As I followed Aaron into the store, I stared slack-jawed as he grabbed a shopping cart that looked surprisingly normal. I mean, it was almost identical to the ones back in my village. Puzzled, I asked, "Why is the cart so... ordinary?"
Aaron chuckled, pushing the cart ahead. "I don't know. Not everything needs to be futuristic or upgraded. This design is good enough and functional. The only thing it could do better is follow me around automatically, but honestly, that's just overkill for a grocery run."
I nodded. Can't fault his logic.
As Aaron walked off, I made sure not to lose sight of him as the sea of people moved all around us.
Aaron guided us through the store, "Let's hit the autochef aisle first for dinners, then we'll pick up some packed lunches to save money and finish with fresh stuff," he suggested. I shrugged and nodded in agreement, still adjusting to the overwhelming array of choices surrounding us and the noisy stampede of people who magically didn't run each other over.
Looking around, I didn't recognize any of the things I saw. Back home, we had meat, grains, tubers, and a small selection of sauces and spices. That was it. Here, each aisle had more options than at the store back home.
Inwardly, I sighed.
"You paying attention, Eli," Aaron called out, pulling me from my thoughts.
I nodded, following his gestures.
As Aaron enthusiastically pointed out various options in the autochef aisle, the colorful packaging, and unfamiliar names left me feeling completely out of my depth. Aaron seemed to sense my confusion and tried to help by offering comparisons.
"Here, this one's similar to what my mom made for dinner the other night," he said, picking up a packet. My eyes lit up as I remembered the flavor and vaguely recognized the image on the package. I nodded.
Aaron held up another packet. "And this is like what we had at the restaurant. The Asian Fusion one with my friends." I peered at the packaging, trying not to drool at the memory, and nodded again. He added those and a few more to the basket, counting how much he needed till the weekend.
As we moved along the aisle, Aaron must have realized I had no idea what we were looking at. He asked, "Wait, you have no idea what an autochef is?"
I shook my head. "No, not really."
He explained, "You just pop these in the autochef, and in about 15 minutes, you have a meal. Not as good as you can make from scratch, and a bit more expensive but a lot easier both in cooking and cleaning side."
I nodded, "Are you sure these things are safe to eat?" I asked, my voice tinged with doubt.
Aaron laughed. "Of course they are! I've been eating them for years, and I'm still alive, right? You have eaten a few of these already, too," he said with a grin.
"True," I admitted, realizing the autochef was the box Aaron made my meals in the last few days. "It's just... so different from what I'm used to."
As we reached the end of the aisle, Aaron asked, "So, what do you think about packed lunches?"
I shook my head, admitting my unfamiliarity. "I'm not sure. We never had these back home. Our mom's just packed our lunches every day."
Aaron contemplated the options before us, his gaze drifting from one aisle to another. "Well, you can choose between sandwiches with lunch meat or prepackaged lunches. The latter is a bit more expensive, but it's still way cheaper than eating out every day. Plus, you just throw it into a lunchbox, press a button, and you have hot food instead of cold food."
Faced with another decision, I deferred to his judgment, unsure of what to choose. He flashed a reassuring smile. "Let's go for the prepackaged lunches. It's easier and still budget-friendly."
"Alright," I agreed. I followed him down another aisle, watching as he selected various items—Burrito Bowl, Pad Thai, and some kind of Soup. The names were new to me, but I trusted his choices.
He seemed to be grabbing himself a few as well. My stomach churned with anxiety, realizing my friend had become my impromptu guardian. I felt ashamed that he was taking care of me. I was going to have to come up with some sort of way to make it up to him. One way or another.
"Hey, don't worry about it," Aaron said suddenly as if sensing my distress. "You're new here. It's normal to feel lost and overwhelmed. Besides, I'm happy to help."
"Thanks, Aaron," I managed, my voice wavering. "I just... I don't want to be a burden on you."
"Trust me, you're not," he assured me, his eyes warm and comforting. "We're friends, right? Friends help each other out."
"Right," I replied, my heart swelling with gratitude.
The fresh produce aisle was a symphony of colors and scents, like stepping into another world entirely. I swallowed hard, trying to suppress the giddiness that bubbled in my chest as we wandered through the vibrant displays.
"Look at all this," I marveled, reaching out to touch a perfectly ripe tomato. "We don't have anything like this back home."
"Really?" Aaron asked, sounding surprised. "I thought you guys grew your own stuff?"
"We do, but our selection is... limited," I admitted.
"Ah, I see." He picked up a few items, dropping them into our cart. "I don't usually buy much fresh stuff. I just stop by the convince store every few days or so. Our fridge is tiny. I had to choose between a full-sized fridge or a half-sized one with an Autochef. I'm lazy and went for the Autochef."
I laughed at his candor, shaking my head. "You don't seem lazy!"
He smirked, his eyes sparkling with humor. "I'm lazy where it counts and hardworking where I can't be lazy."
I glanced around and realized we went through about 1/10th of the store. My heart sank, realizing I needed to extend my trip for at least several more months just to experience this city. Hopefully, I wouldn't annoy Aaron enough to jeopardize our friendship. The thought of losing him as a friend was unbearable.
"Hey," Aaron said gently, placing a hand on my shoulder. "I can see the gears turning in your head. Don't stress so much about it."
"Thanks, Aaron," I replied.
"Come on, we have to hurry," Aaron urged me, glancing at his watch as we rushed toward the checkout line.
