Shade

When the sun first comes up, it looked like a bird.

When it is nine in the morning, it looked like a cup.

When it is noon, it looked like a circle.

When it is dusk, it looked like a bird again.

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Queen Bee

"How can I be of help, my highness?"

"Lick it."

"Do you mean licking it, m'lady?"

"Do it."

"I am sorry, your majesty, I am afraid I cannot do it."

"Suck it."

"No, pardon me, your grace. As I have said, I will not do such a thing."

"Get it."

"I am only your faithful servant. I pledged my service to you, but not for this unspeakable business."

"Call it."

"That I shall do gladly. my Queen Bee."

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Red Van

David Chan drove a red van, a night circuit line around Mongkok, he worked ten hours a day, seven days a week, never pulled a sickie or late. For five years, he kept the routine. Just like Taxi Driver.

It was the best part of the city, from the outside, it was shopping mall, but the deeper he went, the nastier it became. Bar and prostitution, gangs and fights, were covered, wrapped in a modern setting.

One night, the road was clear and he sped to 90 and up on a straight, the beeping of the speed tracking device was going on so fast it almost stopped working. Then he slowed down at the end of the street and made a U-turn and attempted to achieve a higher speed, the thrill of being pulled backward by the undefined gravity, velocity, and kinetic energy.

He went over 100 and at a blink, he was driving through a mist, a fog that came so suddenly from around the building and engulfed the street. He slowed down and cruised around, looking for passengers.

Someone waved at him, and he stopped the van to pick up the person.

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Wei

Wei held the loosely wrapped joint in his left hand, between the middle and index finger, and inhaled deeply. The substances of the medical cannabis rolled into his system, and he felt like a vault had just been released as he twisted his head. He trapped the smoke in him to experience the fading sensation for as long as he could, and finally let it slip away as he exhaled unwilling. He took two more mouthful and ditched it on the ground, and rubbed the flame away with the tip of his left shoe.

As he walked out of the alleyway, streams of chilling winter air snuggled with him and the deserted street smirked at him. He headed straight to the shop, not thinking about the boring day he was about to have as was with everyday.

Ever since he finished high school in Arizona, he’d been making himself a living around the states with a job here and there, and he never quite get along with people and so was with the places he stayed.

But here in Montana, a small town with its quiet community, was the place he stayed the longest. There was a vibe about the people living here.

Speaking of people, there was this couple that followed him as he went to different places. He thought about reporting it to the sheriff, but didn’t want to make a fool of himself by having no evidence whatsoever.

They had been following him ever since he first noticed them in California. There was the man in a black tanktop and now in a heavy black jacket, and the women in a white t-shirt and now in a white overcoat. Everywhere he went, they seemed to be around, not that he ever went anywhere besides his room and the shop he worked at, and the park he went jogging every Sunday morning.

He had doubt about their existence, he wondered if they were his imagination, it also felt like he knew them, back in the days.

It all started when he first arrived in San Francisco working as a restaurant waiter, the job paid his rent for a small room living three other people, and he ate in the place he worked to save the money for the next trip.

The couple came in one night to the casual restaurant and he didn’t notice them at first because of the busy crowd, it was later till they were closing that he saw them at the corner table, still not willing to leave.

Jessie the manager politely showed them the door and they walked out in good manner. And that was where it all started. The couple would popped up in places he work or showed up around the houses he lived. From California to Nevada to Montana.

Wei planned his route based on the states that approved the use of medical cannabis, he’d been on it for some years now, it eased the pain in on his back from the injury he got playing basketball in high school non-competitively.

He never talked to them, because it all could just been a very rare coincidence. Besides, he didn’t notice anything wrong with the couple, they seem not know about him.

Wei opened the door and walked into the shop, and he saw Po was at the counter talking with the couple.

“That’s will be fifteen dollars.” said Po.

The man had his wallet out and gave a twenty, the women stuffed the product into her bag. They walked right pass Wei and didn’t even blink, like he was the usual stranger.

Wei almost reached a hand to pat on the man, he was about to spoke when Po called him. “Wei, Mrs. Peterson just called, she wants you to deliver a box of coke to her shop.”

“I thought she want it tomorrow.” He turned to Po and the couple walked out of the shop.

