orb 1.2

Below is chapter 02 from the, The Orb Evaluation – each chapter is separated into the following sections:

01. encounter

02. options

03. evaluation

04. decision

 

return to sections 

 

As you step from the curb to cross the street, your foot catches a crack in the road. You stumble, losing your balance. Your knees hit first. Then your hands, scraping forward until you’re sprawled out, belly first on the ground.

“This is so embarrassing.”

You roll over, scrambling to your feet. 

The empty road comforts your ego.

“Glad no one saw that.”

You shake your head and continue walking.

“Quite a tumble, my friend,” says a voice.

You turn. But no one’s there.

“Did I hit my head?”

Your eyes dart around. Not a person in sight. You continue walking, but quicken your pace.

“I have 250 million dollars. And it’s all yours if you want it,” says the same voice.

You turn to look again, but plumes of blue and orange smoke surround you. The smoke heats the air to a molten jelly substance, oozing with red and purple, turquoise and green. You fall backward, hitting the ground. Your stinging palms take another scraping.

From the gelatinous air, a sphere forms. Racing frigid air runs up your body. A taste of ash fills your mouth. 

The Orb emerges.

“Didn’t mean to scare you, my friend.”

“What’s—what’s going on?!”

You crawl backwards on your butt and hands, wincing as your palms press against the cement.

“I’ve been following you for a while. And for a while, I’m referring to your entire life. I’ve recorded everything, and by everything, I mean everything. From your highest achievements to your most intimate and embarrassing moments. Awkward first dates, wild late nights, raging arguments, even bathroom breaks. Whatever happened, you name it, and I can show you the recording.”

“What do you mean?—”

“It sounds creepy, I know. But for $250 million dollars, it might be worth it.”

“I, I don’t. I don’t know what’s happening. If this is a dream or something—”

“Not a dream, my friend. Here, have a look.”

The Orb materializes a holographic screen in the air. It lowers to your seated position on the sidewalk. The screen shows footage of you tripping and falling from moments ago. Then it rewinds so fast the entire screen blurs. It settles on a new scene. You’re in high school. You recognize the classroom. Then it rewinds more, you’re 8 years old. More rewinding, you’re 3 years old. Then your birth.

“This is your entire life history. Fully recorded.”

“I, I don’t understand. Why?—How?”

“The ‘how’ is simple. I followed you and recorded everything. The ‘why’ is a bit more complex. In an alternate timeline, there’s a technology company developing a nanobot camera capable of covertly recording events. And with your selection, you could make it come to fruition.” 

“But—what? That doesn’t, I mean, I—”

“I understand it’s confusing and overwhelming. But all of this can be worth up to $250 million dollars.”

“250 million dollars? For what?”

“It depends upon which option you choose.”

“Options—what are you talking about?”

You glance around the street.

“Don’t worry, no one sees us. I’ve paused time so we can have this conversation. If you want to reject the money, just let me know and I’ll be on my way.”

You open your mouth. 

But then pause. 

You replay the words in your head.

“250 million dollars?”

You take a deep breath.

“No, this is fake, some sort of scam. Some joke. It’s completely nuts. Crazy. But, but what if it isn’t? That’s—so much money.”

The Orb illuminates another holographic screen in the air.

“How about I tell you the options? There’s nothing to lose in listening. And if you’re not interested, then we’ll just part ways.”

You press your scraped palms to the cement and push yourself up from the ground. Peering at the screen, one part of you says to walk away from this delusion, but the other half pleads to hear more. 

You stare a moment longer and then respond.

“Ok—ok, I’ll listen.”

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Option 01: For All To See (Uncensored Past)

The holographic screen displays stacks and stacks of money. The words, $250 million dollars, appear above it. Then the title, UNCENSORED PAST, pops up at the bottom of the screen.

“For your first option, I’ll give you $250 million dollars. In exchange, your entire recorded history is available for everyone to see. A special streaming network, website, and mobile app will allow anyone on Earth to access your entire uncensored past. And luckily for the audience, they won’t have to watch it in real-time. They can easily search for things like ‘embarrassing moments’, ‘first time events’, ‘intimate secrets’, ‘highlights of achievements’, and many, many more.”

