Augland, p.1
Augland, page 1
Augland
NEW YORK
LONDON • NASHVILLE • MELBOURNE • VANCOUVER
Augland
an Augland Novel
© 2023 EECR, LLC
All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, scanning, or other—except for brief quotations in critical reviews or articles, without the prior written permission of the publisher.
Published in New York, New York, by Morgan James Publishing. Morgan James is a trademark of Morgan James, LLC. www.MorganJamesPublishing.com
Proudly distributed by Ingram Publisher Services.
Publisher’s Note: Th is novel is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. All characters are fictional, and any similarity to people living or dead is purely coincidental.
ISBN 9781631959257 paperback
ISBN 9781631959264 ebook
Library of Congress Control Number: 2022935954
Cover Design by:
Megan Dillon
megan@creativeninjadesigns.com
Interior Design by:
Christopher Kirk
www.GFSstudio.com
Morgan James is a proud partner of Habitat for Humanity Peninsula and Greater Williamsburg. Partners in building since 2006.
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To Mom and Dad. Thank you for always believing and encouraging me to follow my dreams.
To my husband, Joe, for the continued love and support. And finally, to my entire family. I love you all so much.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
When I had the crazy idea to write a book, I didn’t realize the hours upon hours of writing, rewriting, and editing that would go into it. The amount of support I’ve received has been incredible and I’m eternally grateful for all those who have helped me on my writing journey.
Dad and Mom—you’ve always been my biggest advocates. You inspire me to be the best version of myself and always follow my dreams. Dad, thank you for your countless hours of reading my drafts and giving me ideas. I don’t think I could have done it without you.
Joe—thank you for being my rock. Days and nights that I was writing, you gave me feedback, encouragement, understanding, and love.
Michelle, Lisa, Thomas, Willie, Gavin, Wyatt, and Annabelle—the best family I could ever ask for.
Chelsea—my amazing friend who gave me feedback and help on this journey.
Kerry Wade and the team at Inspira Literary Solutions, my editors: I couldn’t have done this without you.
To all my friends and family—I wish I had an entire book for just acknowledgments. I’m a firm believer that you never do anything alone. Manifest positivity to reach your dreams. There is nothing you can’t accomplish.
WELCOME TO AUGLAND
Because you deserve to live a great life.
All of us here at Augland 54 welcome you and your loved ones to the Pacific Northwest’s most extravagant Augland park! Choose the life of your dreams from one of our seven parks, fitted with the most up-to-date technology and customized to your needs and the specifications of your Artificial Existence Being.
Let our Atlantis Park take you to the depths of your underwater fantasy or, if the city is more your scene, live in the sky-high towers on Hollywood Boulevard. Walk amongst nature’s most beautiful creatures at Predator’s Biome or spend your days lounging at our Maya Bay luxury resorts. Stroll the past at Victorian or party in outer space in Venus, where every variation of person is celebrated.
Coming Soon!
Augland 54 will soon be the first Augland to present Land of Legends, an interactive park like you have never experienced before! Have you ever wanted to be a king? Be in the midst of battle? Our Battle of the British Isles simulation is what you’ve been waiting for.
At Augland 54 you can live your dreams as the person of your dreams! Because you deserve to live a great life.
Augland 54
An Augland Park
Artificial Existence Center
PART 1
CHAPTER 1
Ashton
Ashton looked into the brilliant sunset reflected across the water on the distant horizon. She knew the enhanced colors weren’t real (the outside climate was far too cold and drizzly for this manufactured beach paradise), but she liked to pretend, even for a moment, that the heat, the sunset, and the perfect specimens walking past her were authentic.
Even after three years of working at Maya Bay, Ashton was still in awe of its artificial beauty. White sand and crystal-blue water stretched out for miles. Lush green trees and staggering cliffs created a sheltered cove around the restaurant where she worked as a server, and she daily admired the manufactured beauty. Down on the beach, crowds of Suits were headed toward one of several Maya Bay Resorts or to the Suit Transit Station, which would take them back to the parks where they lived. Their perfect artificial bodies set against the flawless landscape almost made Ashton believe that Augland was a real paradise.
Behind her in the restaurant, Marius was wiping down the bar, scrubbing the counter vigorously. He didn’t look up at Ashton as she passed him to clear off a recently vacated table. He had his favorite servers, and Ashton was not one of them.
They had worked together since Ashton first arrived at Maya Bay. They quickly became friends, a relationship that lasted even after Marius was promoted to manager. A few months earlier, however, their friendship had taken a turn for the worse when Marius revealed his romantic intentions. Ashton wasn’t one to continue anything under false pretenses. Suffice it to say, Marius hadn’t taken the rejection well.
“Ashton,” he said curtly, not looking up from the already spotless counter he was still wiping. He was short, with sandy blond hair that swept to the right and large, coke-bottle glasses that made him strangely intimidating. “I still see water marks.”
Marius pointed with his towel toward the table Ashton had just cleaned. She followed the damp rag with her eyes to the empty table between the bar and patio full of Suits. Ashton nodded, acknowledging his request, and continued carrying her full tray to the kitchen.
