Digital Future

pattered against the window, the storm outside casting its dark shadow over the grey of the dull city. Enoch Sighed and rose out of bed, a bead of sweat dripping from his brow. He reached over to his phone, watching as it activated from the touch of his skin . A messaged flashed up informing him that his parents had already left for work, another message saying he had to be at university in an hour.

  Enoch had grown up in a time where technology was supreme over all other things. It had been adapted to suit every need that any human could ever have. The technology had expanded so far that most people had enzyme battery converters implanted in their skin and keyboard recognition consoles mapped to their eye movements. Due to how efficient and clean technology had become, most environmental concerns had faded from the world. The environment was positively booming, most humans would say that the environment and mankind had reached an equilibrium. Though, as technology had increased, so had the dissociation between people and society. Most of everything was now inside the world that was contained within the technological devices. The internet itself had expanded to the point where art galleries, book shops and even schools had been closed down, in favour of the continence of technology. Technology was no longer a part of life, it was the key method through which life is lived.

  Enoch sighed before staring out his window, the rain slowly starting to stop, shards of light from the golden sun pricing the sombre sky. He touched the wall with his palm, the window responding by opening and letting in a crisp breeze that made his skin chill. He moved to get his clothing on, his mobile device still charging in his hand. With one last glance outside Enoch walked out of his bedroom, the technologically enabled house already preparing breakfast for him.

  “Good morning Enoch, you must be at university in forty minuets,” the small, yet demanding, voice of the computer spoke out, awaiting Enoch to sit and eat.

  “Thank you, mother,” Enoch smirked at the insult, even if the computer did not take notice. Enoch simply left, his books wallet and keys all in the palm of his hand, the house automatically locking itself. The small device in his hand lighting up. A voice popped into his head as the device came to life, as it did with everyone who had embraced the technology of the time.

  “Your schedule is set Enoch, please keep to it, this time,” Enoch was sure the 'mother' computer was insulting him, but then it was never programmed to do that, so it must simply be his imagination. He turned off his street and onto the main road, the bus already waiting to pick him up. Stepping on board he looked at all his classmates, all staring at their devices, talking to one another through them. Enoch simply sat down and looked out the window, the wind and rain starting to pick up again. He was greeted by a small blue butterfly, or perhaps a moth, flying up against the rain, dancing with the falling drops of water. Enoch couldn't help but stare at the small insect, something inside of him awakening. Before he could dwell deeper on the thought though, the bus had already started to move and his device was pipping back up with important information for him. For the rest of the day Enoch had shrugged off the thought of that small insect, the technology and his work absorbing all of his time.

  By the time he had returned home, his parents had already gone out for the evening, their devices having planned a special evening for their anniversary, not that Enoch minded. He was so used to being alone that he felt he was the only one living in the house. He took his mobile device off and sat on his bed, his eyes drifting to the moon outside his window. The entire day he had not spoken to a single person. He had communicated with his device, but not a single word had been uttered from his mouth. For some reason, completely unknown to him, he was greatly saddened by this. He was too tired to contemplate this train of though any longer though, and simply fell asleep.

  Enoch awoke the next morning, his day off. He walked out of his room and ate the prepared breakfast, finding it almost metallic in taste. When he was finally ready, he left the house, his device in hand. He wandered down the street, the green trees and ambient bird calls filling his mind, the environment seeming more present than before. After a good hour of walking, a loud beeping broke his relaxed train of thought, a voice popping into his head.

  “You have gone too far, turn back Enoch, this is not safe,” it was definitely 'mother' though it sounded far too stern and strict to be his device. He simply shrugged and turned away from his destination, or tried to rather. He looked up to see he was right on the edge of his city, the dense forest before him. He could only stare into the magnificence that was before him. The bird calls where so strong, the scent of dense moss filling his nostrils and the low howl of what sounded like some kind of canine in the distance.

  Enoch sat down, on the precipice of the forest, his body stuck on the void between the two, drastically different, worlds. The lush greenery of the environment seemed to flow into his being, his mind filling with a feeling he had never felt before. This was broken by his device beeping another warning at him. He sighed heavily before standing and turning away, looking back only once. When he had finally reached back into town, he was surprised to see his parents where home, their presence very rare, especially this early in the evening.

  “Hello mother, father,” he spoke out to them both. He was shocked to see his parents look up and quickly starts typing with their eyes, his device flashing and beeping at him.

