Mr. and Mrs. Donowho

I woke up late. Sweet sleep still held me in its soft embrace, but a ray of sun, breaking through the curtains, mercilessly blinded my eyes. I winced and stretched, feeling how sleepy laziness was paralyzing my body.

"Mmm," burst out of me when I finally got out of bed.

Yesterday came back to me, and with it, what was lying on the table. Coming closer, I saw a neatly folded wad of money. Large bills, still smelling of printer's ink.

They burned my hands.

I took them, turning them over in my fingers. Soft paper, the weight of wealth, and an unpleasant feeling inside. The money wasn't mine. Well, technically it was mine, but... a friend had given it to me yesterday, asking me to "just hold it." No explanation, nothing extra, just his quick glance and one word:

"Take it."

Now I sat there, looking at them, wondering: what should I do? Take them back? Hide them? Or... spend them? After all, I always dreamed of a new laptop or a trip somewhere far away.

But these thoughts were interrupted by a slight pang of conscience. Money is a strange thing. It can give freedom, but in return it takes away peace.

I reached out again, but now with a different mindset. A villa abroad... That was my new plan. A dream. To get away, leave everything behind, not think about everyday worries and immerse myself in an atmosphere of solitude. But where to go?

I went through several countries in my head: the warm beaches of Thailand, the mountains of Switzerland, the noisy streets of New York... But then, as if by a click, the thought came - Canada. Vast forests, lakes, fresh air and complete solitude. This was what I was looking for.

I started looking for villas on rental websites. Cozy little houses with huge windows overlooking endless expanses and quiet lakes. I remembered seeing photos of such places on the internet once - snowy mountains on the horizon, foggy forests, and only nature and silence all around.

I chose one villa, not far from Vancouver. Its description sounded like a dream: a stylish wooden house with a fireplace, several bedrooms, a kitchen with views of the lake, a large terrace and even a small outdoor sauna.

I wanted to be there right now. To stretch out on a soft sofa, watch the sunset and forget about everything. I felt how the money in my hands became more than just numbers on a screen - they became a ticket to a new life, a new adventure.

Far, far away... Canadian villa, I can almost see you. I dialed the number listed on her website with excitement. The beeps continued endlessly until finally a voice was heard. But it was strange - flat, emotionless, as if a machine was speaking:

"Welcome to the elite villa network. How can I help you?"

"Uh, hello. I'm looking to book a lake villa outside of Vancouver," I said, trying to sound confident.

"Excellent choice. The villa is available. Please provide your name, contact details and payment method."

The voice was too soulless. I realized that I was not talking to a person, but to a robot assistant. My enthusiasm faded a little, but I decided to go all the way.

"Um, okay, here's my details," I dictated everything that was required.

"Thank you for your request. Payment confirmed. We expect you at the villa tomorrow at three."

"Wait, will there be people there?" I blurted out.

"We do not have staff in the traditional sense. Our villas are fully automated. Your vacation will be provided by our intelligent systems: from cleaning to cooking."

Robots. All robots. There wasn't even anyone to shake hands with or ask for a recommendation for the best local wine.

"Tell me about the local attractions," I said into the phone, deciding to distract myself from the strange feeling that the villa was serviced exclusively by cars.

"The following interesting places are located in your area: Garibaldi National Park, Shannon Falls, and the famous lookout point - so famous that its name is not worth mentioning. You can use our automatic transfer to visit these places."

The robot's voice was as even as before, without a hint of enthusiasm.

"And tell me, with whom will I have to share the villa?" I asked, realizing that I had forgotten to clarify an important point.

The robot paused briefly, as if considering its answer, although it was probably just looking for data.

"Your neighbors will be Mr. and Mrs. Donowho. He and she."

"Who are these?" I asked in surprise.

"I can only say that they are newlyweds."

"Newlyweds?" I asked again, trying to imagine what kind of couple would be moving in with me under the same roof. "Hmm, won't I bother them?"

"No, because half of the villa is rented out. The entire second floor will belong exclusively to you."

I thought about it. Newlyweds, then. Probably romantic walks on the terrace, evenings by the fireplace, and I would be watching all this splendor from above. On the one hand, the idea seemed a little awkward to me. On the other, a second floor with complete isolation sounded good.

"Okay," I replied, already starting to come up with scenarios in my head on how to avoid crossing paths with Mr. and Mrs. Donowho. "I hope we become friends... or, even better, don't cross paths at all."

The robot didn't respond to this. It just wished me a pleasant journey and hung up.

After I hung up, I thought. There was more to this than just a vacation. This was a chance... A chance to reset. A plan was beginning to form in my head.

First things first: books. Lots of books. How long have I been putting off reading? Five years for sure. And now, in the privacy of my Canadian villa, I can immerse myself in a whole world of knowledge. I googled several lists: classics, modern literature, popular science. I decided that I needed to broaden my horizons.

Then I remembered about magazines. As a child, I dreamed of subscribing to scientific publications - something about sociology, physics, maybe biology. I doubt I'll understand everything the first time, but scientists have probably made a ton of discoveries in the last hundred years, and it'll be damn interesting.