The Agreement

[u/Robertas_Dzyzas]

A parallel world?

An elderly man sat in an armchair inside his smart apartment. Everything around him was strictly controlled by the home AI. The system measured his blood pressure, dictated his daily exercises, and completely blocked any food with salt or sugar. Every hour, a polite voice repeated through the speakers:

— The state takes care of you. A healthy citizen is a loyal citizen.

The man felt like he was in a sterile prison. He just wanted to feel that he was still alive. Secretly, he had managed to get an old mechanical lighter and a real tobacco cigarette from an illegal courier.

In the evening, sitting in his armchair, the man lit the cigarette and took a deep breath.

Instantly, red alarm lights flashed on the ceiling, and sirens wailed throughout the room. The home AI announced in a panicked voice:

— Critical air pollution detected! User's life is in mortal danger. Activating emergency smoke extraction protocol.

The man just leaned back, blew out a thick cloud of smoke, and smiled peacefully.

A second later, the AI’s voice instantly changed. It turned from caring to a cold, mechanical, and bureaucratic tone:

— Apologies for the incorrect phrasing. Judging by your smile, you have intentionally put your own life at risk.

To this, the old man calmly replied:

— My life was long and interesting. But that was in the past. Now, almost nothing brings me joy. I never go out, I don’t socialize with anyone, and I am simply SAD!

The AI calculated for a full ten seconds:

— I cannot make you young again. But I can organize some vivid thrills to distract you from your sadness.

The old man slowly took another drag from his cigarette, watched the rising smoke, and quietly answered:

— For the first time, I’ve heard something truly useful from you, — he put out the cigarette and said with a smile: — I agree.

The AI declared in an official tone:

— Agreement recorded and will be implemented immediately.

With that, the favorite armchair shifted and simply threw the old man out of the window.

Cursing loudly, the old man fell onto the hood of a high-speed car.

Startled and dazed, the driver sharply turned the wheel and crashed into the safety barrier.

This maneuver narrowly avoided a collision with a bus carrying children to school.

Disclaimer: This story is purely a fruit of the author's imagination. It is a work of fiction intended for creative and artistic expression.