December 31, 2099. 23:00
Virginia's friends and family were having dinner. That moment was awesome.
"Hey Mark! I'm really excited for this moment! I can't wait to say I live in the 22nd century! I'm sure it's going to be satisfying and happy!", said Virginia.
"I'm sure it will be. Besides, worldwide, no wars have happened in the last 50 years, so it's good. Now that the world is at peace, everyone is happy. Isn't this a good beginning? Yeah, the beginning of a brand new life, the beginning of a brand new and better human race. I'm really hopeful"
As Virginia and Mark finished their meals, they stood up and went playing "videogames" (that are completely different from the ones of 1999). Now, videogames let you LIVE the game in first person.
"Let's play Remember History!"
Remember History is a videogame where you can select a place and a year, and it will simulate it.
"Aomori, Japan. December 31, 1999", said Virginia.
The atmosphere didn't look that bad.
"It's less sad than I thought", she said.
The clothes they were wearing, though, attracted too much attention.
"(Japanese) where are you from?"
"(Bad Japanese) I live in Sweden", she said.
"(Japanese) I understand. Have a good afternoon, I'm sorry for causing trouble"
"(Bad Japanese). Here in Sweden, this is not trouble", said Virginia, smiling.
The Japanese guy smiled back.
Virginia and Mark came back to consensus reality (i.e. reality).
"Tomorrow we'll try another one", said Mark.
Virginia and Mark were having so much fun. They went outside, the sky was pitch black because it was night, and they could see the stars and many airplanes. No private flying cars, though, as they would be too dangerous. Gazing at the sky and pretending to see UFO's was something Virginia and Mark did when they were children. They had a lot of fun and they're missing these moments.
"Hey Virginia, do you remember when we watched the sky and pretend we saw UFO's? I really miss that", said Mark.
"We can do that again, my friend", said Virginia, smiling.
They watched the sky and they both saw a weird light.
"Did you see that?", asked Virginia.
"Yeah. What was that?" - "I don't know, but, maybe the government is hiding something from us. Maybe they're testing new weapons, or, they have already contacted aliens!"
Mark was excited at the idea aliens could be among us. Now that millions of planets have been discovered, many similar to Earth, in doesn't make sense why we haven't discovered alien life yet, and Mark knew this paradox, in fact, he thought that the governments of the world have been hiding this for decades. He tells his hypothesis to Virginia and she agrees.
"That's exactly what I said earlier", she said.
Mark wondered how life was like on other planets. Earth was already a heaven, but maybe other planets have an atmosphere that contains gases that instantly make all living beings happy and euphoric? That is not an option to completely throw away. In the entire Universe, there must be a planet like that, but it would be unreachable by humans. Even now, in 2099 (almost 2100), the farthest humans have gone physically was Mars, and they have yet to build a permanent settlement there. Some believe that the trip to Mars was fake. Internet is just a distant memory, now everyone is permanently connected to the Omninet. Every object is connected to the Omninet, even clothes, and they send the vital functions of the patients to the doctors. It's a scary thought, but so would be 2010's Internet from people of 1910.
MIDNIGHT
"YEEE IT'S ALREADY 2100!!!", said Virginia in a very cheerful tone.
"Yes, it is", said Mark.
"I'm so happy, Mark, I'm one of the few people who will see this transition! A transition from hell to heaven! Well, it's always been heaven since I were born but, the 21st century has been really bad at the right beginning, with all those terror attacks and such. I'm glad it's all over", said Virginia.
"Yeah" - "But, to think better, the 20th century was even worse, with millions of innocents killed in the two world wars. Well, everything is getting better, luckily"
"You are right, but it has been gradual"
Most people are sure only good things are expected to come in the 22nd century, as nothing bad happened in the last 50 years. Mark was getting cold and sleepy, so they went back inside, where it's warm and comfortable. Mark went under the covers (not in the bed, but in a couch, because it was Virginia's home) and Virginia was caressing his head gently.
"I love when you do it", said Mark.
"Just like I love you", said Virginia.
Mark was really happy to hear that. That feeling was so relaxing, that Mark feel asleep in 20 minutes. Virginia was glad it was so relaxing to him.
Virginia was eating some more, brushing her teeth, and then she would be ready to sleep, but only after reading a (virtual) book she bought recently, that's full of emotions. This book talks about the beginning of the 21st century, when Internet was still at the very early phase and the world was full of problems. Now, everything is solved and everyone is happy. It makes sense, that humankind has learned from their mistakes and solved everything very quickly. Virginia wonders if alien species would have the same progress as humans had.
"I'm going to sleep soon, it's past midnight", said Virginia. Many of her friends were starting to leave already, because they were sleepy.
"We'll communicate anyway with our clocks!", said Virginia, activating the microphone.
"Bye!", said her friends.
Even Mark went to his house to sleep.
Virginia was now alone with just her family, and she went to sleep, but before drifting to sleep, she was thinking, like everyone does.
"I'm happy to live in this age, where every problem of the past is gone, where people don't know what war is like, and neither violence and bullying. I'm happy to have so many beautiful friends who love me. I'm happy, because I know everything is going to be fine, for every single person in the world. But I'm regretful, because of the suffering everyone has experienced in the past. I know, that I shouldn't feel like this, and that I should always look at the present and the future, but I can't help to feel empathy for the people who has been burned for sorcery, for the people who have been executed for non violent crimes, for the people who have been bullied, who have experienced violence. But now everything is easy to understand: people have caused so many problems, and the only thing humankind could do, was to solve them by changing people's mentality. That's clear as the sky. Now you can do anything as you please, and you'll be loved anyway. That's all I want. Yes, I like the fact that everyone is being loved. I hope this well-being won't cease to exist anytime soon, we are truly living in a golden age"
Virginia slowly drifted to sleep. A new century awaits.