Singing Snowberg

Chapter One

Frost Forest <1>

Something happened last summer, something unknown to human took all wireless communications away, even the light cable doesn’t work anymore, we were left alone.

People in the world have been trying to explain everything, while nothing explains nothing. We just can’t tell what caused it, and why did it happen?

Nothing happened after that, or we just don’t know what happened around us, let alone what’s happening around the globe. Maybe we couldn’t wake up from the reality that we will never have it back, so that people don’t know what to behave, caught by aphasia en masse.

I am living in La Plata with my families. Everything seemed fine, for now.

Every summer we would go fishing by the river from time to time, but not this summer. I wondered why we didn't, seriously. Though I couldn't get my things straight at the first place. I lost the ability to study, to think, just stay at home the whole day. The technologies have been so advanced at this time of the history, we won't have to do any arduous movements, just a click will do most of the time. But for now, our phones, tablets, pamphlets, watches, bracelets, necklaces, none of them works, properly. That is to say: we have to learn everything from the start.

"Mum, I think you are doing this for me."

"Of course darling. You should learn something, you're twenty-five years old."

I'd say it hurts. But I was okay before this plague of automation. Working in a one-man logistics centre at ease, and peace. Of course I quitted the job soon after the strike.

"You could be a Runner, you're stronger than most of us."

"I would really like to, mum."

Then she's frowning, she was going to believe I was about to approve her proposal.

Today we are going for a hiking, to a village where, well, no one is rich. It's not just a hiking, because we'll learn something from those villagers. Why don't we drive? Oh, it's too risky. When we are in a vehicle, no one actually drives. As I said, one click. For now they are just dumb things, I hope they will be clever again. If we want to get on a train, when the luck is with us it would take a month to get the ticket. This is sad, the departure of wireless was a severe plague, which nearly crumbled us. Luckily us, no a plague has ever caused to human like this one caused to those robots, I still remember that Ebola plague that halved our population .

"I see, I'll find a job, now I am enjoying the time with you all, families."

She frowned again, she knew I don't.

"Suppose you find your other part of orange? It's okay if you are gay."

I hide my face from her, gazing at the mountains miles away.

"What for? You want a kid?"

I can't see her face, suppose she frowned another more. I hate the fact that I made her do that, whenever with her. I was satisfying for her.

"I love you, you know?" She is asking for a confirmation. "You are too clever to know," she added.

I was left behind, they are walking like Runners, who deliver items and messages for logistics company or a person since no one can use wireless. I guess right now only those very rich and government could use limited wire communication, like in the ancient times. Since when I started this kind of supposition? Maybe I should use this as material for my new book? No, I've never wrote a book though have been dreaming about it all the time. I just need a marvelous inspiration.

My dad look back from a distance, our looks meet, while fail to convey anything. I don't want to be someone like him, working for living. He is a head of a logistics company.

"We are going to be rich." The first words he said to me after the plague. Did he really think I should believe in the things I don't even care? He was, he is, out of his mind. I remember he said, "We're connecting people, in the real world." He already believed people are not connected in the real world. But what's the matter if we're disconnected? Would he care? I think he do, but more about money. We usually keep the distance, he has reasons that I am a self-righteous dick, while I, I think I love him only when we were fishing together.

They walk so fast.

"Dammit!" I look over her, she ruined another dish, "We'd better share our kitchen with our neighbours." She's really pissed. "We can eat raw foods, actually. I'm leaving this shanty town." She marched out.

"Hope you don't mind." "I don't mind," she waves her hand, "she's not the first."

I lift my pan, "How am I doing?" "Looks great." She shrugs and smiles. "Why are you lying?" She's surprised, but managed to say, "I'm not, try yourself."

It's great indeed. "I'm sorry." She picks up a bit from my pan, smiling.

I say, "You're kind people."

She shakes her head, "We want to live like you, educated."

"We're assholes wearing suits."

"Life is a bitch." We laughed.

Her name is Rosa. We seem to know each other in some way, it's like brother and sister. I imagine we're linked, in another time and space, our lives had crossed and mingled. This fantasy is not in the reason I like her body in a desirous manner. In the case "people in love always have something to do with spirit", I strongly disapprove this point. What I have is a true "fantasy". I have been in this for a very long time since I noticed I could do self-talking when nobody's around.