orb 2.1

Below is chapter 05 from The Orb Evaluation – each chapter is separated into the following sections:

01. encounter

02. options

03. evaluation

04. decision

 

return to sections 

 

Running late, you pull into the parking lot. You hop from your car, speed walking towards the store. The automatic doors snap open. You shuffle inside, but after only two steps, you stop. Something’s wrong.

You look left. 

Right. 

Your body tenses. 

Your eyes widen, peering downward. 

The floor is missing. The walls are too.

You turn back, but the sliding door vanishes into the blackness. Not knowing which way is forward, you spin around in the empty abyss.

Then a hissing sound fills the void. Red and orange clouds spew from the darkness. But these aren’t foggy amorphous clouds, they’re tightly compacted, slithering through the air like cosmic snakes, intertwining into figure eights and soaring directly towards you.

Terrified, you duck to the nonexistent floor, throwing your arms out to stop them, but they engulf you.

An immediate warm sensation heats your skin. Thousands of green and blue bubbles pop and explode, reform into larger ones, and pop again. It’s simultaneously relaxing and shocking, but more shocking since you haven’t clue what’s happening. 

You drop to your knees beneath the bubbles, crawling forward as fast as you can. Head down and scrambling forward, you keep moving until you escape the kaleidoscope of colors back into the darkness.

You exhale in a moment of relief. Then a loud swooshing erupts. You gaze upward. A gelatinous blob of goo hovers. Orange tentacles emerge, bending and twisting, forming intricate geometric patterns. The patterns ignite into a glowing three dimensional blueprint of aisles and walls and a floor. 

The blueprint lowers downward, clicking into place.

“Hello?”

Your voice echoes.

A wireframe floor materializes beneath you.

In the distance, a pinpoint of light appears. 

It flashes blue.

“Welcome to my store,” says a voice.

The light grows larger, twirling into a spherical shape.

“Pleased to meet you,” says the voice again.

The glowing curves of the sphere illuminate the darkness. In the center of the object, a molten lava core ignites. 

The Orb forms.

“You’re the lucky winner of today’s surprise offer.”

You step backwards. 

Amazed. 

And horrified. 

The Orb hovers closer.

“I—I’m not sure you have the right person. There has to be a mistake. I—I should go. If you could just—”

“No need to worry, my friend. I’m of no harm.”

The Orb creates more wireframe lines, molding them together to form a store. Long purple aisles and shelves appear. Transparent cases fill the shelves. In each case, some items resemble typical household things like a broom, a pill bottle, or a blow dryer. But the others, you don’t have a clue. Floating gel? Twisting shapes? Spirals with faces or tentacles? Regardless of what they are, each one shimmers with a blue and yellow aura.

“This store encompasses the universe’s most incredible products. And I have three very special ones for you.”

“For me?”

“Yes, if you’re interested? If not, you can exit the store.”

“We’re still in the store?”

“We are. I used it as my illusionary setup. My store aligns on top of the original one. That way, I can have a participant enter. And you’re that participant.”

Even more confused now, you turn around, searching for the store’s missing door.

“Here, let me show you.”

The Orb beams a white light. The darkness spreads open, revealing the original store’s entrance.

You peer at the exit.

“Why am I not walking towards it?”

Your eyes keep staring, but your body doesn’t budge. 

Despite, standing in some holographic store, talking to a floating robot, you hesitate to leave. 

Even you’re surprised. You’re certain you would’ve reacted differently. But instead of racing to the exit, you look back at the Orb. Then gaze down the aisles.

“If you’re not interested, there’s no pressure to proceed.”

You inhale a deep breath.

Glance at the exit again.

“And don’t worry, I can tell you what the products are and and you can still leave. There’re no obligations.”

Some call it intuition. A gut feeling. Whatever it is, the little voice in your head nudges you to stay. Nudges you to, at the very least, listen. And you’ve silenced that voice plenty of times. But not today.

“Ok. Ok, so what are the products?”

The Orb emits a purple mist. The mist forms into a long tentacle. It whips down the aisle, stopping at a set of three transparent cases and guiding them back towards you.

“The store has selected the following items.”

return to sections 

 

Option 01: Lie Drops

The first object moves forward. 

Inside the transparent box, you see a bottle of eye drops.

“This product is called Lie Drops.”

“Lie drops?”

“Have you ever been curious if a family member, a friend, a coworker, or even a significant other was lying to you? Well, with this product, you’ll be able to spot all the liars in your life. Just put one eye-drop in each eye and whenever someone lies to you, that person glows red.”

“Really?”

“And even better, this bottle never runs out.”

“And—you’re saying, I can just take this and leave?”

“Correct, but don’t decide yet. You have two more products.”

 

Option 02: Say What?

The second box floats forward. 

Rotating inside, a hearing aid.

“Ever wonder what people are saying about you when you’re not around? Well, wonder no more. This product lets you hear when people talk about you.”

“Hear people? No matter where they are?”

“Exactly. Just place this hearing aid in your ear and whenever family, friends, coworkers, or even complete strangers are talking about you, you’ll hear it. You can even tune to a specific person or group of people, like choosing a TV station. This allows their voices to be distinct.”

You peer at the hearing aid, thinking for a moment.

“That’s crazy—and amazing and all, but won’t it be obvious that I’m wearing a hearing aid?”

“It would, if others could see it.”

“It’s invisible?”

“Correct, my friend. And only you can use it.”

You stare at the floating hearing aid.

Pondering.

“Before you mull it over, let’s look at your last product.”

 Option 03: Long Distance

The third box flips forward. 

Inside, you see a phone.

“Have you ever wondered where you might be in 20 years ?”

“Sure, I’ve thought about it.”

“With this phone, you can find out.”

“By doing what?”

“By calling yourself.”

“Calling myself?”

“Yes, but not the current you. It calls you 20 years in the future for a 20 minute conversation. However, if you’d like, you can split up the 20 minutes into as many phone calls as you want.”

“That’s insane. And I can ask myself whatever I want?”

“Certainly, but make sure you’re specific, and ask good questions because unlike the other products, once you use up the minutes, this product no longer functions.”

“But, if I call, am I guaranteed to answer?”

“Only if you’re alive in 20 years. If you’re not, then the phone just keeps ringing. If you are, then I will travel to the future and explain what’s happening to your future self. This way, you can ask as many questions as you like and receive adequate answers.”

“So—I could be dead?”

“It’s a possibility, my friend.”

return to sections 

 

The Orb floats backward. 

The products align into a row.

“And now it is time to decide.”

Your eyes bounce from product to product. You peer at the eye drops, then to the hearing aid, and then the phone.

“And—I just take one of these?”

“Select whichever one you want. Just reach out, grab it, and be on your way. Otherwise, you can proceed to the exit.”

The Orb pulses a blue glow. The glowing aura rises and races from the sphere, molding into an exit door. You glance at the exit and then at the products.

“And remember, each product is invisible. No one sees it, and it only works for you, but I must be on my way.”

“You’re leaving?”

The Orb bursts into a plume of molten jelly and smoke.

A whooshing swirl chills the room.

“But please take your time. There’s no need to rush.”

A whistling sounds screams to a roar as the Orb races away.

Alone, you stand in the black room, gazing at the products.

“This can’t be real.”

You stare at the exit. 

Then back to the products.

“Should I take one?”

 

return to sections 

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

 

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to other people's decisions.

 

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