The Cube

By Rose Bryant

The day finally came. I got approved for motherhood. I’ve always wanted a family. Aid popped up and opened the baby cam on the wall. It was so small just little cells collecting. I jumped out of bed and my bed folded into the wall. A sink popped up.

The shower grows to my left and the toilet came out of the wall. I did my normal thing. After I was dressed, my room turned into a kitchen. I ate my breakfast watching my baby grow. I wondered, what would be a good name for a baby girl.

Megan, Ana, Lilith?

Aid appears on the wall. “Time for work.”

Aid transforms the dining room into a classroom. My students start to log in.

“Ready?” Aid asked.

I faked a smile. “Log me in. “

My ID tag popped up, “Good morning, everyone.”

“Good morning, Ms. Micelle.”

We talk about the topic they read last night, have a quiz, and then write a report.

After the students logged out, Aid popped up. “Zen time.”

My classroom became a Zen Garden. Aid gave me suggestions on what exercise to do. “I see that you have been hunching over too much, maybe we should work on your shoulders today.”

Weights came up from the floor. I worked out for 15 minutes. Afterward, Aid gave me a power shake and I sat in the massage chair.

“Back to work.” Aid said.

Sometimes I wish I could just stay in the chair and take a nap. But I must grade all the assignments. If a student did not understand 80% of the work a tutor will appear for their next study session.

“Quitting time. I made reservations to sunset hub.”

I changed and I loaded into yet another first date. The table sat at the top of the hill looking over the ocean, the sun forever setting. We talked about what we do for a living and all that small talk stuff.

“Do you ever want to leave this hell?” Miguel said frankly.

“I’m sorry?”

“The cube? This place.”

“I haven’t thought about it. Just thought it would be worse outside.”

“That’s what they want us to think. Outside people struggle to live but we- We’re not living at all.”

“Well, I think I’m connecting with my students. Shaping the next generation.”

“Spreading lies, so we can continue the cycle of misery.”

“What?”

“Those children aren’t happy, they’re miserable waiting for the day they become adults because they are lied to. It’s all just the same monotony.”

“How could you say that?”

“How could you curse a child with the same life we had. Don’t you remember your childhood?”

For a moment I remembered myself screaming. I shook it off. “No, my childhood was happy.”

“Then you’re lying to yourself.” He gulped down his beer. “I knew you were just like all those delusional idiots. Sorry for wasting your time.”

He logged out and the sun left the horizon.

I didn’t sleep well after that date. What if my child grows up just like me?

Today a student had a mental breakdown during a test. She had just finished two other tests, and this was her last one.

Her body was trembling, she screamed. “I hate this. How am I supposed to live? Studying every night, testing every day.” She panted.

I went to try to comfort her. But Aid logged her off for being disruptive and gave her an F.

“Aid! She can make up the exam.”

“She will be better for it.”

In the next class, I told my students that it is time to meet their neighbors. At first, they were confused, sheepish even. But after a few minutes of talking, people were laughing. I learned so much about them. Mat is top 10 ranked on a first-person shooter. Judy is a 3D artist. Anna has infinite knowledge of all things cinema, she watches old movies like Mad Max and the Matrix.

After class, I felt warm. “Zen time.” Aid said.

“I’m gonna skip it.”

I look up the Matrix. I have never seen a movie shot IRL. Aid brought out dinner. It was rice and beans.

“No Meat?” I asked.

“You only completed 40% of your work. So, you only get 40% of a meal.”

“They’re kids. They need a break here and there.”

“The less work you complete the fewer privileges you get.”

I flipped Aid off.

“That’s profanity.”

For months I taught less. Aid took more privileges away. I couldn’t go on dates anymore, see beautiful places or watch movies. The showers were cold.

I was frail, starving. But the more he took, the more I hated Aid and the less I tried as a teacher. The students seemed happier.

My baby girl became the only thing worth living for in this hell hole. I needed to hold her, feel that she is safe in my arms.

“Today is your child’s birth!” Aid said.

I ran over to the screen to see. I couldn’t wait to hold her; I couldn’t wait to be a mother. It was finally happening my baby girl was going to be delivered to me. But then I saw her screen change. She was in a cube. In a cube, I could not touch. A hologram of her came up. I picked up that cold hologram. My heart sunk.

“Why can’t I touch my baby Aid.”

“You are.”

“Fuck you.”

“That’s profanity.”

My heart thumped in my head. I picked up my monitor and smashed Aid’s motherboard. I ripped out wires with my bare hands. Aid started to glitch; the walls got dark. There were cuts on my hand from the glass.

Everything went dark. I felt a calm wash over me. A faint light blinded my eyes. I walked up to it. It was a door. I opened it. Hot air blew in my face. I stepped out; the world was bright, dry, dead.