We finally did it. We built a world where sickness, disease, aging, and even death no longer exist. But at what cost?

For centuries, humanity refused to face the truth: our time was running out. Negasi, the mind behind Dev, offered salvation—merging consciousness with technology. Some called him a genius, others an Antichrist. I knew he was the devil, making me a demon.

I was number three in the development of Dev. We weren’t ready. We never fully tested the technology before launch. By then, the world was collapsing—economies failing, nations crumbling. In 2078, a pandemic wiped out 250 million people. By 2060, 180 million aquatic species were extinct. Humanity had ignored the warning signs for too long.

Now, it’s December 13, 2086, and Christmas is near. We recreated the sensations of touch, scent, even tradition. But it’s not the same. I miss the Ekpe festival from my hometown, the masquerades running through the streets, the chaka-chaka of udara seeds around their ankles, the deep pulse of the music. Forget the dancing—music was what mattered.

Here in Dev, music has lost its soul. AI translates thoughts into perfect compositions, but there are no live performances, no concerts, no raw expression. No vulgarity either. I can’t even say “f**k Dev” without it being censored.

I miss the nights by the fire, listening to my grandfather tell old Ibibio stories, the smell of Afang soup in the air. I miss my cap shaped like a tipped-over canoe, my walking stick that made me feel like the son of a storyteller. I miss learning about Nsibidi.

I miss being human.

We finally did it. We built a world without a sense of humanity.

Written by Maadie Annie