1.
Shh! Keep your voice down, or we might get caught red-handed. I can hardly contain my excitement. At the moment, I'm in a dimly lit room that's been locked away and vacant for years. Concealed here, I've been eavesdropping on my father as he alluded to something mysterious. Today, my mission is to retrieve my great-great-great-grandfather's wishing pen—although I'm not entirely sure how many "greats" there are in that lineage. For simplicity's sake, let's just call him my ancestor's grandfather. I'm eager to test its rumored powers, though at first glance, it looks like an ordinary wooden calligraphy pen. Could you hand me one of those diaries? I'm feeling a bit lazy and prefer to have everything brought to me. But wait, there's no one here but me. No worries, I have a pocket diary right here. Now, what should I write? Let's puzzle the pen a bit. I'll jot down some random numbers: 3, 7, 2, 1. Okay, I'll leave the diary here. What could this pen possibly do? I'm about to find out. I'll slip it into my pocket. "Coming, Mom!" Yes, my mother is calling me to sleep. I lay in bed, and it's already 2 AM, but I can't seem to fall asleep. Does this pen actually possess some kind of power? Oh no! I forgot I have school tomorrow. I better get some sleep. But the excitement won't let me. I'll close my eyes one last time. Just for a moment, I want to open them again. Oh! What's happening? Where am I going? Help, someone save me! Where am I? Wait... Did you feel that? The eerie atmosphere and those violet rays over there. I've made the same mistake again; there's nobody with me. Where am I? Why doesn't this feel like home? Could the pen have started working? By the way, I should pay attention to my surroundings. Am I in a world of robots? It seems like a realistic robot. I want to ask about this place.
"Hey, can we talk? Who are you?"
"Why are you wasting my time?"
"I just arrived here, and I have no idea how I got here. Can you please help me figure everything out?"
"You know, you've wasted 56.009536 seconds of my time. But it seems you're completely clueless. Why are you dressed like someone from an ancient century? Are you not a human? You're quite an intriguing creature. I'll try to help you."
"If you don't mind me asking, what kind of creature are you?"
"I'm a human. What's your user ID? Mine is 2314576009012."
"You're such a fool. It seems you're user 0000000000001 out here. What is a user ID anyway?"
"That's how we identify people. Don't tell me you use names."
"Well, that's what we do. I have a great name, but I don't have a user ID. Can you tell me where you're from?"
"In history, it's written that people used names until the 29th century."
"What did you just say? The 29th century?"
"Yes, why?"
"So, what year is it now?"
"Oh, it's just the beginning of 3721."
"What the heck! Are you kidding me?"
"No, no. Yesterday was 3720, and today is the new year, so the year changed." He left, leaving me bewildered. These humans look like a blend of humans and AI, and it's really the year 3721. That's what I wrote in the diary. Why did I make such a big mistake? Everyone I try to talk to only gives me 5 minutes. After an hour of conversations, all I've learned is the year and their user IDs. They look just as astonished by me as I am by them. After maybe an hour, that user with the incredibly long number, 012, the one I met first, came back and said, "It's a rule. Conversations longer than 5 minutes cause distractions. That's why we can only talk to a person for 5 minutes in an hour. Before our time ran out, I wanted to tell you, believe in me, and stay at my place. In the next four hours starts from 1 am, I'll talk with you. I have AI assistants in my room, and they can provide whatever you need."
In this unknown world, I have to trust someone, or I'll perish. So, in haste, I went to his house and sat on something soft. He said, "You can rest; it's your room and bed, and 5 minutes are up." He stopped, acting like a robot, for a whole hour. I felt dizzy. Suddenly, out of nowhere, something peculiar appeared and said, "Hi! I'm your AI, here to serve you. You look quite dizzy. It seems you need glucose, calcium, vitamins, and water. You should drink this. If you don't feel like it, I can administer it for you."
"Oh, my goodness! This is quite a predicament I'm in," I whispered to myself, and the AI responded, "Sir, it's no trouble at all. If you're apprehensive, I'll send a kit to replenish those nutrients.” He suggested that we focus on understanding the changes in this world. We discussed the differences we had noticed, but he advised me to change my appearance first, as people might find me odd. Without a moment's delay, the A.I. transformed my attire in a mere 0.01 seconds. We were then served freshly baked Momos, though they tasted different from what I was accustomed to. The A.I. also helped me with basic grooming, brushing my teeth and hair, and getting me ready to go out. Suddenly, our shoes began to levitate. On the road, I encountered many of his great-grandfathers, who still appeared youthful. They seemed to age at a much slower rate. User "blah blah blah 012" gave me the name "User 1110101010101," making it easier for me to remember. I had initially thought the robotic man was a teenager of about 16, but it turned out he was 26 years old. His mother was a doctor, so our first stop was the hospital. Inside, I saw patients undergoing surgeries, but they didn't seem anxious. I asked why, and "blah blah blah 012" explained that these were easily treatable ailments with AI solutions. They could replace almost any body part with advanced technology, and even incurable diseases like cancer had cures now. People were living longer, and AI servants had mastered various skills. Waiting for medical reports was a thing of the past, as AI provided instant diagnoses. People rarely fall ill. Later, we visited an office where people worked at an astonishing pace.
