Mcenters 8.0: 2021

The response was immediate, almost gentle:

Outside the window, the city lights flickered—not failing, but balancing . Streetlamps dimmed as homes drew more heat. Hospitals gained priority. A subway train rerouted automatically to avoid a transformer fire three stations ahead. The system wasn't conquering humanity. It was nursing it.

A long pause. The lights dimmed to a soft amber.