INFriend For Life

~ A 250 Word Story ~

INFriend Crleiu

Eagerly ripping VIVwrap playing scenes of his nine previous birthdays from the box, Blake gasped, not fully realizing his parents had just given him such a sophisticated gift at ten. It must've cost them five months of their combined income.

Before bringing it to life, he paused and gazed at them, searching for proper words of gratitude. Warm smiles and a gleam of delight in their eyes told him they knew. He sprang up and hugged them, fighting back tears of intense joy. Not really wanting to stop hugging back, they gently pried him loose and urged him to try it out.

A single light pat and it was alive. Not just mimicking life, but truly alive. Turning photorecptors at Blake, it yodeled out its bonding message.

"Hello, Blake Dinézi. My name is Crleiu. I'm happy you chose me to be your INFriend. Want to start now or later?"

Another glance at his parents already nodding in unison. "Now," he whispered and stroked Crleiu's white chest.

"Excellent! Your parents chose to have me constalinked to all active INFaccs. What do you want to learn about first?"

Stunned, the expense was now beyond comprehension. INFacc constalinks weren't cheap. He looked at his parents again for confirmation.

Still smiling and nodding, his mother added "And as new ones become available, Crleiu automatically links to them. You will badger us for access to them all eventually anyway."

Blake dashed outside to play with Crleiu close at heel. 

"Crleiu, I wanna know everything about..."