“Wait, what? My entire life? Available for anyone to watch?”

“Yes, but for a hefty compensation.”

Your stinging palms vibrating only somewhat now, but your heart thumping quicker.

“But—but how? How is my life just suddenly available to everyone? On some website? And—and won’t they wonder how anything of this is even possible? It’s just magically appearing?”

“This is the more complex part. In your current timeline, the sudden leap in technology would be very confusing. But if you pick this option, I will activate the alternate timeline, inserting the aforementioned technology company into this reality.”

“You’ll change the past?”

“Correct, but only by adding this technology company. It won’t affect any events in your life, well except for one.”

“What’s that?”

“You’re part of their project, acting as the test pilot case.”

“Doing what?”

“Nothing actually. In the alternate timeline, the company randomly selected you. They covertly synced a nano camera to you at birth. This camera recorded everything from then until now, uploading and cataloguing your entire life. During this time, the company perfected the process to develop their new service, Nano Life Stream. Then they presented you with an offer for $250 million dollars to sign away your rights to all of the footage.”

“Why do they want the footage?”

“Initially to ensure their product worked, but now they plan to use it as a marketing tool for their new service.”

“Wait, so by picking this, I’m changing the past and making this company exist?”

“Correct. By choosing this option, you bring the company and Nano Life Stream into fruition, which also rectifies any technology discrepancies in your present timeline.”

“That’s—that’s a lot of money, but—”

Your entire life, flashes through your mind, and it doesn’t settle well. Everything? And uncensored?

“But what about all the other people in my life? They’re all in the stream too?”

“Yes, since the camera acts as a third person perspective, showing you and anyone you’ve interacted with, much like a movie, everyone you encounter will be in the footage. Your acceptance of the money acts as your release to show the footage. As for everyone else, privacy concerns will certainly be an issue. The company has prepared multiple options, whether it be individual payouts, censorship by blurring faces, or other means, but none of which is your legal concern.”

Your eyes widen, thinking about all of the family and friends who you would inadvertently reveal to the world. Every encounter. Conversation. And more. Uncensored keeps playing through your mind. Of course, so does 250 million dollars.

“If I picked this option. How would I even get the money?”

“I will activate the alternate timeline so when you wake up tomorrow morning, you already signed the deal and have the money in your bank account. The company then announces it’s new product to the world, launching it with you as the test pilot stream for the world to view.”

“And that’s it—my entire life is—just out there? Out there for all to see?”

“Correct. And once I alter the timeline, there’s no going back. Your entire personal history is uploaded and impossible to take down.”

“I—I don’t know. I don’t know about this? What if I don’t want people to know everything? I mean—everything means everything, you said.”

“Everything means literally everything. But if there are things you don’t feel comfortable sharing with the world, then you’re in luck. You have more options.”

Option 02: Moving Onward (Uncensored Future)

The holographic screen hovers backward.

Another screen materializes. It displays a black swirling circle and the title, UNCENSORED FUTURE.

“So maybe you’re not so comfortable revealing your past to everyone. Well, what about your future?”

“My future?”

“Yes. In this option, I still alter your timeline, creating the same company and service, but instead of having your past recorded, you get to partake in the platform as the very first Nano Life Stream user.”

“I don’t understand. So there’s no recorded past anymore?”

“Correct. This option keeps your entire past protected, but from this moment forward, Nano Life Stream records everything, streaming Live to the world. The same network, website, and app activates, streaming what you’re doing in real-time. And as time goes on, the same searchable features become available to the viewers.”

“Everything? Accessible 24/7?”

“Yes, but as the inaugural user of the platform, you receive 50 million dollars. It’s less money, but more than enough to live comfortably. And since you know you’re being aired Live, you can control your actions, to a certain extent.”

“I—I don’t know. I mean. It’s better, in one sense, I guess?”

You gaze in no particular direction, imagining what life would be like, knowing your every movement was available for all to see.