"Alright," I agreed hastily.
As we reached the register, Aaron paused, allowing the system to scan and tally our items automatically. My eyes widened in amazement as the total appeared on the display. "How did it know?" I blurted out, unable to contain my curiosity.
"Know what?" Aaron asked, momentarily confused.
"How did it know what we bought?" I clarified, my voice tinged with awe.
Aaron chuckled lightly, shaking his head. "Oh, that. It's all sensors and cameras working together. But don't ask me to explain the details. That's way beyond my interest or level of expertise."
"Wow," I breathed.
After Aaron paid with a tap of his watch, I insisted on carrying our bags, feeling the need to contribute somehow. We made our way back to the bus stop, dodging the collection of people dressed in every imaginable way. They were all doing their own thing, absorbed in their private worlds. None seemed to even notice our existence.
For a fleeting moment, a crushing sense of loneliness washed over me. I had never experienced this feeling before. Back home, everyone knew everyone. Here, it seemed like no one knew anyone, at least beyond the group where Aaron lived and at work.
"Ready to catch the bus?" he asked.
"Definitely," I replied.
The bus rumbled beneath us as we made our way back to Aaron's neighborhood. Gradually, the dense crowds thinned, and the stark industrial blocks gave way to a more pleasant mix of architecture. Each building was adorned with decorative, colorful facades. Especially compared to the grey drab of the downtown area.
"Look!" I exclaimed, spotting Aaron's apartment building among the structures. "There it is!"
"Good job recognizing our stop," Aaron praised me, grinning. I smiled, slowly but surely, I was adapting to city.
We got off the bus, and I made sure to carry our groceries into Aaron's apartment. The weight of the bags didn't bother me anyways.
"Pick something for dinner," Aaron suggested as he gestured to our bags of groceries. I scanned the assortment of packets, finally selecting one labeled 'Southern Sweet Potatoes Mashed with BBQ Biscuit.' I had no idea what it was, but the picture on the package looked appetizing.
"Nice choice!" Aaron said, sliding the packet into the autochef. I watched in awe through the small window as robotic arms extended, skillfully preparing our meal. A countdown timer flickered on, showing 15 minutes until dinner was ready. I couldn't tear my eyes away from the fascinating process.
"Thanks for being so patient with me, Aaron," I said, finally tearing my gaze away from the autochef. "I know it's not easy showing a newbie like me around."
"Hey, don't worry about it," Aaron reassured me, his eyes warm and sincere.
The autochef timer beeped, and I tore my gaze away from the mesmerizing process as Aaron retrieved our dinner. The scent of sweet potatoes and barbecue filled the small apartment, making my mouth water. Aaron split the meal into two portions on plates, and we sat down at the table and dug in. The flavors were rich and comforting.
"Figured out how to use the phone and datalink yet?" Aaron asked between bites.
I nodded, swallowing a mouthful of mashed sweet potatoes. "Yeah, the ebook reader you gave me years ago helped me understand the basics, like using the internet."
"Want me to help you set up the additional functions?" he offered, wiping his mouth with a napkin.
"Please," I replied gratefully.
Aaron took my phone and guided me through linking my bank information and setting up a biometric security password. His eyebrows shot up when he saw the balance in my account. "Wow, since when is the boss so generous?" he whistled, causing me to blush in embarrassment and gratitude.
"Is it a lot? Guess I got lucky. Boss did mention something about the per-piece bonus," I mumbled, fiddling with my fork.
Aaron shifted the conversation back to my phone. "See this icon? It's your email." He pointed to the slew of notifications on my screen.
"Ok, but what am I supposed to do with these?" I asked, puzzled.
He chuckled. "You check them. It's like mail, but digital and faster."
Confused, I admitted that in the village, we didn't have mail; we simply exchanged cards as needed. Aaron, looking slightly embarrassed, explained, "Well, this is similar but more expansive." He tapped on the email icon, revealing a list of messages.
Curiously, I clicked on the top one, finding it was from the work registration computer. I exclaimed, "Oh! That's cool. So this is what they all meant about sending me the documentation through email."
I meticulously went through my inbox, carefully opening each email one after the other. It was letters from work, contract from work, bank information and information from the government registration. The final one stood out, distinctly different from the others. It wasn't marked as important or official; instead, it was from the email address my dad had shared with me.
With a mix of apprehension and curiosity, I clicked it open. The message read: "Dear Son, It is good to hear from you. I am happy to hear that you are safe. Please let me know when you are headed home. We are all safe and well. Don't succumb to evil. Your Father."
Aaron, who had been casually glancing over, furrowed his brow in confusion. "What does 'don't succumb to evil' mean?" he asked, his voice tinged with curiosity.
I exhaled a weary sigh, "Not sure. He's been repeating that ever since I decided to come visit you," I explained.
After reading the email from my dad, I tapped out a response slowly, searching for each key on the keyboard. Aaron leaned over to help me find the right buttons, and we laughed at my clumsy typing.
"Dear Father," I began, "I am safe and have found a job in the city. I plan to stay for a while longer to learn more and experience this new life. Thank you for your concern."
"Maybe 'don't succumb to evil' is just a figure of speech or something that is a common idiom in the OldWorlder communities?" Aaron offered with an uncertain shrug.
"Maybe," I agreed. I paused for a moment, hesitating before hitting send. As I set the phone aside, I felt a sense of disconnect from my past...and from my self..