The Mood Clouds
In the future, everyone wears special glasses that let them see colorful clouds floating above people's heads. These clouds aren't real clouds, but they show how someone is feeling. The glasses use tiny computers to read people's faces and body language, then create a cloud that matches their mood.
Happy people have bright yellow clouds. Sad people have dark blue clouds. Angry people have red clouds. The clouds can mix colors too, so someone feeling both happy and nervous might have a yellow and green swirly cloud.
At first, people loved the Mood Clouds. It was easy to tell how friends and family were feeling without having to ask. Doctors could see if their patients were in pain. Teachers could spot students who were confused.
But soon, problems started. Some people tried to hide their true feelings by thinking happy thoughts to make their clouds look good. This was called "cloud faking." Others got upset when their private feelings were on display for everyone to see.
The biggest problem came when the government started using Mood Clouds to catch criminals. They said people planning bad things would have dark, angry clouds. But sometimes innocent people had dark clouds just because they were having a bad day.
A group of rebels decided to fight back. They invented special hats that blocked the Mood Clouds. These "cloud blockers" became very popular. Soon, half the city was wearing them.
Now, people are divided. Some think Mood Clouds help everyone understand each other better. Others say they're an invasion of privacy. The city is split between those who show their clouds and those who hide them.
As the debate rages on, scientists are working on new technology that can read people's thoughts, not just their moods. Will this make things better or worse? Only time will tell in the world of Mood Clouds.