System Jazz

The big red NeverGreen container comes into view.

The masses who retook the harbor decided to move the blocks and broke the crane while lifting this one.

It's stuck, hanging over the rest like a lookout tower, and the levels below have shaky scaffolding.

"Still the hottest penthouse in the city."

Dangerous equals cool.

Okay, with this much stuff, the front door's a bit out of reach but accessibility hasn't been a concern since Mom died.

It's best to scale the crane and descend from there, the furniture went up on ropes too.

This box doesn't warrant one, though the contents must be expensive so let's take the safest option.

Climb the ladder up the crane and lower it onto the roof. It lands on the solar panel which keeps the container cool during the hot summer days.

It also generates electricity, while a large water tank sits above the crane.

Pipes connect it to the containers because yes, they have running water.

Some have insulation and toilets too. These focus on function rather than form, and they still look better than some buildings in the city.

The architecture was wild in the last century, it's impossible to deny that weed was legal.

It still is, except it's crazy expensive and even the Thin hates those structures when he's not high.

He plans to make his plantation once we run out of things to steal.

It's small compared to sprawling urban centers; still, many moved into Container Park. The proper parts of the city even shrunk since the dam killed trade and tourism.

By now the unregulated slums have more people living in it than in the rest of Rotterdam.

The harbor's waterways are drying out, yet the sea is visible from the big red.

The view influenced the pick, encouraging me to stop and marvel at it before unlocking the doors.

With the air so stale inside, they remain open for a while, and cleaning should be in order soon.

Although, after spending half a day in the guard station, the clutter feels nice.

An old salvaged PC is the priciest possession here, and it doesn't say much, since most parts came from trash.

Then the mini-fridge must be more expensive, though it's empty and doesn't work.

Everything needs fixing, and the pile keeps growing.

A fleabag lies in the middle with gadgets found somewhere or brought for repairs.

The far corner has a shower and toilet, and the first is to open the taps because the smell creeps up from below. The plumbing could be better.

The cravings return, and the place could take some vanilla scent, justifying one more cig.

This will be it for a while, they need to last a week.

At least Baldie promised food with this government program. Watching them try to deliver it to the GPS coordinates will be fun.

Signing the contract without thinking was a bad idea, but otherwise, Old Fox would have put me in jail.

This controller needs to be set up before they change their minds, there's no way around it. Once the last drag disappears, it emerges from the box looking high-tech.

It has no display though, as Baldie went on to nerd out about it.

Instead of rendering images on a screen, Deep Dive plants them inside the user's head.

There's one button on it, so that's a no-brainer, except nothing happens after pushing it.

It has a built-in battery, and the box contains a charger, but no documentation.

Nothing in the papers they had me sign either; it's all dry legal bullshit.

This should be straightforward, though it takes a lot of deliberation to put it on. The next button push brings it to life.

[Welcome to the SoniSung GL-1138 Deep Dive platform.]

Instant regret.

Arms and legs go numb as the text appears out of nowhere.

There's a pinch and it suppresses all senses as the booting completes.

If Baldie told me to get comfortable before turning it on; what if I fell out of the container?

[Please wait until we confirm user Arnim 13642.]

It feels like floating, the hands won't move, or it's impossible to tell if they do and can't take off the headset.

The messages keep changing, and the machine works fast; the sensation is upsetting. And this will be the menu every day for twelve hours now?

[Validation complete user Arnim 13642 confirmed.]

Talk about privacy. Baldie never took it out of the box and it already knows me, sticking like a face-hugger from that classic UFO movie.

[Please select an application to start...]

There's nothing to select though.

It shows a blank screen between the messages, it feels like I'm floating within.

Dizziness takes over, like when we got drunk with the boys after a great heist last year.

That was more fun and way less scary though.

[Autolaunch for application CineMraft locked into BIOS.]

Great, then why do you even ask to select an app?

Let me take this shit off already before falling off the open doors.

A game logo appears and the program loads fast.

Once the logout button's visible, I try to grab it and the headset finally turns off.

The hands respond again, ripping off the controller to take a few deep breaths.

That's a crazy experience, and it seems like this body isn't in danger, except the brain's not convinced.

Another smoke is mandatory after this and no putting it on before calming down.

Then on the fleabag, lying, far from the door and comfortable.

Holy shit, this was strange.

The heart rate must be through the roof as it throbs in my throat.

Deep Dive describes the experience well since you keep falling and it messes up your senses.

What a terrible dizzyness. Even after taking it off, it feels like falling, and the fact that this container hangs in the air doesn't help.

For someone who isn't afraid of heights, this is a horrible experience to feel at home and have no idea what to do about it.

The cigarette disappears and anxiety takes over.

There's no way this was a normal reaction, it must be a faulty controller or something.

Or is this how they want to test it on the unsuspecting people?

Well, it was either jail or becoming a lab rat for some gaming company.

Fuck them. Baldie said to go back and give him a report.

The headset will come too, and get smashed in his face.

They can put me behind bars for as long as they want, sitting in an empty room for twelve hours still seemed better.

Eh, what stops them from putting this on in prison?

Deep breaths, Arnim, don't overreact it. Come on, you can do this.

Let's head over to the fleabag, lie down, close my eyes, and put that cursed device on again.

Once a finger touches the button, the texts appear even faster.

Let's hope it won't make me throw up while lying on the back, with this many intrusive thoughts.

This place is safe. It's my bed, nothing bad could happen.

Leaving the doors open might have been a bad idea though.

Come on, it's only a game console, damn it, how scary it can be?

[Welcome back, Arnim 13642.]