Short Extract from Sun of Endless Days Chapter One It wasn’t often that Ajay Ambers felt this alive. He kept telling himself it was a good thing. Healthy. Refreshing. It would give him the edge over his colleagues as he’d be more alert, produce better work and be able to stay later. Yet they’d all been there hours before him, so there was no escaping it. He was behind. The thought unnerved him, as it should. He breathed and allowed the stale air to fill his lungs while listening to the subtle hum of the sky train, gliding over the City below. He’d never been this late, nor had he been so naturally awake. In need of a distraction, he engaged in his favourite pastime and observed the others in his carriage. But he was only reminded of his lateness when he didn’t recognise anyone. Of course, living in a city of millions, this shouldn’t have surprised him, but if he were there at his usual time, he’d be seeing the same people. There was the girl with a dark complexion who wore some skirt under a brightly coloured anorak, even when storms weren’t forecast. She always stood by the doors, never looking up from scrolling through her Watch. Today, her place was taken by an older lady whose face was also hidden by the black screen projecting from her wrist. Ajay instantly noticed the golden earrings hanging from her limp earlobes. They looked real. He glanced down to make sure his tie was still straight and tucked his shirt deeper into his suit trousers. Ugly Briefcase Man, as he called him, was missing too. Every day, this guy would sit on one of the few seats with his briefcase on his lap, scowling at the City behind his thick, dark eyebrows and tapping his clown feet until the train arrived at his station. Ajay often considered ‘accidentally’ stepping on his feet so the annoyance would stop. He never did. That would be rude, and no merit was available for being rude. But had he been tempted to steal the briefcase, just to know what was in it? Yes. Wasn’t everything he needed on his Watch? That’s one reason to be late. No incessant foot-tapping. One reason. The only one. Ajay did miss the other guy – his train mate. They weren’t exactly friends. They didn’t even know each other, but Ajay wondered if they might become acquainted one day. It was strange how seeing the same person every day made him believe he knew them somehow. He definitely lived in his neighbourhood on the Outer Inner-Ring, as he and Ajay boarded at the same stop. He also considered the guy to be well-off credit-wise, as he often wore the latest brands of office wear and, without fail, had varying Watch strap designs. They didn’t come cheap. Ajay was confident that he must have had Glorified connections or at least worked there, because Ajay’s stop was the one before the Quarters and they never departed together. What would it be like to have a permanent job there, instead of only volunteering? Maybe one day his train mate would tell him. Genni often told him he was a creep for thinking so much about a guy he didn’t know. Over the years, he had exhausted the tactic of passing time by Watch scrolling or clicking on personalised adverts for merit-making bonuses, so what else could he do? Without his usual commute gang with him, he opted to look out the window, the scary unfamiliarity of doing nothing unsettling him, but that didn’t stop a strange sense of gratitude from seeping in. It’s all the natural sleep. It’s making me too reflective. But it was hard not to marvel over the City he lived in. A thriving metropolis that never stopped sparkling. Skyscraper windows glinted in the white sunlight, driverless cars slid past each other, drones moved peacefully like a flock of birds in flight, and thousands of billboard adverts flickered with colour. It was a masterpiece, and I’m part of it. An advert for a new line of beer swiftly stole his attention. The train pulled into its next stop and Ajay lifted his wrist, so his projected screen was in line with the billboard. He just managed to scan it before the train moved away again with its fast yet silent simplicity. Looking down at his Watch, Ajay ordered a crate of the beers to his apartment after checking it was lower than 0.5 per cent. As he shut down his screen, he saw an email pop through. He didn’t fully digest its contents, as it wasn’t addressed to him, but it was a ruthless reminder that he wasn’t in the office. A pang of anxiety ricocheted across his chest. He and Genni had overslept this morning. Or rather, they’d absolutely indulged in sleep. Eight straight hours of solid shut-eye. As a result, they’d both been frantic. ‘I can’t believe this…’ Genni had been ranting and flapping her arms about, as if she was trying to dance but failing badly. Nothing was attractive to Ajay in that moment. She had tossed her red dress on and begun to throw stuff into her handbag with enough speed and frustration that each item had landed with a sharp clunk. Ajay barely acknowledged her at first, as he’d rushed from the shower with a towel wrapped around his waist. ‘Morning, Genni.’ A soft, mechanical female voice sounded from behind the mirrored screen of her dressing table. It had informed her that her facial pores had improved by 14 per cent but recommended increasing her moisturiser routine. Ajay had breathed through the irritating, inconsistent noises of Genni smacking her make-up brushes back into their containers. ‘You can’t put anything else on your face. If anything, your skin is looking drier,’ Ajay had said. That was the mistake. That comment. After that, Genni had slouched her shoulders and started to mumble words Ajay presumed were profanities. Rightly so. He didn’t know why he’d said it. It was a slip of the tongue, or maybe somehow he thought sharing her frustration might make her feel better. She always complained about her pores. He’d obviously got it wrong. Usually, he was very good at keeping his thoughts to himself. He preferred to judge silently without the consequences; yet, this morning, it was as if his filter had fallen down his throat. Then again, he reminded himself, he was gracious enough not to highlight the rip he’d noticed in the armpit of her red dress. He let her go without burdening her with the weight of another imperfection. Ajay felt the train tip slightly, as it took one of its spiral route’s sharp curves. He and others around him grabbed quickly at the purple handrails, clammy as the desert air. After the train whistled into his stop, he didn’t hesitate to advance towards the steps down to the lower street level. Marching past the all too familiar line of the station’s digital displays, he hesitated slightly as he noticed that one of them had changed. It was once an advert for a line of very provocative female swimsuits, now replaced with a message about safe credit investments. A huge shift in vibe. He moved quickly into the hustle and bustle, inhaling sharply as he was engulfed by the crowds and the street sellers. He closed his nostrils from the smell of standard meat and ducked away from those displaying products on floating monitors. He noticed one sweaty man trying to flog a few knock-off necklaces. Get one for Genni. Will that help? No, you’re spiralling. You know she’s worth more than that. Satisfied that he’d corrected himself, he pressed on towards the Prosper building. ‘Fella.’ Ajay heard a gruff voice scramble after him. For Tulo’s sake, why? He kept walking. ‘Fella, hey. You at Prosper? I got books and movies to help your merit.’ The man was mid-twenties, probably around Ajay’s age, and was wearing a tattered, dark-green vest. Small wisps of black chest hair protruded out from its neckline. It was hard not to grimace. The man walked along with him, and Ajay had a fleeting thought of punching him, but as usual, he opted for a deadpan expression and silence. Why did I ever humour them? In his early days on the job, he would use words and phrases such as ‘sorry’ and ‘I’ll come back later’, thinking they deserved his kindness. As a result, he lost precious minutes getting into the office. He now understood that kindness to strangers needed to be strategic and exclusive. He eventually told the seller to back off and briefly watched him launch himself and his products onto his next victim. He’s fine, see? Forget him. Ajay marched quickly up the glass steps, but groaned playfully as he was pulled back by a familiar voice. ‘What time do you call this, lover boy?’ Ajay welcomed Ace’s sarcastic, beaming smile as he watched him take the steps two at a time, the fabric of his navy suit tightening around his stocky legs. That’s a new suit. It was nicely complemented by a maroon tie, fastened to perfection beneath broad shoulders and a square jawline. Ajay was quite aware that Ace wasn’t only just arriving at work. He was way too merit-hungry, no longer as stupid as Ajay, and he wasn’t wearing a hat. Apparently, according to Ace, he was particularly susceptible to sunstroke, and so never spent extended amounts of time outside without his cap. ‘Genni and I slept for eight last night.’ The words fell from Ajay’s mouth. That lost filter again. What was he doing? Get a grip. ‘Eight? That’s rough.’ Ace rubbed the smooth skin of his chin. The two of them walked through the doors into the lobby as Ajay scratched the rough surface of his own chin. Shave later. ‘I can’t remember when I last slept that long. Maybe I’ll see you selling on the street soon.’ Ace nudged Ajay with his elbow. Ajay wanted to take the joke lightly, so he laughed, but inside, it felt so heavy. He wiggled his tie to loosen it slightly, but not enough to ruin his appearance. They reached the elevator and Ajay completed his usual office greetings to those from other departments, disingenuous, honourable nods and smiles. Ace turned to the book cover floating above his Watch. ‘Just got this new one from outside.’ Ajay looked down at Ace’s purchase entitled Spending Credit Right: The Relationship between Credit and Personal Growth. Ajay couldn’t help but grunt. ‘What?’ Ace asked with another shove. The elevator stopped at floor fifty and a slender woman with blonde hair stepped on board. Her small lips formed a lascivious smile, and her eyes were only looking at Ace, who gifted her with a wink. Ajay subtly shook his head. Does he ever just talk to women? ‘You don’t need to worry about credit. Why waste your time?’ Ajay let his words fall bluntly. Ace’s eyes turned almost wild. ‘You…’ Ace breathed through cursing. ‘I don’t waste time. Honestly, you’ll ruin my M-470 reputation.’ Ace raised his voice slightly, presumably so his female acquaintance could hear him from the front. Work, exercise, girls. That was Ace’s life. Ajay sometimes envied that much simpler way of living. Less complicated, no strings attached. But what you have is good. Yes, it’s good. Despite the elevator’s state-of-the-art speed technology, Ajay was becoming aware of how slow it felt. His breath was quickening. Ace was still talking, but his voice was lost in the maze of his thoughts. He began to wonder how many others, like Ace, had noticed he was late. He imagined the disapproving glances that awaited him. It felt a little like his first-ever day. The sweating. The apprehension. The unknown. That realisation that for the rest of his days, he’d be battling to have one-up on his equally capable colleagues, just for the next promotion, credit-rise, or merit bonus. He’d let go of his A-game. It was OK. Merely a slip-up he could make up for. Mr Hollday was impressed enough with him as it was. No need to worry. He began to impatiently tap his forefinger against his trouser leg. No. I’m like Ugly Briefcase Man and his big, unwelcome feet. Don’t become that. Eventually, the elevator glided to a smooth, noiseless stop and the doors slid seamlessly open to the 156th floor. He and Ace stepped out into the bright, open space encased in repeated diamond glass windows. Not bothering to say goodbye to Ace as they parted ways, Ajay discreetly moved through the office, past the usual whirlwind of people storming between meeting rooms and desks and throwing information from screen to screen. It was going well. No one seemed to notice him. Except for Dana. Ajay usually tolerated her poor attempts to flirt with him, but after this morning’s stress, he anticipated he’d need a fresh wave of patience not to shout at her. Keep it cool. Not doing so would tamper with his performance metrics. Dana rose from her desk and skipped over in Ajay’s direction, but not without disturbing the determined path of another worker. He watched them with one eye as they both jumped from side to side awkwardly, and politely smiled through their mutual frustration. She spoke with smooth articulation. ‘Morning, Ajay.’ Ajay sat down with a forced smile. Go away. ‘Wow, you look great. New moisturiser or something?’ She faffed with her long hair to get it all sitting nicely over her right shoulder. It does look better like that. Ajay responded curtly. ‘Something like that. Sorry, Dana, I’ve got to get on.’ Ajay placed his Watch over the small oval of his desk’s activation pad and summoned three transparent monitor screens up from the desk. ‘Yes, you are in later. I’ve been here since 4 a.m.’ Dana persisted. How is she still talking? ‘Anyway, I just wanted to say hello. I’m about to do an order, want anything?’ Ajay shook his head. He never understood that question. If he wanted something, it would be quicker for another drone to come straight to his desk rather than Dana having to trot over to him after her delivery. Another excuse to flirt? ‘Suit yourself.’ Dana lingered for a moment. What did she want from him? She knew Genni. They’d met before. Was she wanting to be friends? Ajay didn’t have many friends at work. Ace was an exception. His focus was on impressing Mr Hollday and anyone above him, which Dana wasn’t. She was just an account manager, whose main job was to look after customers. Sure, Ajay knew that was important, but it was easily replaceable. He started interacting with his screens, calmly swinging his arms to bring up the algorithm he had started yesterday. Dana finally got the message and bounced back to her desk as Ajay felt his wrist vibrate. Hi, Ajay, I detect you have begun your working day. Do you give me permission to record your progress? Ajay selected ‘Yes’, like every day, allowing his Watch to record his activity. Have a happy merit-making day, Ajay, the Watch encouraged. Ajay activated the earpiece in his right ear and felt the smooth tickle as it extended slickly over his head, through his black hair, to form a complete set of headphones. Music invaded and the office became a moving blur, his mind focusing on the task before him.