“Now, Ashton,” he said with a stern voice. Ashton jumped at his sudden spike in volume. It wasn’t uncommon for Marius to act in a controlling manner; it was how he liked to lead the staff, to find their weakness and exploit it to show his authority. He was fond of power plays and testing boundaries. Ashton turned and headed toward the table she had just cleared.
“No problem,” she said, turning back to the table and wiping harder than she normally would. Marius hovered around her for a while as she worked and then made his way back to his office. Ashton sighed in relief as he rounded the corner past the kitchen and out of sight.
Nearby, Niall spoke to a Suit sitting alone at a patio table. “Oh, Sandra, you get me every time!” he flirted. Sandra came in each evening at 8:30 p.m. on the dot. She ordered the same meal—a tropical mai tai, macadamia-encrusted sea bass, and mashed potatoes—while looking over the beautiful view of the beach.
Just like the sky and the Suits, the food wasn’t real either. It certainly looked like real food but was, in reality, a similar-looking substance that allowed Suits to “eat” while sending taste codes via transmitters to their taste buds back in the pods. That was one of the privileges of living in a Suit: you could eat and drink whatever you wanted and never gain a single pound.
Sometimes, Ashton imagined the real human bodies of the Suits, overweight and ugly inside their pods. Niall said she was just jealous. But Ashton didn’t think that was it; the thought of her body submerged in goo in a pod while her Suit traipsed around an Augland park being served by the underprivileged Suit-less workers didn’t appeal to her.
Sandra’s Suit was gorgeous: dark skin, brown eyes, and in great shape. She didn’t wear a shirt, only a bikini top. Most of the Suits in Maya Bay looked like models: tall and thin with no blemishes. Some Suits kept their own faces, but most designed their artificial bodies to increasingly outrageous perfection.
“All right, you ready for another one, Niall?” crooned Sandra.
Since their days training at Victorian, Ashton and Niall had been inseparable. Victorian was a historic theme park in Augland 54 where workers trained before heading out to their final posts in other Augland 54 parks. There, the workers lived with Suits in their Victorian mansions, waiting on them day and night.
Before Niall had been placed in her mansion, Ashton was considered a “wild child” with little regard for authority and always getting into trouble. Niall helped her understand the way of Victorian, Augland 54, and the Artificial Existence Center (AEC) as a whole. Work hard, blend in, keep your head down, make your way up the system. If you were really lucky, you could end up in the Executive Office, where you would get a Suit of your own. Niall knew how it worked and played the system well. He took Ashton under his wing and became like a brother to her. Every day, Ashton thought about how lucky she was that, after Victorian, they had been placed in the same park, Maya Bay. Besides Sheva, who kept her company on the train each day, Niall was her only real friend.
“Oh, of course, Sandra,” Niall responded coquettishly to the Suit.
He leaned in closer as he started telling her another joke, probably dirty. Sandra erupted in a short giggle attack and tapped Niall lightly on the shoulder. Ashton shook her head and smiled. Niall was such a flirt. Sandra grinned wid ely and chuckled along with him. Her hand squeezed Niall’s shoulder, and his black shirt started to stretch under her hand.
Maya Bay was one of the few parks that programmed Suits to be able to touch workers. At the entrance of each park, tall scanners programmed the capabilities of the Suits for each park, dictating how they could engage with workers. Maya Bay was less of a threat due to the clientele and less-hostile Suits who lived there. Other parks, like Hollywood Boulevard, were party areas and had restrictions for worker safety. It had been rumored that the Executive Office was considering turning off certain transmitter restrictions for a better customer experience, which wouldn’t be good news for workers.
Niall slowly made his way away from Sandra, carrying a large tray of untouched food to another table. Ashton followed behind him.
“What was your pickup line today?”
He turned and made a puking motion. Niall was quite good-looking and almost blended in with the overly perfect Suits who lived in Maya Bay. He used this to his advantage.
“You’re up,” Niall chuckled as he saw a few Suits enter and seat themselves in Ashton’s section. She rolled her eyes, and Niall pushed her toward her tables.
“How are you fine folks doing? My name is Ashton, and I’m going to be your waitress today.” Ashton knew how to flip the customer service switch to full force. Since the day she was born, she had lived and breathed customer service. Her ability to read people and adjust her manner came in handy as a waitress but never seemed to help when it came to her relationship with managers.
Time passed slowly and exhaustion started to set in around midnight. Maya Bay was a prime vacation spot for some and a retirement spot for others, meaning it was always busy. Ashton could feel her brain shutting down as she tried to stay awake. A new table had just arrived. She cranked her neck from side to side, stretched her arms above her head, and hoped blood flow would wake her up enough to finish this last table.
“Hello there!” Ashton greeted her new guests warmly. It was Randy and his wife Susie, two Suits who came by the restaurant every so often. Unlike most Suits, Randy and Susie were kind and appreciative of the workers at Augland. Both always asked Ashton about her day and knew most of the staff at the restaurant by name, something that could not be said about most other Suits.
“Hello, Ashton, and how are you this evening?” Randy asked her.
“Just peachy, Randy. It’s a beautiful night out there.” She smiled. “What can I get you?”