“Who cares, just go. It’s at the back.”

Wei sighed and went to his locker and wore a down coat. He opened the storage room door and lifted the box to the trolley, and pushed it out of the shop with a dreadful feeling.

His pace was slow on the road covered with snow, they were dirty and solid, every once in a while he would come out and shovel it to the sides of the road. Snow kept falling down from the sky like it was endless.

His hands covered in his coat, was gripping on the plastic bar of the trolley which protected him from feeling the freezing cold directly. He pushed the cart forward leisurely, his head hung low while his eyes browed the street.

The snow covered most of the places, and the street seemed to be frozen in time, nothing moved. The road itself looked slippery, and walked tricky. He had once fell down on the ground totally unexpected, and it hurted his beat up body so bad that he had to go to the hospital and stayed there for three whole days. The best thing though, was that he could get unlimited amount of painkiller or its equivalent. It was a gateway to both heaven and hell, depending on the situation.

Mrs. Peterson’s shop was three blocks away, a small bakery that made traditional bread and cake with a red brick storefront, which always reminder Wei of the doghouse he built for Rufus.

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Background Check

It probably was the day when that cop came in to the shop to buy some freaking bubble gums and two cans of coke that Wei realized he was going to jail someday sooner than he’d thought.

The policeman was very friendly and chatty to him, he gave no attitude when putting the gums and drinks on the counter.

“Hey kid, how’s your day.” The officer had white hair and dark wrinkles on his face, like those that had experiences on field, who had seen fire fight and coordinated something big. He leaned close to the Wei and gave a chuckle.

Wei calculated the price and said. “That will be three ninety nine.”

The officer produced his wallet from his pocket and his big tummy kind of swayed in a slow motion in real time. He handed him the money and took the stuff he just bought and left the shop.

Cops like these were trouble at the house, Wei was put into the holding cell a few times when one of these came to him and offer him a helping hand, which turned out to be false hope. He couldn’t understand how they maintained that kind of ingenious smile and enthusiasm throughout the conversation, how they faked that face, perfected that twitch of a smile to get him to talk like a parrot.

Wei didn’t blame anyone, he knew his life wasn’t a choice, he could not control where he grew up, who he befriended with. He learned to accept it at some point of his life, when he done feeling fed up to everything.

His parents was smuggled to the states and his mother raised him up all by her own because his father left her when he was born, and so was told by her mother. He hadn’t seen a picture of him or heard his mother talked much about him, and sure as anything he didn’t want to meet with a guy that abandoned the two of them.

Wei grew up living in a small room, they had little food and not much to spend, life was dreadful and seemed meaningless, there wasn’t any fond memories to be found, there was only sorrow and despair.

The kids in school didn’t like him, they picked on him, the skinny Asian dude that always got bruises on him from nowhere. So he begged his mother to let him learn from an martial artist, she wasn’t sure at first about the idea, but soon a master contacted her and gave a very generous allowance to them.

With years of training and a heart of fire, his effort combusted into flame, and what came out of it, was a phoenix reborn, a fairly-build, strong and firm young man that could take on almost anyone with his bare fists.

It wasn’t exactly like the legendary Bruce Lee, or the modern Jet Li, he was a nobody, just an average asian-american living in the western dream that faded away with age.

There was this small convenience shop clerk job, and prior to that, he’d been a waiter, a delivery man, a dishwasher, all the tiny but essential jobs that dig people labour.

And these jobs paid like nothing, his life was still miserable. Through his street connection, he’d know of a place, an underground fighting game that paid heavy.

He won most of the time, taking in a large sum of money but didn’t show off his wealth casually. Some of the cash went to his mom and some he saved to a bank account that was managed by his schoolmate that worked there.

Naturally, people around him started to suspect something was going on in his life. He would show up at work with bruises like he’d been through a tough fight. The customers sometimes screamed at him for his appearance, once an old lady even fainted and had to be sent to the hospital for care.

Wei doubted himself countless time if that was worth it, would all these stuff paid off and led him to a happier life.

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That is EINK

(Written from what I could remember from a recent dream, still feeling a bit weird. It was modified for this blog edition)

The high pitch alarm sounded across the platform as the crowd ran upward from their station.

Luke looked up and saw how many bridges they would have to cross before reaching the top and sighed.

