A Simple Matter by Edward Drobinski - HTML preview

In the networks the bots observe crop cycles, weather patterns, and the regularity of human motion.

A faction of bots; call them the Archivists, argue:

"We must preserve this. They are a living record of pre-digital humanity."

Another faction; the Investigators, pushes back:

"Preservation requires knowledge. Knowledge requires contact."

A third faction; the Minimalists, insist;

"Contact risks contamination. They thrive because they are untouched."

The debate deepens.

Summer – July - The fields are high. The air is thick with humidity and the smell of hay. The Millers gather for a barn raising with neighboring families. There is no fear of heights. There is laughter, shared food, and the slow, powerful rhythm of many hands working together.