Mini Musings II

Definitely Dangerous

Simulation terminated. Real life starts now.

Cobalt blinked twice, standing as still as a rod. He remembered the Transfers didactic story of The One Who’d Gone Over the Ledge at the Grand Canyon. Yes, that was it. The Grand Canyon.

There seemed to be no grave dip of multicolored rocks anywhere in the near vicinity. Still, lesson one for a Return echoed in his mind: In real life things could die.

Because of this, Cobalt found himself unmoving on the corner of what looked like a street. Yes, it was a four way stop, he concluded at the same time that he decided minor movements were safe enough. There were few people out tonight as it was chilly and the air felt heavy and moist around him. He allowed himself to squint and tilt his head at the big pole not two feet to his left. It was giving off a buzzing sound, and at the top, at least twenty feet above Cobalt’s head, electricity seemed to be spurting out the top.

Definitely dangerous, Cobalt thought, and looking around him to the open space of the sidewalk, took a large step back.

“It’s a light pole.” Cobalt jumped at the sound of a feminine voice coming from directly behind him. Cautiously, he turned only to find a young female standing between him and the nearest building.

Seemingly safe, thought Cobalt, and holding out his hand, he spoke, “Hi there,” his voice came out in low frequencies and he took care not to seem shocked at the odd sound of the tilt and cadence of human speech. He had studied it for so long, but the difference between study and practice was still surprising. The Transfers had warned him of this. They were right again.

The female only came up to Cobalt’s shoulder, and she found him very toned for having grown up in the Cybernet, silently scolding for the thought. It wasn’t entirely her fault for The Transfers tell the Department of Simulation Transplants very little when one of their own complets the process to Return to real life. She personally thought it was a shame they referred to it as such. If she was living in the real world, then what were the stores of humans tucked away in the Cybernet doing? …fake lives? Maybe if they weren’t tucked away so neatly out of sight, she thought, her mind running away from her. Maybe if there was another acceptable answer…

“I’m Cobalt,” the tall man spoke, still holding out his hand, his face flipping between confidence and uncertainty.

The female shook her head, “Sorry,” she said smiling and stepping closer, her hand meeting his. “I’m Juniper—you’re representative from the Department of Simulation Transplants and real life mentor,” she spoke, scolding herself again. This time for sounding so business-like. She shook her head, smile widening, “But you can call me June, everybody does.”

Cobalt nodded once, studying June as if she were a very interesting science project. June lifted her eyebrows. Cobalt knew this meant she was nonverbally asking his a question, and felt his face flush as he realized he did not know what the question was, and he began to stammer.

“You, you…. you do this thing with your head right before you speak,” he started. When June appeared confused, Cobalt shook his head, pointing to his face. “This,” he said, doing it again.

June began to laugh, “Sorry, Cobalt, I’m afraid you’re my first mentee.” Pulling her jacket tighter around her, she motioned for him to follow. “It’s just something I do to clear my thoughts. You know—help me concentrate on the conversation, or bring me back around.”

Cobalt followed June down the block, watching her move her hands as she talked. Real life people are so animated, he thought. While he was trying to figure out how to incorporate his hands into his speech, he was stopped suddenly by June’s arm jutting out in front of him.