Lizbeth picked up the booklet and started to skim through it. "This is definitely the machine... Though I want you to take a look at the mechanisms..." Lizbeth said as she handed the booklet to Mark. Mark began to skim through it and an expression of confusion appeared on his face.
"Dark matter?" He mumbled. "What does it mean by it uses dark matter to produce electricity?" Mark asked aloud.
"That's why I had you take a look..." Lizbeth said.
"Yeah... It's a bit strange but it should work... It shows how to put it together and it says you have to plug it in for about three seconds. This kid really likes threes, doesn't he?" Mark asked rhetorically.
"Perhaps there is a reason for the threes?" Lizbeth mumbled to herself. Mark tipped the box and slowly set it on its side, then slid the box that was inside out. The box is almost the same size as the bigger one, though a few inches shorter and a few thous were taken off on each side. (A thou is an imperial measurement that is 1/1,000 of an inch.)
Mark then opened the box. inside the box are several metal pieces as well as plastic bags with objects inside such as screws and bolts. "It would seem this will be complex..." Mark said with a slightly joking tone.
"Well, as long as we can put it together it will be fine." Lizbeth said lightly. Mark nodded slightly in agreement then began to take numbered metal pieces out in a specific order. After pulling out ten large pieces of met he put them together as the booklet instructs, using screws and bolts wherever necessary.
After a little while, the machine was fully put together with all the electronics inside it. Mark plugged it in, then turned it on, counted to three seconds, then unplugged the machine. The machine continued running after it was unplugged.
The machine is similar to what you would expect a futuristic medical table to look like. The portion where a patient lays is white with cushioning. The cushioning is soft and comfortable to lay on. There is a glass portion that closes to encapsulate the patient.
The glass is very sturdy and doesn't break easily if at all. The glass also has several metal pieces that appear to be some form of support that the glass connects to. Towards the back of the machine, where the head lays there is a small configuration computer that allows you to set the treatment.
"I guess the future is now." Mark said.
"I heard that he is also working on full dive VR." Lizbeth stated. "It is quite the accomplishment, I mean just the pure understanding of the brain that is necessary... And at his age..." Lizbeth said as she drifted into thought.
"Well, anyway, we should get Elizabeth out here so we can let her use the machine." Mark said lightly. Lizbeth nodded, still deep in thought. Mark went and to get Elizabeth. After a few moments, Mark came down the hall with her.
"What are we doing that's important enough to have me stop reading?" Elizabeth asked.
"This." Mark said pointing to the machine.
"What is it?" Elizabeth asked.
"It can heal your ears, but we only have three uses, so we will be sparing with them, but the first use will be today." Mark said.
"So I'll be able to hear better and my ears will stop hurting for a while?" Elizabeth asked. Mark nodded.
"That is correct." Mark said.
"Okay." Elizabeth said. After a few moments of configuration, Elizabeth lay on the medical table, after a few more seconds, the glass closed and a light began to shine around Elizabeth's ears.
After around a minute, the light stopped shining and the machine opened. "I can hear as well as I used to!" Elizabeth said. "I can hear the neighbor's dog running around their house, I can even hear the kids at the park again." Elizabeth said.
"Mark, the park is three miles away, right?" Lizbeth asked. Mark nodded.
"Yes, I believe so... It seems her hearing is just as good as that kid who made the machine, not only that, she said again." Mark said.
"I was always able to hear the kids at the park, well, until my hearing started getting worse... I could also hear the neighbor and her husband fighting every once in a while... It made me sad that people who seem so close would fight so loudly and angrily..." Elizabeth said.
"Well, it happens and there isn't much we can do about it, but if you hear them fighting come to one of us, we'll help you feel happier." Lizbeth said.
"Sure will." Mark said. Over the rest of summer break Elizabeth had fun with her family and avoided her classmates as she was afraid of being picked on.
(Sep 1, 2011)
The first day of school started and Elizabeth went to her class, waiting for it to start. After a few minutes more children entered and around thirty seconds before class started the teacher entered.
"We'll be starting with history." The teacher said as she began to write on the chalkboard. "I have also been notified that this chalkboard will be replaced with a drake-tech holoscreen." The teacher said which resulted in multiple students whispering amongst themselves.
One student raised their hand. "What is a holoscreen?" He asked.
"A screen that is holographic, it's like a tv." The teacher responded. "Any other questions before we start?" The teacher asked. Elizabeth raised her hand.
"Will you tell the others to stop throwing things at me?" Elizabeth asked.
"Everyone has a place in society." The teacher started reading, ignoring Elizabeth's question. "Some people live in a caste-based society, and for a while, Japan was a caste-based society, however, that changed because..." The teacher continued reading until the end of class.