Speculative Satire from the Future

NEO-SEOUL — The floorboards pleasantly vibrate underfoot with the rare echoes of Theremin music, as the ethereal tones fill the thinning air in Neo-Itaewon, the bustling spaceport district formerly known as Seoul. Crowd numbers are sparse yet exotically diverse with a cosmic blend of Earthlings and aliens from afar, convening for the annual subdued All Hallows Eve.As the anniversary of the Great Tragedy of 2022 approached, the authorities of Neo-Seoul were out in full force. Yet they were not human officers as one might expect from a century ago, instead, they were Poli-Bots, infused with an artificial intelligence system that superseded human capabilities.Madame Zeline Zara, the three-hundred-year-old pychic octopus and the beloved 'oracle' of Neo-Seoul, floats serenely in her levitated water sphere. She foresees this event as, 'A symbol of unity for our interstellar society'. Post Tragedy, Halloween underwent unprecedented change. It stepped away from the shadowy indulgence of old and adopted a new form of celebration, as the new residents of Earth brought their own traditions and practices. The veil between worlds has taken on a somewhat literal translation. Enchanted by a trio of singing crystals from the Crux cluster, Youn Lee, a local human native, beams with an expression of unadulterated wonder. 'It's not as crowded,' says Jin, 'but you understand that in the face of infinite diversity, we're bound together by universal experiences. Halloween will never be the same, but maybe it’s a good thing. '