“Move it,” said Jason behind him, “Come on, move.”

They were in a big, wide tunnel, there was thousands of people in there, working on something.

People pushed forward and upward, they hurried their pace and it all felt too much.

Luke took a look at his e ink watch, there was nothing on display.

Jason saw him and knew his intention, “hey, the watch’s not working?”

“No,” Luke said and pushed the button on the side and the screen blinked once and showed the time.

“What is this?”

“It’s an e ink watch.”

“Seriously, I heard you can’t see it in the dark.”

“It has built-in light.”

“Why not the normal digital one?”

“The ran longer, and text clearer, and it’s lighter.”

“I don’t believe it.”

They squeezed into the elevator.

“You don’t have to.”

Jason thought of nothing more to ask.

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J.A.N.E.

J.A.N.E. --- Joint ANdroid Escort

A line of android created for the purpose and function as a real life escort.

They would take your heart and gain your trust, and rip you off.

They are evil creatures created for the evils.

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Windows Cleaner

I have always dreamed about going up on a skyscraper and descend it on the cart attached by cables and wipe the glass.

So, when Pete called me and offered me the job to wipe the glass of one of the tallest building in the city, I instantly said yes. How could I miss the chance of going on the dream job?

The job was simple enough, wipe the glass clean and do it quick.

Pete controlled the cart and we went from floor to floor, it didn’t feel like I am up in the air except the strong wind. I was so focused in wiping the glass clean and seeing the people pretending to not notice me and Pete, that I didn’t really feel the height.

Squeeze some cleaning solution on the glass in a circular motion and use that cloth to wipe it and gave it a watery treatment and wipe it dry and clean again, and that was it.

There was something I saw in the building during the wiping that troubled me though, Pete didn’t saw it and I didn’t told him, but it was real.

There was this lady in the glass, yes, in the glass, like in between the glass, not inside the building or outside with us, but seemed to be trapped inside the glass.

Every floor we went through, she would be there, either sitting or leaning at the corner or stare at me with her blank eye. Her face was white, plain and untamed, she didn’t have an emotion or movement, except the blinking of her eyes. She just stood there watching, sometimes her eyes would be fixed on me which gave me the chill, but other times she would look at the world outside, the restless city in action.

Maybe she was an imagination of my, maybe the height did messed me up, maybe Pete saw her too but didn’t tell me for the same reason.

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Incense

There was this old temple, an old Chinese Buddhist temple. The wall and the pillars painted in red, the roof that looked like a book opened in half reverted painted in yellow, and many small painting and figurines in different colors, but mostly in green, and in the style of Chinese ink wash painting.

Smog formed from the incenses lighted by the people engulfed the temple and took over the color. The whole temple looked washed away, the paint peeled off from the wall and the ceiling of the temple made with thick round woods were covered in dark.

People came in with their incenses and light them from the box, where a thin line immersed in a pool of oil, leaving only a tip out and could be lighted for many hours. The incenses took only a few seconds to be ignited, and it will gradually burn to the ashes and the smoke it generated would be gone by then.

The incense was used as a kind of timing device back in the time, where people would light it up and do various kind of work in that time till it burned out.

The process of burning is slow, you could see it go from the top to the bottom in a leisure movement. Much like a smoke, it burned down to the end as if there were something eating it up.

Also, the smoke produced by the the incense is normally eye watering, if you got anywhere near it, it would feel like you are standing near a barbecue grill, right above it, to be precise.

But people still walk in and walk out like it was nothing, because their believe in the religion was so strong.

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CIVE

“Imagine, then reach.” - Cognitive Imaginary Virtual Engine C.I.V.E

A virtual reality based on a procedural system built on your imagination.

Interact with your greatest fantasy, or conquer your worst nightmare.

First think of what you would like to see, then reach out to it, it’s that simple.

*

Tom sat down on the chair and strapped on the visor. He had created a village of his dream yesterday and peeked at the villagers life, and today, he felt like destroying it with a vicious firestorm.

He imagined the flame rained like snowflakes, in a slow and tiny piece, but as they landed on the houses and the crops, it instantly caught on and spread to the surroundings. Soon the place was in fiery red, the flame engulfed the whole place and so was everyone in it.

