Wired

by Caytlyn Brooke

  “Sure! Anything you want! I just want to get a Vertix first, okay?” Andy shouts back over his shoulder. “We’re almost there!”

  We arrive at last to the front of the Yeti store only two minutes after midnight. I glance around at the other people assembled outside the glass doors. They all have looks of excitement and anticipation blazing in their eyes.

  “Where is everyone?” I ask Andy, surprised at how few people have made it this far.

  He waves his arm behind us. “Probably enjoying themselves too much. Don’t worry, this is good. Fewer people means we’ll get our Vertix faster.”

  “Yeah, good point.” I nod.

  A young mother holding a sleeping infant stands between us and the glass windows with YETI frosted on them. There’s a man in a crisp suit standing in front of the doors, a beaming grin on his fleshy cheeks. His dark, beady eyes scan each of our faces.

  “Welcome everyone, to the dawn of a new era in the ever-changing wave of technology! Last year we gave you the Vertix! An incredible device that allowed you to completely immerse yourself in your favorite apps and lose yourself in the flowing currents of social media. But tonight—tonight I give you something even greater!” He arches his eyebrows so high they almost disappear into his bushy brown hair. He gestures toward the growing crowd as well as the festivities beyond, his voice booming with help from a small microphone.

  “Imagine a device that can encapsulate all of this,” the man points to the numerous stations littered throughout the plaza, “imagine a device that can take you to the clouds or the deepest parts of the ocean. A device that lets you rewind history, relive your friends’ memories, and visit exotic places all from the comfort of your own home. This is the future ladies and gentlemen. This is the Vertix H2!”

  The short man throws up his hands and colorful fireworks boom overhead to christen the new launch. I duck to avoid the falling embers but watch as others stand on their toes to grab them. Curious, I straighten up and reach my fingers into the pitch-black sky. The golden sparks tumble and twirl downward, falling like liquid gold. The sparks coil around my hand, snaking up my arm with the tiniest sizzle and then burn away completely.

  “Wow,” I whisper. Even the fireworks are something out of a dream.

  “Maggie, come on!” Sarah cries happily, waving me forward.

  I glance up and see the double doors to Yeti spread wide, trying to swallow as many patrons as it can. I follow mindlessly, the bustling crowd behind me ushering me in. The virtual reality technology stations have spilled in from the plaza and taken up residency throughout the store, reminding me of a spider draping its long silky web across every available surface.

  I’m three steps into the store and I’ve already lost Andy and Sarah, but I don’t mind. I meander through the maze-like set-up, passing by a 4-D movie screening and a pile of cardboard boxes with children scampering and crawling inside. Each one has a soft black mask draped over their eyes as they play. A large screen overhead depicts what each child is seeing. A young girl burrows underground chasing a rabbit while an older boy climbs slippery rocks overlooking a waterfall.

  “This is incredible,” I whisper.

  “May I help you?” a deep voice asks.

  I spin away to see a handsome guy to my left in uniform. He has short black hair cut close to his temples and bright green eyes that have to be artificially tagged. He stands a few inches taller than me and his name tag reads George.

  “Oh, hey,” I say, brushing my wild hair back from my face. “I was just—”

  George cuts me off. “Just looking for the H2?”

  “Yeah, I guess I am.” I smile again. Stop grinning like an idiot. Still, my Barbie-like expression sticks.

  “Well you’re in luck because I just so happen to have one here with your name on it,” George says with ease, pulling a small white box out from behind his back.

  “Really? And how would you know my name?” I don’t know why I suddenly feel so flirtatious.

  George shrugs and steps closer, his cologne washing over me. I inhale and stumble back. He smells like a misty mountain over a tumulus sea. His eyes are dancing. “I’ve been waiting to hear your name since I watched you walk through that door. All I need is for your pretty lips to whisper it to me.”

  My heart pitter-patters rapidly. I can feel the heat from his body on my skin. He’s so close. Should I kiss him? “M-Maggie,” I stutter, feeling heat rise from my groin all the way to my cheeks.