“Susie, what are you thinking, dear?” Randy asked his wife as he took her unrealistically young hand into his.
“You know, the coconut shrimp and Hawaiian pineapple fried rice sound amazing. I haven’t had that recently. The rice comes in a pineapple still, right?” Ashton nodded to indicate it hadn’t changed.
“That sounds great,” her husband agreed. “Ashton, let’s get two of those with some champagne. We are celebrating our anniversary.” Randy smiled.
Ashton forced a surprised look. “How many years?” she asked with as much enthusiasm as she could muster.
“It’s our fortieth! Can you believe it?” Ashton really couldn’t, as their Suits didn’t look a day over twenty-five years old.
As the night grew late, Niall stopped by the countertop Ashton was clearing. He gave her his famous heart-melting grin. Ashton smiled back.
“Go okay today?” she asked.
“Yeah. You? Heard you had attitude with Marius.” He put his chin on the palm of his hand and placed his elbow on the countertop.
“I did not,” Ashton said defensively. Marius always seemed to complain about her.
Niall laughed as he picked up a rag and began cleaning the next table. Then his face grew serious. “You really should try harder. Marius isn’t that bad, and all you have to do is be nice to him.”
Ashton knew that Niall had a point; he was always looking out for her. She struggled with giving into authority—always had, even during training at Augland Center, before she even came to Victorian. If it hadn’t been for Niall, she probably would have been transferred already. There were parks that offered what were considered higher-end jobs and those were where the Trainers sent the more “troubled” workers. They were rarely heard from again. There were only rumors about the sick and twisted entertainment they were forced to provide.
“You remember the dairy farm?” Niall asked while she picked up a couple of glasses from a nearby table.
“Yes, why?” Ashton asked, looking perplexed at the sudden change in topic.
Victorian didn’t compare to the beauty of the Maya Bay, but it did have aspects that Niall and Ashton both missed. It had radiant blue skies that unfurled across large, rolling hills with flawless green pastures and farming land. There were fields on the outskirts of town that had cows, chickens, horses, and goats. When they worked at a dairy farm, Suits could come and milk the cows. Ashton had loved working with the animals.
Niall hopped up on the counter he had just cleaned. “Wonder if it’s changed? I feel like it’s been forever since we’ve been there—what, almost three years now?”
Ashton didn’t feel like going down memory lane with Niall today. He had a different perception—a more rose-colored-glasses perspective of Augland 54. Ashton viewed it differently. What she remembered was torment. Long hours, even longer days, working away at the mercy of the Suits and the Executive Office. Suits at Victorian had outrageous demands, from bathing and dressing them to entertainment at the workers’ expense. Some would even bet on who would win fistfights or be able to hold their breath underwater the longest before passing out. To most, working in an Augland was like a prison, where the only way out was in a body bag. Others, like Niall, saw it all as a competition and worked hard to make their way to the Executive Offices.
“I think about it from time to time. I would go back there if I ever got a Suit for myself.” That statement surprised Ashton.
“That place? C’mon, Niall.” Ashton sprayed her table and began wiping it again. “Besides, we’ll never get one. Not in this lifetime.”
Niall constantly talked about getting a Suit of his own, and it frustrated Ashton. Augland didn’t pay workers, so it was unlikely that any of them would get a Suit unless they made it to the Executive Offices, which was next to impossible. Their payment was a dingy dormitory, a small amount of food, and protection from the outside world beyond the walls. That was it.
“Someday, I’ll be able to do it, and I’ll be super buff with brown hair and big muscles like that Suit, Walter.” Niall flexed his own muscles, trying to make Ashton laugh.
“You’re already good-looking; why would you of all people want to change that?” Ashton threw her towel down. They had engaged in this conversation countless times.
“You’re telling me, if you had the opportunity to live forever in one of those Suits, you wouldn’t take it?” he snapped back.
Ashton was about to answer but saw Marius heading their way. Niall quickly slid off the counter, picked up his serving tray, and headed toward the back. Ashton turned around to the already clean table and began wiping it down again. She hoped that Marius hadn’t seen them talking and pretended like she didn’t notice him standing behind her.
Marius drew so close that she could feel his breath on her neck. “Thought you should know, I’ve submitted my quarterly report on you, and it’s not good. If I catch you again talking with Niall and not working, you won’t like the outcome.” Ashton stared ahead, frowning, and nodded. She’d heard his threat loud and clear. “Now, let’s not have another mistake like that, shall we? I think I’ve been very lenient with you, and my patience is wearing thin.” Marius took a few steps away from her and gave a disapproving look. Ashton hid her anger. Niall never seemed to get into trouble for talking to her.
Ashton remained silent for the rest of her shift, staying away from both Niall and Marius. When the time came to catch the train, she ripped off her apron and stuffed it into her locker for when she returned tomorrow. Before she shut the locker door, she grabbed her notepad and opened it to the last page where she had scribbled almost illegible notes the night before. Ashton had only been able to write a few strokes on the train before it made a sudden, lurching movement. Glancing down at the last page, she tried to memorize the words she had written: Reactive Power: The portion of something, something the electric and magnetic fields of . . . She couldn’t make out the rest of the sentence. Measured in VARS.
