Breathless

Chapter 1

It is amazing that we are even still alive this long after the world all turned into a mess. I look over to my little sister, Addison, laying in her bed. She looks so pale after last night's episode. She has been getting weaker over the past few days. I don't know how I will go on if I lose my sister, she has been my entire world for so long. Ever since she got sick, we have been working to ration our air so she can get more to be able to breathe easier. I need to remember to go and get our weekly oxygen tanks. It's a long trek across the city to get the new tanks but unfortunately, it's an absolute necessity in order for us to live.

Everyone needs oxygen, but unfortunately, the planet is no longer able to make it naturally. The only way to get it is to go to a local distribution center to get new tanks for each member of the household. Unless you are the super-wealthy. They get a large tank delivered and installed right into their home's ventilation system. They never have to be seen lugging oxygen tanks and wearing oxygen around with them in their own homes. Even when they leave their house, they wear special suits that surround them in their own oxygen. It's one of the many ways that the divide between social classes remains strong.

I slowly got up out of bed and put on my worn-out shoes. I never had time to go and get new ones. All my time was spent taking care of my family. My parents slept in their own room on the other side of the house. It was nice to be able to stay near my sister. The hardest thing though was seeing her slowly get worse and worse. It was my job as her sister to protect her from harm, and I couldn't. She developed Pneumoconiosis a couple of months ago from all the pollution in the air. The dirt and pollution particles have damaged her lungs so badly and some days, breathing is hard for her and she coughs an awful lot. The only saving grace for her is that we are provided pure oxygen in the tanks that we get from the government.

I quietly slipped out the door of our house, wheeling my oxygen tank on its little cart behind me, and picked up the eight empty oxygen tanks that we store by the back door. I put them in our wagon and proceeded to start lugging them up the hill towards the closest greenhouse distribution. The trees there are given artificial light in order to make oxygen. In school, we were taught how the greenhouses function. The operators of the greenhouses, pump in the carbon dioxide from the outside in controlled amounts and collect the oxygen that the plants in the greenhouses create. That is then packaged and given out to people in order for them to breathe. Each family is allowed 2 tanks, per person, per week. Once a year, the government officials come around to do a household headcount.

The roads around our house are very damaged and full of potholes. The tanks are very heavy being dragged behind me and it feels like my arms are going to fall off. We need to find a way to get my sister more oxygen. Between my parents and I, we are living on 4 tanks between the three of us. We give the other 4 to Addison so she can get all the oxygen that she can. It's a sacrifice that we are all willing to make. I look further up the road and see the distribution center for our neighborhood. There isn't a super long line this time of morning so I won't have to wait long. I take a big gulp of air through my oxygen mask. We have gotten used to taking shallow breaths to make the air last longer for all of us, but on refill day, I get to enjoy the rare feeling of filling my lungs with air. Each tank is large enough to last 3 days if we ration it carefully. Since I am the oldest child, I get to be the able-bodied one who gets the new tanks every week. It's not a responsibility that I necessarily dislike. It's one of the few times that I get to be alone and can feel somewhat free. At last, it's my turn to get our ration of oxygen.

"Good morning, please state your name and how many family members you have." The official says when I get up to the counter.

"My name is Grace Miller, I have 4 family members at home including myself. My baby sister is sick and struggling to breathe. Is there any way we could get an extra tank for her?" I respond with a pleading tone. Maybe today, they will take pity on us and help us out.

The official looks down at his monitor to confirm that what I told him is true. It's a federal crime to lie to an official. It can land you in prison and it punishes your family because they have their rations reduced by two tanks.

Finally, the official speaks,

"Ok, we have you down for 8 tanks this week. I will bring them around for you."

"But my sister-" I start, but the official puts his hand up.

"These are the rules, and no exceptions can be made for anyone. This is a time for survival for all of us. Only the strongest of us will survive. I'm sorry."

With that, he turns around to go grab our new tanks. When he returns, I take a deep breath through my mask, before unhooking the air tube from the old tank, and attaching it to the new one. The official takes our old tanks away and I turn around and start the long walk back home to my waiting parents. Every week, we are given the same story, that there is nothing the government can do, and that it's just how life is. I get it, there are millions of people on this dying planet, but I selfishly don't want to try to imagine a life without Addie. I just have to hope that she can hold on long enough for me to be able to come up with a solution to our problem. 

I get home and drop off the tanks in our front room. It's the safest spot for them to be and it keeps them within easy reach. I check mom and dads' room to see if they are still asleep. They are so I go to Addie's room. She stirs when the door creaks open. I go over and kneel by her bed and hold her hand. The pressure gauge says that the tank is starting to run empty. I get up and get a new tank for her for when this one runs out. I adjust the straps around her mouth and nose to ensure that no air is leaking out the sides before I change her tank out. I do it as quickly as possible because it's hard enough for her to breathe already, I don't want her to not be able to get the oxygen when she needs it. When the tube is securely in place, I go and lay back down on my bed. I situate my own tank next to me to make sure I don't accidentally pinch off the air tube before falling back asleep.