Julieta kicked the soccer ball through the open door. It crashed into a stack of mouse pads on the floor. The plastic mice scattered like startled beetles across the linoleum.
She froze, holding her breath as the red light blinked once. She tried to kick the mice back, but they slid under the desks with oily squeaks. A tiny gear popped out from one mouse and rolled toward her shoe.
Julieta picked up the tiny gear and saw it fit perfectly into a slot on the server tower. She turned the gear, and suddenly all the monitors glowed green with scrolling sports scores. The air smelled faintly of ozone and old paper.
The server hummed loudly, projecting holographic basketball hoops above the desks. Julieta jumped, but the hoops were too high for her to reach any of them. The projected ball bounced off her head with a soft thud, leaving a faint blue afterimage.
Julieta grabbed a ruler and used it to knock the holographic ball down to her eye level. She tapped the ruler against the desk rhythmically, syncing the ball’s bounce to the humming sound. The other computers chimed in harmony, creating a joyful beat.
She danced around the desks, using the ruler to conduct the light show. Every tap sent ripples of color through the air. The lab felt like a stage, and she was the star performer.
The music swelled, and the hoops spun faster. Julieta laughed, feeling the rhythm in her bones. She realized the computer wasn't broken; it was just waiting for a game.
When the bell rang, the lights faded to a gentle standby mode. Julieta placed the ruler gently on the desk. The lab was quiet again, but the memory of the dance lingered in the air.