Speak Out

Lonely Or Indifferent?

 Luthra, AD 9130

People here are very organised. The world here is divided into two groups of people. 

Auroraists and Helilists.

Helili is this new age religion which is based on applying control to the mini scale lives and its backed up by observable, repeatable, measurable results that it has wooed most of Luthrans to vote for them both as a religion and a governing political party. Aurora on the other hand is based on freedom from such Helili means of controlling measures.

As a part of Helili culture, every weekend there are gatherings called Leap. There is a Leap school starting from grade 1.

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The Leap school just ended and my brother and sister in law, both advanced in ages, were staying back for catching up with folks. The humid air was a taskmaster and my attempts to fold in the turtle necked robe did little in alleviating it.

My sister in law has been my formal guardian since forever, and not a soul dares to go against her preferences, and my turtleneck robe is only one of the consequences.
Whenever I saw an Auroraist walking along the street with a round neck apparel, it reminded me of the unfairness of this life. How it's only to some, there is liberty while to the rest, there is a mirage of liberty and all are indifferent to care the reality.

I stood at a corner deep in my thoughts that I didn't notice my fellow peer.

"Egor to you sister!" A plastic smile and a robotic nod came from Korine, a couple years older than me but she is in my Leap class. We are both in grade 11. Her face, I really haven't seen properly, as she is one of those who'd like to be a goody goody. In other words, she wears a silky veil that covers the eyes. The more faithful of the Helilists do that sort of thing all the time. Usually its only mandatory when we are outside the Helili center.

"Oh Hello there" I returned the plastic smile. I didn't choose to say Egor since it meant peace in Helili script. I don't think I could be in 1 meter radius of a tablespoon of peace as long as I remain with brother and sister in law.

"How are you?"

"Not that bad. How about you?

"All good by Helili's's fortune!"

Then we settled into a silence. I don't try to continue any conversation, in fact I didn't know how to make a conversation with anyone portraying themselves as much zealous.

"Um.." Korine giggled a bit "So..um" She seemed to hum for a while. I was also quite helpless on how to help her. "What do you do ... hmm.. when you're done with your study sessions?"

"I pass my time doing random things, how about you?"

"Ooooh, like what things? I talk to the power and am currently reading the epistles of our leaders in the last decade."

"Oh that would be a swell! As for me it would be too random. Like yesterday, I was watching this tiny little guy,"

"You happen to fraternize with boys?"

"I mean , a spider, tinkering with a prey, so animated he was! Just before coming across this happening I felt way drowsy and tedious of repeating same lines over again for memory flux tests. And yeah I felt so thankful I rebelled against my house laws for a bit and didn't dust my room and got to hang out with this industrious spider. Truly enchanting to know that people around me do their own work and this comforts me cause sometimes it feels like im the only one." Sweat droplets formed rivulets around my neck and I took my kerchief to wipe dry.

"You seem to be lonely, do you have siblings? Or do you spend time with your friends?"

The question felt like a harsh stinging slap, much that I kept my silence.

"Are you okay?" She continued trying to continue the topic.

It took me a while to recognize the one who made a huge sigh was none other than me. "I'm an only kid and at my home we don't really go out."

"Oh."

For a while both of us sunk into silence. I have no clue what she was thinking but for some ludicrous reason she stayed beside me although I could see her friends gesturing for her get to them. She in turn made some more gestures in reply, signaling them to wait.

Meanwhile in my brain, her reply echoed like a haunted ghost. "You seem to be lonely..."

Was I really lonely that I considered a spider as a friend would consider, or was it that normal people were indifferent to other users of the ecosystem and just be self centered?

"I-.. Woah- ..." Korine took a pause after blinking several times in a row. "I never thought that way before!" She whispered in the midst of the melee of the masses.

"Oh my bad, I didn't realize I spoke out loud. That might have come off blunt, erm, please don't mind me-" I try to laugh it off.

Korine's forehead creased. Wait how did I know that- Oh! She took off her veil!

"Have you read through the history books of leaders of Helilists or Auroraists any chance?"

"Uh no, I'm not into books and stuff" I blush a little peering downward at my shoes.

"You're a puzzle indeed" She said after giving some thought.

For the first time ever I giggled. What's even more puzzling is that someone uber zealous has actually achieved in having a conversation with me. Usually I have the potentiality to irk them away. "My pleasure to acquaint with you Korine"

"Likewise" Her smile was bright as her daunting flat nose.

From that day onward, something changed in the way I looked at Leap classes, Helili, Aurora, Luthra, the world. Maybe it only takes a little acknowledgement to feel a start of a fulfilling state? Perhaps we ought to explore!

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