When All is Null and Void

Chapter Three

Rolling over, Caleb burrowed his head into his pillow.

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Only five hours after falling into bed, Caleb had to get up. The alarm clock on his bedside table chirped intermittent shrieks until he smacked it into submission. Every particle of his being wanted to tumble back into sleep, but he couldn't do it. Not again. So with a grunt, Caleb hoisted himself out of comfort and warmth and onto the chilly hard wood floor. He stretched, rubbed his face with his hands.

He shucked off his work clothes from the night before, grimacing at the scent of already rotting milk, and threw on a rumpled t-shirt and jeans. Because of the Museum, styles and fashions began to repeat themselves. Caleb called himself 1990s "I don't care," and his hair was easily defined as, "My hand is my brush." This morning he yanked out three tangles from his sandy-blond hair before brushing his teeth.

He could be out of the house in minutes, but today he was stopped by Angelica in the kitchen. "This came for you this morning," she said. It was an envelope in a blood-red shade. Hercolor. Caleb tried to ignore it, tried to act as if he was late for school, but Angelica stopped him again. "You and I both know that Rhea James sent you a letter, and if you don't open it, I'm going to."

"That's illegal, and you know it," Caleb said airily.

She dropped an apple to the counter.

"Fine," Caleb sighed. "But if I'm late, I'm skipping." He scooped the envelope off the counter and opened it up. It was rare for someone to send a message with actual ink and paper these days. Since nearly everyone owned a Wrist Holo, messages were often sent via digital ink, but it seemed Rhea knew Caleb wasn't a part of the 22nd century. He'd expected more paper inside the envelope, but what he found was a rectangular sliver of glass. It lit up as soon as he touched it.

"I feel so fancy," Caleb said, but Angelica was watching too intently to notice his snarky comment.

Dear Caleb, the note said. I would like to inform you of your selection to partake in a series of tests. I cannot tell you what the ultimate outcome is, but I would love for you to come to the James Estate this afternoon to discuss these tests. Food will be provided, as well as compensation. Please accept this invitation below.

At the bottom of the screen were two small boxes. One said yes, and the other said no. Caleb didn't wait to discuss it with Angelica. He pressed on the rejection option and quickly dumped the screen and it's envelope into the garbage. "I'm sorry, but I'm not going to take part in any of those tests," he said.

"I don't blame you," Angelica replied, but he knew her mind had snagged on the portion involving compensation. She would allow him to choose, but money was always an unfortunate motivator—not that Caleb could blame Angelica.

"I'm late for school," he said as he ran out of the apartment. He hadn't eaten, and he probably wouldn't until after school. He was used to it, though. Even as his stomach rumbled in his gut. The lower streets were deserted due to the levels of magnetic roads above. Huvver, an electric car company, had developed roadways that made traffic jams a thing of the past. They'd also happened to develop incredibly cheap vehicles, so no one walked anymore. Except for Caleb in his worn down shoes which slipped and slid against the concrete. It was a little too cold to not be wearing a coat, but Caleb hadn't thought about it. So now he was forging the six blocks to school, slipping on icy slick concrete. He wasn't annoyed at having to walk. Nothing about his situation really bothered him, actually. He could deal with it, but he was ridiculed quite a bit for his lack of Wrist Holo. As of now, he had to take notes using actual pencil and paper--the horror, he thought with an inward roll of his eyes. He'd been secretly saving for one of his own wrist Holos for months, but they were expensive.