And So She Slept

Gallisburg Grove, Please

Feeling the warmth of the sun on her face for the first time in over half a century, Sadie closed her eyes and stood still for a moment just to inhale the world around her. It smelled clean, like walking into a new building. Her orientation had taught her about more than the past history of the world, but also about the advancements in technology. Cars. Medicine. Phones. Appliances. Thankful for the training, she wasn't as shocked as she thought she would have been as she noticed that the car waiting for her had no driver.

Approaching the small vehicle no bigger than a golf cart, Sadie paused as the sensor on the door beeped before opening automatically. Getting into the car, an automated voice sounded through the speaker on the roof.

"Awaiting destination. Please speak your destination clearly," it requested.

"Gallisburg Grove, please," Sadie answered, tilting her chin upward to face the speaker as she read the address from the tablet she was given.

There were no recent entries to her visitor's log, or files, so she read over the last known addresses of the two people that changed her life once. She had decided to see Krystina first to better prepare herself for meeting Jack. More than just a warm greeting, she wanted to tell them she was sorry for putting them through waiting for her. The ACCI had showed her videos of every advancement perfected by time, and many of them were to prolong life and beauty. She couldn't wait to see how beautiful Krystina had become. She imagined she'd be living in a large home with the most lavish and up-to-date advancements available.

As the vehicle carefully guided itself from one reflective road to another, Sadie looked out the window in amazement at how the world looked as much the same as it did different. The buildings were still tall, but outside them grew vegetation, as she'd learned about the green initiatives that had swept the nation a decade ago. She barely recognized any of it at first glance.

After what seemed like an hour of smooth transportation, the car came to a slow halt. Sadie looked out of the window next to her, and with a confused expression, leaned forward to look through the windshield. The car wasn't parked in front of a mansion, or even a tall complex full of penthouse condos. It was a short marble building with two statues of torches on either side of the glass sliding ornate tinted doors.

"You have arrived at your destination. Power save mode enabled in fourteen minutes and thirty two seconds," the female voice announced.

"No, I said Gallisburg Grove. This looks like a museum or something. There must be a mistake," Sadie said to the speaker as clearly and enunciated as possible.

"You have arrived at your destination."

Confused, Sadie pushed the button on the door to let herself out. Stretching her legs after the trip, she squinted in the sunlight to look for a street sign somewhere to verify she was going the right way. Looking at the ivory building, she noticed a couple dressed in black exiting the main entrance. Although she didn't want to bother them, she had to ask someone.

"Excuse me, I'm so sorry, but I'm looking for Gallisburg Grove. Maybe it's an apartment complex or something around here?"

"You're here. It's not a complex, it's a mausoleum. Excuse us," the older gentleman answered as he put an arm around what looked like his wife. They walked to the small car behind the one that she rode in and drove away.

Catching her breath, Sadie looked back at the building and understood its architecture. Dr. Lewis had explained that after the Free Land Act of 2042, traditional burial became outlawed for lack of land. Each city now had a mausoleum where ashes would be collected behind an engraved plate that replaced the tombstone. She had forgotten that 53 years could claim a life, and in this case, it had taken her ability to say goodbye to Krystina.

Walking through the front doors, she looked at the tablet again to see the exact unit number that she had mistaken for a suite number. The halls were long, but the marble made them look like an Olympian temple. Her flat shoes were silent, making the soft swish of her cotton pants almost deafening. Turning the corner, she approached Krystina's nameplate.

Feeling the sinking in her chest, she saw the tiny scannable code. Holding her tablet up to the black and white symbol next to Krystina's name, she watched the short video like a museum self-guided tour. For thirty seconds, Sadie was captivated by the exciting life Krystina lived. Through photos, a few short video clips, and a spoken narration, she learned that Krystina died at 73 years old, shortly after divorcing her sixth husband. A serial monogamist socialite that enjoyed a childless lifestyle of alimony and cocktails. She had been adored by many, just like Sadie had remembered her.

As the video faded away, Sadie stood still, unable to move aside from the shaking in her hands as she lowered the tablet to her side. With her feet facing the wall, she stood face to face with everything that was left of Krystina behind the golden plate. A pressed grin, two tears fell from Sadie's eyes. Wishing she could have see Krystina one last time, she looked down the hallway and realized she was alone. Running her fingertips over the raised lettering of her name, Sadie spoke.

"Hi...I don't know what to say...I thought this would be different. I'm so sorry, Krys. I am so sorry. I should have been there with you. I should have been the maid of honor at all of those weddings. I bet they were beautiful...Truth is, I wish I could have been more like you. You weren't afraid of anything. You just jumped right in. I should have been more like you and I would have...I would have married Jack," Sadie cried. "Anyway, I love you so much. You were my best friend and my sister. And...and I'm sorry."

Kissing the nameplate softly, she touched the letters one last time before walking back to the silver car that awaited her. With shaking fingers, she opened the tablet to find Jack's last known address in hopes that he would have taken some of technology's advancements to hold on.

The female automated voice announced that she would arrive at Jack's address in less than 45 minutes as it began its journey. Sliding back in her seat, she closed her tearful eyes and waited to see the man that deserved so much more than she had given him.

Drifting into sleep, she could feel the old diamond ring on her finger, reminding her of the regretful mistake. While the little car drove to the most important address, Sadie dreamed of a different life.