2025 Chapter Prologue

Blackness. The sound of bike tires whirring, gears changing and the rhythmic  huffing of human exertion.

An underscore in phosphoresent green flashes into the black, blinking. In the evolution of late 20th century cinema, underscore's such as this depicted the entire interface of the first cathode ray tube equipped computers, the enigmatic cursor. Long after computer interfaces added menus and icons, and before they colonized the optic nerve directly, blinking green cursors were first a cliche, then later an homage. In this instance, the antique green cursor recalls a bright if callow enthusiasm for personal computation, and serves as a stark reminder to keep the initiative on the side of the interface that huffs, puffs and pushes pedals.

Between breaths, an eastern european accented voice speaks in english. The words are displayed in the same phospher green of the cursor, only slightly delayed.

"Strangely satisfying denoument on the theme of rapacious capitalism"

(beep)

The words scroll up and the words "Smart Money" are displayed after the cursor. Thumbnail renders, iterates and then vignette plays.

SMART MONEY - Trillums, etc.

The vignette ends and black returns. Afterimages fade, beat. The blinking underscore flashes back.

"Again, a little less creepy"

(beep)

the words scroll up and the words "Under Water" are displayed after the cursor

Thumbnail renders, iterates and then vignette plays.

WALL STREET UNDER WATER

Black again, pause and the underscore blinks.

"Better."

"Pause prompt, standby to integrate prompt training."

(beep)

The black dissolves into blurred pavement unrolling under a swerving bicycle tire.