  “Maggie,” George repeats, tasting my name on his tongue. “That suits you perfectly. Have you ever had the experience before?”

  I flush even darker as the handsome stranger looks me up and down. Of course I’ve done it before, I’m certainly no prude, but I can’t believe how direct he is, careless for the dozens of spectators around us.

  “Yes, of course, but it’s been…it’s been a long time,” I reply softly, tracing my lips with the tip of my finger. My pulse is racing. What’s he going to do? Wheel me away to a back room and have his way with me? Or pull me close and kiss me passionately? Snippets of romance movies and books filter quickly through my mind and I realize that I’d be fine with any of them.

  “That’s okay, Maggie.” I love the way he says my name. “All you have to do is give me your pretty little neck.” His strong hands are already moving my long brown hair, and a cool breeze tickles the sensitive skin at the base of my hairline, right above where his fingers hold me. “You’re going to love it. It’s unlike anything you’ve ever seen before.”

  “Oh, I have no doubt about that,” I whisper.

  “Do you want to do it now?” George asks, his warm fingers caressing my neck like a lover.

  “Oh yes,” I answer, practically groaning under his touch. I’m not sure how this is happening, but I want it to. I feel him press a cool square object into my hand, his eyes never leaving mine.

  “Great. Brad will bring you to the room and guide you through it.” George grins seductively. “See you later, Maggie.” He lets go of my hair and turns away.

  I watch him go, his broad shoulders and muscular arms evident even through his light gray polo. I sigh, anxious to feel them beneath my touch. I better find Brad and get to the room fast. I step forward and then look down to the objects George thrust into my hands. I’m holding a small white box with a picture of the Vertix H2 branded on the cover and a black card with George’s name and number on it in neatly typed font in white lettering.

  Oh.

  My lust evaporates, replaced with humiliation and shame. He was selling you a Vertix and you thought he wanted to sleep with you. He was trying to make a sale! My cheeks burn a rosy shade of pink and I clear my throat, trying to appear unruffled. At least he gave you his number. Obviously he can’t leave with you now, he’s working. He wants you to call him later.

  Brightened by that fact, I take my Vertix and try to locate Brad through the hundreds of people clamoring around me for the same white box that I hold securely in my hands. When I first walked in, there were mountains of them, yet now the piles are dwindling like melting snow.

  “Maggie, there you are,” Sarah exclaims, grabbing onto my arm. “We’ve been looking all over.” I notice her breath smells like caramel. Are they giving out drinks in here too? In her other hand, she also has a white box. “Oh good, you already have one too! We were just about to go activate them. What’s that?” She points to the black card in my hand.

  “Oh, it’s nothing. A guy just gave me his number.” I laugh, trying to keep the excitement out of my voice.

  “Really? I didn’t know guys did that anymore. People don’t really call each other,” Sarah says nonchalantly. “Let me see it.”

  Reluctantly I loosen my grip on the sleek card, my happiness slowly leaking out like a hole in a water balloon. She’s right. I can’t remember the last time I talked on a phone. It’s been years.

  “Yeah, see, it’s only five digits long. Weren’t the old phone numbers seven?” Sarah continues, blind to my hu
rt. “Look, I got one too.” She pulls out a little red card with black lettering. The numbers are different and so is the name. “Mica helped me with the Vertix. I think the numbers are like, their employee code or something. I would hope they get commission for all of these.”

  My heart plummets. She’s right. Of course she’s right. George wasn’t flirting with me at all. He was trying to ensure he got credit when I went to checkout. “Right?” I laugh, trying to play off my disappointment. “Maybe I should get a job here.”

  “Come on,” Sarah instructs, threading her fingers through mine. “Andy’s already at the counter.” I allow her to drag me through the countless displays, each one more creative and out there than the last. At last we make it to the register where an employee is ringing up purchases on a large Torch.

  Andy spins around. “Hey, great timing. Brad was just about to take us to the room.”

  “The room?” I say, imagining the back closet where I thought George was going to take me earlier. “For what?”

