Free With and Without Class by David Fleming

trains. Eggs were expensive and remote but the view and stylish interior seemed perfect for a writer.
    He had recently learned the futility of trying to bring a girl back after a night of drinking and dancing at Club Discothèque. It was a laborious walk and climb around the tubes to the entrance of his egg. “Where are you taking me?” Marlene, with the nice backside had said.
    â€œTo my Egg .”
    â€œYour what? There’s no dwelling up here. Something’s not right.” She turned and walked away.
    â€œHey,” Alex staggered, catching himself, “Haven’t you heard of Eggs . They’re spacious. They’re quiet. Be smart, go Egg! Live like royalty in your vast …”
    He’d need a girl to trust him before he could get one to come back. He’d need a girlfriend. First trust, then sex. He might need to be famous too; he wasn’t sure what it would take.
    Alex set the plastic bag on his kitchenette counter, looking at it before drawing out Fast Amnesia. The plastic box worked in conjunction with his quarter. This was what he needed. He’d be famous. The feeling of purpose had always welled from the center of his being; it was fate.
    Alex didn’t think he could trust the sellers at the market. They had tried to confuse him and he apologized to customers for taking so long.
    It might be better, however, to wait until it could be registered. It needed NIA approval. The whole process could take years. He held it in his hands and looked at the lightning bolt red lettering of ‘Fast Amnesia.’
    Lenny, bring me the bubble, AA6, Alex thought.
    Dispatched, Lenny telepathed .
    Alex looked around . “ Bubble AA6 .” He waited . “ BUBBLE AA6! ” A white sphere flew toward him, hovering above and out of his reach. The sphere vibrated and gyrated as he eyed it. It darted toward and back. “ Hey! ”
    It bounced and rattled.
    â€œ Return. ” Alex glared, walking backward. He turned and it flew toward him as he ran around a corner into his kitchenette. “Return!” He looked and cursed, “DAMNIT!” The sphere bounced off his head as he arched his back, catching himself on the countertop before it ricocheted off a cabinet to the floor. He rubbed his head and winced at it resting quietly before separating its hemispheres and retrieving the devices inside.
    Fast Corp. had made safe products in the past. He had used these two recently with no side effects. They looked identical to Fast Amnesia, only differing in the red lightning lettering of ‘Fast Anesthetics’ and ‘Fast Singer’s Voice.’
    Alex wrote on a Post-It note:
    Â 
    Alex,
    Recognize your own handwriting, Stupid. You wrote this novella, Surprise Ending, then used Fast Amnesia to forget you wrote it. It’s the only way to know if you’re any good. Read it, edit it, now!
    Â 
    Alex pulled the Post-It from the pad and grabbed Fast Amnesia, walking to the yolk room. His feet sunk as they crossed onto the stretchy, indigo shag. He paced to a random spot, falling back into an oversized chair-shaped mound forming from the shag. His feet rose to rest on a growing coffee table as the indigo fibers retracted beneath the darkening surface.
    Alex , Lenny telepathed, want a neck massage?
    Lenny, no thanks. Bring me the bubble, Surprise Ending . Alex raised his forearm across his forehead but the sphere appeared quietly, this time.
    He removed the seventy-four-page manuscript and stuck the Post-It to the title page.
    Lenny, perform a scan. Find start date and time of the computer file, Surprise Ending.
    Alex folded the title page into a triangle, bringing the Post-It into prominent view. He positioned the manuscript on the table, close to him, then held Fast Amnesia behind his head. Removing the protective casing from a corner revealed a speaker and a microphone. “Fast Amnesia, are you paying attention?”
    It buzzed in his hand, “Fast