Opponent of Freedom

Kinnihoidmine

I can’t remember my real name but everyone here on Kinnihoidmire island knows me better as 041299. This number is cauterized into our flesh at birth onto our foreheads. We have to live in log cabins across from the women around the large open fire. An electrified metal pathway separating us from them. That is so we don't break rule 3: 'Men and women are to remain in their own camps from 9pm until 8am.' There are 10 rules nailed onto each of our huts, nailed into our minds as young children. We have our beach but the water is like acid to our skin so we avoid it. There are no shoes allowed on the island. The General said it's so we can connect more with nature, but i'm not sure if that's just a rumour. The General himself is a rumour. Us men get called up to his mansion on the hill monthly  but nobody is able to recall what happens between entering the house and leaving it the next day. There is a large stone wall separating us from the forest and mansion. This is to protect us from the demon that lives within the forest. Nobody has lived long enough to explain what it really is but late at night, we hear its thunderous roar that causes our huts to tremble.

The women's camp is a lot nicer than ours. They have the chapel, the doctors and the school. They look after all the children until the child is 10 years old. Then they are selected. To be selected, the children are taken up to the mansion where they are then left for two days. During these two day, they must undertake different activities which determine what their future will hold. The boys and girls are separated here. If the General decides you are  more accustomed to teaching then you would be given a grotesque grey gown; a nanny would be given a yellow gown; a nurse would be given a pale blue gown. Their gown would be blue so that they wouldn’t constantly be reminded of the blood within their role. Now if you were to be given a ruby red gown you were special. This meant that the General thought highly of you and represented the surrogates. Whilst the boys would mostly be given trousers and a top, both matching in colour. The ones with ideas were to be given white trousers with a white top. This meant they were in charge of the food. The more timid of us boys were given a lilac gown much like the gowns given to the girls. If you were given this then it meant that you were a priest and would have no choice in what you believed in. The boys with better upper body strength would be given orange to wear. Only a handful of us would be given black. This was the best group to be apart of as you had some degree of freedom.

I am pleased to say that I must wear all black. The trousers have been ripped from the knee downwards to create shorts. The black top is torn at the sleeves and chest. This is because it gets hot on the island; its barely ever below 30°C on the island. This is also because we have the most dangerous job of all. It is my job to collect food for the women and children. It is my job to protect the woman and children. And it is my job to hunt down and kill the creature from within the forest. This island is all that I know and all i will ever know.