THE DRONES

2.32 am. The drones made a constant, unearthly whine as they circled and criss crossed the sky above the city. Mapping. Everything and everyone. People on the move. People fast asleep. People in the streets. People in their houses. People on the web..

They were constantly updating, a 3 dimensional map of the whole city, in real time, detailed to a single square centimeter. They were equipped with ultra-sensitive, omnidirectional, full spectrum cameras. They could see through walls. They could even see auras.

As she sat at her computer, her aura was a clouded red. This was picked up and noted. The information was relayed to the great quantum processor located deep below the city, which drew its power directly from the Earth's fiery core.

She was in an angry state of mind and had no patience for anyone's shit. She'd just unfriended someone she'd known for years, but never met. Someone she'd shared many a heated debate. Sometimes in bitter opposition, other times in total agreement. They'd exchanged many a hard word but also many a kind one, over the years.

Of course, he'd always had a racist streak, but he wrapped it up in such clever ways, with such a deeply researched historical narrative that it was hard sometimes not to see a certain sense in his point of view.

But she had no tolerance for racists. Not tonight especially. He'd gone one comment too far and so it was goodbye and have a nice life.. and just like that he was out of her life.

Her aura glowed a cloudy red, as the drone droned on through the night, high overhead.. watching over her as she shut down the screen, put off the light, went off to bed.

Never really alone.