  Brad, I assume from his bold name tag, is opening Andy’s box, withdrawing a slim black chip. “The room is where we pair each device with the user and let you dive into the immersive experience together, with trained Vertix users nearby, in case you have any questions. We just want to make sure you’re comfortable before you take it home.”

  “Oh, okay,” I reply. “But is this the Vertix? The commercials made it look…bigger.”

  Brad nods, tilting his head at the slim black chip in his hand. “Yes, the H2 is much larger. Inside each box is a unique chip that is implanted inside the H2. Inside the room you get to pick what color you’d like and then we insert the chip. This chip is the brains behind the great device. After a few uses, the H2 will become familiar with you and your preferences, saving past sites and suggesting new ones as they are created. Without the chip, you’d have a simple shell.”

  “Cool.” Andy nods enthusiastically. “Can we head in?”

  Brad puts up his hand. “First we need payment. Once users connect to the H2, it’s difficult to keep track of who has paid and who is still required. Do you all participate with Enyo?”

  We all nod, swiping our iJewels to life. Once my iJewel is glowing brightly, I carefully press my right thumb to the screen. A small green dot zooms along the edge to signal it’s ready.

  “How much are the H2s?” I ask, suddenly aware that I’ve never heard a price in all the hype.

  Brad doesn’t miss a beat. “Oh sure, each Vertix is $2150 plus tax.”

  Andy and Sarah are silent but I balk at the amount. “What? Two thousand dollars? I don’t have that.”

  “Actually, $2150—plus tax,” Brad says to clarify.

  “Yeah, yeah. I heard you, but I don’t have that,” I say, shaking my head as I shut down the Enyo app.

  “That’s fine,” Brad reassures me. “We have very affordable payment plans, only $430 for five months, plus tax and interest obviously.”

  “It’s fine, Mags. I’ll help you out,” Andy offers.

  “No, I don’t want your money, Andy, it’s just—that’s a lot to pay for a device,” I explain.

  “You’re not paying for a device,” Brad interjects again. “You’re paying for the experience.”

  “Come on, Maggie! You never buy anything! And I’ve seen your bank statements. Live a little, girl!” Sarah bullies, offering her arm for Brad to scan.

  “Yeah, this is something you definitely don’t want to miss out on,” Andy adds as Brad scans his iJewel as well.

  I frown, toying with the idea. I finally got a good job and had planned on saving up money for a while. But I had promised to get one, and plus, I was supposed to be celebrating my promotion. “Fine, but this thing better be worth it,” I grumble, reactivating the Enyo app.

  “Great! Thank you so much.” Brad aims his scanner at my wrist. “We do accept cash but using Enyo helps create a stronger connection for the user and doubles as an easy way to track who has a H2 and who doesn’t. Marketing already has some cool ideas to reach those who resist,” he jokes.

  Hmm, and I bet they’ll charge an arm and a leg for those cool ideas. I pull my wrist back and glance down and see the total lit up in green and a standard message telling me that a whopping $2572 has been deducted from my account.

  “Hey, what’s this $250 miscellaneous fee?” I ask, pulling up the receipt.

  “Oh, that’s charged for the installation experience,” Brad says, pivoting to face the back of the store. “Now, if you’ll all follow me, we’ll head into the room and begin.”

  Sarah must see the sour look on my face. “Cheer up, Mags! Like he said, it’s going to be unlike anything you’ve ever seen! Totally worth it.”

  “Easy for you to say, you still get a weekly allowance from Daddy,” I say, not entirely without malice.

  “I’ve told him I’m fine on my own. It just makes him feel better knowing that I have money to survive,” Sarah says innocently.

  I picture the Mercedes OX3 parked in our lot that she never drives and the expensive diamond necklaces strewn about her dresser that she never wears. The poor baby. I could get money from my parents too, but I’m proud of my independence.

  “This way please,” Brad instructs, keeping us on track.

  We follow him through a horde of people, all of them either focused on an interactive game or staring down at their own Vertix box. These guys have a long night ahead of them. The reps will easily be here until the sun comes up.