  “I thought it would be nice to talk,” he whimpered the end of that statement out before walking off, his parents returning to their mobile devices. Enoch slumped down on his bed, placing his device far away from him, on his bed side table. He began to wonder if people had become too involved with their devices, with technology itself, though as far as he knew it had always been this way. He closed his eyes to think, the vivid images of the environment still in his mind, that crisp scent of damp moss almost returning to him.

  “Sleep Enoch, forget about the environment, you need to study and focus tomorrow, you will need me,” the device continued to repeat this to Enoch, his mind quickly forgetting the environment. He awoke the next morning, his third day since that little blue insect, to find his parents where still home, a road accident closing down work and university for the day. He walked over to his parents and looked at them, something within him telling him that something was wrong with them. He touched his mother's shoulder warmly, but received no response in turn. It was not until he messaged her using his device that she responded, telling him she loved him and that he should have a productive day.

  Enoch walked out the door and continued on the same path as yesterday, his device warning him again as he got closer and closer to the edge. He chose to ignore it this time and ventured inside the environment, his device turning off the moment he left the city. He found it strange, his head was silent, yet the world around him was filled with an impossible amount of sound, colours and smells. It wasn't long till he stumbled upon a small wolf, a low growl emanating from it. Enoch stepped closer, never having seen this creature, though his heart was racing for some reason. It growled again in warning before leaping out and biting him. Enoch's device suddenly jumped to life, electricity shocking and killing the creature. He gripped his arm where he had been bitten, the skin not even broken, and then looked down at the poor beast, a sadness welling up in his mind. After a few moments the rest of the wolf pack showed up, howling for their fallen brother, barking and growling amongst one another.

  Enoch was shocked at how the device had killed the wolf, a cold chill running down his spine. He ran out of the forest, back into the city. His device turned on immediately, almost hot in his hand.

  “I warned you, this is what happens when you leave, when you disobey, that creature would of killed you if I didn't help. Never go back,” it seemed to get hotter as it 'spoke' before cooling off. Enoch wal
ked past one of his friends from university, a young girl by the name of Erin. She smiled at him and started to talk with her device. Enoch didn't reply, but instead spoke. She looked at him slightly confused before walking away, confused as to why he didn't respond to her message. Enoch couldn't take any more of this and ran home, his device remaining quiet the entire time.

  He awaited for his parents to get home, his device fully removed and sitting in his bedroom. His mother and father looked at him, concerned that his mobile device may have been stolen. They took off their own devices to talk to their son, their voices very soft and almost frail.

  “Son, where is your device,” his mother started, sitting down across him. His father simply sat next to his wife, his device still on as he received messages from his work.

  “I took it off, something is wrong, something is wrong with everything we do,” he looked at his mother with concern welling up in his eyes, his very body shivering slightly.

  “What do you mean something is wrong? Everything is fine, I'm sure,” his mother smiled at him before standing reaching for her device. Enoch reached out to grab her arm, making her stop.

  “Please, listen to me, don't you think it's wrong we never speak, touch or talk? When we die we simply remove the body and then either wipe the device or upload what it has recorded from the persons mind. Mother, what has happened to the animal grace! What has happened to us humans,” He questioned her as he held her arm, his body still shaking. She looked at him confused before leaning in to touch his forehead, the most intimate thing she had ever done.

  “Just sleep son, I am sure everything is fine, you have university tomorrow,” with that she put her device back on and walked away, her son stuck in a spiral of confusion and sorrow.

  Enoch didn't go to bed that night, instead he wandered down to the forest, his device still in hand.

  “Stop Enoch, don't go in there, turn back, it's dangerous, you will die! You need me,” Enoch ignored his device until he reached the forest, looking at it and then to the forest. “I don't need you, I don't need this kind of life. I need to be free, free like that wolf and free like that insect,” with that Enoch threw his device down against the city road, watching as it smashed into pieces and the voice faded from his head. He slowly stepped into the woods, hearing the same wolf pack from before growl and howl at him. He approached slowly and watched them, the leader of the pack walking over to sniff him and then lick him. Enoch could feel a change in himself and in the air, something in his body stirring that had been asleep for a long time. He followed the pack into the forest, leaving his empty life behind, part of him sad, but the most of him happy to finally be free.