The Journey Act: The hallway
The Goal Act: Surviving power facility
My street-to-subterranean elevator had just opened. I stepped in, planning on going through my daily routine; wake up, take the elevator to work, work, go home, and sleep. The elevators glass doors opened with a pleasant and inviting *bing* and asked me to come in.
“What floor do you desire comrade?” inquired the elevator.
“The usual,” I replied.
“Might I mention that the ‘Power to the People’ project is open to the public as of today? It is an excused absence from work and those selected will enjoy glorious lives serving for the military.”
“Very intriguing, what do I have to lose?”
I pressed the specially labeled and obnoxiously large red button that was waiting just in front of me. Thus, my ascent to obtain my own power began.
The elevator traveled with a feverish pace; however, it was relieving to see my floor for “Weapon design and implementation” pass me. Yet, this feeling of relief shortly passed. At exactly floor one-hundred, the walls to my front and sides disappeared; presenting a factory like room that seemed to spread miles and was streaked with tiny black lines.
Reluctantly I exited the elevator to discover that these mile-long lines were in fact people, all of whom desire to partake in our government’s latest war effort. I was given very little time to ponder any more on the topic. Within a matter of seconds an armed official grabbed me by my arm, shoved a queue number in my shirt pocket, and sent me through a revolving door. This door was labeled with the sign, “you may not exit the facility past this point.” Needless to say, I was slightly unnerved.
Then the wait began. The line was long, slow, and excruciatingly boring. There were walls on either side of me, like a long, endless hallway, preventing me from seeing anything except the people to my front, my back, and a red light at the end. No one talked. There was complete silence besides the mechanical hum of the “conveyer” belt we were on.
When what I assumed was three hours had passed I began seeing propaganda posters on the sides of the wall.
“Communism Blaze wants you to spread the fire of the
“Atomic Stalin, the protector of peace, the defeater of capitalism.”
“Obtain your power, and join your brothers in a fight for glory.”
“My daddy got his super power, did yours?”
While these posters seemed to have uplifting effects on others, they had none on me. I was further unnerved by the process, yet, I just kept telling myself my government would never harm a loyal citizen like myself. I spoke to soon.
Towards the last quarter of my “moving-side-walk ride” I began to hear feint screams in the distance. Some people were shuffling backwards, some people attempting to run the opposite direction. These individuals were quickly stopped by the countless armed officials that I saw lining ledges on either side of our hallway’s walls. I did the only thing I could think of, meditate. I entered a state of partial consciousness and escaped from the misery around me. The methodical humming of our conveyer belt made this all the more easy.
“Get up, your time has come,” growled a laser bearing man.
I did so for it was soon to be my turn. Once I stood up and could see above the heads in front of me, I once again met the glance of the red piercing light. After every minute-or-so, it would turn off, the officials would laugh, and then turn back on. Once, it turned green, the officials gasped, and murmured to each other.
“Hmm, got a pass eh? First of the day,” one official said to the other.
“Heh, yeah, but I rather see em fail,” the second official replied.
Finally, it was my turn for what I guessed would be my last few minutes on earth. I was traumatized beyond description. I was more fearful for my life then ever before. Two metal and slab like doors opened in front of me and a rolling fog came out, surrounding my feet.
“Good luck,” whispered a voice from behind.
I stepped in after being nudged with the side of a bayonet.
“Greetings. I’m pleased to see you’ve chosen to help your country honorable comrade,” a voice in the door said to me. “Please answer these questions truthfully and everything will be fine. If you pass the test you will gain a super power we have carefully selected for you.”
I answered the questions very methodically considering my paralyzed state. The questions seemed to last for an eternity. Small things such as “where did you go to primary school,” I quietly pressed my answer on the touch screen, the only thing besides me in the small chamber. Gradually, the questions became more knowledge based. The difficulty increased more and more. I knew I would be disposed of if I made even one small mistake. The pressure was almost unbearable. A heat seemed to descend upon me. Eyes were watching everywhere. The computer was smirking, waiting for me to make the wrong move. I was trembling uncontrollably.
“Congratulations, you have passed. You’re admission shot will be given shortly. Welcome to the military, your life term will begin shortly.”
Life term? NO! I punched at the door. I was trapped forever.
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