  A few minutes later, Brad leads us through a single door into a very dimly lit room. I can just make out a circular table and chairs vacantly waiting for us. Brad closes the door and soft lighting materializes along the walls, shooting blue light toward the ceiling. Another long table is illuminated with sleek, circular H2s all lined up quietly on its smooth surface.

  They have every color imaginable and I find myself drawn to a shining copper one. It reminds me of a brand-new penny. Gently I reach forward and pick up the beautiful Vertix, staring in awe as the dim lighting still manages to highlight the sloping curves and fitted indentations.

  “Ew, a brown one? Really, Mags?” Sarah frowns, cradling a soft pink Vertix to her chest. “Why don’t you get one with more—I don’t know, oomph?”

  I shake my head and run my fingertips along the shining surface. “Not everything has to be a fashion statement, Sar,” I tell her nicely. “I like this one, and it’ll blend in with my hair.”

  Sarah rolls her eyes. “Right, right. You’ll get a Vertix, you just don’t want anyone to know you’re wearing one.”

  I shrug again but don’t say anything. She is partly right. I’m not going to wear it all the time like that kid I bumped into earlier, but now that I’m standing here holding one, and experienced some of the virtual reality it offers…I don’t know, I’m not as opposed to the Vertix as I was before we arrived at Scarlet Meadows Plaza.

  “Which one did you pick out?” Andy asks, meeting us in the middle of the long counter.

  “This one! Isn’t it pretty?” Sarah becomes giddy, thrusting the light pink device before him.

  Andy pulls her close and kisses her softly. “Yes, it’s beautiful.” They stare at one another for several seconds before seeming to remember they’re not alone. “And what about you, Sis?” Andy asks, his arm slowly snaking away from Sarah’s small waist.

  “Copper.”

  Andy nods. “That suits you.”

  “Excellent,” Brad says before I can reply. “Now that you’ve all chosen a model color, will you all please insert your chips into the back of the Vertix?” He holds up a demo model and inserts the chip into a small slot on the back. A whirring sound purrs and a small red light appears on the front of the black Vertix.

  I withdraw my programmed chip from the box and click it into place, feeling the copper Vertix click and whir to life, humming with energy. “Wow,” I whisper as the small device’s warmth floods my hands.

  “If you’ll all have a seat then,” Brad instructs, �
�the installation will begin shortly.”

  I take a seat between Sarah and my brother and place the copper Vertix on the table just as the door we entered through opens to emit a much larger group inside. All of them holding the little white box and quickly flocking to the table of colored H2s to choose their favorite.

  “Excellent,” Brad says with a smile as he steps into the center of the circle, the demo device still in his hand. “Thank you all for coming to this historic occasion as we release the Vertix H2 to you. If you have any questions during the installation, simply lift your hand in the air and one of my fellow teammates will assist you.” He pauses, gesturing to the three other Yeti reps standing along the walls. “Now, I know you all are excited to get started so let’s jump right in. For those of you who are familiar with the first generation Vertix, the implantation is the same. The differences lie in the dual screen feature once the H2 is connected. Any questions?”

  I glance around the dark room but everyone is silent, even a toddler.

  “Excellent. To begin using your Vertix, swipe your fingers downward to the base,” Brad continues.

  I follow the instructions and hear the content purr of the Vertix change to a slightly higher frequency. It sounds almost excited. As I hold it in my palm, the red light burns green and I feel a slight tickle on my skin. Curious, I flip it over and gasp in revulsion. Moving and clicking, extending upward, are four black insect-like legs wiggling like a beetle flipped onto its back. It takes everything in me not to drop the expensive machine onto the marble tabletop. I look around. No one seems to notice the terrifying legs except a ten-year-old, but he’s staring at it with awe.

  “Now, once you’ve activated the Vertix H2, place it on your neck so the implantation can occur.”

  In horror, I watch my brother lift his dark red Vertix to the back of his neck where it settles into place at the base of his hairline. Hesitantly, he slowly withdraws his hand, but the machine stays in place.

  “Is there a problem?” a rep with a ponytail asks in my ear, making me jump.

  “What? No, it’s just…none of the commercials showed this,” I say, aghast.