Science fiction : She in 2075

 

Science fiction : She in 2075

She said it has always been like this. What exactly, I wondered! 

Then in the moment of amazement, not bafflement exactly, I looked at her. And as I allowed myself to immerse in her beautiful eyes, she pointed at the Summer garden in her backyard and the patch of blue sky right over it.

Then she repeated, “it has always been like this! Unchanged, unaltered and always in this permanent state, with no seasonal shifts or changes. Perhaps this small heaven of mine has achieved an immunisation, to combat every feisty and obliterating plot of time, that does not believe in forgiveness. It moves ahead passing through the piles of human feelings, emotions, as if it were least bothered about anything; as it marches forth leaving behind the remnants of these sensate piles, in the form of memories that now stood trapped in the past. The moments that once existed, but now they only share an existence in the world of time, and nowhere else. A world where no human can ever venture.

But here, in my backyard, I have grown everything from the past, and the time gets confused to decide what to do with this patch of immortal reality. That is why you will witness a state of stillness, calm, with an overpowering sense of solitude that stares at you, as you look at these flowers in this backyard.”

I turned, and tried to look at it. But there was nothing, just a piece of land reflecting every Autumnal brooding. Yet, to be sure, I went a little closer, rubbed my eyes and tried once again. Again, there was nothing, just a barren piece of land, witnessing Autumn and growing under its pale reality.

She sensed my bewilderment. But she was astute, and a perfect one, when it came to making one believe in her imaginary world. Imaginary, because that is what it appeared to me.

And she said, “Ah, I forgot to tell you that these flowers are the flowers that are spread across this backyard garden in the form of my memories, my feelings, everything that I have experienced and felt. And in order to see it, you must first be able to feel what I have felt or experienced.

This garden blooms for me whenever I visit it, even on a snowy winter day.

And do you know why I have offered such impunity to this garden of mine?”

Her eyes did not wink for a few moments, as she waited for me to respond. 

And my response was short.

“No. I have no clue at all!”

Then with an uncanniness, she explained it to me, “Because in 2075, gardens may only exist in old memories, in our old feelings, and it is true, because then Global Warming will have launched its incursion on humanity, to purge it of its avarice. Because we have forgotten our bond of indemnity that we all humans sign with Earth and the Universe in which it exists; the moment we are born. Maybe I sound a bit indignant, but facts are harsh, and this one involves negligence on part of all of us. So, I may come across as the most insensitive person to you, because I am contesting a case where the plaintiff is not a human being but Earth. And in this arbitration, my argument relies on one major fact: Global Warming and Climate Change are real, and if we do not act now. We all may be forced to create these virtual gardens of memories in our minds. Because there may be no real gardens left to appreciate in 2075! An impending reality that we all are denying would ever be real. But it is real and we all are living it as of now. But who cares, do you?”

I shook my head, and flinched my upper shoulders as I was caught by surprise when she asked me this question. I was already feeling like “genuinely and rightly accused.” And contesting against reality would be like showing a lamp to the Sun. So, without trying to defend myself I said, “yes, you are correct. I am guilty of this crime, as are all of us!”

At this point, she asked me to look at the garden again, but this time she bore a smile on her face that even showed in her hands; and gradually spread over her entire body.

Then something miraculous happened. I could see her garden of beautiful memories, of beautiful flowers and beautiful summer days. And I must admit, it felt like drowning in the kiss of elevated senses where I loved to drown forever, and ever. I was indeed feeling the kiss of the rose, and I instantly thought about my love. Her kisses. It was magical, a garden that rose like a beautiful maiden and romanced my senses and mind alike. 

It was at this moment I realised, “We attract hearts by the qualities we display: we retain them by the qualities we possess.” 

Ah, what a joy it was to know how she had retained the never fading and never withering state of her garden. Her garden of beautiful memories, of beautiful flowers, of wonders of the Summer.

Then as I was about to take her leave, she plucked a flower, but a real one this time. And presented it to me. I held it in my hand, and walked away. And as I reached my room, I placed it over my table. Now it was the flower, the time, my memory, and I as a person, who occupied the room. 

As I concentrated on the flower; the room transformed into a garden of flowers, and I wandered somewhere far away in its midst, never to be found again, unless I wanted to be found. Because I do not want to be a part of the World in 2075, where there is no beauty, no flowers and no one to kiss. Just machines, virtual sensations and pseudo feelings, and artificial emotions.

It is time we humans establish love at first sight like relationship with Earth. Because, “First love is an instinct- at once a gift and a sacrifice. Every other is a philosophy- a bargain.” And our time to bargain with Climate Change and Global warming is over. So let us decide well and decide now!

And whenever I return from this garden of my memories, I write my experiences down. And the compilation of these experiences has evolved in the form of my first science fiction novel, They Loved in 2075. This science fiction is a romance based scifi, where ability of humans to emote in 2075, is one of the topics. The scifi story weaves a net of emotions around its main characters, where few still feel human like, and quite a few due to their excessive interaction with self aware and super intelligent machines, get confused when it comes to differentiating between their true human emotion and its twin emotion incubating in their minds by virtue of their interactions with self aware machines. It is a fascinating love story, with a surprise, that will also make you say, “They indeed loved in 2075.”

At least that is my hope, because I believe that even in 2075 humans will believe, “It is folly to pretend that one ever wholly recovers from a disappointed passion. Such wounds always leave a scar. There are faces I can never look upon without emotion;  there are names I can never hear spoken without almost starting to cry!” Because I am not a machine, and I love not being a machine. 

I wonder about those who do not feel so, maybe they are already in 2075 and romancing machines that feel and look like humans. But then, an orchid flower that grows in the wild, is far more beautiful and appealing to senses than an orchid that lies in the corner of the room created from synthetic material that looks exactly like the Orchid in the wild. But it never feels like the real Orchid growing in the wild. Never!

On this note, I let you decide the fate of orchids in the wild, and human emotions in 2075. If you find it difficult, please spare sometime to read the science fiction, They Loved in 2075!