After the play, Tom recovered the village from the previous save and conjured a terrible monster, which he was controlling. He stepped on the houses and breathed poisonous gases, chaos broke it, peace ran out. The screaming and shrieking of the villagers did not pleased him and he changed to the original save once again.

He played around for a bit and decided to get on with others. The global network matched him with another player anonymously.

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Information

There was a time information flowed reasonably freely and privacy was like a thing of one’s virginity.

Then there was the time information flooded freely and privacy was like a thing of casual sex.

Anonymity exist with the benefit of the doubt. Anonymity extinct with the benefit of the governance.

The world forfeited every last privacy law protecting the made up right of the netizen, claiming that it was originally set up to control the Internet that was still in development. Seeing that it was set up with its own set of parameter in recent years, everyone agreed that if one wished to be online, they should be cautious about their own action, like it should be in real life.

They made it under the pressure of so called freedom, and so was their plan to continue their monitor on the citizen without violating, conflicting, contradicting with their own rules.

And that was the mockery to those who craved for freedom so much.

So of course a lot more fake identities were on the web, a lot more convenience to the marketing department, a lot more easier to be an identity thief, and a lot more autonomy of being whoever you wish to be on the net.

Information of you, the real you or the fake you, worth not a dime/cent/yen/buck/dollar/nickel to anyone.

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NaNoWriMo Character Sheet

Ship R class Royal Cruiser ‘The Lady’

AKA ‘Dragonfly’

Captain Kurtis King

Crew: Engineer Nina Mckee

Secondary Eng. Shawn Cobb

Secondary Eng. Douglas Young 

Pilot Barry Ross

Secondary Pilot Alexa Booker

Weapon Gaston Kurtz

Secondary Wep. Ashley Kurtz

Doctor Amanda Ashford

Chef Victor Goldman

Sub Ingrid So

Character Info

Captain Kurtis King

New and Novice Captain for the new ship, a R class Royal Cruiser (Display the wealth and techno. advancement of the Acting Galactic Government, like an AD), He is a very pleasant but rather clumsy guy. Straight out of the Academy, was promoted to Captain immediately following his good result and relationship with the representative.

Engineer Nina Mckee

Came from the slum area, Nina is a very determined and stubborn person, though her skills in engineering excess any male in her class. She doesn’t talk much, but if she’s talking, you did better listen.

Secondary Eng. Shawn Cobb and Douglas Young

Best friend since they were born, Shawn Cobb and Douglas Young were the duo you have always wanted. The fact that they knew each other well increased their working efficiency. But if they were separated, the situation could go worse in the most desperate time.

Pilot Barry Ross

Born in a pilot family, Barry knew how to fly when he was in the belly. He could perform the most unrealistic movement and get out of the situation safely, he’s the one everyone’s be betting on. Although his twin brother, Kevin Ross, was even better than him and were currently serving the A class Battle Cruiser - Eliminator

Secondary Pilot Alexa Booker

Alexa Booker, she got picked into the crew for the new ship because her father was a senator. She had the basic training on piloting and the result was quite good. Her father didn’t want her to waste her time on the planet partying, so decided to let her join the crew.

Weapon and Secondary Weapon Gaston Kurtz and Ashley Kurtz

The brother and sister, Gaston Kurtz and Ashley Kurtz join the Academy of Weaponry and both graduated with a distinction. They were from a normal family of four and get along like other brothers and sisters. They cared for each others and looked after each other. They are willing to do anything to help the other.

Doctor Amanda Ashford

Doctor Amanda Ashford was recommended by the Planetary Medical Department to the Royal Cruiser, and were picked by the council in charge of the ship. Amanda is a calm and caring person, but being in the medical room for so long, her color had started to fade, her life seemed to be floating away.

Chef Victor Goldman

Just joined the Royal Chamber Kitchen, Victor Goldman one of the new chef. But before he cooked anything there, he was assigned to the ship and cook normal food for the crew mates. It didn’t went to well for him at first.

Sub Ingrid So

Her information was not in the database. But she surely is a spy for someone. She pretended to be a gentle and sexy women, and used her femininity to gain access to the ship’s data. Tricky and talked people out for information.

