Water Under the Bridge || Evan Buckley [2]

chapter sixteen

the future

The 118 rolled up to the smart house that appears more haunting than the usual haunted houses on Halloween. Each member escaped the firetruck and possessed the equipment to take into the house. They gathered on the front steps where Bobby pressed on the doorbell.

"LAFD." He called out.

"Dispatch said the patient was unconscious." Buck quipped, forming a perplexed expression.

Josephine glanced up at the blond, "They also said it was a smart home." She added on to which Bobby nodded in agreement.

All of them flickered their eyes towards the camera after hearing the scanning sounds from it. Suddenly, the door unlocked and opened slowly.

"Welcome, Los Angeles Fire Department." The feminine voice of the smart house welcomed the firefighters.

Hen had a horrified look on her face. "Am I the only one really creeped out right now?"

"No." The rest said in unison before entering the residence.

While Bobby, Hen, and Chimney worked on the civilian suffering second degree burns and following injuries from the shower incident. Josephine, Buck, and Eddie were hauling in a stretcher to transport the man into the ambulance to receive medical help at the hospital.

Josephine was leading the two men back inside when Eddie's eyes skimmed the exterior of the house. "Now, who would want to live like this?" He questioned, cringing at the supposed smart house to make people feel safer yet living under a microscope. "Cameras and microphones everywhere not knowing who's watching or listening."

"I hate to break it to you Eddie but if you got a computer or a smart phone, smart TV, smart anything, really, then anyone can spy on you." Buck stifled a laugh, lifting the stretcher over the front steps.

The brunette woman peered over her shoulder. "The advancement of technology comes with a price, Edmundo. Have you watched Black Mirror?" She taunted him, furthering inside.

He grimaced, "Now I'm thinking I shouldn't buy that fancy smart coffee maker I keep seeing commercials for."

On cue, HILDY decided to chimed in. "Hello, Eddie. Here are some popular coffee makers. Would you like to hear the reviews?" The screen displayed several coffee makers after a shot of his face.

Both Josephine and Buck suppressed a laugh at their friend's face contorting in a frightened one.

"Welcome to the future." They both said in a dramatic matter.

"Why does it sound terrifying to me?" He shivered before urging to move quickly to the stairs away from HILDY.