She came to her senses and stood up. Her arms and legs were covered in goosebumps; she shook off the shivers and cracked her neck just a little to turn up the retinal ultraviolet sensor. With the UV on she could spot the other people in the dense fog, their bodies dappled with sweat droplets that were rich in soma. She began to sneak her way across the pool, heading for the large hall of the sanitarium. She was in a bit of a hurry, but moved with great care as she didn’t want to disturb the others.

She wasn’t particularly interested in her work, and though hastily progressing through the hot pool valley, she kept thinking about the ‘synch’ she had just now experienced. About how great it is to have a sense of touch without being touched by anything but the hot moist air, to share heartbeats in the pulsing sound of what seemed like distant drums – to feel things together without any physical contact. The amazing level of connectivity caused by the totally immersive environment of the baths was itself like a drug. Sachi, like many others, preferred to take soma (a pill that contained a low dose psychotropic) to induce total synesthesia, which allowed her to cling to the feeling for a longer period.

When the rough floor changed to a rubbery carpet, she knew to feel around for a handle. Once she touched the cool metal post, the steam around her quickly condensed above her and she had a quick shower. Leaving all these people she never actually saw, but knew so intimately now, she ran down the steps into the locker room… there was still 20 minutes or so before she had to meet with the interviewees.