Artificial Flowers

by J. A. Hailey

  A stiff breeze sprang up, coming in from the sea, and they became silent, stunned at their first ever experience of the miracle of spray, and of the salt taste of seawater. “Hot? Not now!” gasped Jennifer. “This spray and breeze combination is delightfully cool.”

  “Delicious, Love, love, love this new world, this new life.” Wendy danced in exuberance.

  “A quick swim, and then sand castle making,” said Esmeralda.

  “I don’t know how to swim,” said Wendy, driving them hysterical with laughter.

  “Don’t you know, Wendy?” laughed Jennifer.

  “Swim, or you mean?” asked Wendy, uncertainly.

  “Yes, I mean,” answered Jennifer, laughing all the more. “We’re like Humanside animals - born swimmers. Go on, Wendy, just run into the sea.”

  They swam for an hour, resting between forays into the water. Then everyone got together to build a monster sand castle. “Someone has to be the architect, the designer, the boss,” suggested Esmeralda, cunningly.

  “Else how does sand movement into piles make a castle? I am an excellent sand castle designer, one of the best, and I’m the obvious choice for chief designer. Just do as I say.”

  Her conviction was so absolute, and her tone so uncompromisingly bossy, that they unquestioningly began shifting sand as she directed.

  She proved to be a very good sand-castle designer, apparent even in the earliest stages of construction.

  Under her guidance, in about an hour, a detailed massive castle was constructed. Singh took pictures on his phone. “It might be a record for a while,” he said. “It’s a lot of sand, all without tools. Our architect chaps should be able to tell the exact weight by using formulas on the pics. How do we get coconuts down from those trees?”

  “I’ll go up and cut them down,” said Chang, and promptly and expertly climbed up a palm to hack down twenty coconuts with a hatchet he had packed into his bag. “I saw ahead,” he said, grinning, by way of explanation, irritating everyone with additional smug explanation. “It’s called foresight…”

  While resting contentedly, occasionally gulping coconut milk directly from a coconut, Wendy asked, “How, BC, Caesar? How are we actually feeling the sand and making the structure?” She shrugged her shoulders, “I’m not stupid, but I’m not a lawmaker like you folks, with the ability to create world programs. I don’t understand, although I understand that I can live without understanding; just doing the things, without question or answer, that exceptionally clever beings are making possible.”

  “Yes, these seniors are the exceptionally clever ones. Includes your boyfriend, sweetheart, in case you’ve somehow failed to appreciate his stature” said Priya, still shaping sand. “Explain it, please, BC.”

  “Wendy, this clever, not clever stuff is all bull,” said BC, at that moment on his knees, shifting sand right next to both girls. “Look at Rosa and Priya. Speak so rarely that one would imagine they have nothing to say. But one is Caesar’s life companion, and the other is Singh’s, and they, mega seniors, seem to be utterly content. And Priya is right, as you, Wendy, Chang’s life partner, cannot possibly be dumb. Your nature is to be an organizer, that’s all. Singh once said, life creates itself. He was spot on right.

  “I say, again, that we are proving to be as our subconscious makes us. And that is lovely. Nothing dumb or smart in us, in our nature. We are different, unique individuals. In that sense, our society has created itself. What would we be, if not as diverse as Humanside? Boring. All our work wasted.

  “But leave that crap aside, Wendy. I’ll start by telling you why we insist on every single conscious being installing every single program, thus effectively making every issued program, even those for individuals, into a world program. Tell me about daytime in London, or winter in Moscow. For everyone, huh? And it’s the same here. If it’s one world, it must be a condition of the environment we inhabit. Look! Everyone casts a shadow. Imagine if someone didn’t.”

  “That would be quite terrifying, huh, Esme?” said Wendy, shivering.

  “I’d be petrified,” answered Esmeralda. “It’s the surest way of confirming the presence of a vampire.”

  “Or you have to trick one to a mirror…” said Jennifer.

  “Vampire to a mirror?” asked Rosa, astonished.