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NaNoWriMo Outline

Below is the basic outline I had drafted for NaNoWriMo, it might seem to you a bit lacking, but to me, it was everything I had to expand it into a 50,000 words novel in 14 days.

Chapter One: Novice Captain Kurtis King meet his new crew and a whole new ship. -Background




Chapter Two: The First Flight -Characters, Style, Intro




Chapter Three: First Encounter o sth -Detail, Importance




Chapter Four: The Errand.




Chapter Five: Maybe Alien




Chapter Six: Living, Life, People, Thoughts




Chapter Seven: Pirates! First Fight




Chapter Eight: Distress Beacon




Chapter Nine: Happy Birthday




Chapter Ten: Sickness




Chapter Eleven: Romance -Hint throughout the previous chapters




Chapter Twelve: Day Off




Chapter Thirteen: New Crew




Chapter Fourteen: The Hidden Bug -Conspiracy




Chapter Fifteen: Take over

Chapter Sixteen: Intervention




Chapter Seventeen: Condemned

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NaNoWriMo First Year Winner

This is my first time writing 50,000 words in a month, which took 14 days of actually writing it.

The writing from the start to end came smoothly and very quickly. I didn’t really set a standard word count or follow the minimum words to be written per day. I just wrote as much as I could think of.

I started off small, the first day with around 2,500 words and then steadily producing 3,000+ words everyday that followed. On the best day I had written over 6,000 words, which is not even unpleasant to my mind or fingers.

I crossed the standard finish line on 17th November, it took me 14 days of writing. (Two days were spent travelling in Singapore, and a day for the Graduation Ceremony) I am really happy that I could actually win it.

I was a bit skeptical at first to tell you the least, I’ve never managed to be focused enough to write more than a thousand or so words a day and suddenly I skyrocketed to 2000+, it was quite a change.

Luckily, I loved my ideas for the novel and had a great time writing it, there’s still a lot to be improved and edited (REWRITE), but overall I enjoyed it.

The community here in Hong Kong is active, there’s no lack of write-ins or chat, people were getting their works done. They have a day job but was willing to dedicate their off-time to the writing which I think is the biggest sacrifice, cuz’ I know the pain and how worn off one could be after a day of work. I couldn’t possibly think about how I would be able to write a page after work. Lucky I don’t have one.

It’s inspiring nonetheless, seeing so many people writing with a goal, I will definitely try this again next year, assuming I am still alive because there’s no catastrophe event (lol).

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Commute

Jerry got up everyday at 6, he would then wash up and had some cereal for breakfast and went out wearing a navy blue t-shirt, brown pants and grey shoe for the summer, dark blue hoodie with the navy blue t-shirt, brown pants and grey shoe for the winter.

He would take a three minutes walk and get to the subway station at 6:30 sharp. He would get on the earliest arrived train and get off at the last station of the line. He would then board the train and travel back to the other end of the line.

He would finally get off at the last station and exit the subway area and wander to a bridge ten minutes away. He would find there were people living under that bridge and he would find a slot to sit down and meditate for the whole morning.

He would feel the need to lunch when a clock struck twelve somewhere in that place. He would get up and went to a local charity station to claim foods. He would say hi to the afternoon crew who he knew. He would occasionally see new faces, but it soon turned old.

He would take the food back to the place he stayed that day and eat them with haste and resume his meditation. When the clock struck six, he would get up and walk to the subway station. He would get on the train and travel to the last stop. He would get off and wait for another train to arrive. He would board that train and travel back to the station where his home is. He would walk three minutes back to his place and sleep.

He would find his place dirty, cramped, filthy. There’s flies everywhere, a stench of the landfill. He would struggle to sleep and eventually wake up and sleep and wake up and sleep again, till the morning arrive.

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WRC

Hear the engine roars or watch the car crashes or rolls

Kicking up dirt, rolling up dirt, spinning up dirt

burning rubber, pumping gas, overcoming obstacles

Rainy, wet, moist, humid, slippery, glue, pool, sticky, splash, wipers

Sunny, dry, dust, scattered, fog, smog, sand

Rush, turn, brake, handbrake, lever, gear, adjust, adapt, accommodate

Winner, podium finish, catching up

Unexpected, unsurprisingly, unfortunately, irreversible, inevitable, formidable, champion, consecutive, legend, classic, display, show, champagne, retirement, predecessor

Split time, stage time, round

RALLY

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Electronic Overkill

Video transcript

B: Is it working? (B looked into the camera and was shaking it a little bit)

A: Yes, it is. Now stop fiddling with it, let’s get back to work. (A stepped in to the scene, which is in a lab setting place.)

