Abi played a gentle tone over the quadcopter’s speaker system. “We are beginning our approach to Tesla.”

Minnie blinked the sleepiness from her eyes but otherwise stayed still.

I’d sat there awake for the entire flight. I moved over to a seat next to the window and watched as we lowered towards the landing pad.

Farmland stretched for several kilometers in every direction from Tesla. Eventually, the only crops grown near Tesla would be those for its residents. The land would be repurposed for reforestation helping to mend the impact of Tesla and the refugee cities build early on. Until then, much of these crops were processed and distributed to supplement the thousands of tribes spread over Africa and Western Europe.

At the center of the green and yellow expanse stood a towering collection of buildings glittering in the morning sun. The overall impression was like a castle made of white stone and glass with emerald green courtyards. It had, one time, actually been besieged like a medieval castle; the scars and the defenses had long been replaced with beautiful architecture and massive shade trees.

2 blue-uniformed figures stood on the rooftop as our transport set down. They arrived at the door as it opened.

“Hello, I’m Doctor Goel and this is my understudy, Hector.”

The 2 men shook hands with all 3 of us and we exchanged names and pleasantries—as you do. The medical professionals worked together to move Minnie back into the wheelchair. I stayed out of their way and carried mine and Minnie’s bags down the ramp to wait.

A young teenager, 14 or so, skipped out of the building’s door carrying a real, actual, bound book. With a momentary hesitation, the teen made eye contact with Shay and transitioned back into a graceful caper all the way up into the ramp. As they skipped, the light fabric of their dress flicked in the wind. I watched as Shay took the book and spoke with the youth. Shay leaned down and touched Minnie’s hand tenderly and they both softly laughed. The two blue-uniformed men brought Minnie down the ramp and headed towards the door; the teen following behind. As I was about to join the procession, I noticed Shay had sat back down inside the craft.

“Shay!” I said over the wind. “You’re heading back?”

“Yep. She’s in more than capable hands here. I’m heading back to join my kids for lunch.”

I waved just as the door started sliding closed leaving no time for Shay to wave back.

“Awkward,” I said to myself. “I waved goodbye. I hardly even spoke to her. Why would I expect any farewell or—anything.” Watching the quadcopter fly off, I continued to murmur under my breath playing out the scenario on repeat.

The thrum of blades chopping through the air was replaced with a melodious hum. I looked around.

The teen remained at the door watching the flowing dress twist and untwist over their lanky legs as they turned their hips back and forth. I stared dumbstruck for a moment observing the freedom and energy of the kid.

They looked up and met my gaze—still swirling the fabric elegantly. “Liam? Abi says you left your tablet in the transport.”

“Oh… I… hmm”

“Don’t worry,” the teen said as almost a single word and turned on heel. “I’ll fetch you a new one. It’s my job.”

I started towards the door. The kid stopped again and spun 180 degrees to face me.

Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

“Oh yeah, you can call me Sia. That’s not my name, normally, but that’s who I’m listening to today and I love her name.” Sia turned again and half hopped into the air setting off into a skip down the hallway. I followed, painfully aware of my languidness.

Sia occasionally stopped to let me catch up. Well, stopped progressing down the halls but never really stopping. After several minutes of following them, I turned the corner and I saw shelves of books but no frolicking Sia.

Physical, paper books never had interested me. Movies, serials, and recorded audiobooks were plenty of entertainment for me. Occasionally I’d read a book on the tablet, but more often than not I’d just have Abi read it to me while I made busywork or lounged with Stalker.

Once as a child, I’d been in Tesla’s library. My father sent me to donate a hardcover he’d brought with him. It was a treasured possession but as I grew older and he grew more invested in the future of the project, he told me, “great stories should not be kept to oneself.” I thought —even at the time— that the statement was a bit silly because anyone could simply read an eBook copy of Stranger in a Strange Land. Now being about his age at that time, I think I might understand my dad: “If you grock something let it go.”

Sia reappeared and extended a tablet towards me. “Here,” they said. “If you want, I bet you could get the new implants so you don’t need earpieces.” Sia twisted their entire body back and forth tilting their head slightly to emphasize the ears which had nothing in them but small, metallic stud earrings.

“Cool,” I said. “How long did it take for them to heal?”

“The earrings?” Sia said, still showing me the left ear, head quirked to the side.

“No, the speaker things.”

Sia straightened out and looked at me. “I don’t know. I’ve always had them. I can ask my mom. She’d know.”

“That’s fine, Sia. I need to meet up with the Doctor anyways. Thanks for setting me up with the new tablet.”

I contorted my face, feeling proud of myself. “See ya, Sia” I said.

Sia rolled their eyes and tried concealing a smile. I was that old guy with the dad jokes, a reputation I’m okay with.

Abi guided me down a series of halls until I reached a wing labeled “Care”. The interior hallways of the building were a brilliant medley of “turn of the century” modernism and the non-uniform, pseudo organic curves commonly found in early foam-crete buildings. The Care area was more polished and nearly all white.

Growing up, I’d never visited this particular Care ward. The residential tower had a smaller Care facility available 24/7 that could handle everything up to and including broken limbs. I’d visited there more times than I can count.

“Liam,” Abi quietly said from the tablet speaker. “Minnie is ready for visitors. Room Two, on the left.”

I ventured through the bare hallway. Each room had its door open, sun beaming in through floor-to-ceiling windows, empty beds covered in opaque dust covers.

Room number two. The door was ajar and I could hear soft voices within. I gently rapped my knuckles on the door and pushed it open. Minnie was sitting with her legs hanging off the edge of the bed wearing a gown, one much more flattering than the ones people were subjected to in the old movies.

“Good. My escort is here to take me home,” Minnie said, sliding off the bed smacking her feet squarely onto the ground.

I began to protest but Doctor Goel smiled at me. “Good to go.”

My mouth remained open as though I might finish a word.

“As Doctor Jacobs thought,” Doctor Goel said, “we confirmed it was a minor myocardial infarction. We’ve selected a treatment plan but nothing invasive today. She’s all ready to head home…” He turned towards Minnie. “Tomorrow.”

Minnie scoffed and continued to work at getting her feet into the slippers she’d worn on our trip.

The doctor took Minnie’s bag from my hand. “But you don’t have to stay here in a Care room. Hell, you’re welcome to stay at the resort and get the full spa treatment. You just gotta stay in Tesla and not exert yourself too much.”

Minnie looked scornfully at the doctor and then at me. “Can I at least change into some propa clothes?”

The window tinted and blurred into a grey, illuminated wall. Doctor Goel and I stepped out the door closing it behind us.

“Sorry, I didn’t get a brief or time to ask. Are you Minnie’s family member?” he asked.

“No. Not exactly.”

He sighed. “Well, thank you for coming with her. She may want some time to herself…” He hesitated and glanced at the door. “To rest and cope.”

I swallowed the lump in my throat and nodded. We shook hands, me nearly unaware of doing it, and he stepped away out of my view—out of existence at that moment. The door handle clanged and the door swung into the room. Minnie had packed one of her brightly colored silk shirts that hung to her knees and black trousers for underneath.

“You’re taking me to lunch,” she said and shuffled to me. I turned and she put her arm through mine and we made our way down the hall.