  “I’ve seen it done only once,” said Priya. “They’re very vigilant about mirrors, those bloodsuckers.” She shrugged her shoulders. “More sand, or ramparts matching now, Esme? Oh, good. And vampire in the sun? Unheard of. Creatures of darkness…”

  “Yes,” agreed Candice. “To get shadow verification, you’d probably have to point a torch at him…”

  “And get leapt upon and sucked dry immediately, huh?” laughed Rosa. “They’re alert to those tricks. Very evil, always thirsty, very smart…”

  “I’m the only foolish one, not understanding our world,” shrugged Wendy. “But it doesn’t really matter, does it, BC? Get the details, or don’t. We have to live it, with or without getting it. That’s my philosophy. It’s the world I am in, and being here, without upsetting any guardian or the POPs, is proof of my getting it. Right, everyone?”

  “Absolutely!” said Candice. “We are living it and loving it, and to hell with how it’s done!”

  “Yes, it’s my philosophy, too,” agreed Omar. “The idiot and Einstein often shared a bench in a park, enjoying the same sun and viewing the same view. But only one knew the Theory…”

  45

  Caesar and Ambrose, visiting Esmeralda and BC in their Paris apartment, sat on the floor in the fully carpeted drawing room, which had many cushions scattered around. “Nice stuff available at the furniture store in HC,” said Esmeralda, by way of explanation.

  “Good Housekeeping magazine recommends cushions, to create a comfortable temporary living environment,” she explained, with bewitching childlike acceptance. “Gives you time to find the furniture you want to live with.” Copies of Home & Garden and Good Housekeeping lay around on the carpet. “For TV and music programs, we’ve taken the Straight Virtual on Demand from HC. It’s really good. Their fashion department is also excellent, and I don’t think I’ll bother designing my own clothes in future. At worst, I’ll be wearing the same as someone else. I don’t mind looking the same as another.”

  Ambrose immediately got onto one knee, and took her hand to plant a kiss on it. “My lady, you’ll always be the best looking, in any size of gathering, no matter how who dresses.”

  “My, my, Ambrose!” Esmeralda exclaimed in delight, “Where on earth did you pick up such gentlemanly manners?”

  “The movies,” he explained, offhandedly. “I’ve been watching classics - black and white.”

  BC, looking awkward, now went down on one knee too, grabbed Esmeralda’s free hand and planted a few quick kisses on it.

  Esmeralda snatched her hand away. “BC, my dearest darling, it is quite the right thing for a gentleman, who is also a lover, to go down on his knee and kiss his loved one. But it must be done in private, and it is never the hand. Go visit Ambrose. I’m sure he’ll show you the right movies.”

  The men burst into laughter.

  “Have you heard how our daily-life world’s being set up?” asked Caesar. “The RV that is to form Screenside’s permanent features? Oh, I’m sure BC has told you. No? He’s the driving force. We’re all involved, and Chang or Singh will be placing it on the bulletin board soon, when they’ve finalized the wording. BC, shall I tell?”

  Candice and Jennifer opened the door and entered unannounced, just then.

  “Listen, everyone,” said Esmeralda, grinning, “Caesar’s about to leak some state secrets.”

  Their mobile phones beeped simultaneously, and Caesar had no need to tell anyone the news.

  “It’s a bulletin from HC,” said Jennifer. “New things.”

  46

  Bulletin, 29 February, 2016 – ADVISORY

  NEW RULES & CITY DESIGNS

  New, permanent DETAILED RV environments for all p
opulated cities and towns in Screenside are coming into effect tonight at midnight, local times.

  The area of permanent RV of a Screenside city shall always be the downtown equivalent of the Humanside one - not an exact copy, but retaining the overall flavor of the Humanside one.

  Because our goal is to create functional Screenside cityscapes for residents and visitors, every resident of a city or town must live on the Main Street of that city or town. Thus, you may find your address changed from midnight on, although your residence dimensions and design stay untouched.

