The Mindless Man's Paradise

Chapter sixty-eight

  We walked upon a platform that was placed in the courtyard of HQ. It was the first time in more than a week that I had seen actual sunlight.

  There wasn’t a cloud in the sky, and the snow was starting to melt, causing the grass to glisten.

  My hands were handcuffed together, and I felt like I should be walking the walk of shame, when instead I walked with my head held high, and an irreplaceable smile on my face. The wind blew through my hair, causing me to smile wider.

  I looked across the meadow to see thousands and thousands of faces in the crowd. In the very front stood none other than my mother, my father, and the Boy, who obviously didn’t get the death sentence. After all, he hadn’t Infracted like Cyrus and I had. Standing next to them, were a group of men. One of which looked familiar, and it took me a few minutes to realize this man had been the one to issue our essays and inform us of his knowledge of our Infractions.

  Were these men HQ in the flesh? Their skin was wrinkled and old, all their bodies seemed so frail, and as if they would break at any given moment. It seemed impossible that they could be alive after all this time, but The Land’s medicinal technology found new ways to surprise me every day. A serum to slow the aging process, or to lengthen the life did not seem out of their reach.

  Suddenly, they all made eye contact with me, and this was the first thing that broke my smile, however brief it was.

  Two guillotines stood side by side center-stage. They were tall and wooden, with a shiny blade glimmering in the sunlight. One of the security men had taken me and shoved me before one of them, so that I was on my knees. The guillotine towered above me, and it was then that I had started to second guess my allegiance to Shields.

  I looked beside me to Cyrus, and whispered, “Whatever happens, I love you.”

  He whispered the same thing back, and I puffed up my chest once more, failing to lose my pride. I bored my eyes into my parents’ eyes, trying to decipher their emotions, but there were none apparent on their faces. The Boy looked like he was about to be sick.

  Every other spectator looked confused, unsure of what to make of the situation. Unsure of whether or not to cheer, or to cry at our executions.

  Suddenly, a voice boomed over a loudspeaker.

  I have no clue who it was.

  “These two teenagers are most likely the biggest Infractors in all of The Land’s history. They have named themselves, they have accused HQ of wrongful doings, and of depriving their citizens.” the voice said.

  Several people gasped. My mother did, and I watched her as she began to sob. My father looked at her, not bothering to console her. Not even understanding the fact that he should be consoling her to begin with.

  “For these crimes, they are to be executed by beheading, which will commence immediately.”

  At that moment, my security guard shoved my head down so that my neck was resting upon a wooden outcropping in the base of the guillotine.

  I saw Cyrus doing the same out of the very corner of my eyes.

  Shields’ words repeated over and over in my mind, as the blood began to rush through my ears.

  “Trust me.”

  “Trust me.”

  “Trust me.”

  His words echoed hauntingly.

  Suddenly, I heard the blade release with a frightening metallic sound. My neck tingled where it would hit, anticipating it to slice through maliciously.