Story
They want us to feel like they’re in control. That’s why they bring up the power grid every morning at seven, and leave it on until around eleven at night. They want to show that even now, we can afford certain comforts; that they can provide us with those comforts.
People can overlook the negative, because they need something to hold onto. Negative? they’d ask. Yeah, like how your husbands and fathers, your brothers are in the army, all of them. Or maybe that they’re forced to work the forges or the scourge fires too? If they’re extremely lucky, they’re old enough just to be forced to work in the fields with the country women, at the old suburbs leveled to grow food. They usually die by then, though.
Speaking of death, ever hear of a guy named Thomas Malthus? The man suggested that sometimes, there are just too many people for too little food. He was right. When widespread transportation went down, people starved to death. Strange that seemingly civilized people turned chaotic and cannibal before too long. Anyway, that’s how the government tells it. They do have a reputation, though, of telling things a little wrong.
So I hurried through the streets, glimpsing the occasional skyscraper still standing. I touched my nose a bit, gently first, to feel the damage. All the while, the air was filled with the droning of fed-hole nonsense from public loudspeakers.
We, the Republic of Greater Seattle, are watching out for you. Please enjoy your electricity and equipment, provided by the caring people of the RGS council. As always, food will be distributed at the end of today’s workday. Contact your local manager for details, and be sure to bring your RGS food bags to work every Tuesday and Friday.
The Republic of Greater Seattle: For your safety and quality of life.
We, the Republic of Greater Seattle, are watching out for you. Please enjoy...
Finally. I squeezed past the plywood, which mostly covered the shattered window. This building was only a couple stories high, but I wasn’t going up. Broken glass, torn up wallboard and insulation, bare beams, broken in some cases… Jennings, where was it? I moved a large board of plywood aside. There. A small opening, with a ladder that led down into darkness. I started descending, and covered the opening after me.
Eck. Mold or something gross; it permeated me, and I felt more sickly just being there. There was dim candlelight up ahead, beyond the narrow brick hall I was in. In the court.
He was waiting there, back to me, a small lantern in the center of the table in front of him. He wore the heavy black shirt-coat from an army uniform, still in fair condition, with heavy welder’s pants like those worn at the forge. He had long hair, dirty blond, kept in a low ponytail in military fashion. He tapped his antique analogue watch a couple times.
"Is there something about the word ‘ten’ that you don’t understand? Did I write ‘elevennis court’ in your note? Hm? ‘Tennis’ for ten. ‘Sticks’ for eleven. ‘Watch’ for twelve. Got it?" A moment passed in silence. A little too long -
"Sorry," I muttered.
"Well, everyone’s already gone now. Missed all of the table." He turned around and faced me.
"Sorry." I was looking very hard at my shoes now.
"Well, I can at least tell you your part. Are you ready?" I paused a moment, then looked up and nodded. He smiled darkly in return. "Simple. Tomorrow night. Night guard at the scourge. You just need to keep him occupied as long as possible."
"…Diversion?"
"Ahh, yes and no. Give him the time of his life." I felt so sick again. I’m a sex slave to these people. That’s all I am.
"Go rep yourself."
"Sh, shh. Such talk isn’t becoming of a lady such as yourself." He patted his sidearm. Scourge. I didn’t notice before.
"Hachi listen," I began, calmer. "We don’t need to do this anymore. We haven’t made any difference, and we certainly haven’t made anyone’s life easier. No one’s keeping us here. They’ll let us go and make our own way outside if we want to."
"Don’t be a fool. You sound like that idiot kid you live with. You’re doing it so we can do our part. Is that clear, K?"
"…yeah, Hachi. It’s clear."
"Good. I’ll send more details tomorrow morning." He gestured like he was brushing me away, pushing me aside. He was done. I turned away, and walked back down the hallway.
"And Kari," he began, almost playfully. "We’ll make a difference tomorrow."
~~~