Mad World

Chapter 4

Aiden Spade

As instructed by the officers who escorted us out before, we were sent to the local employment office in search of an occupation. The line was long, almost like the line at a DMV, if you will. The amount of people crowded around looking for jobs and submitting applications was immense. It was a sight to behold, as around 300-400 people crowded into the office itself. I couldn't get an exact estimate, of course, but it must've been around there, at least.

Either way, we stood in line for two hours waiting for this. But apparently, it must've been worth it if we were told to go here by the "parole" officers. I mean, they barely even looked like officers. Just wore really dark black coats, had red Military Police armbands, and black officer caps. I honestly don't care, just need a dang job to hold up the rent. Wait... I own an apartment? How could I forget that? My apartment's located on... I... I forgot the street. I know I own an apartment but why the heck did I forget the street?!

As I panicked, the woman at the counter in front of me slammed on her desk with her palm, attempting to get my attention. I jolted a bit, looking up at her and fixating myself upright. As I did, a small console scanned my face and body, it beaming an almost holographic grid along my body, as more figures, windows, and information panels popped up on the employer's holographic console. She swiped over in the air, bringing along a literal floating holographic display that contained my citizen information.

"Citizen 1369, identify yourself by name, please."

"Eh...Aiden Spade. Shouldn't you have that on the-"

"SCANNING VOICE RECOGNITION," the console bellowed, cutting me off immediately.

"SCANNING COMPLETE. MATCHING VOCAL PATTERNS, CONFIRMED," it stated again.

"Right...Eh...Do you mind telling me where I-" I was cut off again.

"Now what occupation would you like to sign up for, Mister Spade?" The employer tilted her head.

"Eh...Does getting the-" I was cut off once more, annoyance beginning to build.

"Waste disposal! Sounds great! Now, I'll be setting you in a position close to home. It's only 450 miles away from your apartment, but you can take the high-velocity train to get there."

"Thanks but where is-"

"Thank you, NEXT!" She yelled.

"I said...Where in the HECK IS MY NEW APARTMENT AT?!" I shouted, literally forcing the employer to skid backwards in her chair a bit. The console detected alarming emotions and aura emitted from my body, the grid-like expanse of the floor turning red as two side panels of the walls made a 180-degree spin, two large and bulky police officers coming out from behind the opened panels. They raised their shock rifles, the tesla-coil like features at the end of each rifle's barrel near the top beginning to charge and emit a low, audible buzzing. Their visors were lit up blue, scanning me immediately from head to toe, pulling up my profile on their Heads-Up Display (HUD).

This forced my hands up in defeat as I calmly asked her "So eh...Where's my apartment?"

She began to slowly turn the holographic display she used around so that I could see my address, and managed to stutter out "Y-you can...you can take the train, s-sir."

:::

Eventually I got onto a high-velocity train, able to cover entire continents in a fraction of the time of one of those older railroad trains. The train itself worked like a rail gun, where the train was the projectile. It floated on a magnetic rail and the train itself would be charged at each station. The charge eventually would build up to such an extent where upon release, it would literally break the sound barrier, which is why anyone in front of the sound-proof glass had to wear ear plugs or muffs, or risk blowing their eardrums out.