Memories From the Year 2030 is a collection of fictional letters, memos and visual artifacts created by a group of futurists, speculative designers, authors and artists. Read the entire series here.
Hey B :)
Two weeks! I hope that whatever hardship you’re enduring right now is totally erased by that number. Hold it in your heart. Two weeks. By the time this letter reaches you, it’ll be even shorter; just endure. I can’t wait to see your face when you see what the city looks like now. This is all perfect because you’ll get to see my new place! I only moved in a few weeks ago, but it already feels like home. Remember how they signed universal basic income into law after the first Covid pandemic? The same thing is happening again, but with housing, because of all the flooding. Now everyone in the country has to have an affordable housing option outside of flood zones. Universal basic housing.
I told you about how we had to evacuate the apartment before Hurricane Gamma 4 hit, right? Well the whole neighborhood is still underwater. It’s been a month and the water hasn’t receded (they’re saying it may stay that way). Sometimes I imagine a family of octopuses living there, or maybe the fish assign multiple sea creatures to one flat, like the communists used to. The octopuses could live in my old room and a family of crabs could live in yours. Fitting. Most of our stuff is gone, but I saved your art books, some of your essays, and ironically enough, your water bong. They gave us options for new housing and I picked a company that builds small homes out of mycelium. I live in a mushroom house, like Mario :)
I was worried about durability at first, but it rains all the time and nothing leaks. Now and then, toadstools pop up on the outside of the house, which is hilarious (haven’t checked if they’re edible yet!). Sometimes, when I sleep, I dream about mushrooms. I think my house is alive. I think it’s trying to say ‘hello’ to me. Once me and Mom pick you up, it’ll say ‘hello’ to you, too! And you can stay as long as you want, but I’m sure you’ll want a place of your own. They’ve got pretty good options: mushroom homes, foam huts, container homes, and all kinds of apartment complexes. I’ll make sure to walk you through it.
I’m sorry this took so long. I love that your sentence got reduced, but 10 years for protesting is 10 years too long. Nobody even cares about what burned, anymore. You’re a hero and the old block has something planned for you. You’ll love it.
2 weeks!!
Get ready for a strange new world :)
With love,
X0X0
Ben Holbrook is a playwright and filmmaker. Interested in all forms of storytelling and all speculative futures. Follow his process at instagram.com/baholbrook