STRANDED, 3000.

7 o’clock. School finally ended. After school Kayelin headed to the elevator alone to go to the parking lot that was located in the basement. As soon as she got off the elevator, she saw Hammy, her AI robot was waiting for her. “Hammy! I missed you!” she ran to him and hugged him just as a mother was picking up her young child from kindergarten on the first day of school. “Good afternoon, Ms.Kayelin. Please give me your bag to me. You got a message from president Mrs. Brigitte. I will forward it to you.” “Thank you, Hammy.” Kayelin handed her heavy bag and they waited for the autonomous car to arrive. “How was your day ma’am?” “Oh, hammy… It is so stressful… I sleep 3 hours stay at school for 12 hours studying the human brain, body, and mind. I don’t even know what I am learning in Hong Kong right now. My head is mixed up with so many things. Maybe I made the wrong decision. Everyone else is so good at what they are doing and I am behind them. A lot. Maybe I haven’t been gifted the talent to become a psychiatrist.” Hammy didn’t say anything. The silence seemed to connect them somehow words couldn’t express. By the time it got awkward and Kayelin was starting to think of what she should say, the car arrived. Hammy opened the front door for her to go in and then walked slowly to the back door to get in. “It’s okay. You can sit with me. You are my friend.” and she grabbed his hand. It was cold and shiny plastic. However, it didn’t look much different with her own and in fact, it felt soft and warm like a person’s hand as she kept touching it. All her life, she never thought Hammy as a helper or a robot. To Kayelin, Hammy was something more like a friend and a family that listened to what she said, planned her schedule and helped her with her living. “Home. Speed: 200km/h” she entered into the computer and soon the car started driving down the tunnel. Kayelin opened the window and put her left arm out of the window. Soon she pulled her hand inside right away because of the sticky yellow dust that got on her hand. She knew it was impossible to feel refreshed because everyone was living underground except the miners. However, it was unusual how there wasn’t any CD day in Hong Kong for at least 2 years now. The inclement weather dragged her mood down everyday since she couldn’t see any sunshine for such a long time. The sky seemed to get more yellow every time or maybe it was just the amount of yellow dust that was increasing. Even she was living underground, there was yellow dust in the air which made people hard to breathe even they tried to escape. “Hammy, are we almost there? I feel like throwing up. The air is getting worse.” “We are almost there. Please check your message.” Kayelin started to chunder in the car and ordered the car to run at a higher speed. “Can you just tell me what it’s about? I don’t feel well right now. Or just tell me later if it’s not an emergency.” “Master, please don’t be surprised with what I tell you.” “Okay.” “Mrs. Brigitte has ordered you to return to the government soon.” “Return to the government soon? Why? I am getting trained here to become her doctor!” “Please don’t question me. She said you will have to follow the white rabbit that will lead you where to go. By then, she ordered you to continue studying medical psychology.” Kayelin started laughing because what he was saying was outrageous. “What are you talking about Hammy? I just said I didn’t feel well and now you are telling me a joke so that I can laugh.” But Kayelin did feel bizarre not knowing why.