Muted

Chapter Four

Chapter Four

"A new batch of Offenders were brought in last night," Dr. Eteri remarked as you walked beside him during your morning rounds.

"Yes, there are more and more by the day," you murmured. As a physician with only two years of experience, there was still much you hadn't seen. Even so, the sharp increase in patients over the last few months was undeniable.

"And Mrs. Volo was caught singing again last night," he continued as you both stopped in front of her cell door. "Even with our medication adjustments, she still seems unaffected.  Her commotion disturbed the neighboring patient rooms again too."

Silently, you peered through the cell window and to Mrs Volo, a calm appearing middle aged woman. For the amount of commotion she seemed to cause, she sure appeared quite docile.

"I will never understand how a simple sound coming out of someone's mouth can cause such a reaction. The nurses overnight said the inmates who heard her were found smiling and crying," Dr. Eteri started. "How ridiculous. How can one smile and cry at the same time? Clearly they are mentally disturbed."

Of course, as a model citizen, you had no personal experience with such emotional reactions. You could not remember neither laughing or crying. Yet, through your clinical studies, it did seem that these two emotions were vastly different and odd for one to experience concurrently. 

"Maybe we need to increase her dose even more," you suggested, flipping through Mrs. Volo's chart. Your gaze swept across the pages, searching for anything that may explain her resistance to the Daily Supplements. You examined her vital signs, labs, and Medical History. It was all unremarkable. You were about to close the chart when a small line in her Social History caught your attention.

Patient: Stella Volo. Room: 111

Occupation: Currently unemployed. Opera singer in Pre-war era.

You had never heard Opera.  With music being entirely banned, you only barely knew of its existence.

Truly, mostly everything about the Pre-war era was hazy to you. As a young child when the war ended, even the memories of your parents were vague and few, both having been casualties of the conflict. Now, as an adult, you still knew little about that time. 

The Regime's history books only said the Pre-war era was a chaotic mess full of horrors so awful that talking about it was a crime punishable by law. But one thing was made very clear: the District was victorious against the enemy.  You were the winners. For this, you were told to be grateful for the Regime's guidance and the advent of Daily Supplements, which muted the emotions tied to those dark times, ensuring the blight of human history no longer burdened anyone.

You snapped Stella Volo's chart closed before following Dr. Eteri to the next patient room.

"And this patient," he spoke, "He is amongst the worst of the offenders brought in from last night. He was caught handing out 'advertisements' around the elementary school on Lake Avenue, secretly recruiting. "

Your hands froze on his chart, recognizing the proximity of that elementary school to your apartment. It was also the elementary school your neighbor, Mr. Hanyu, taught at.

"Recruiting?" you questioned.

"Yes, to join the rebels."

"The rebels?"

Dr. Eteri looked at you carefully, eyes narrowing on your face.

"An organized group of Sense Offenders, Dr. Lawson. The people who want to go back to the old way of life."