The Black Box - Part Two

 

I quickly snatch up my phone, looking down to the thing that had seemed to fix my implant as I see the front page of the Black Box - Receiver app. A send large button sits at the center of the screen, a large bubble-like transparent object reading:

"Release Your Wishes"

Behind it, shrouded in shadows I can see what almost looks like balloons, the rounded jostling objects appearing to be trying to fly away while being held in place by the phone screen itself.

As I strain my eyes to read the text within I find it swirling and forming on each of the round colorful objects, as if they were reading and writing the sentences from somewhere.

I wish I owned a home

I wish I could start over

I wish I was desired

I wish I had more time for my hobbies

I wish I could leave the city

I wish I didn't have to worry about money

I wish I wasn't perpetually single

I wish I had a more simple and carefree life

I wish I had a stable job

I cock my eyebrow as I stare at the screen, my eyes darting between the bouncing balloon-like bubbles. Each one somewhat caught my attention as I glanced over them, a slight pang of longing hitting me with each sentence.

"There are..." I mutter, the sense of familiarity with each sentiment giving me pause. The more I looked the more familiar they became, things I had thought to myself in the past that still held true writing their way onto the screen.

"I... I know what this is..." I coo, my mind casting back to when I had first heard of the Black Box online. I hadn't even thought about it when I installed the application, merely following the suggestion for fixing up the software issue with my implant.

"This is that...the thing that..." I blurt out, struggling to focus as I watch more and more items populate the screen.

I just want to play games all-day

I really want to start a family someday soon

I wish people didn't expect me to be dominant

I would do anything to get more time to learn gardening

I want to get good at painting

I just want a damned coffee

I wish I lived near the sea or nature at all

I want to own dogs and cats so badly

I stand there in shock, my heart racing as each new bubble is filled with my various desires broth major and minor. My eyes are drawn to the giant button at the center, the transparent colorful object begging me to push it.

"I shouldn't..." I state, my voice carrying the same lack of confidence I had in my own conviction. Why shouldn't I press it? Why shouldn't I see what these wishes get me?

"Although... I mean... It's not like I have to go through with any of it" I rationalize, reaching down and tapping at the button with a shaky thumb.

The moment I press it the screen lights up, the dim and dark background disappearing and giving way to what looks like a bright white room filled with the rubbery bubbles. As if finally free the bubbles surge upwards, billowing away and out of the phone to parts unknown at varying rates.

Eventually my screen is left black, a bland and boring app merely showing an empty white room with not an ounce of color or liveliness to it.

I pause for a moment, biting nervously at my bottom lip as I wait for something to happen. And I wait... And I wait... Yet nothing happens. Minutes pass with me standing by the counter, hanging on with bated breath as I stare down waiting for a response.

After a few minutes I finally sigh, shaking my head with a chuckle at how O was acting. I slowly shuffle back to my couch, fetching the cooling mug if tea as I try to quickly drink the soothing beverage.

"What was I thinking?" I ask myself with a laugh. I begin to head back to the kitchen with the mug, eagerly approaching the coffee machine as I decide to test the update to my implant.

"No one uses this thing, I mean really..." I scoff, shaking my head as I quickly brew a piping hot mug of coffee. "What person in their right mind would offer up their life to a stranger based on a wish or two."

The day flies by, one of the most relaxing times I had enjoyed in months.

As I drink my much-missed coffees I find the implant failing to buzz or crackle in my head in response to the chemical stimulation. It's wonderful, it's joyous, the delicious taste practically being heavenly after so much time spent longing for it.

With my mind free of the constant buzzing and static feeling I spend a positively blissful day hovering about my cozy little apartment, watering plants and reading without the constant risk of shocks and light-headedness that I had been dealing with for weeks.

It isn't until late evening that I finally return to my phone, the absurd amounts of coffee I had drunk keeping me up and alert well into the night. Rain slowly taps at the window, the sound being lovely after months of it causing a pounding headache.

The storm from earlier had moved on, drifting away from the city while leaving the streets filled with the sound do water rushing down the gutters and drains.

Over the din of moving and pattering water outside and the subtle music I had playing inside I hear my phone buzz, causing me to look up from my book. I had completely forgotten my phone as it lay on the kitchen counter, the thrill of today having made me forget all about how it all had come about.

Placing my copy of Dune on the coffee table I shuffle over to the little older smartphone, the old thing barely keeping up after years without an upgrade. I quickly notice the flashing green light in the top corner, alerting me to notifications that desired my attention.

Taking up the phone I pace my way back to the sofa, collapsing into the firm cushions and against the hard armrest as I swipe away at the lockscreen. My eyes go wide as it opens up to the little empty white room, the space not being so empty anymore.

Six little black boxes sit in the room, scattered around in a random-seeming but even manner. They jostle and bounce, as if something was inside or as though the box itself was alive and eager to be opened up.

My jaw drops as I see the six items on the screen, quickly remembering just what I had done earlier and just what these boxes represented. My heart skips a beat as it hits me, that even despite the lack of people using this app that I had somehow received six offers.

"They... No one would seriously..." I mutter, my words cutting short as my gaze drifts to the large black tags hanging from the large gift boxes.

I tentatively tap the nearest one, being sure not to swipe or take any action my aging phone might misinterpret as wanting to select the box itself. The app zooms in suddenly, swooping around as it approaches the box and the tag flips over.

Spiritual

I pause for a moment, blinking a little as I'm taken aback by the simple lack of detail. I tilt the phone, I tap at the card, I do whatever I can while not making any major action as I try to garner something more from the app.

"Spiritual? What does that mean?" I mutter in frustration, trying to work out just why the app had picked that.

I knew all sorts of 'Spiritual' people, it could be all sorts of things. Style of dress, working at some store selling crystals and good vibes. It could be a religious thing of really any kind, or even just a hobby based on reading and general vibes.

Pressing back I watch as the animation plays in reverse, returning to the sight of the six bouncing boxes.

After a brief pause I tap at the next one along in the line, wanting to see just how normal or out of place the label was. The camera zooms in once again, swooping around to the label as it flips to reveal yet another vague word.

Stable

I slowly sigh, finding the second word still without much helpful context. Did they mean their life was stable? Did they work at a stable? Were they just preternaturally well-balanced?

I quickly swipe out, returning to the main screen as I quickly check the rest in search of something at least a little helpful.

Simple

Loner

Natural

Muse

I roll my eyes, sinking further down into my seat as I move through each of the boxes and their respective tags. My hand comes to my face, rubbing my tired eyes as I feel the day's worth of coffee beginning to wind down.

"Seriously? Loner? I mean I was a loner in high school, would I swap with some nerd like that? Maybe some drifter? Some sociopath?" I grumble, shaking my head. "And 'Simple'? Are they stupid? Is their job..." I mutter, stopping my ranting as I take a deep breath.

These were people that were willing to give up their bodies and lives to a complete stranger, they chose to become a complete stranger based solely on a wish or two they saw on their damned smartphone.

"They're either fucking charitable or..." I mutter, wincing at the thought of what sort of horrid body I could find myself in if I opened one of the six boxes.

I go to close the app, maybe even to uninstall it now that I had the update my NeuralArchive so desperately needed. However, I don't. I instead remain flicking between the six boxes, checking the tags before quitting back to the menu and repeating the process for what feels like an hour.

With each double and triple check my curiosity grows. Just who was on the other side of that gift? Who would give up their life like this? Why had the app sent whatever my wish was to them?

With my tiredness mounting and my need to know peaked I flick open one of the boxes, watching as the lid flies off as the label tumbles to the floor reading...