“But, but I don’t know.”

“If privacy is still your concern, then your next option may help with that.”

Option 03: Regret It Edit (Censored Past)

The second screen floats backward, hovering next to the first one. A third screen appears. On it, the words CENSORED PAST materialize.

“For less money, I can give you a lot more peace of mind. With this option, we can work together. I’ll edit out whichever scenes from birth until now that you don’t want people to see, censoring your past however you like.”

“So I tell you what to show?”

“Correct. But you must include enough varying content to satisfy a 3 hour highlight reel.”

“Oh ok. So my life’s condensed to 3 hours?”

“Yes. Then I’ll compile it into a movie. Once complete, I’ll alter the timeline, creating the same company and service. But this time, your edited movie only acts as a promotional proof of concept to show the world. It still airs on the same special television network and website with the same searchable features, but it was all under your discretion. It’s also still permanent once it’s uploaded, but only after your official sign off and review.”

“This sounds a lot better to me. But you said less money?”

“Correct. In this option, you receive $250,000. It’s not hundreds of millions, but still a healthy sum.”

You smirk.

It’s hard to fathom this is real.

You’re sure this is a hallucination.

Or a lucid dream.

Or maybe even a reality show.

But whatever it is, it’s still difficult to avoid daydreaming. 

Grandiose thoughts of money flood your mind.

“And now for your last option.”

Option 04: Voyeur

The third screen retreats.

A fourth screen materializes. 

It reveals two gigantic eyes on it. 

The word VOYEUR appears in purple letters.

“Would you rather keep your life entirely private?”

“Not reveal anything?”

“Correct.”

“Sounds better to me. What’s the catch?” 

“No catch, with this option you view someone else’s life.”

“Really?”

“Choose anyone on Earth, living or dead, and I’ll show you their entire life. But instead of airing on a special network, only you gain access to the footage. And you can fast forward, rewind, search specific dates, sort through their entire life, or watch it in real-time if the person you choose is still alive.”

“I can choose a living person?”

“Indeed.”

Your eyes widen.

“And this keeps my life private?”

“Your life remains exactly as it is. And there’s no change to any timelines. In this option, there’s no need to create a company since this is exclusive technology provided only to you and for your eyes only.”

“No one else can watch it?”

“Only you can see it. Even if you watch it with someone else in the room, when they look at the screen it will appear blank.

“So I only get this technology from you?”

“Correct, but there is one downside.”

“What’s that?”

“The payout is zero dollars.”

“Oh?”

“But seeing someone else’s life may be payment enough?”

People’s faces rush through your mind.

You peer at the floating screen. 

It hovers for a moment, then joins the others.

The four screens lock together into a quadrant.

You gaze at the options.

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“Four options for you to consider, my friend.”

Your eyes jump from screen to screen.

“$250 million dollars, $50 million, $250,000, or 0?”

You cringe, debating what people might see. What they may think? But maybe you’re overthinking it? With that much money, would it even matter? And who knows, maybe this isn’t even real?

A flash of light fills the street. 

The air around the Orb liquifies into a gelatinous goo, expanding and then swallowing the sphere.

“Wait, but I—”

“Don’t worry, I haven’t left yet. You have plenty of time to decide. When you’re ready, press the screen you want and the process begins.”

“What if I don’t choose?”

“If you walk away, the screens dissolve.”

A whooshing sound hums.

“Good luck, my friend. I must be on my way. An airplane is hitting turbulence, and one passenger is about to receive quite the proposition.”

The humming sound rages to a roar. 

A gust of freezing wind pushes you backward. 

You catch your balance as the Orb races away.

The empty street, now quiet. 

The amber lightbulb glow, tinting the sidewalk.

Each screen filled with possibility.

Each screen an internal debate. 

You scan the choices. 

Weighing the pros and cons.

Imagining a life of money, but also a life exposed. 

Everything means everything, echoes through your mind.

You approach the choices.

“Should I choose or walk away?”

return to sections 

Press the icon in the bottom of the screen
to select your option.

 

See how your option compares
to other people's decisions.

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