Continue Online (Book 1, Memories) Read Online Free Page A

the virtual world using
this ARC would start in her Atrium.
    Software
and program preferences were always reflected in an Atrium. This was
close to computer screens and their desktop icons. Miss Yonks had a
random mess of extra doors and items littered around a projected
room. A few games lined one shelf. She had chat programs and virtual
meeting rooms installed. Piles of junk and other adware filled her
virtual trash bin. Her suite was that of a standard user. She even
had a copy of Continue Online which was the bestselling game for
twenty months running. Four of those months were before it was even
released. Pre-Orders alone had broken global records.
    “ Yay.”
For a moment, Miss Yonks sounded years younger. “This looks a
lot better.”
    “ We
aim to please.” When I first arrived her screen had a frowning
sick emoticon instead of the normal cheery one.
    “ How
much?” She asked. I babbled the numbers.
    We
settled up the bill by verbal agreement and waving a charge card near
my knockoff display watch. This device told time, took calls,
measured my pulse, accessed internet searches, and operated the car.
All manner of modern convenience without the need to pull something
out of my pocket.
    Miss
Yonks ushered me out of the door a little too eagerly. I nodded and
let her herd us out while putting effort into a friendly goodbye. Our
parting was professional and personable. Hal Pal even gave a small
bow. We went to the van where I opened the rear door and let the AI
into its charging dock.
    Mere
moments later and we had our next appointment programmed in. ARCs
almost always had a need for repair. Not because they were poorly
made, but because there were so many and people were more urgent
about them than plumbing. I gave a vocal command to the van. We would
stop for food first. Technology had advanced far enough that I could
place my order before we even arrived and my meal would be ready to
go by the time the van pulled into the restaurant.
    My
grandparents had barely seen the beginning of what technology might
accomplish. A generation ago nothing would have linked up to a car’s
global position to establish when food needed to be ready. Cars now
piloted themselves by weaving in and out of trafficked roads at
frightening speeds.
    With
Alternate Reality Capsules, no one needed to travel to gain the
illusion of face to face conversation. Telework programs were
successful. Business meetings were now hosted in cyberspace along
with vacations, and theme parks. Virtual thrill rides felt and looked
real. These things were a virtual click away and cheaper. People
stayed at home, preferring virtual connections ease over real life
logistical complications. Digital drunkenness was cheaper. As a
result, the highways were never that congested even during former
rush hours.
    Not
everything was positive. Class divisions grew clearer cut. The poor
couldn't afford personal ARCs. Software had skyrocketed in price to
go along with the technical complexity. Two hundred bucks would buy a
user one pretty sweet shooter game or a month's worth of groceries.
    Our
van passed all sorts of places on the way to its next location. From
the highway overpass, I could see a neighborhood playing movies
against a tall building. Poorer areas recreated the drive-in
experience using dated technology. Their houses lined up side by side
in perfect replicas that ran all the ranges between clean and
dilapidated.
    The
main road went through a tunnel and upon emergence our scenery was
different. Middle to upper class had larger properties despite being
mostly plugged in. Lawn maintenance was performed by a fleet of
robots like Hal Pal. Neighborhood housing committees often owned the
local maintenance robot. The money spent covered a lot of mundane
tasks. Typically removal of spray paint, hedge trimming, cleaning
sidewalks, and mail delivery. Mechanics of this caliber belonged to
those who could afford the extra few hundred a month in rent