THE CHILD PRODIGY

Zuben stirred from his sleep when he heard his mother’s sweet voice, “ Wake up honey, It is such a beautiful day. It’s time to get up.”

“ Momma…..” His baby voice trailed off as he got up and rubbed his small eyes. He looked so adorable in that sleepy avatar. You couldn’t resist the urge to hug him.

He got off the bed and dang….dang…dang… ran towards his mother with baby steps, the corner of his blanket still in his hand. It was made of thermal microns that kept the enclosure at a constant temperature.

He raised his hands to touch his mother’s hand but it met with cold glass.

He glared at the screen showing his mother’s hologram. He wanted to wake up next to his momma and not some stupid screen. He pouted and picked the showpiece kept on the headstand and threw at it with a scowl.

There was a loud crash as the glass on the screen cracked in the pattern of a spider web. Zuben watched with distaste as the glass of the screen repaired itself. Within moments it was as good as new.

“ One day I will find a way to break it permanently.  Then momma will come to wake up Zuben and carry Zuben in her arms like before.” He said with seriousness that didn’t suit a six-year-old boy.

Right at that moment, a shrill tune sounded in his room, ‘Momma is calling baby, pick up….. Momma is calling baby, pick up………Momma is calling baby, pick up.’

“ Baby angry!!!! Baby no pick up!!!!!” He said with a sulky expression.

‘ Parental override! Baby has to pick up the call of parents, automated response….putting the call on speaker,’ the monotonous voice rang in the room and a large screen lit up with a video call from Zuben’s mother, Sarah Zen.

Her appearance matched her rank in society. Dressed tastefully from head to toe, every curl of hair was in place. The pupils of her eyes turn a beautiful shade of blue as she said, “ Baby!!! Good morning…. Mamma loves baby! It’s time for baby to join his friends for the morning play, okay honey. Remember to energize yourself before joining the play-zone.”

The screen turned blank and then flickered again. Mrs. Zen’s pupils turn a dark shade of red as she warned, “ Take only the prescribed amount of energy. Bye baby…. Mamma has to leave now.” She blew a flying kiss and the video turned off.

Tears welled in Zuben’s eyes as he said sullenly, “ Momma did not ask Zuben why he is angry……….”

Seeing the tears well in his eyes his personal assistant Cuppy Cake came rushing and it tried to soothe him in its mechanical voice, “Zubie is a good boy, Zubie don’t cry.” It took out Zuben’s toy robot and gave him saying, “ Zubie play, Zubie don’t cry.”

He tried his best to control his sobs. He didn’t want Cuppy to pester him with his pre-programmed drama. Zuben’s eyebrows furrowed and he puffed up his cheeks. After thinking something he said, “ Cuppy!! There is dirt on Zubie’s feet. Clean it with a cloth.”

Cuppy did as ordered. It took a cloth and started wiping Zuben’s feet even though it was clean.

“Stupid box of tin,” Zuben said as he took out a tiny metal object from his pocket. He pressed it and it turned into a long rod. He used it to press a small knob on the back of Cuppy.

There was a screeching sound and Cuppy’s light died out. The walls of the room were implanted with photons that recorded each moment but Zuben knew that his mother would be too busy to check.

Zuben stretched himself and walked to the corner of his room. His hands moved towards the button labeled 100,000 ATP but then he pressed on the button labeled 50,000 ATP.

He felt warmth radiate all over his body right up to his fingers and toes. He often liked to take an extra dose of energy. It made him feel excited but not today. He wanted to spend his time reading his favorite book. So, he didn’t want to risk it.

A loud siren rang whenever he pressed the button of a higher magnitude than was meant for him. His mother would then block him from his playtime as a punishment. Little did she know that Zuben did it on purpose. He hated playtimes.

He sat on the vair (a chair specially designed to meet friends virtually). He pressed a button and was immediately enveloped by a virtual surrounding. He worked quickly, his hands flowing freely across the virtual keyboard. The envelope raised from the floor by a few centimeters.

Then he tapped on another button and slid out through the gap he had created near the floor. He had entered codes into the system in such a way that his friends would think that he was still present.

When Zuben was five years old he accompanied his parents most of the time. On one such occasion, someone had gifted his father a physical book on coding. It was a very old copy of ‘Beginner’s Guide to Coding’. Driven by curiosity he had sneaked it into his room.

He kept it hidden in a secret vault gifted to him by his grandfather. Slowly he taught himself the art of coding.

The technology used by the systems at his house was so advanced that it usually ignored binary language. It was considered as a child’s play. Many systems were never acquainted with the binary language. Thus, Zuben was able to use it to his benefit.

Zuben sat below the Energy Dispensing machine and pulled out the secret vault. He turned the knob round and round and it opened with a creak.

He took out an old book from his hoard. It was titled ‘Malgudy Schooldays’. It was his favorite book. He often fancied himself to be the main character and got lost in the world of imagination.

He had sneaked all of them from his father’s library by hacking the systems of his house. He knew the routine of his parents like the back of his hands. The fact that his parents never did anything out of routine helped him too.

He was a child prodigy alright but he was sad deep within. He longed to be with his parents like he did a year ago. They were busy even then but their physical presence comforted him. He didn’t want to live an isolated existence away from his parents.

While Zuben was lost in his own world the door of his room slid open.

Beep….beep…..beep…. Danger alert! Danger Alert!

A mechanical voice sounded behind him. He was lifted from the floor by Rocky (The robot that was in charge of security)

Zuben struggled against Rocky but what could a small boy do against a large robot made of metal?

He had to give up after a while. Rocky carried him out of the room. Zuben was pleasantly surprised when he realized that Rocky was walking towards his mother’s room.

Now he would be able to meet her and hug her. He would pretend to be angry and then forgive her after a while.