled, of course. Violet tossed her shoes on the floor and landed on the bed. She even jumped up an down on it. She felt like a child on Christmas Eve. Wowzee. Was there one part of the suite not connected to a computer?

Probably not. Too bad she couldn’t show any of this to her community.

She imagined all the emoticon-riddled updates she’d receive. 

Oh well.

She sat back down and sighed. Despite all the awesomeness in her room, she couldn’t allow herself to get lost in the swooning. This wasn’t a holiday, she was in battleland now.

Vlogger against vlogger. 

Competing for the biggest prize of her life.

Violet grabbed her rucksack and unpacked her gear. She needed to prepare now, because the event could start anytime. 

Which it did.

A female voice buzzed over the room’s intercom. 

“All vloggers, please get ready for a mandatory meeting in thirty-four minutes. We’ll be meeting in the holoroom in the first floor. The location is tagged on your maps.”

No break for the wicked.

Violet didn’t mind. The curiosity ate at her. The sooner she learned about the mission objectives of the Blogbuster show, the better. She tiptoed into the bathroom and refreshed her makeup. A thousand questions popped up in her mind. What in the world would she have to do?

She’d soon find out.