The Choice Era. Part 1. Nata Kay

if you’re ready, let’s go to the floor down,» Emma said and continued the tour.

      On the floor down kids over two years old were divided into groups. Some were engaged in intensive physical activity, something in between aerobics and dancing. Others were completing childish puzzles on large monitors. Some of them were sitting in a circle and communicating with each other as clear as it was possible for their age.

      Their clothes were mostly comfortable and seemed as cute pajamas of different colors, and although the children’s short hair looked the same, it didn’t diminish the adorable sight.

      «At this age we educate children mentally, physically and socially,» Emma continued the explanation. Then she briefly and concisely described the developmental characteristics of each party.

      Harry barely had time to memorize information. He was afraid he would miss something since he had to raise his own child. Of course, one day his kid will go to kindergarten, but the educational and teaching process should be maintained at home in the evenings and on weekends.

      Emma noticed a little fear on Harry’s face.

      «Do not worry,» she smiled. «So that you don’t forget anything, we will definitely give you electronic manuals and video trainings specially designed for parents. In addition, we regularly hold meetings for parents, including for future ones, answer any questions and provide with the fullest support. We will not leave you behind.»

      Emma sounded strong. Harry exhaled a breath in relief, and after the tour of this floor Emma led Harry and Mona down.

      The floor dedicated to preschool children encouraged the Nelsons even more that kids were in good hands in kindergartens. Numerous studies, well-defined programs… What could be better?

      Here children weren’t allowed to show any gender characteristics too. Surely, a few already had some distant thoughts about who they would like to be, but society suggested children to think a little longer and better, because the choice of gender was to become one of the most important in their lives.

      «Tell me,» Mona asked. «Do you still call children with the same names as they are called at home? I heard about the option of number assignment…»

      Harry stirred up right after Mona. This question worried him too. When Harry first heard about this on the news, he was a little bewildered.

      Children were given names at birth. These names kids could change after sex identification surgery. The majority used to change names, because the original seemed too average, not suitable for men and women. Names given at birth were never asked in adulthood. They existed only within the framework of the documentation, nothing more. No wonder Harry didn’t know Mona’s original name. And Mona didn’t know his. It didn’t bother them at all.

      «We call children the same names they are called at home,» Emma assured. «The replacement for numbers wasn’t supported and approved. The authorities decided that people cannot be left without names, it would be inhumane. We’re not robots. Who kids will grow up if, for example, they are called 532-TP most of the time? This question worries a lot of parents, but believe me, such changes are unlikely to ever come.»

      «I’m glad to hear that,» this time a sigh of relief was heard from Mona. «I also think the replacement for numbers is madness. How did anyone even come up with such an idea?..»

      The tour continued. Emma, as promised, showed the guests the common and service premises. In the kindergarten everything was kept as neutral as possible with the addition of bright accents.

      In addition, everyone followed all security levels. Accidents and incidents were almost excluded. At the same time cameras installed everywhere were controlled not by people, but by computers. It was forbidden to observe the wards, of course, apart from emergency and controversial situations, and it should be noted, that and they were extremely rare.

      «So,» Emma led the Nelsons out into the courtyard to the outdoor playground. «Children are guaranteed safety and privacy at the same time. Children and parents have nothing to worry about.»

      The playground was a real paradise for children of all ages. Swings, a trampoline, slides, horizontal bars, rope ladders, a small carousel… there was everything for a wonderful playtime and physical activity.

      The soft cover of the playground prevented injuries from the fall, the bumpers on the slides and the trampoline, as well as the seat belts on the swing, excluded other dangerous situations. And the playground was a delight for eyes like icing on the cake. It was clean, bright, with many interesting details. It attracted attention of not only children, but also adults. It was some kind of separate world with elements of fairy tales.

      Playgrounds returned to the cities relatively recent. For a long time children and adolescents had been ignoring physical activity, primarily facilitated by electronic devices and virtual reality, which had consumed the world.

      Actually devices didn’t disappear, their development continued, but the interaction of the younger generation with technology was limited to insure physiological health and vitality. Harry, Mona and many others were totally up for it.

      The kindergarten tour was intense and made a strong impression on Harry and Mona. They have been talking about it for a long time, recalled it again and again, discussed global issues and various little things, after which they agreed that the kindergartens were superbly organized.

      Despite it had been a while since the tour, Harry found himself remembering it still vividly and distinctly. That was there, in the kindergarten, where Harry realized how much he and Mona would need to raise a truly happy child.

      Special institutions, of course, helped parents to cope with many difficulties, but Harry didn’t want to accept the fact that his child would receive the comprehensive development in the kindergarten and poor at home. Harry had to learn to meet the high standards created by society. Fortunately for him, he passed an excellent psychological test that was held the day after the excursion.

      The night was about to come. The windows across the street were slowly going down, quietly reminding that many citizens had gone to bed, which meant that the rest of them should do the same. In this district the nightlife wasn’t as active as in the central part of the city. If Harry and Mona wanted to go dancing or visit some noisy bar, they would have to drive several blocks.

      Tonight Harry and Mona didn’t have such a desire. Sometimes they felt like spending an evening outside, perhaps in a large company, but now both of them needed comfort and silence, so they were sitting quietly on the sofa in their living room and watching a new episode of the sixth season of the sensational science fiction series.

      Mona found the series fascinating, literally «addictive», but at the same time too violent. Nevertheless, she continued watching it to find out how it would end. At least, that was her official statement of why she kept watching it.

      Harry wasn’t looking at the TV screen, but rather through it. He lifted his head as if he was trying to focus on a large monitor built right in the wall opposite the sofa. However, he couldn’t get focused on it.

      Every time Mona commented something or asked a question, Harry suddenly started blinking and trying to figure out what was happening and what he had missed. This reaction made Mona laugh. Cinema didn’t allow to follow the fast-moving plot inattentively. One had to fully immerse in viewing to capture all the details.

      Harry didn’t immerse in anywhere. In fact, he had completely lost an ability not to think about the past day by nightfall. And if he could design a plan concerning Ivy and her daring desires, get used to it and calm down a little bit, it was still hard to loosen up because of the book he had started. And it flatly refused to get out of his mind.

      Finally the routine leisure was disrupted for the most common reason. When something important in the series was about to happen, the episode ended. Credits ruthlessly filled the entire screen, unequivocally hinting that viewers wouldn’t understand the story totally and