A Glitch in Harmony

The Marcide’s Tech Expo occurred once a year at the Marcide’s old family estate. Long abandoned by the wealthy family but kept alive through their memory that lived on through the tech expo that exemplified their accomplishments. The front of the house leaned in on a slanted glass wall as if eager to greet Kai. Walking up the grandiose granite steps, a security guard greeted Kai at the door.

As if on command, Grayson opened the door with a grin. “He’s with me,” he added as Kai stepped in without a worry.

The room ahead was filled with all sorts of wondrous inventions and stretched on longer than he expected when observing the house's exterior. A flying device whizzed by so fast that the only sign it left was the gust of wind that brushed the back of Kai’s neck.

“You're late.” Grayson nudged Kai with his elbow.

“I’m still here before it officially opens,” Kai retorted as he fished around in his pocket. Grasping a paper-thin flash drive, he tossed it at Grayson, who stumbled forward to catch it. “The reason I’m late is because I was working on what you requested.”

Grayson gazed at the flash drive like an expensive jewel. “You seriously got it done?”

“You doubted me?”

“Of course not.” Grayson paused and raised a questioning eyebrow. “Well, maybe a little. It was such a last-minute request I really wasn’t sure.” Grayson motioned Kai to follow him as he picked up the pace. “My booth’s in the back; follow me.”

Grayson marched through the expo with Kai in tow. Each booth they passed seemed more wondrous than the next. In one display, a man in a golden suit stood beside several floating orbs, each with a ring of light that glowed a different hue. Words flashed on a screen behind the man. New intelligence upgrades. Lower latency. Durable design.

I don’t need a new model, Kai thought as they went deeper into the building. In another booth, a machine printed drones that were the size of Kai. The extruder rapidly clicked as it seamlessly changed materials. Another metallic tip expelled silver wires, which were taken by a series of robotic arms. In a dance of machinery, the woven wire twirled through the drone as circuits buzzed with electricity. Next to the larger enclosure, another 3D printer worked on a more organic shape. Everything about the printer looked the same except for its size. Upon closer inspection, Kai realized it was printing a fully organic human hand. Before he dwelled too long, Grayson was already tugging him down the hall.

Animals looking like the ones Kai had read about in ancient stories leaped around playfully in another stand. Their wired muscles pulsed with fluorescent energy as they stretched and contracted. A few more booths down, a glass tube was highlighted by an array of lights. In the center of the tube, a spherical terrarium floated in a sea of dust-like particles. Green fauna climbed the sides of the terrarium, and droplets of water condensed on the top. Without warning, the lights flashed, and the plants inside rapidly grew, then withered, and then grew again until the display returned to its original state.

Kai’s mouth gaped in wonder, but Grayson responded with an obnoxious snort. “Wait till you see my VR program. That little terrarium will look just like a party trick.”

They continued on and soon arrived at Grayson’s booth. It was small and tucked into a faraway corner, but as high school students, neither of them was expecting much more. Grayson rushed over to the VR device that rested on a foldable table and plugged in the flash drive.

This was the first time Kai had seen the whole setup. Sensors and miniature cameras lined the four corners of the booth. All of their eyes were on where a participant would be standing. A multitude of cords circled the towers of sensors, making the whole setup look like an electronic arena. Even though a lot was going on, Grayson had impeccable cable management. The danger of tripping over anything was minimal.

Kai stepped into the center of the display and turned with a wandering gaze. “You never told me how exactly you were going to integrate my music with your device.”

Grayson looked up from the computer after tapping a few more keys. “Well, the whole gimmick of this device is to simulate the evolution of a certain area based on geological data. Your music is just a nice touch. It makes the experience feel a little bit grander than simple geology research. So while people see the Earth transform over hundreds of years, your epic symphony will make it seem more like a story. A crazy good one too!”

“And you got this geological data where?” Kai asked. “It’s not like you’ve ever been out of the city.”

“Well, that, my friend, is why I really needed to talk to those Tri-restoration people at the fundraiser. With their help, I was able to get topographical scans of the outside world.”

“Well, you’re welcome for that,” Kai said as he stared up into the reflective surface of one of the sensors. “So are you going to let me try it out?”

“Maybe.” Grayson’s mind seemed to be somewhere else as he calibrated several settings using the computer. “Rose.”

Grayson’s AI companion flew from the back of the booth. “Yes, how may I help?”

“How much more time till the expo starts?” Grayson asked.

“Approximately ten minutes,” Rose responded in a smooth voice that buzzed with the electricity in her circuits.

“Sorry. You’ll have to wait till after the expo is done. Rose, could you straighten the camera at the top of the tower? Grayson pointed to the tower farthest away from himself. “Ok, everything is about ready,” he said with a self-satisfied smile. “I’ll make sure you get a turn, Kai.”

“Fine,” Kai said as Grayson pulled out the flash drive and tossed it to him.

The buzz of conversation slowly made its way back to them as guests made their way through the expo. Kai watched closely as the first person at the booth put on the headset. After all, it wasn’t just Grayson's invention; it had his music in it too. As the experience started, Kai began to count the passing seconds. At first, the man stood still with a neutral expression on his face. Then he began to slowly rotate as the virtual landscape changed.

“Hey,” Grayson motioned to Kai. “If you want to see what he’s seeing, I have it on the computer over here.”

Kai folded his arms and watched the man more closely. “I’m good. Don’t want to ruin the surprise for myself.”

A brief smile flickered on the man’s face, and Kai recalled the time in his mind. Thirty-seven seconds. He knew exactly what part of the song was playing. It’s the middle of the exposition. When the world is still at peace and nature is blooming with vigor, yet that’s all I could get right. He may be smiling, but he should be feeling so much more. Kai noticed other people were beginning to stare at him, and he realized the intense glare fixed on his face. Breaking out of his focus, Kai lost track of the seconds but continued to watch till the end of the experience. It’s just a VR demo, not another performance, he reminded himself.

