The Island of One

"Good morning, Master Sora."

The blinds opened gently, letting beams of light slip between their slats, casting bright rectangles that filled the room. Sora groaned softly as he realized that one of these rectangles had awkwardly placed itself over his face, forcing him to flip onto his stomach and blindly search for the alarm clock, which he slapped fiercely once he found it.

"Unfortunately, the limit of the 'Snooze' function has been reached. Wake up now, please."

The soft, electronic voice appeared to emanate from all across the house as if the building itself were calling for him to rise. The voice remained consistent and friendly as always, but after two weeks, Sora was starting to wonder if there wasn’t a hint of sarcasm or condescension from his virtual assistant.

"Good morning, Master Sora. Unfor-"

"I know… I know…"

"-tunately, the limit of the ‘Snooze’ function has bee-"

"I get it! I’m getting up, you insufferable robot!" Sora said, cutting off the voice as he sat up in bed.

"-n reached. Wake up now, pleas-"

"There! I’m awake! Happy now?" he yawned, leaping out of bed and stretching his arms and legs as far as he could.

"Good morning, Master Sora."

"Good morning, Aura," he replied, mocking the assistant's tone.

"Your bath is ready. Did you sleep well, Master?"

"If sleeping well counts as dreaming about another glitch in my hydroponics system, then yes, Aura, I slept great."

"I’ll interpret that as sarcasm."

Sora staggered as he stepped into the hallway outside his bedroom. As he trudged slowly toward the bathroom, bioluminescent lights embedded in the walls lit up gradually, ensuring the space ahead was always illuminated.

The bathroom, like the rest of the house, was designed to be entirely self-sustaining. The shower was equipped with a solar-heated water system, but Sora didn’t feel the need to use it; only cold water could truly shake off his morning grogginess.

All the water used in the house was potable, yet, since it was collected from hydropanels on the roof, it retained a distinct taste that he disliked, despite the various filtration systems.

***

He looked at his image in the mirror as he emerged from the shower. He still couldn’t believe he had finally achieved his dream of leaving his hometown, distancing himself as much as possible from all the people he had come to despise.

As he walked down the stairs toward the kitchen, now dressed in more comfortable clothes, the fresh air flowing in through the house's openings wrapped around him with a sense of renewal.

"Food system activated, Master. Breakfast will be served shortly."

To pass the time, Sora paid a quick visit to the greenhouse. It was completely automated, requiring no personal work, and despite its modest size, it held a variety of genetically engineered plants developed for quick growth, providing him with fresh food and renewable resources without difficulty. The plants were cultivated in a hydroponic system and fed with optimal nutrient solutions. Smart sensors monitored the entire planting and harvesting process, adjusting temperature and humidity as needed.

Sora enjoyed seeing the machines run smoothly, like a perfectly synchronized production line. He was relieved not to have to perform the manual labor that would otherwise be required to maintain all of that production. He often wondered how the Ancients had managed to devote themselves to cultivating land by hand, dealing with unpredictable plants and without the aid of growth stimulants to guarantee an ideal harvest.

When he returned to the kitchen, the table lit up softly, suggesting that the automatic meal preparation was almost complete. On the counter, a small device was already combining fresh ingredients, extracting nutrients from plants Sora had produced, and preparing a healthy dinner with minimum assistance. For him, everything was simple: seeds were planted, fruits ripened, and food was harvested, prepared, and served whenever he wanted. A simple routine in which he relied on no one but the machines.

However, Sora was not completely satisfied. He frequently found himself questioning whether he should have waited a little longer, saved a little more, endured a little more... But in reality, he wouldn't have survived. He couldn't take his former life any longer, and the moment he had the opportunity to leave it all behind, he seized it, even without the best resources.

"Master Sora, breakfast is ready."

"Thanks, AURA... At least the machines in this house work perfectly."

"Shall I infer this is a compliment?"

"Call it whatever you like."

***

After finishing his meal, he grabbed his coffee mug and stepped outside to the garden in front of the house to view the scenery. Thick white clouds covered the sky, encircling his island like a big cotton plain. In the small gaps where the clouds parted, the deep blue of the ocean appeared like a distant painting. From there, he could see the ruins of an ancient sunken metropolis below, where half-submerged skyscrapers, now covered with vines, were nothing more than relics of a long-gone era.

Enjoying a cup of coffee that warmed his body from the inside out, Sora sat on the edge of the garden. It was a revitalizing feeling. The heat of the liquid seemed to melt away all the effort he’d made to get up that morning, and a subtle smile appeared on his face.

An outsider looking at him at that moment could assume that Sora spent much of his time in this manner, taking in the magnificent view that only a house on a floating island could provide. However, this could not have been further from the truth.

Though Sora enjoyed having his coffee outside and had to admit that he had never seen a sunset as beautiful as the ones he witnessed since moving into his new home, much of his time was spent at the computer. Sora disliked the label "addiction," preferring to characterize himself as "profoundly engaged in his hobbies and pastimes". But deep down, he knew the time he had already spent on them was far from a healthy limit.

While Sora was thinking about different strategies he could use in his new game, the mug trembled slightly in his hand as a distant noise echoed. He glanced around, trying to pinpoint the sound. Sora couldn’t tell where it was coming from; it seemed to echo from all directions, filling the air.

“AURA, what is that noise?”

“Unable to identify. Likely external,” the assistant replied, unfazed.

"Must be some kind of bird..." he murmured.

After a few moments of waiting and nothing changing, he allowed himself to relax back in his chair. 

As he brought his mug to his lips, the sound reappeared, louder and closer, as if it were coming from beneath the floating island. Sora approached the fence enclosing his garden, filled with curiosity and unease. He leaned over, squinting his eyes, but the thick clouds obscured his vision, preventing him from seeing what lay below.

Suddenly, a high-pitched scream shattered the silence, growing louder as it approached quickly. With barely a moment to react, Sora stepped back, lifting himself just in time as a shadow burst through the clouds and flew past him, only a few inches away.

Sora was in disbelief as he looked up and saw a young girl desperately trying to steer an out-of-control hoverbike, her face a mixture of terror and fierce concentration.

"Please! Help me!" she yelled as the hoverbike soared and whirled erratically, leaving a trail of white smoke behind it.

Sora froze. He wasn’t exactly the type who enjoyed interacting with others, and he had certainly never been in this situation before.

"H-How?" was all Sora could manage to say at that moment.

"Ahhh! Help! I can't control it! Help me!"

As the girl continued to spin, Sora took a step back and helplessly raised his hands, uncertain of how he could possibly help her. Before he could think of a solution, the hoverbike suddenly veered downwards, diving uncontrollably toward his house. 

The vehicle crashed with a deafening boom.

Sora could hardly recall what came next. Just before losing consciousness, the last image burned into his mind was of his house… his precious, expensive, and beloved house, with the roof destroyed and a large plume of dark smoke rising from the wreckage.