From Azalea

Day 15

Day 15:

Outside of his window, Grant saw children playing and adults gardening and chatting with their neighbours. A jogger passed by and then a group of teenagers on old bikes and one on a skateboard zoomed past. The scene was surreal, like a setting from a film come to life. Grant went outside and walked along the sidewalk. He left his neighbourhood and went into town. The cinema was showing an old film and handing out bags of popcorn. Grant went inside and stood in the back of the theatre. He ate the popcorn, the same kind he'd always had but for some reason it tasted different. It was better. The popcorn was more satisfying in his mouth as he stood in the theatre while the big screen flashed. Developers worked hard to make the virtual simulation as good as a the real thing. Grant credited them for a job well done, but nothing compared to the real experiences. Grant left the theatre and went to the park. He saw a boy with flaming red hair on a faded green bench.

"Hey!" The boy shot up, alert, aware of Grant's presence.

"Hi," Grant said, surprised at the outgoing boy.

"How... how are you?" The red haired boy smiled.

"I'm... good, thanks," Grant stumbled, never being asked that question before. "How are you?" He remembered to ask back.

"I don't know, to be honest!" He grinned again. "I'm Daniel!"

"Grant," Grant smiled back. "Nice to meet you, Daniel."

"Same to you," Daniel watched kids play. "Do you want to join them?"

"Nah, it's fun to watch, never think I'd seen anything like it. It's fascinating all the ways people have changed living their lives. The possibility that I could even talk to someone else face to face."