For the next hour, person after person tried Grayson’s VR device. Each expressing some variation of excitement, wonder, or joy. But all Kai could do was replay his song over and over until every note was seared into his mind. He knew the disappointment would disappear eventually. If the last few days had taught him anything, it was that he could never reach his true emotions, whether it was through music or daily life.

“Did you have a part in this?”

Kai turned to his right to find a red-haired woman standing beside him, observing the VR device. “Uh, no.” He said, trying to hide his surprise. “It’s his,” he pointed over to Grayson, who was talking to a group of people in business attire. “I just contributed the music.”

“Oh,” she smiled. “I thought I recognized you. Your Kai Targensen.”

“And you.” Kai raised an eyebrow. He rarely met fans in public, and when he did, it was often an awkward interaction.

“Elira, I had the honor of attending the fundraising party a few days ago. You played wonderfully.”

“Thanks,” Kai said in a bored tone. “Why are you here now? Surely not to see me.”

“No, of course not. Just a lucky coincidence. I work for a company that does stuff with communication security. I like to keep up to date on the latest stuff. Is this your first time here?” Elira made eye contact, and Kai looked away.

“Yeah.” Kai cleared his throat. “Definitely some interesting stuff here. Sometimes I don’t know how people can be so creative.”

A brief laugh escaped Elira’s mouth. “You’re plenty creative yourself.”

“Not as much as I want to be. I feel like I’m not reaching my true potential.” Kai watched another guest remove the VR headset with wonder in their eyes. “Sometimes I almost feel like I’m suppressed.”

Elira flinched at the word but covered it up with a smile. “Don’t we all. The boring part of life can take so much energy that nothing is left for your creative pursuits. Speaking of the boring part of life, I need to take pictures of the other exhibits for my boss, but it was nice meeting you.” She flicked out a white card inlaid with silver from some hidden pocket. “Here’s my business card if you ever want to get in touch. It was nice meeting you.”

After saying goodbye, Elira quickly blended in with the rest of the crowd as Kai pocketed her card. Why’d she give it to me and not Grayson? I didn’t create anything here. I’ll just hand it to Grayson once he’s done talking to people. Content with his decision, Kai waited a few minutes until Grayson was free.

Another person slipped on the VR device as Kai approached, and Grayson checked the computer to make sure everything was running smoothly. “Hey, a lady came up to me earlier and…”

A loud thump like a massive switch being flicked reverberated throughout the room, and Kai went silent as everything went dark. Shouts erupted, and sporadic footsteps shuffled across the hardwood floor. Event organizers tried shouting instructions, but the panic soon drowned them out. Despite all the chaos, Kai stood still and reached out to feel the small table Grayson’s laptop sat on.

“Grayson. You still there?” Kai said as the shouting was beginning to die down.

“Yeah,” he responded in a whisper as if the darkness demanded his silence.

To their left, a thud cracked against the wood. Kai knew the sound wasn’t a person, but the footsteps creaking along the wood definitely were.

“They must’ve taken off the headset and dropped it,” Grayson said, giving an explanation for the noises in the dark. “Why can’t they treat others’ property with respect?” Grayson nudged the table as Kai heard an exasperated groan through the dark. “Can you help me grab it before someone kicks it and ruins the entire thing?’

“Sure,” Kai whispered. His voice seemed louder in the dark, or maybe it was just because the noise throughout the expo had lowered to a murmur.

Getting down on all fours Kai waved his arms in a circular motion. “Ouch!” He winced as his forearm hit the leg of the table. Apparently, my sense left with my sight. This time being more cautious, Kai proceeded forward. The rough fibers of the mat, defining the booth’s space, brushed against Kai’s hands and made them itch. Despite his growing annoyance, he continued. A bump in the floor obstructed one of Kai’s hands. It’s a cord! Kai silently celebrated. Finally, something to position himself in the room.

He blinked several times as fuzzy images were beginning to manifest and his eyes adjusted to the limited amount of light that reached the back of the room. Passing over the barrier of cords, Kai hoped he was heading towards the center. Squinting his eyes, he could see something ahead of him. A small rectangle. Grasping the cold metal, Kai’s hypothesis was quickly confirmed.

“I found it!” Kai snapped his mouth shut, realizing the volume of his voice. “Found it.” He repeated. This time a little quieter.

“Great, now…” Grayson grunted in pain as Kai felt a long pole slam into his spine.

Kai shivered as he felt the air in his lungs shake and throbbing needles prick all along his back. Taking a few unsteady breaths, frustration reached its peak and burst forth like a flood breaking a dam.

“Watch where you’re going! Did the lights going out fry your brain, or have you always been an idiot? Every breath squeezed his back tighter, and the pain was beginning to lessen, but his anger, like nothing he had felt before, did not. “This would have never happened if you didn’t drag me here!”

“It was an accident, and I thought you were interested!” Grayson barked back like a wounded dog. “You even took the time to modify your song. Why else would you?”

“Well, maybe…” The realization hit Kai, and he burst into laughter.

“Why are you laughing?” Grayson’s tone abruptly turned to confusion.

“Because I’m mad at you. Like actually mad!”

“You sound mad,” Grayson murmured.

A smile spread across Kai’s face, and joy tickled his mind. “I don’t get it either; I just know something’s different. Don’t you feel it?”

The lights flickered back on, and Kai saw Grayson kneeling on the ground, rubbing his head. Joy, pure, unadulterated joy, seeped back into the shadows of Kai’s mind, and his smile began to fade.

“Don’t you get what happened?” Kai asked.

“No,” Grayson scrunched his face in pain as he felt the bump on his head. “The power went out. What else?”