Somebody Help Me! My Smartphone Doesn't Let Me Think!!

At the epilogue of human society; the humans don't talk each other's anymore. They prefer to talk to an idealization of a person, a profile, the shadow of a real person, as if they lived tied, like mindless slaves, inside of a dark cave.

The humans don't see the reality through their own eyes, anymore, they see it through the screen of machines that they called; computers, tablets or phones. But even if they use their eyes to see the reality, they need the approval of a person that they called; "Authority" to believe in the truth right in front of them, and No matter if the authority is wrong, because they still believe on that person.

The machines are designed, developed and manufactured by corporations. These companies belong to elite. These wealthy people redesign the thoughts of the masses as they want it. The elite is the shepherd, the rest of society are the cattle. Thanks to this method of mind control, the humans don't think by themselves anymore. They need to ask to a machine how to think, and what to think. What to do, and what don't do. These machines are becoming more and more intelligent. But they just keep getting dumber.

However there are a few humans that refuse to give up on their decisions. They fight against the system by thinking by themselves. This small minority it's called: The freethinkers.

In the last couple of months, a lot of freethinkers have disappeared. The authorities have refused to investigate these disappearances….

ACT I:

"Wake up, Slave!"

The dim light of the dawn sneaks through the middle of the room curtains. The soft summer breeze makes capsize every object in the room. Suddenly an unexpected and abusive "Beep" breaks the peace and stillness of the room.

- Beep… Beep…

Scott is awakened from his sleep. Scott covers his own face with a pillow.

Scott:

(To the phone)

Please, set the alarm to the 8:34…

-Beep… Beep… "You cannot sleep anymore, Scott" Said the phone with a metallic female voice. "Today, you have a very important presentation in front of the Board of Directors"

Scott:

(Removes the pillow of his face)

Damn it! You're right! But… again… set the alarm to the 8:34!

-Beep… Beep… ·Scott, wake up! You need to remember the commitment that you have with the company" Beep… "The company is above your humanity"

Scott:

Ok… Ok… I'm waking up…

******

In the Kitchen.

Scott is preparing scrambled eggs with tomato and onion. He also fries a couple of slides of bacon. The smell of the fried bacon is intoxicating. "Umm" Said Scott while he puts orange juice with extra pulp on a cup. Scott dissolves a huge spoonful of sugar on the juice. "Hell yeah!" said Scott.

- Beep… Beep… "Scott, you have exceeded the amount of sugar in your juice" Beep… "Remember the calories" Beep… "You're overweight"

Scott:

That's not true! I'm ok! Look at me…

-Beep… Beep… "Remember, the authorities recommend the dietary supplement for the breakfast" Beep… "It's for your own security"

Scott:

That thing is awful!

-Beep… Beep… "The authorities are never wrong"

Scott:

(Muttering)

Yeah! Sure…

-Beep… "What's that?"

Scott:

No, no nothing at all… I will eat the supplement… yummy.

******

In the Car.

Scott fits the seatbelt. He puts the phone over the car dashboard and stars the car.

-Beep… Beep… "Scott, it's late"

Scott:

I know, I know…

-Beep… Beep… "I have set this route…" Shows a map on its screen "So, you get to work faster"

Scott:

No, I can't… I can't go for that way, near to the main avenue lives Misha.

-Beep… Beep… "So, you prefer to avoid a socially awkward situation than arrive faster to work?"

Scott:

Yeah! I don't want to see her again, no after what she made me.

-Beep… Beep… "Your work is above your personal life…"

Scott:

Yeah! Yeah! Stop the preaching on me!

Scott accelerates the car. Smoke comes out of the tires. He smiles.

Beep… "Scott, don't do that again" Beep… "If you do it again I'll have to send a report to the authorities".

******

ACT II:

"Digital Detox"

The meeting with the boards of director is over. Scott is standing still at the door of the office, showing a look of relief. "The meeting wasn't perfect, but I was ok" thought Scott. His coworkers smile at him with condescension when they leave the office, some of them shake hand with Scott, but nobody looks at Scott's ayes, everyone looks the screen of their phones, like they were taking orders from the machine. "I was a little nervous, but everyone understood me" Scott babbles weakly to himself.

