2400 AD

Children

Thespian didn’t know his surname.

He sat cross-legged on the floor facing Gideon and Kendall, the only two adults in the room.

He had no idea where he was born. Didn’t know his parents, and had no permanent address. He had no idea what year he was born, and he didn’t know of any brothers or sisters, uncles, aunts, or grandparents.

Only one thing was certain.

He existed.

“Tell us about the house. What were you doing in the house?” Kendall asked, staring into the eyes of this stripling boy.

Thespian played with his toes. “Playing a game on the computer. It’s a big ’puter with moving lines going up and down forever, never stopping. We could make it stop. Anywhere we wanted.”

“How did you make the lines stop?”

“We just think it. Then it stops.”

“You think? You weren’t pressing buttons, or keys?”

“Nope. Just thinking.”

Gideon asked, “And after you think it to stop, what happens afterwards?”

“Nothing. Nothing happens. It’s just a game.”

“Tell us about the game,” Gideon said.

“It takes place in the future. Two players play against each other. One destroys places, things, buildings, animals, and people. The other must rebuild. There are penalties if a player destroys a government place, he loses points. The player with the most points wins.”

Kendall gazed at Gideon for a moment.

“How do you know if it’s a government place?” Kendall asked.

“You don’t know until you’ve destroyed it.”

“And the people, you kill people in this game?”

Thespian nodded. “Except government people, like a mayor or a president or a king or queen. You’re not allowed to kill them.”

“Why not?” Gideon asked.

“Because they run the game.”

“What happens if you kill a King by mistake?” Gideon asked.

“The city or country destructs.”

“Can you replace say, the ocean?”

“Yes. But that’s hard. It’s best to replace a desert or a forest or something that doesn’t have water.”

Kendall shifted in her seat. “Are there other children playing this game?”

Thespian shrugged again. “I’m tired now, can I have some food?”