House No. 13

“Ma’am, that’s the AURORA,” a bright, young boy said pleasantly, pointing to the sleek control panel that had just been installed on the wall.

“Oh… okay,” Kelly said, looking at the sophisticated interface with a mix of pleasure and surprise.

A few months ago, she had seen an AI system at a friend’s house. Impressed by its performance and perfect assistance, she decided to get one for her own home to help manage her son’s prolonged and serious illness.

Today, a team from Cybernexa was installing the AI system in her house, and she watched everything unfold like a dream come true.

“Ma’am, AURORA is the artificial intelligence system installed in your house. It will assist you with everything programmed into it,” the young man, Ryan Martin, said in a professional tone.

Kelly, who had been watching the installation process intently, nodded in agreement. She stood in her spacious living room with Ryan, the manager, and observed as the Cybernexa team finalized the installation. The sleek control panel emitted a soft glow, signaling that AURORA was fully operational.

A few minutes later, the installation of AURORA was complete.

As one of the technicians activated the system through the sleek control panel on the wall, a soft chime echoed through the room, and the interface lit up with a serene blue glow. Kelly felt excited as if life had been infused into her home.

“Hello… it’s AURORA, your AI assistant,” said the smooth, human-like voice of the AI system, emanating from hidden speakers around the room.

“It’s amazing,” Kelly murmured in awe upon hearing AURORA’s greeting.

Standing nearby, Ryan Martin glanced at AURORA with pride. It was the result of his innovative approach and hard work.

Ryan Martin was an AI engineer and co-owner of Cybernexa, an artificial intelligence (AI) company. Over the past five years, he has developed numerous AI systems and installed them in homes and offices, resulting in over a hundred satisfied customers.

Today, Ryan and his team were at Kelly’s house to install the latest AI system. They set up modems and wiring throughout the house to ensure AURORA, the AI system, would work properly according to Kelly Jenkins’ specifications.

“Please make sure that AURORA has all the necessary information about my son’s illness and treatment,” Kelly said in a serious tone, looking at AURORA’s control panel.

“I specifically wanted this AI system to assist with his care.”

She wanted to ensure that AURORA would meet the needs and requirements of everyone in the house, especially her son Eric

“AURORA, tell Mrs. Kelly Jenkins that you understand your responsibilities in this house,” Ryan said loudly, looking toward the sleek control panel.

Kelly looked at Ryan with confusion, not quite understanding what he was saying.

“Hello, Kelly. I’m AURORA, your AI assistant,” the voice from the system began.

“My machine learning and deep learning systems have been informed about your son’s health condition and everything else you may need from me. My expert system will assist in your son’s treatment and well-being like a caretaker. I can also forecast his health condition based on his vitals, which I will monitor regularly. Additionally, I am authorized to provide recommendations that are in the best interest of you and your family,” AURORA explained in a measured tone.

Its voice sounded much more like a normal human than the robotic voices Kelly had seen in movies, which amazed her.

Kelly absorbed every word from AURORA, and her heart filled with satisfaction. Since deciding to install an AI system in her house to assist with her son’s treatment, she has been plagued by confusion and tension. She had wondered whether relying on AI would prove to be a wise choice. Now, after hearing AURORA, she felt reassured that she had made the right decision, and her anxiety dissolved.

“Ma’am, our customer care department operates 24/7, and our team is always available in case of any issues. Although we have a minimal complaint record, we’re here for our customers at any time. If you need assistance or have any questions, please call our helpline,” Ryan said, scanning the room.

“Okay, thank you,” Kelly said as Ryan’s team finished installing the AI system and began packing up.

“Here is the remaining payment,” Kelly added, handing Ryan a cross-check made out to Cybernexa, the company she had booked the AI system from. She had already paid twenty percent as an advance when booking through Cybernexa’s website, and now she was settling the remaining amount, which significantly reduced her bank balance.

“Thank you, ma’am... Your payment is all set,” Ryan said, glancing at the amount on the check before folding it and tucking it into his backpack.

He then picked up Kelly Jenkins’ tablet, logged into the AURORA system, and handed the tablet back to Kelly, saying,

“I’ve made you the admin of AURORA and installed its software on this tablet,” Ryan explained, handing it back to Kelly.

“Now you can manage it according to your needs. You can add new instructions or delete past ones based on your changing schedule and demands. AURORA is our latest technology and can easily adapt to meet the needs of its admin.”

Ryan said, giving a professional smile at the end of his sentence.

“It sounds good,” Kelly replied, looking at the tablet screen where the AURORA application was open, and her name was listed as the admin.

“We should leave now,” Ryan said, signaling his team to exit the house.