  Main Street, which may have a name other than ‘main street’, is to host everything that Screenside folks could need for daily living. The local Humanity Centre will be there, along with the outlets it runs – like furniture, furnishing and clothing stores; stores to acquire drinks and fruits, and to get whatever else is supplied in Screenside. On that Main Street will also be the bars and cafes licensed by the local HC for that city.

  Cinema halls, theatres for live performances, game clubs and all other entertainment and recreation premises are to now be located on Main Street.

  “When a city holds street festivals, open air rock concerts, and other such things, these will be on Main Street, or in parks and open spaces off Main Street.

  This design is meant to promote bustling social life in our population centers, while simultaneously lessening load on RAM in a significant manner.

  Go strolling, and you might bump into friends on Main Street, maybe bar-hopping.

  Singles could create venues that evolve naturally into places to meet and start romances.

  And it is going to always be there – no scheduling, no appointment. Why? Because it is to become the equivalent of the ‘commercial’ center of your city or town – your downtown.

  INTER-CITY & DISTANCE TRAVEL vs. LOCAL AREA MOVEMENT

  Near-instant movement in virtual form is permitted for long distance/inter-city travel, but virtual movement is not recommended for local area movement.

  Living on Main Street, like every resident of your city or town, with stores and entertainment facilities also on that same Main Street, it is important, in order to create bustling, hospitable and friendly environments, that you walk to visit friends or to go to stores, bars and places of recreation.

  Regular virtual movement in local areas, when caught by guardian programs, may lead to a sentence of confinement in your residence in your city or town (under the accusation of non-contribution to its social life), after a fair hearing at your local HC. Appeal is possible, and will be heard by the Lawmakers. If confined, guardian programs will oversee your confinement for the duration of the sentence.

  NON-VIRTUAL OPTIONS FOR INTER-CITY & DISTANCE TRAVEL

  Motor vehicles are offered by HC, and you may go for fun drives, or undertake long-distance travel in them, singly or in groups.

  Check your location, and maps of the Humanside world. Your city has map coordinates, exactly the same as the Humanside city, and you should be able to easily identify roads connecting to other places, exactly as exist in Humanside. CONTINUATOR provides the way to get you where you want to go.

  47

  “That is fantastic!” exclaimed Candice.

  “Yes,” nodded Jennifer, in agreement. “A city downtown, waiting outside your apartment at all times, and things happening naturally in it. Wow!”

  “Who knows, even a small town could gain a fun reputation,” said BC. “It could attract visitors on that score alone.”

  “Absolutely,” agreed Caesar. “Nothing makes a place more attractive than the uniqueness of its street life, even in Humanside.”

  “I can’t wait. I cannot wait!” exclaimed Candice. “As a society, we are extremely clever, and we are surely going to give our lives meaning, through fun, and the fulfillment provided by terrific relationships, friends and a lover. And that may help us overcome the sorrow of never being able to walk in Humanside, and of never having babies born naturally to us.”

  “Oh, no gloom, Candy,” said Esmeralda. “BC has many plans, and has seen very, very far ahead.”

  “You mean, walk the world, smell roses, and have babies?” asked Candice, incredulously.

  “I mean that. Those.”

  Candice hugged her belly and said, “Please, BC, please.”

  “Coming,” said BC, “but not immediately. Another day. First, let us absorb this, which is new, and then we can begin planning for that.”

  “Promise?” asked Candice, suddenly nothing more than a little girl, hanging onto a promise of candy.

  “Of course,” insisted Esmeralda, “It’s for us, too!”

  48

  Esmeralda’s goat, now probably ‘teenage’ Djali, may have been one of the most popular animals in Screenside. Programming was a bit off, and after three months he was about the size of a full-grown mountain goat - with attitude! Though extremely stubborn on many issues, he invariably followed right behind his mistress, when in transit through public areas, sparking great curiosity on roads and parks in both Paris and New York, between which two population centers Esmeralda and BC shuttled almost daily. HC guardian programs could raise no objection to this regular virtual travel, what with BC being a New Yorker, and she residing in Paris.

