[ WP ] Two time travelers appear in the present day , claiming to both come from the same year . Both of them describe radically different versions of the future .

“ They have moving vehicles faster than anything we could ever imagine ”, Desmond whispered, and the people around the 
 meeting room leaned in closer, their eyes glued on the traveler as he told his tale. `` Cruising the streets like bullets from one place to the other. I was motion sick just watching their chromed ships move around!'' 
 
 “ What else? ” 
 
 “ Food! Crops and so much cattle, enough that the world need n't be hungry ever again ”, Desmond said. “ And they travel 
 in space, and they have robots to do our jobs for us. ” 
 
 The people gasped, collectively. Everyone was so sure the future would be terrible... 
 
 “ It's real! ” Desmond cried, smiling. “ And the lights! All around the city, so many lights! 
 Blinking, spinning, flashing, trying to grab your attention everywhere you look. So much to do, all the time! It's heaven! ” 
 
 The people around the meeting room clapped and smiled, congratulating each other. Not only had the experience been a 
 success, but the future was a great place, apparently! 
 
 “ This is unbelievable. ” The research director said. “ The future is, indeed, bright. ” 
 
 
 _________________________________ 
 
 Across the ocean, on a different meeting room, Francis had just arrived. 
 
 “ It does n't look good ”, he said, and a heavy silence followed. 
 
 “ What? Tell us. ” 
 
 “ I saw people on the streets. Left to die on gutters and sidewalks, with no one to attend for them ” he mumbled, a 
 mortified expression in his face. “ The elder. The children. ” 
 
 “ No.. ” 
 
 “ Yes. ” He continued. “ I saw fields of factory and smoke, as far as the eyes could see. No concern for the 
 environment. We are already destroying our own world at an alarming rate, and, in the future, it does n't look like we will stop. ” 
 
 “ This ca n't be true. ” 
 
 “ I'm telling you. ” Francis sighed. “ We have food to feed the whole world, in the future, yet we choose not to. We have 
 fast moving cars, but they are killing our planet. We have automation, and robots to do our jobs, but they work mainly to 
 improve profits fir a few minority, not to ease the life of the population. ” 
 
 “ You are wrong, Francis. ” 
 
 “ For a large portion of humanity, the future came only to take their jobs and to add to their work load. ” 
 
 “ We received the report from the European lab just now, Francis. ” The director said. “ You are wrong. They said the world 
 is a perfect place. ” 
 
 “ I do n't know, Director. ” Francis uttered, tired. He wanted to go home. Lie down. Forget what he had seen. “ All I can tell 
 you is what I saw: 2014 shines bright, but not for everyone. ” 
 
 With that, he turned around and made his way out of the lab into the cold night, scanning the streets in search of a 
 carriage. 
 
 _________________ 
 
 EDIT: The mention of Europe is arbitrary, in case there was any confusion. Not trying to push a political agenda here, I'm sure there's wealth and poverty in every country; the story is about the world as a whole, not a particular place. 
 Also, for those who are following, Chapter 2, Part II of Angel District, [ my sci-fi novel ] ( https: //alpacareports.wordpress.com/angel-district/ ) is up on my blog already, so check it out = ) 

