Remember Me (ONC2020) ✔

Chapter 15

After surrendering the clothes and devices they'd gained from the royal residence, Runan and Solara returned to the busy city of Upper-Caldozza in a cramped transport pod that chugged along over the forest toward the main speed-train line. Curious glances followed their movements, including those of the woman who'd filmed them earlier.

"Did you get your sister's body back?" The woman's bony arm dug into his side in the tightly packed vehicle.

"No, it hasn't been resolved yet, but I'm hopeful."

"What happened to her?" A woman with thin braids leaned past her friend to see Runan.

"An accident on the river. They hit some rapids, she was dazed, Ju'rah didn't catch her in time."

"Is Ju'rah okay?" The bony woman's wide eyes would have had Messita fighting her off.

"Yes... sort of... considering he lost the love of his life." And your mind vanished from your body. He scratched at his neck, but his unease remained.

"Those two had the most incredible relationship. Was it too good to be true?"

Solara bit her lip and spoke. "You saw all the enjoyable moments and the tense ones resolved the way you wanted. Anything looks perfect in those circumstances."

"Was it fake?"

"No," Runan said firmly. "But they disagreed, like any couple, and found compromises. Those just happened off the clock."

"Some memories were likely airbrushed," Solara said.

"Airbrushed?" The Upper twirled her braid around her finger.

"Edited for the right nuances to match audience desires," Solara said.

"How?"

Solara's gaze wandered from the woman to the window as they approached the tracks. "They monitor your reactions during the experience to see which scenes and emotions you respond the most positively and negatively to. The averages create our content recommendations for the quarter."

The women frowned. "That seems so wrong. I thought the memories we bought were real."

Solara smiled weakly. "They are enhanced realities, some more than others."

"Do you make memories too?" the bony woman asked Solara.

"No, I do the extracting and editing."

"And you?" Braids grinned at Runan.

He barked out a laugh. "I'd rather be dragged behind an ox while being chased by wolves. Would you want to expose your life to strangers who hate your people for money?"

The brow of the woman closest to him creased. "We find you guys pretty neat. Way more exciting than we are, right Shay?"

"The highlight of my month was saving up enough to buy Messita and Ju'rah's beach date."

"I loved that one!"

"Aren't you Uppers all rich?" Runan asked.

The woman both laughed. "No, only the high scorers on the aptitude tests get highly paid jobs. The rest of us survive."

"Not so different, are they Ru," Solara whispered in his ear.

He shook his head as the transport pod crawled to a stop at the train platform.

After the ride, their companions showed them where to locate the Mem-Stem building, which would be impossible to miss with its staggering height and rocket-like shape, and they parted ways. Runan inhaled deeply before they approached the security guard at the front doors. He stopped them, raising his stun gun.