Human Again: A Dystopian Sci-Fi Novel (Cryonemesis Book 1) by Moran Chaim

my stomach growled and demanded attention. I tried to pace myself so when I'll finish circling the city I’d end up back in my room. It was 5 minutes before our date and I started to walk fast and funny like those competitive walkers at the Olympics.
    I went inside the simulation and was automatically transferred to a grassy plain in the mountains. The sun was shining but it wasn't hot. So many people were there, all dressed in their white overalls. Dance music was playing. I can't explain what it sounded like but it was fast and people were dancing funny. There was a big stage and behind it a colorful sign read Holi Festival 2321 . President Padma went on stage and the music was turned down. ‘Her Children’ hailed her. Why would they ever leave this place in favor of the surface when they could live here for free and always get what they want? Padma spoke about how many children were born this year and how efficient the systems became. About senior students that moved to their next role in the city. And then, surprisingly, she was speaking about me. Out of ten thousand people that were there, she chose to talk about me, the newbie.
    “ As you all know, we unfreeze a new storyteller every once in awhile, so we can pass on the knowledge about the old world and learn the morals of the previous generations. But this time we didn't welcome another grandpa, to our surprise. ”
    The whole crowd was laughing because she was charismatic and down to earth. She was a real leader and they loved her.
    “ The new citizen is actually here among us. Roy, could you come on stage?”
    I was blushing. I didn't know why, I have never blushed. By now all virtual eyes were on me as I walked through the crowd to the stage. I climbed the stairs and she opened her arms for a hug. We hugged for a second and I saw how massive the crowd was; young and old, short and tall, women and men.
    “ Roy is only nineteen and has a bright future in New Knaan. He shows great potential. He is the only person in this city that was actually a trained combat soldier. ”
    “ I present you Roy, our new Gun Tech Assistant! ”
    The crowd exploded. I felt loved and appreciated although I hadn’t done anything yet. This place was becoming my home more and more.
    Padma then took some yellow powder from a bucket near her feet. She clenched her fist and presented it to the crowd. She said something in a language I couldn’t understand and then threw the powder in the air. It shimmered in the sunlight. People were ecstatic and started throwing colorful powder at each other. The air filled with clouds of various colors, staining their white overalls. They came here to dirty themselves? What was that? Breaking the routine kind of thing? At the time, I didn't know it was a Hindu tradition that symbolized the beginning of spring and the victory of good over evil.
    As I walked down from the stage I saw Shanta. She was there, all relaxed and colorful. She looked so beautiful.
    “Hi, nice to see you again,” She shook my arm.
    “You too,” I said.
    “Are you excited?”
    “Are you?”
    “ Yes ,” she answered with a big smile, “ I am going to show you some neat stuff . Sorry, show you some neat stuff.”
    She turned away from the crowd and I followed her. While we were walking on the green plain I felt better and better; me, a defrosty, on a date with the president's daughter.
    “I was outside today,” I said.
    “Wow, how was it?”
    “It's hard to breath. Sand blows in your face. It's hot, and the cactus suit is painful…”
    “But it's real.”
    “Yes, but this is real also,” I said.
    “I mean, as opposed to this simulation.”
    “Yes, but you know, you can't compare the two becau—”
    “—can I show you something?” She asked with excitement.
    “Sure.”
    I soon found myself on a white tropical beach wearing a tee shirt and shorts. Shanta stood next to me wearing a Hawaiian looking grass dress. We were standing on the sand but it was elevated;