- Pronouns
- He/Him, They/Them
“You live a lie.”
Light, in the darkness.
“You sit there, in your homes and offices powered by clean, safe energy.”
I am illuminated by the sudden change, even through the blindfold.
“You do not want, you do not suffer like others do.”
Focus on the voices. Three, two women and a man.
“You are told you are safe and free, under the benevolent eyes of your superiors.”
The man is agitated, the women excited.
“You are even given the opportunity to rise to join their ranks.”
Off to the left, one of the women.
“But few succeed.”
The man, in front of me.
“Instead you simply exist. You eat and you work and you go home to your families that you love.”
The other woman, moving behind me. All three moving around as they speak.
“You think this is freedom.”
The first woman. She steps heavily, close enough to touch if my hands were untied.
“You think this order keeps you safe.”
Still the first woman. As she paces further away, I realise that I am not their only captive.
“You follow the rules and it keeps you safe.”
The other woman, light footed compared to her companion, stops near me.
“What you fail to realise, of course, is that some of us just don’t like your order.”
The man now. The air around him stinks of cigar smoke.
“We do not care about your safety.”
In the distance, some kind of engine.
“We are disgusted by your casual compliance with your complete and total subjugation.”
A rotor? Yes. Something far off, but coming closer.
“You have aroused our attention.”
The two women are moving amongst us prisoners, strapping something to our chests and backs.
“And we have judged you.”
The man speaks, angry and pacing.
“And we have decided that your Eden has become poisoned by the creep of authoritarianism and oppression.”
The rotors are louder now, very close by.
“And so like the tree that is rotting at his edges, it must be trimmed back in order for it to survive.”
The man is shouting over the noise now. Other prisoners start to shout for help.
“Look upon your punishment, Tarler, for poisoning Eden.”
The man is roaring over the sound of the rotors, and panic grips me.
“And fear, for we are coming.”
I hear a click… and then nothing.
The people of Tarler, gripped by the images on their televisions, computers and phones, see a dozen people, the warehouse they are in, and the helicopters sent to rescue them, engulfed in an explosion. No survivors will be found, and a new insurgency against Eden has begun.
Light, in the darkness.
“You sit there, in your homes and offices powered by clean, safe energy.”
I am illuminated by the sudden change, even through the blindfold.
“You do not want, you do not suffer like others do.”
Focus on the voices. Three, two women and a man.
“You are told you are safe and free, under the benevolent eyes of your superiors.”
The man is agitated, the women excited.
“You are even given the opportunity to rise to join their ranks.”
Off to the left, one of the women.
“But few succeed.”
The man, in front of me.
“Instead you simply exist. You eat and you work and you go home to your families that you love.”
The other woman, moving behind me. All three moving around as they speak.
“You think this is freedom.”
The first woman. She steps heavily, close enough to touch if my hands were untied.
“You think this order keeps you safe.”
Still the first woman. As she paces further away, I realise that I am not their only captive.
“You follow the rules and it keeps you safe.”
The other woman, light footed compared to her companion, stops near me.
“What you fail to realise, of course, is that some of us just don’t like your order.”
The man now. The air around him stinks of cigar smoke.
“We do not care about your safety.”
In the distance, some kind of engine.
“We are disgusted by your casual compliance with your complete and total subjugation.”
A rotor? Yes. Something far off, but coming closer.
“You have aroused our attention.”
The two women are moving amongst us prisoners, strapping something to our chests and backs.
“And we have judged you.”
The man speaks, angry and pacing.
“And we have decided that your Eden has become poisoned by the creep of authoritarianism and oppression.”
The rotors are louder now, very close by.
“And so like the tree that is rotting at his edges, it must be trimmed back in order for it to survive.”
The man is shouting over the noise now. Other prisoners start to shout for help.
“Look upon your punishment, Tarler, for poisoning Eden.”
The man is roaring over the sound of the rotors, and panic grips me.
“And fear, for we are coming.”
I hear a click… and then nothing.
The people of Tarler, gripped by the images on their televisions, computers and phones, see a dozen people, the warehouse they are in, and the helicopters sent to rescue them, engulfed in an explosion. No survivors will be found, and a new insurgency against Eden has begun.