Rochelle was fine with waiting. Waiting was a part of life. Even on a space station. When it came to the person in front of her, however, she had to backtrack. The vending machine didn’t look particularly dangerous.
But even though she hadn’t been watching, she knew the person in front of her had vanished. Rochelle hadn’t heard him go. Or heard his purchase fall to the bottom of the machine.
Rochelle shrugged, and stepped forward. The touch screen displayed the words. “Thank you for your contribution”. That all seemed fine. Except she hadn’t touched the screen. The sensor in her hand was what would have triggered the payment.
And why would it have said “contribution” instead of “purchase”?
Rochelle leaned forward to look at the machine’s screen. There was something odd about the options. They were all greyed out.
”Hurry up!” Someone in line said.
”I think it’s broken.” Rochelle hollered back. Everyone in line groaned in response and ambled away to find another machine.
Rochelle couldn’t bring herself to leave. There was an annoying high-pitched sound that wouldn’t quit. It sounded like screaming. She turned her ear toward the machine, but it only hummed.
Rochelle looked down. There was a toy moving by her feet. She stepped back.
”Help me!” The toy shouted. That was an odd thing for a toy to say. She got down on her knees and looked closer. It was the man in front of her, waving his arms, desperate to be noticed.
The vending machine beeped. “Contribution required”.
Rochelle picked up the little man and sprinted away from the machine.