The moment I wake up, I check my phone, searching for any notifications. Damn it. Dry as a desert. I grumble and sit up from the inviting mattress of my bed. I stare blankly at my wall before rolling out of bed.

I think I’ll go out for a walk. It’s a Saturday anyway. No work, no school, nothing.

I brush my teeth, brush my hair, wash my face, change into clothes, and exit my room.

I don’t leave until I have my phone with me.

I never leave my phone.

Never.

I stumble down the stairs and head to the kitchen. I grab a glass and pour myself some water.

It’s quiet. Dad must be watching the news.

I glance at the living room and there he is,

His round form one with his leather recliner.

He’s watching The Fox News.

I feel something in my stomach and I push it down with one more sip of water before walking to the hallway, stumbling into my shoes and shimmying on my jacket.

I open the front door and exit. The sun flashes my eyes, the smell of life assaulting my senses. I rush back inside, slamming the door shut.

I’m not taking a walk.

Nope.

I’m driving. I need gas and to grab some groceries anyway.

I grab my car keys as well as my house keys from the counter by the front door and return outside, rushing to my car as I unlock it, its honk reassuring me.

I open the door and slump into the drivers seat.

I drive around, with no destination.

Right, gas. I remind myself. I drive towards the gas station as glance at a billboard with a pleasant yet dreaful looking woman, smiling or not, I can’t quite remember. But I can remember its words:

Being human is so 2023.

Try AI!

I feel something gurgling in my stomach.

Hunger?

I pull into the parking lot of the gas station. I look around at the cars parked. Not a single person off their phones. At least they’re smiling.

I pull out my phone and tap on the Instagram icon. I start scrolling. All kinds of information fill my brain. Almost all being useless.

Almost all being brainwashing.

Sweet propaganda.

I stop scrolling after two hours. I saw a reel speaking of a new possible bill.

It upset me.

And I hate the truth.

I turn on the car radio, flicking through some channels until I hear Green Day.

I start driving back to my house. As I drive I spot a Tesla. I’m surprised they’re not a German car company but an Austrian one.

I hate how the museums I pass by always have such shitty AI generated paintings.

I think about getting groceries again.

A bile threatens to spill. The ocean swallowing my emotions. I focus on the street.

Too expensive. Especially the eggs. Didn’t he say He would lower the prices? Damn.

I feel so overwhelmed and pissed off.

But I can’t even compare my frustration to Canada’s.

I’d feel so much better if I was with my boyfriend.

I want my boyfriend. He’s the one in 70,000,000.