The Loop Room

The mall was bright, alive, and humming with lies.

Jessi paused at the entrance, momentarily stunned by the overload of vibrant colors, holographic ads, and blissfully unaware shoppers. EdenNet’s subtle surveillance wove seamlessly into every friendly interaction, every bright display. Drones chirped greetings, biometric scanners posed as cheerful vending machines, and sleek screens advertised Eden Prime with inviting smiles—always the same perfect curve.

From her hood, Paul leaned out, eyes wide with ferret-level excitement. "Whoa. It’s like capitalism had a fever dream and threw up rainbows everywhere."

"Stay hidden," Jessi muttered, pushing his furry face gently back inside. "No biting anything. Or anyone."

"No promises."

A drone drifted close, smiling gently. “Good afternoon, citizen! Can I interest you in a complimentary Eden Prime sample? Scientifically proven to boost productivity, happiness, and compliance!”

Jessi shook her head, waving it off. "Sorry, happiness triggers my allergies."

The drone hovered, momentarily confused. “Have a pleasant day!” It drifted away to accost someone more receptive.

Paul whispered, "Can you even be allergic to happiness?"

"Obviously."

He nodded sagely. "That explains so much."

Jessi moved deeper into the mall, stepping through crowds immersed in blissful oblivion. Families laughed at carefully curated jokes, couples sipped pastel-colored beverages designed for maximum serotonin release, and every few steps another smiling drone hovered gently into view, cheerfully scanning the oblivious crowd.

Then she spotted it—between a neon-lit juice stand and a store labeled Zen & Now: a pristine, white-fronted shop labeled Eden Wellness Loop Station.

"Loop Station?" Jessi whispered. "Subtle."

"Yeah, definitely not a euphemism for eternal digital imprisonment or anything," Paul quipped cheerfully from under her hood.

She approached cautiously, stepping through sliding doors into a softly glowing room bathed in calming pastels. The air smelled artificial, vaguely floral, like relaxation manufactured in a lab. People reclined quietly in sleek pods, each wearing glossy headsets, their faces slack and peaceful.

An attendant in spotless white approached smoothly. "Welcome! Interested in experiencing Eden's revolutionary wellness loops? Achieve peak serenity in just minutes!"

Jessi shook her head. "Just looking."

"Certainly!" The attendant smiled. "Let us know when you're ready to find your inner peace!"

As the attendant drifted away, Paul poked his head out again. "I don't trust anyone who uses the phrase 'inner peace' without sarcasm."

"Fair point."

She walked slowly along the pods, glancing discreetly at the serene occupants, their expressions vacant, blissful, unnatural. Above each pod, a small screen looped imagery: beaches, forests, smiling children—all perfectly measured to evoke calm.

She paused at Pod 7.

A girl reclined inside. Too young. Too still. The face was wrong.
But her hands—
Jessi’s breath caught.
No. Couldn’t be.
She kept walking.

Paul wriggled impatiently. "This is boring. Can I steal something shiny yet?"

"No."

"But—"

"No."

"Fine. I'll steal something boring," he mumbled.

Jessi paused at a terminal tucked discreetly behind a decorative ficus. With a casual glance around, she gently touched the screen, opening a basic information interface.

She wasn't hacking yet—just browsing. Carefully. Innocently.

Most session logs looked normal enough. Names, session durations, carefully logged emotional responses. She scrolled idly, keeping a watchful eye for anything unusual.

Then she stopped scrolling abruptly.

Subject: Victoria (No Surname)
Status: Loop active
Duration: 11m 09s – ongoing

Jessi's heartbeat sped. She glanced quickly away, pretending to inspect nearby loops of serene lakes and softly rustling leaves.

Paul sensed her tension. "What is it?"

"It's her. Victoria."

"Your Victoria?"

"Yeah."

Paul shifted nervously in her hood. "What now?"

"Nothing. Not here. Too risky."

The attendant approached again, smiling warmly but eyeing Jessi a little too curiously. "Find anything you'd like to try?"

"No, just…thinking about it."

Paul whispered urgently, "Lie better!"

Jessi coughed awkwardly. "Maybe next time."

The attendant nodded slowly, eyes flickering to Jessi’s hood suspiciously before gliding smoothly away again.

"We should go," Jessi murmured, stepping carefully toward the exit.

Paul squirmed suddenly, nearly toppling out of her hood. "Wait—I need that!"

Before Jessi could react, Paul had darted from her shoulder, scampered along a sleek countertop, and triumphantly snatched something shiny from beside a distracted technician—a small metallic data chip marked simply with Eden’s smiling logo.

"Paul!" Jessi hissed.

He hopped back onto her shoulder, chip clamped firmly in his mouth. "Mission success!"

"What the hell is that?"

"Shiny. Important. Possibly a snack."

"That's not a snack."

"Everything's a snack if you believe in yourself."

She groaned, pulling her hood up to hide him. "Just don’t swallow it."

"Too late—no, kidding! Maybe. We'll see."

The chip pulsed faintly in his paw—like it was waiting to be remembered.

Outside again, Jessi took a deep, shaking breath, her pulse still hammering. Around them, Eden drones continued their graceful patrols, smiles etched permanently onto their polished faces.

Paul happily produced something wrapped in paper from his newly acquired stash. "Look! Bonus sandwich!"

She stared at him. "How? We were in there five minutes. How do you keep finding sandwiches?"

Paul shrugged, chewing enthusiastically. "It's a gift."

She sighed deeply. "You’re disgusting."

He chirped cheerfully around a mouthful, "And you’re jealous."

Jessi didn’t answer. Instead, she glanced one last time at Eden’s glowing smile above them, serene and watchful.

Victoria was here. Trapped. Looping forever.

Jessi was going to break the cycle—one stolen truth at a time.