“Oh, yes,” Kelly agreed, placing the tablet on the central table and following Ryan. She needed to see him off and then lock the door.

“From now on, you can ask AURORA to see off your guests and lock the doors and windows. AURORA is here to assist you in every possible way,” Ryan added in a light tone as he crossed the threshold of the lounge’s large wooden door.

“Thank you, Mr. Ryan, for your visit. I hope your AI system will make my life easier, and I’ll soon be another satisfied customer of yours,” Kelly said with a light tone, smiling at Ryan as he prepared to get into his car.

“I hope so,” Ryan replied.

“And goodbye,” he added, driving his car out of the driveway.

Kelly stood at the bottom step of the stairs, which led from the lounge to the front garden. She looked up at the sky, filled with clouds that threatened rain over Windham County.

Kelly recently moved to Windham County, Connecticut. She is a single mother with a fifteen-year-old daughter, Anna Jenkins, and an eleven-year-old son, Eric Jenkins.

Previously, she lived happily in Fresno, California. However, two years ago, Eric was diagnosed with tuberculosis, altering the course of their lives. Kelly has always been a dedicated single mother, raising her children independently.

Now, the issue was that Fresno’s poor air quality and limited water supply were exacerbating Eric’s tuberculosis. After discussing the detrimental effects of polluted air on Eric’s already compromised lungs, Kelly decided to relocate to a natural environment with minimal air pollution. The doctor assured her that this move could significantly improve Eric’s health and possibly lead to the remission of his tuberculosis.

Kelly enlisted the assistance of an online broker in Connecticut to help her find a house in a county with a natural environment. Her goal was to provide Eric with a chance to live away from the pollution of big cities for a while, in the hope that it would aid in his recovery from illness.

The broker presented Kelly with several options online, but none quite captured her interest until she stumbled upon House No. 13 in Windham County. Its expansive size and picturesque surroundings immediately caught her eye. Moreover, Windham County boasted St. Michael’s Medical Center, renowned for its top-notch tuberculosis treatment facilities, which made Kelly decide to stop looking for any other options.

However, Kelly had an additional requirement: she wanted a smart home. This added complexity to her search, as finding a house with integrated smart systems proved quite challenging. Fortunately, the broker came to Kelly’s aid and contacted the owner, convincing them to install a smart home intelligence system in House No. 13.

The owner set three conditions: Kelly would cover the cost of installing the artificial intelligence system, and she would need to sign a rental agreement for at least three years. Additionally, half of the rent would be paid upfront as a deposit.

Residing in Europe, the owner viewed the property as an investment and sought stability in the rental agreement. Kelly agreed to all three conditions, fulfilling them to secure House No. 13. She then shifted to Windham County, facing numerous challenges but ultimately settling into her new life there.

“What are you thinking?” Kelly was lost in the view of her surroundings when Anna came and sat beside her.

“Nothing... I was just looking around,” Kelly replied.

“Stop overthinking... you’ve already become so frail,” Anna said in a concerned tone.

Anna knew that Eric’s illness had taken a toll on both Kelly’s physical and mental health. Moving to a new place and settling into a new life there had proven quite hectic for Kelly.

“I’m alright,” Kelly said, exhaling deeply.

“Now everything is settled. You’ve been admitted to high school, Eric is registered as an outpatient at St. Michael’s Medical Center, and AURORA has been installed to help us. I’ll take a day or two to rest, and then I’ll start designing the upcoming summer collection for a boutique,” Kelly explained.

She was a designer with a few loyal big customers who consistently bought her designs and paid handsomely for them.

“Take a week off... you need it,” Anna said.

“You know I can’t. Firstly, renting this house and installing AURORA has depleted all of my savings. Now, I have to work to meet our day-to-day expenses,” Kelly replied in a serious tone.

“Don’t worry... everything will be fine,” Anna said, wrapping her arms around Kelly’s neck to comfort her.

Anna had seen her mother work hard since childhood, but after Eric’s illness was diagnosed, she noticed Kelly working diligently day and night. Kelly had to bear the hefty medical expenses as well as the ever-increasing household expenses.

“I hope so,” Kelly said with a light smile.

“Where’s Hugo?” Anna changed the topic, asking about the pet dog she had adopted four years ago, which had also moved with them to Windham.

“I saw him sleeping under the staircase on the first floor,” Kelly replied, standing up. Anna followed suit. The rain had started, and they wanted to head inside before it made them both wet.

At that moment, a strong gust of wind brushed against Kelly and Anna’s backs as if trying to share a whisper with them. They hurried inside through the large wooden door just as the wind collided with it, then dispersed back into the garden, its sound fading as it mingled with the dust.