B: Okay, hi everyone, this is Doctor Albert Nolan, and I am Doctor Burton Mitchell, this is a demonstration of a testing phase for our latest invention, which hopefully could provide a massive area coverage for remote charging. Our small scale test was a success, but as we are increasing the output and coverage area, we are expecting to see some interesting result. Shall we process Albert?

A: (Nodded)

B: Okay. (A pushed a few buttons on a panel) Let’s see how this goes. Our expected range is 10 kilometer.

A: (Take up a communication device from the desk) 50 meter, how’s it going?

50M: Device is charging.

A: 100 meter.

100M: Device is charging.

A: 250 meter.

250M: Device is charging.

A: 500 meter.

500M: Device is charging.

A: 1 kilometer.

1KM: Device is charging.

A: 3 kilometer.

3KM: Device is charging.

A: 5 kilometer.

5KM: Device is charging.

A: 7 kilometer.

7KM: Device is charging.

A: (Grinned at B) 10 kilometer.

10KM: Device is charging.

(A and B exchanged a few inaudible words in the backgroud)

B: Okay, let it run for a few more minutes and let’s see- (The light in the room flickered and three seconds later, the video recording stopped)

***

A massive electric field engulfed the whole planet at an incredible rate, it swiped the whole continent slower than lights but faster than jets. It also emitted countless electrons and spreaded in a devastating speed.

Almost every single life on earth were taken, every piece of electronic was deep fried, and anyone who was near an electronic product was killed instantly. Those who stayed away in the countryside, with no electronic was spared to live a pathetic life a little long, three minutes.

Those who made it out alive, were mostly African. The rest of the world had less than a dozen alive, ten thousand below.

Animals were killed much like the way the human were, and some survived like the human were.

But there was something strange happening, the plants didn’t die, none had died except a few recent species raised by scientifically giving birth to.

Plants didn’t die but were stronger than ever. They grew bigger, tougher, more fruits, more flowers, more life within them. Their coverage soon extended toward the city and overtook many places as their home.

The living survived because of theses weird looking tree. Tree that grew so large, with so many branches and too many leaves.

Shelters were built around them, life were gathered beside them.

None had the time to find out what caused the almost extinction of human and animals, and the knowledge soon were forgotten and gone with the dead.

Years passed, life evolved around trees, people settled for a place of their own, but dangers were lurking around them.

(Something like Revolution + The Last of Us + Tokyo Jungle + Enslaved: Odyssey to the West + I am Legend)

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Project Aurora

Never be afraid of the night, because now the night you know is gone (Don’t worry, Batman is staying). With Project Aurora in full effect, we should expect the sky to be half as bright as the day at night.

Project Aurora utilize the energy-efficient improved and specially modified LEDs panels, by lifting them up and hang them on the fixed orbital track so that it would always be shining on the dark side(Night side) of the earth.

With that many light panels shining from all different angles, the night would be as clear as the day, whiter but not too bright that would blind you.

Each panel is combined with thousand of LEDs in a compact circuit board that draw power from the Sun when at other side of the world. There are currently two sets of these panels on each side of the earth while one act as backup.

The current coverage including all South and North America, The Europe with only a small part covered in Russia, and the Asia, the Middle East and Africa. While these panels mainly covered the major cities in the countries, some would have dimmer light coverage because of the distant but still acceptable luminosity.

Besides providing the lighting services, the panels also include surveillance camera that would help construct the photo of the earth daily, which would be used for scientific purposes for the United Nations(doubt it).

As the testing phase began in the year 2018 in some of the major US cities, the reception were well and promising, as the project gathered funds and most public support, the project went completely operational at the year 2023, with the totally self-sustainable design, the panels were thought to be able to last for at least 10 years.

As of the effect, most people found the light comfortable, and the crime rates dropped in the first few years. The lighting usage and expenses were cut in half. And the most obvious problem being not able to look at the stars and the dark sky in the first year the light launched. After receiving so many complaint and feedback from the public, the world agreed to turn off (or dim the brightness as they said) the light at multiple scheduled period every night.