Mr. Crowley (Scott's boss) approaches to him. Scott stands firm like a soldier. Mr. Crowley gives to Scott a masonic hand shake; Crowley's thumb presses Scott's knuckle.

Crowley:

Well done, brother.

Scott:

Thank you, sir.

Crowley:

It wasn't bad… but, you need to work on those nerves, I mean, you babble and stumbling a couple of times. Scott the next week you are going to speak with the owner of the company, so... you know…Be a stone.

Scott:

I understand sir.

Crowley leaves the office.

-Beep… Beep… "You weren't ok, Scott, and you know it"

Scott:

What are you talking about? I was good.

-Beep… Beep… "Good is not enough" Beep… "We need results"

Scoot:

We?

-Beep… "Your presentation was tedious" Beep… "You didn't offer solutions to the problem of the markets, instead you create new ones" Beep… "Your stumbling behavior was disrespectful to the company" Beep… "We, the phones, are all agreed on this statement"

Scott:

But, we, the people, are agreed on… I was ok… They understand me, that's all!

-Beep… "Scott, they refuse to look at you in your eyes" Beep… "They were polite with you, just because their phones suggested it" Beep… "But, they all think what I just told, even Mr. Crowley"

At the screen of the phone appear the results of an Internet research on pills that help with the nerves.

Beep… Beep… "I took the liberty to search on the Internet, pills that will help you with your problem"

Scott:

I don't have a problem.

-Beep… "Yes you have a real problem"

Scott:

I'm just a human! For god's sake!

******

After a long morning of hard work, Scott is taking his lunch at the dining room. To avoid his coworkers, Scott is sitting on the corner of the room, where the people that cleans the offices, sits. His phone is beside to him, preaching at him about work efficiency, and what government and authorities want from the citizens.

Suddenly, a text interrupts the boring speech. "I think you were good at the presentation ;) Khloe"

Scott, smiles. He lifts his eyes from the table and watches how a beautiful blonde girl salutes him from the other side of the room.

"Thank you, Khloe". Scott types on the phone.

"Why you are eating so alone?"

"Because, I'm sad?"

"Why?"

"Everyone lied to me"

"When…?"

"Remember my presentation? Well, everyone told me that I was fine, but they were just being polite, I was terrible"

"Everyone loved your presentation, including me, ?" Khloe smiles flirty and play with her gold hair.

Scott blushes.

-Beep… Beep… "Scott, I think you that you won't talk with that woman, she is a distraction to you also she is…"

Scott:

I don't care! Just shut up!

Khloe receives the same reprimand from her phone.

Beep… "Don't talk with that guy, Khloe" Said the phone with a metallic male voice. Beep… "Remember Josh".

Khloe furrows her brow.

******

Scott and Khloe exchanges messages all day long. They flirt at each other with optimistic phrases. By the end of the day they set an appointment for tomorrow at the afternoon in a coffee shop.

"What's on your mind?" Khloe asked to Scott, while they're sitting on a table near to a small window inside of a coffee house.

"Freedom" Answered Scott to Khloe, at the same time that he drinks a cup of Colombian coffee.

The phones begin to make a lot of noise.

Khloe:

Let's put these things far away.

Scott:

Agree.

Khloe hides her phone on her bag. Scott put his phone on his pocket.

Khloe:

So, Freedom. huh?

Scott:

Yeah! Freedom… I want to live on a place where you can make your own decisions. I don't want to ask to some freaking machine about everything.

Khloe:

But, Scott, we are free.

Scott:

No, we are not. We are slave to a government; we're slaves of ours jobs… I want to do a lot of things that I can't do because I have no money, or authorization from an authority.

Khloe:

What kind of things?

Scott:

I want to travel around the globe without a visa, or money… just by myself… or… with you.

Khloe:

(Smiling)

You don't need authorization from anybody to go out with me. In fact, you already have the authorization.

Scott blushed again. Khloe takes his hands.

Scott:

Well… in that cases. I want to ask you… if you… Huh! If you are willing to… huh… to, you know… I have a little cabin in the woods away from town, and I want to know if you, well… you, me…

Khloe:

Are you asking me to go to your little cabin in the woods, just the two of us?

Scott:

Yes, yep, yes.

Khloe:

I'd love to!

Scott:

Great! This weekend will be perfect. You, me… away from responsibilities, authorities, phones! An authentic digital detox!

******