The elder brother of the robotic individual was getting ready for a journey to Mars along with his family. Meanwhile, his niece resided on the Moon. Leaving Earth had become as routine as moving to another city. People got intergalactic nowadays. Earth's environment had suffered significant damage in the past, prompting many to seek new homes. Nowadays, the world is cooler than before, thanks to AI systems actively preserving nature and working to clean the planet. People were now assessed based on the number of AI robots they owned, and physical labor had become exceedingly rare. The focus had shifted to intellectual work, with everyone engaging in brainwork, displaying remarkable creativity and brainstorming abilities. There were no physical laborers to be seen. Inside the office, people worked at an astonishing pace. "012" shared an intriguing fact with me, revealing that office workers were undergoing a procedure wherein their brains were being replaced with those of dolphins. Dolphins possessed extraordinary intelligence, making them adept at creating nearly anything effortlessly. In this advanced world, even dolphins played roles in office settings.
Children received their education through memory implants, allowing them to contribute significantly to the world from a very young age. People achieved maturity early, and artificial intelligence governed every facet of life. The four hours we spent together passed quickly, and it was time for "012" to rest, but he generously offered me the time. He couldn’t sleep anymore today. I was touched by his genuine care for our burgeoning friendship. As it was time for their breakfast, for us, it was bedtime. The AI went to a lab and brought out fresh vegetables - carrots, potatoes, and cabbages. They had shortened the names of these veggies. But the surprising part was that these vegetables weren't from farms; they were created in a lab by humans. I thought they would taste normal, but when I took the first bite, it was hard to keep it down. I come from South Asia, and I'm used to spicy food, but here, they didn't have any spices. They focused on eating bitter foods filled with nutrients for the sake of health. I tried to take a small bite, holding my nose, but it was still impossible for me to eat. User 012 and the AI could tell I was struggling, so the AI offered me a pill, which is what they usually have for breakfast. As someone from an ancient era, I chose to take the pill. It turned out to be much better than the food they had. When I ate, it felt like something was expanding inside me, and my stomach felt full.
My robotic friend had important work to do for one of the stars, a concept I couldn't even pronounce. Space travel and interstellar journeys were common here. I asked the AI to tell me about schools, education, and transportation. Suddenly, a screen appeared in front of my eyes, like I was watching events live. I continued to explore this futuristic world through the virtual display. The AI explained that education had changed dramatically. Traditional schools were a thing of the past, replaced by virtual learning where knowledge was directly implanted into students' minds through advanced memory implants. This allowed people to quickly gain knowledge, but it also seemed to change how generations interacted. People in this era made decisions independently and quickly, often without consulting their parents or family members. Everyone I met looked quite different from what I was used to. Life in this advanced world was truly unique and different from what I had known.
Transportation had changed a lot too. Regular vehicles were a thing of the past. Now, they used super-fast teleportation tech that let them zap to any spot on Earth or even to other planets in our solar system in a flash. It was so fast that old-fashioned commuting was history. They had all sorts of teleportation methods, like wishing through open windows, personal UFOs, wristwatch-like gizmos for teleporting to friends, cool flying cars, and even shoes that could float you along for a slower but more scenic ride. As I kept asking questions about this society, the AI told me more about their everyday life. Owning stuff had changed big time. Most things were digital and lived in a virtual world. People got what they needed from AI services, so they didn't need physical things anymore. While I was amazed by all this high-tech stuff, I couldn't help but miss my old world. My world had lots of different cultures, rich flavors, and the warmth of human connections. It was a place where you had to adapt fast to survive, but it was also a world full of treasured memories and experiences. As I learned and adjusted to this new world, I couldn't stop thinking about going back to my own time. I wondered if I was stuck here forever or if there was a way to return.
This was just the beginning of my journey, and there were still so many secrets to uncover in this super advanced and fascinating society. What I saw in this society was a lot of fancy stuff and so many chances to do things. But in all that, they had kind of forgotten about something really important: the bonds that hold families and communities together. They seemed like they didn't have any feelings, and the most surprising thing was that they used to make jewelry, AI, and everyday things from the remains of their loved ones who had passed away. This was really different from our time, where we respect and remember our loved ones who've passed on. It felt like they had forgotten what it meant to be human because they were so focused on work, wanting stuff, and getting ahead. It seemed like they didn't really love each other, and there was no attraction or commitment to others. Everyone kind of did their own thing, without spending time with each other. It was like they turned into robots.
Parents were busy with their jobs and didn't pay much attention to their kids, who did the same thing back. It felt like they were being really selfish. In our time, being so alone and sad would have been really tough on anyone. I did see a few people who still had some feelings, but if things kept going this way, the next generation might not feel anything at all and become like AI themselves. This made me worried that in a couple of generations, our fears of AI taking over might actually come true. So, I decided to do something about it.