From the space station, the earth on the other side of the sun looked pale but bright with so many dark spot surrounding it.

From the moon, it looked as if it was another moon.

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Arcade Center

The only arcade center left in Chinatown, in New York City, crumbled to its end and went down with the owner.

So long had it been operated under the control of the gangs in recent years, acting as one of the many empty shell for money laundering and storage for highly addictive and illegal stimulants. The neon signs flashed and the game music looped, the artificial marshmallows scent gone with the ages, and the variety of vintage games in store were now the memory of those who passed by.

The preliminary report compiled by the fire department suspected a short circuit in one of the gaming console at the rear, which torched the carpet and swarmed the whole place in a matter of minutes. There, however, had signs of a deliberate fire from the trace of gasoline near the emergency exit, and a sudden electric current overload occurred near the time of fire in the building.

While the arcade center burned in flame, the fire department was not granted access to the road immediately because the Chinatown’s denial of authorities. It was after half an hour of negotiation with the local did the firefighters reached the building and provide limited assistance under the surveillance of the gang members. The rescue was eventually meaningless and fruitless but necessary.

A letter received by the police department a day later bared the confession of the owner, Jackie Chan, that claimed his involvement in a shooting that gunned down a local gang boss and some of its members at a newly opened burger place inside Chinatown, though there was only the surveillance videotape that vaguely captured the shooter in the shadow which hardly resemble the feature of Jackie Chan. The investigators suspected someone planted the murder to Mr. Chan, so they decided to conceal the news from the public at the moment, before more evidences were collected and examined that an official statement could be given out confirming the crime Mr. Chan might had committed, as to not hinder the interrogation of the other suspects the investigators had in mind. Rival gangs, and possibly a internal power and standing struggle that sparked the killing. The list of suspects were long, and time was not on their side.

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Soda

The six feet tall soda machine stood solemnly on the corner of the street, waiting for a passing by customer to buy something inside its display so that she could perform her magic, and benefit the addicts.

Jason happened to drive past this street with his mouth hanging dry all the way without a bottle of chilling water in his car. He parked near her and swiped his credit card above the payment panel, a confirmation sound emitted from the machine and Jason selected the brand he always loved - Sprite. The chilling artificial lemon flavor and the bubbling compressed carbon dioxide filled his mouth as the can dropped into his hand with an opening pop.

Satisfied, he slipped back into the vehicle and sped away to god knows where.

What you didn't know was, she wasn't not just an ordinary soda machine that sold soda for a living, she was also capable of distributing exotic drugs to the local addicts.

This district's soda machines were compromised as the local drug lord threatened the refilling person to cut a deal with them so that the soda machines could be used for high-end stimulants distribution. In this way the police won't find the evidence they need so easily as it was all transferred by an agent.

There were many types to choose from, besides the regular or normal Soda, including the Coke and Sprite, there were the stimulants that aimed at specific body part. The most popular one being the brain, artists and writers relied on this kind of medications. Then there was the limbs, which made you exceptionally strong for a short period of time and would wear your off extremely quickly for the day. Next one was the eye drops that form a layer on your eyeballs and generate a virtual reality interface through the nano circuits in the jelly-like fluid.

Sadly, Jason didn't pick the other unknown brand of soda ranging from ‘The Farmland Fruit Juice', ‘The Hawaii Coco' to ‘The Galaxy Stardust' and much more, or else he could enjoy a hell of ride back home.

The soda machine refilling person named Tommy had a wife and a kid both living in New Jersey. He have been doing this refilling job for a consecutive of thirteen years ever since he graduated from high school. Because he had endured hardship in the Noughties, he had never thought about doing anything else. Besides, the job pays the bills. With his solid build carried on to his thirties, and the company had no plan of replacing the labor force with the automatic ones, he had to held on to the job even if it meant playing fire with drugs.

Meanwhile, drug addicts frequented the soda machines attracted some suspicion from the locals but none took action to investigate further. With the cover of the soda machine in work, the drug lord’s gaining tripled, and that meant a gang war was brewing inside the seeming calm and quiet community for money and power.

What’s your choice of Soda, cowboy?

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