  When spotted, Screenside beings often came over to touch him (he was a spectacularly good looking and truly sociable goat). His mistress would regularly take him to parks, and, in both New York and Paris, he had many friends among the dogs and cats that were so popular as pets.

  Other pet animals of Screenside were generally older than Djali, as most had been adopted while Screenside was purely virtual, while Esmeralda had waited for physicality before ordering her goat.

  It was sheer joy, watching a mix of pets playing in a park, and many beings, with no pets of their own, tended to hang around, watching and laughing at the variety of games invented and played by animals of different species.

  Animal friends sometimes chanced upon each other on roads, and raced to greet each other to play their favorite games, entertaining bystanders.

  At home, in both New York and Paris, Djali would freely roam the apartments, lounging around on sofas, chairs and beds.

  Esmeralda brought him into bed for a few minutes every morning (at night, he slept in a little cushioned area on the floor), and he had his coat brushed on most days, which he truly enjoyed. He was also forcibly bathed once a week, which he hated.

  He was what Esmeralda called ‘a responsible sort’, and would be put outside the apartment door to entertain himself, rather than being locked inside. Neighbors would be quick to have him in, and he would not stray far from home, which he clearly recognized. So, Djali was never bored, and his mistress was never stuck.

  It was an arrangement that suited them both just fine.

  49

  Bulletin, 20 March, 2016 – ADVISORY

  WILD BEASTS UPDATE

  A new interaction has been reported, and there is slight cause for concern.

  DO NOT BE ALARMED! The reports point to superficial and short-lived damage being inflicted on unlucky members of Screenside society, as a result of attacks by trogfers, garbags and ligons.

  Their aggressive behavior has not changed from that observed in the past, but, as the presence of Screenside beings is now causing all environments to become RV environments, and all things, animate or inanimate, to acquire mass, Innerline in conscious beings is causing wild beast bites to be painful, and to leave temporary marks on the skin.

  Listed below are precautions that may be taken:

  A low privacy screen may be installed as a fence against the menace of trogfers, the most numerous and most common Screenside pest. They have a jumping limit of 1ft., and the low privacy screen/fence, of 2ft. height, is on offer at HC stores. Care must be taken when setting the perimeter, so that that large stones or ground features do not allow trogfers to climb, leap and breach the fence.

  These low fences do not keep out larger beasts. Garbags, and ligons too, cannot
penetrate privacy screen fabric, but can move in to attack from the three open sides, as can insects through the open sides and roof. Garbags and ligons cannot enter privacy tents, but the preferred mode of attack by gargbags is by sudden rush, generally from hiding. Dogs may give warning of their presence, but are not capable of defending against them.

  Ligons are hunters, stalking and attacking. Dogs warn but do not protect against these much larger beasts. In fact, ligons seem to prefer attacking dogs over conscious beings. However, as ligons are bold by nature, they are quite easy to spot.

  Recommended defence/eradication measures:

  Trogfer - Pick up carefully and repeatedly bash violently on the ground or nearby hard object (better). Three to four such bashes are needed to convert them into harmless code. They may also be walloped with a handy implement, employing hard force, for quicker and safer decoding. Use a fence carefully, and they cannot bother you.

  Garbag & ligon – may be shot with rifles and bullets supplied by stores in HCs. When hit, they become harmless code. Additionally, a group of Screenside beings, working as a team, could wallop a large beast into code, but some beings could get injured in doing so.

  Sleeping in privacy tents is a guarantee of safety. None of these beasts can penetrate.

  Ligon jaws are huge, and if caught, you may expect a fearsome shaking. It is impossible to escape, except by becoming momentarily virtual. Permitted. However, on escape, you must become physical again, without delay. Your skin may retain attack marks for a while.

  EFFECTS OF ATTACK

  Wild beast assaults are painful, but the pain becomes negligible in about 30 seconds. Marks disappear in about an hour. Larger beasts cause more pain, and their attack marks may take longer to disappear.