The Freedom Machine
By: Remi Martin
One step closer to Freedom, the box read. It’s time to say goodbye to the stress of indecision and let your new Infinity System make decisions for you! Clinically proven to reduce anxiety, the Infinity System improves productivity and always result in the optimum outcome for you. Put your life in the hands of a higher power and find true freedom – the freedom to be yourself!
The box had sat unopened on the kitchen counter since its arrival that morning. Kiki sat on the chair in front of it, a lit cigarette between her fingers. A cup of coffee, untouched, had been placed on the worktop beside it some time ago. She didn’t know what to do.
This seemed to be a recurring feeling she had been experiencing over the last few days, and one she was getting used to. The decision that sat in front of her, however, was a big one. It had the potential of steering her life towards one of two very different outcomes. She didn’t want to take it lightly.
Her foot tapped on the leg of the chair as she considered her options again and looked back on the last few days leading up to this moment. She had been doing this much more frequently than usual, this tapping, ever since her original Infinity had gone offline. She was starting to think she was developing a nervous tic.
The cigarette made its way to her lips again, and she inhaled the rich relief of tobacco smoke. She felt entirely unqualified to make such an important decision. Come to think of it, she felt entirely unqualified to make any decision at all. She didn’t have the abundance of data that the Infinity System had, or the computing capacity, or even the same insight into her motives. She knew what decision the Infinity System would recommend, that much was obvious. This just happened to be the one decision that it couldn’t make for her.
Sighing, she slouched back in her chair, and let her mind wander back 5 days, to the moment when her system had shut down, in the hope that it might give her some perspective, or at least some clue as to what she should do now.
* * *
She woke up that morning feeling well-rested, as she usually did. The alarm went off at the opportune time as she crested the wave of unconsciousness and drifted into the lightest part of her sleep cycle. 07:14am.
Her hand fumbled around her bedside table for a minute, as she habitually reached for her Infinity System’s earpiece and clipped it in place around the curvature of her ear.
“Good morning.” Finny’s familiar voice spoke into her ear. “Ready for another optimum day as your best self?” Kiki was.
“Take a few minutes to enjoy being in bed. You have a busy day ahead of you if you want to achieve your highest potential.” Kiki did as she was told, enfolding herself back into the warmth of her duvet and nestling her head into the fabric of her pillow. She didn’t protest at having to get up soon or worry about what she would have to do that day, or how she would organize her time. She had given her life over to a higher power years ago, and put her trust in its patient, methodical guidance.
She didn’t need to be told to go to the toilet, or to brush her teeth, these being things she was in the autonomous habit of doing, so the next time Finny spoke to her was in the kitchen, as she was about to start the coffee maker.
“Coffee is scheduled for 10am today, to improve performance, boost serotonin and prevent a late-morning caffeine crash.” Kiki stopped in her tracks.
Finny was always encouraging her to do healthy things like this. For years before getting the system she had been trying to quit smoking. Finny made it effortless, slowly weaning her off cigarettes, and giving her new routines to follow to replace the habit. She still allowed her the occasional social cigarette, but other than that Kiki hadn’t smoked in 2 years. And this was the least of it.
Before getting the system, she had been nurturing a low-level anxiety that was really starting to blossom. This was one of the things that gave her the impetus to finally try the Infinity System out. Now, she never once questioned her place in the world, it was set out before her as clear as day. She never worried that she was wasting her life or not achieving what she should be; these worries were taken care of. She knew if she just followed Finny’s advice, she would be in the best possible place for someone of her intelligence and ability, for someone in her circumstances.
Sitting down with a healthy breakfast, pre-prepared by Infinity co, she opened the Infinity App on her smartphone to check the day’s schedule.
The colorful boxes, detailing all the things Finny had planned for her, shone below her fingertips. She had the option to edit and reschedule, even delete, any of these plans, but she never took advantage of this option.
“Why not have a quick play on the piano?” The voice from her earpiece suggested, right on schedule. “The recitals are coming up in a few weeks’ time, after all.” Kiki had been expecting her to suggest just this. She’d seen the allocated 20-minute slot on the Infinity App dedicated to playing the piano. It would cement what she had learnt the previous evening and took advantage of her fresh mind to optimize her learning ability.
Ranked Top 10 "Best Lit Mags of 2023" by Chill Subs
FLASH SALE: Use the code “Happy” at checkout and pay only $4.95! (Paypal) (Or order Print+Digital)
Subscribe from us directly at the button below (preferred method) or buy individual issues on Amazon, B&N, Apple, Kobo, or ordered from your local bookstore. ISSN# 2693-8359