The Synergist

[Year 2 | 2254-55]

Early in the boy’s second year, Artur’s parents were less convinced of their son’s genius.  On the morning of his first birthday, the Nanny chip in his head was activated, replacing his dreams with educational material about the world and in particular, the City.  City-approved music was continuously played throughout his sleep, accompanied by images of animals and vehicles.  All this education was designed to increase little Artur’s vocabulary, but the only word that Mum and Dad recognise through their son’s babbling is “City.”  And at one year of age, Artur’s pronunciation of “City” simply sounds like “shit.”

Shortly after Artur’s first birthday, he started pulling himself up on the furniture of his apartment, getting used to the feeling of his weight on his feet.  Then, at the ripe old age of fourteen months, Artur’s parents brought home the thirteenth generation TreeX, and installed it ready for Christmas.  Seeing this gigantic new gadget all lit up in the living room, Artur did the only logical thing his mind could conceive of.  He grabbed a branch and used it as leverage as he pulled himself up from the floor.  When the tree came crashing down, destroying his parents’ investment in the best Christmas ever, it was not only the first time that Artur walked; it was the first time he ran.  It was also the first time that the Nanny chip gave him an electric shock.

“Naughty baby,” Nanny scolded him.

Despite Artur’s irresponsible behaviour, Santa Claus still visited the Simril household that year.  Artur was gifted, among many things, the Tab Gogh.  Named after a certain post-impressionist known for his mental health issues as much as his art, the Tab Gogh’s parent corporation is committed to mental health.  The fact that its parent corporation also owns PharMed, the official supplier of medication to the City, including those designed to maintain mental health, is purely coincidental.

Much of little Artur’s following nine months were spent playing with the Gogh Tab.  A simple device, it consists of a tablet, art software and a stylus.  Artur whittled away the hours scribbling pictures he anointed as “Mum” or “Dad,” though to the adult eye, these portraits were more akin to Artur’s pronunciation of “city.”