Republic of Tactics

Republic of Tactics: Chapter 2

Chapter 2

I signal Koppe to keep going.

"Violators will be shot on sight, are you kidding?" I exclaim. Koppe looks at me and raises his eyebrows in surprise.

"Well, whatever's on the other side must be pretty compelling." Koppe says with anxiety in his voice. I nod and then focus my eyes on a black item lying yards in front of us. Barely noticed it.

"Hey what's that?" I ask Koppe. We're walking in the woods, and I approach the item.

"Lemme check." I say walking towards it with hesitation. There's a presence in the woods. Like a thousand eyes staring directly at me.

It's some sort of a bag. Maybe a duffle bag. Koppe who is right behind me, hands me a large stick. I roll the bag over. Right away, a reeking smell of rotten evaporates into our nostrils. Voppe gasps in nauseation and turns away. I cover my mouth and nose with the inside of my palm. I have to squint at the stench. I see the skeleton of what looks like a hog. With a few remains of flesh and bloody remains. Flies eating away. I run to a bush and vomit.

Moments later me and Koppe continue on. We finally halt at the large concrete fence where we will need to retrieve our passes and display them to the officials. The government didn't agree to letting us civilians exit the cities' borders. Eventually the council said yes, but we had some restrictions. We can only egress the city walls from four to six on Tuesdays.

I live in the outskirts so my passage to my home was short. Koppe's home is not that far from mine. A few blocks only.

We get our passes checked.

"Who in the right mind would leave a butchered hog in a bag in the middle of the woods?" Says Koppe.

"Well whoever it was it wasn't anyone from here. We don't have any hogs." I elaborated. We walk until we have to go our separate ways. Today in Dertus is just like any other day. Kids messing around with each other outside as their mother gossips with the other women. Neighbors trading with other neighbors. Boys carrying pales of water from the "pipe" down the street. The usual chattering of birds and squirrels in the trees that sway cool air. The outsides of Dertus are the poorest. Not extreme poverty poor, but 'just okay' poor. All our homes are aligned side by side in blocks of six homes per each. Spread out until you eventually come to the high concrete fence again. The perimeter of Dertus is in that shape of a pentagon, encircling us inside.

The downtown of Dertus is the total opposite. With humongous skyscrapers that pierce the clouds that are close to them on a cloudy day. The buildings that are reinforced with iron walls. Some roofs are landing pads for the air crafts. They're hovercrafts, really. But they're a significant way of transportation other than on foot. There is big monitors found in every corner. In case we need to be informed of anything or an announcement from President Dorothea. With screens, there is also cameras.

The buildings 'Downtown' are packed with technology that is used for mostly average daily tasks. Like a hovering scooter for mobility or a hybrid glass elevator. Technology is all around me. I can bet Dertus is ninety percent technology and the ten percent is dirt roads and uncomfortable shabby clothing. That overall describes how I live.

"Mom? I'm back." I call out twice inside the house. It's a normal sized home, that gives you the impression that's it's going to collapse any second, right over you. I see my mother's head peer out of the doorway of the kitchen.

"I'm in here honey." She calls back. She pulls back her brown haired head back in. I close the door behind me and hang my jacket on the hook. I walk over to the kitchen. The wooden floor cracking beneath me.

"Made it just in time. I want you back thirty minutes prior to six, next time." She commands. I nod.

"Whatcha making?" I ask her. I fetch a glass cup from the dusty drawers and blow on it.

"Turkey soup." She replies as I fill my glass halfway. I drink only a little bit.

I scan the kitchen and check out the living room.

"Hey, uh, where's Derlie?" I ask, still searching the house.

In the kitchen, Mother put down the knife and looked at me sharply.

"She said she was going out with Gavin, but she hasn't been back." There's a tone of worry in her words.

"How long has she been out?" I ask, feeling concerned.

"Like three... four hours." She looks away as she says this. I noticed the stress and restless wrinkles under her eyes. I then remembered something.

I walk over to the audio/speaker device by the light switch. Whatever you say, the speaker alerts authorities in your sector. Dertus I split up by sectors. There is fifty sectors in all. We live in sector thirty four.

"What is your request sir?" The speaker device says. It is motion activated.

"Latest update of Asherman, Derlie." I speak into it.

"Forgot about that thing." Mother admits.

A hologram screen appears in mid air. On it, appears the photo of Derlie. Seconds later the voice speaks again.

"Asherman Derlie... location.... Prince Hospital.... sector twenty."

Derlie is in a hospital? Sector twenty? That's downtown.