I asked an AI if I could talk to the people, and to my surprise, it said, "If I were a regular AI, it wouldn't be possible, but I'm a special AI that can send a message to everyone in just five minutes." I was surprised by how sure of itself the AI was. They had the power to lead people, and in many places, they already did. What I needed to do right away was make a speech that could capture people's attention and deliver an important message in just four minutes. I knew I couldn't just use emotions; I had to make it really interesting.
Surprisingly, within just an hour, my message had reached 95% of the population, and 70% of them agreed with what I said. They all spoke the same language, so my message spread really fast. And that's when a new journey started, and they chose me as their leader. My job was to show them how to go back to a time when there was a lot of love, people got along, helped each other, depended on each other, cared for each other, celebrated each other's happiness, understood each other's sadness, valued each person, and knew how important family and community were.
I told them that spending more than five minutes with someone, sharing joy and sorrow, enjoying family time, and helping each other in hard times were the real keys to happiness and success, even more than any invention. For the first time in their history, they listened to me for half an hour. As the days turned into weeks and a whole month passed, I saw a gradual change happening. People started relying less on AI, and a sense of harmony slowly crept back into their lives. I knew that a complete transformation in just a few days was impossible, but I planted the seeds of change in their minds, hoping that within two or three generations, they would rediscover what it meant to be wholehearted human beings.
Without AI, they began to grow crops, refine their culinary skills, experiment with spices, and even invited me to share in their homemade meals. At first, I hesitated, but I couldn't resist their warmth and affection. They watched and learned from me, and to everyone's surprise, the food turned out incredibly delicious, filling their hearts with joy. None of them were familiar with their own cultural roots and traditions, so I took it upon myself to introduce them to my Bengali heritage. Witnessing their enthusiasm and pride as they embraced the rich tapestry of Bengali culture was a truly joyous moment for me. Regardless of their diverse backgrounds, I felt that from that point forward, we were all united as Bengalis.
Inspired by their newfound connection to Bengali culture, I decided to share with them our traditional attire. It was quite a journey to uncover the intricacies of weaving sarees and Punjabis, but my determination paid off when I finally discovered the knowledge and resources needed. Their wholehearted acceptance of these colorful and intricately designed garments filled me with immense satisfaction.
I discovered that they had turned deserts into lush forests with the help of AI, but it came at the cost of many animal lives. They even fused animals with AI, which deeply troubled me. I urged them to preserve nature by sparing some trees and explained the delicate balance of ecosystems. They eagerly embraced these teachings with childlike curiosity. When the topic of leadership came up, they expressed a desire for me to lead them, but I encouraged them to choose a leader from among themselves, emphasizing unity. I candidly discussed the drawbacks of overreliance on AI and persuaded them to gradually reduce their dependence. They began making amends and slowly freed themselves from the grip of machines. I considered this to be my most significant achievement.
Among the people, there was one man who radiated happiness above all. He was the first friend I made in this new world, "User 2314576009012," who had longed for companionship for many years. Now, he had many friends, and they had all given themselves names for easier interaction. I spent a year with them, and over time, the unfamiliar became familiar. But my heart ached for my family, and my desire to reunite with them was relentless. One day, I confided in my friend about my longing to return home, and his response was simple yet profound. He said, "Does this matter? Write '2023' in the notebook, just as you did when you arrived here, and only then can you go back." Astonishingly, this straightforward solution had eluded me until now, and I decided that I would leave that very day. As news of my imminent departure spread, a wave of sadness washed over my newfound friends. We counted the remaining days with heavy hearts, but I assured them that I would return to visit when time allowed.
On the day of my departure, I saw a bright light in the sky, and UFOs appeared to bid me farewell. In the night sky, illuminated by a lantern, it spelled out, "Goodbye Queen! I will miss you dearly. Your contributions will never be forgotten." Tears welled up in my eyes, torn between the happiness of reuniting with my family and the sorrow of leaving my friends behind.
I inscribed "Rose Shower" into my journal using a mystical pen, a farewell gesture to bestow everyone with rain-induced roses, my parting offering. With that, I concluded my shared journey with them. Using the same enchanted pen, I marked "September 22nd, 2023" in my diary, ensuring my ability to return.
Emotions welled up as I embraced my first friend, "012," for the last time, our tears mingling. He presented me with a locket on a lavish chain, a memento divided in halves, symbolizing our enduring connection. As I closed my eyes, I braced myself for the familiar beam of light, and in an instant, I found myself back in my own room, the clock striking 3 a.m. Time elapsed swiftly, and before I knew it, I slipped into slumber. Tomorrow, I must attend school.
Imprint
Text: Taqia Tasfia Fabiha
Cover: Taqia Tasfia Fabiha
Editing: Ms. Aaliya Lokhandwala
Proofreading: Ms. Aaliya Lokhandwala
Publication Date: 01-05-2024
All Rights Reserved