by Matt Crawley
Chapter 4
2 weeks later. 11:15AM
Only ten people showed up to work. The number had gradually decreased. Where was everyone? The pile in his 'To Do' tray on his desk had become precarious, as he seemed to be the only one taking the initiative to do other people's tasks. He also could see a slight pink hint on everyone's screens, as the social networking site had taken over the workday. 'What is the point of even coming in to work?' Jim asked himself. "Will I get any acknowledgment? Is there even anyone in the Payroll office anymore? What the hell."
"Everyone, I brought cake, got big news. You'll never guess. Christoph and I tied the knot yesterday evening. Last minute decision, did it all at home." ('That's nonsense, even I know you can't marry yourself' Jim thought, irritated.) "You can do that now? Wow, good on you guys! You only met, what, a month ago?" "Yeah well it had to happen sooner or later." "Wow it's all happening this week! Did you hear about Kate?" "Yeah, she had a baby boy! Saw all the pictures, he's gorgeous!" ('She hasn't even been pregnant, why has everyone become so stupid?' He squeezed a pen in his hand.) "Is everyone going to this Global Gathering thing tonight?" "Yeah" "Yeah can't wait" "We can all celebrate everything that's been happening!" "Jim, your flatmate's hilarious; he's always eating something in all his pictures!" Jim just nodded. "Hey, Jane, I want to show you my New York photos from last week" ('You weren't in New York last week, you were here!') "They were talking about the Great Gathering on the radio this morning, they said it could be bigger than the Olympics opening ceremony! It'll be live on TV." "Not that there'll be anyone at home to see it on TV!"
Office conversation had become more and more like this over the past month. Jim had had enough. He got up and strolled out the office, planning on never coming back. He was sick of everyone living in a fantasy world, like children playing with their parent's dressing up box.
7:10PM
There was a sound that had not been heard before in that part of London. Complete silence. No traffic, no sirens, no one singing or shouting in the street. Jim, who was out for a bit of air, could just about hear his heart beat. 'Where is everyone tonight? Surely not at this Global Gathering thing'. But he could see in most of the windows around him were the fluorescent pink lights, and the faint silhouettes of people staring at their computer screens. "Of course they are" he sighed. "Pity I didn't get an invite! What a loser!" He picked his smartphone out of his pocket to check the time. Only about 15 minutes till the make-believe party started. Was he seriously the only person who was not into this insane craze? "Not everyone has a computer" he told himself. The cynical part of him crept in - "they still have access to one. Everyone knows someone who has a computer. But I can't be the only one, not into this, surely?" He picked up a beer bottle from the pavement and started to knock on a streetlamp while calling in a distressed voice. "Hello? Anyone hear me?...Help, someone, call the police!" He was trying to act terrified. Deep down somewhere, though he would never admit it, he was more terrified than he had ever been. "Hello? Anyone?" But there was no-one. No curtains moved, no-one came to the windows. He had been calling into an abyss.
Suddenly his phone vibrated. He looked, and saw there was a reminder from SoulNet: 'Global Gathering today at 19:30. Don't forget!' When he pressed the screen, the SoulNet website popped up, with details of the gathering, showing him the alluring 'Accept Invite' button. "I never set it up to do that!" he frowned. Perhaps it was Jez? No, he would never have any access to Jim's phone.
A conversation popped up on the website on his phone. It was Alex.
'Come to the party, Colonel! It will be great! Don't be late!'
He texted a reply with an aggressive thumb.
'SOULNET DOES NOT EXIST!'
He closed the site, put the phone away and walked down the street in a panicked hurry. He was not going to give in. He was going to succeed. If the world ended tomorrow, because everyone's brains had turned to puddles with overexposure to mind-control technology, he would be the last man standing. Or maybe he would wake up tomorrow and find everything back as it was weeks ago.
He turned a corner and went through the park, up a high hill where he could see all of London lit up, like a murky orange cosmos. Then something crept into his line of vision that snatched away any remaining sense of security.
