By Linette Voller.

The cursor blinked slowly, the only point of light on an otherwise blank and empty screen.

In another world, the operator would not have been looking the other way, eyes following every move of the body gyrating on the TV screen mounted on the wall.

In another world, the crackling hissing noise that gathered in volume would not have been drowned out by the latest hit music.

In another world, the sporadic movements of the gauge’s needle would have occurred at exactly the same time as eyes temporarily alighted on the readout.

In another world, the alarm would have been sounded in time to warn other employees who might have been able to do something about the impending disaster.

In another world, the day would have continued much the same as before with cities full of noise and suburbs signing with the sounds of families and wildlife.

This was not another world.