Desolation Reigns

Chapter 8

How can i be so normal in a world so bland? Today was a day like no other. Instead of the dark blackness of colors in the citizen's clothing, everyone wore at least one color. Either bright or dull, every single person wore swirls of the green, red, and purple of our nation's flag. Everyone was visible through the haze of sadness and downpour.

Of course, how could i fail to mention? Today is The Upbringing. To celebrate all victory in the war against protestation and individual thinkers. Somewhere along the line, the government had been fed up with our opinions and "Harmful" way of thinking. Everyone brainwashed with the saying of "The rain is good" and "We're watching you". Long forgotten the lives we used to live while I can't even remember what my best friend looked like let alone my own parents. I don't know what i went to uni for, i know i can work with machines. Its just natural to me. Ask anyone around me. No one will be able to tell you what their life was like before The Upbringing. We know it happened and its there but its sort of a long faded memory. Our new livelihood programmed into our brains on the day of victory.

My feet had suddenly grown tired, marching towards a place i needed no maps or direction. The path was engraved in brain. Every step was routine and pattern. My head lifted from the ground i had been staring at for five blocks, my location realized. Factory. Factory is where we make all technology. Everyone loves Factory

On my way in, i saw Adrienne. Oh poor simple-minded Adrienne. The Workers pity her and you should too. On the outside she looks like the perfect wife with her perfect dollhouse family but beneath the surface she is slowly dying. Everyone knows how her husband finds his way into other people's beds, including Adrienne, but she's so desperate for her picture-perfect life that she puts on a plastic smile and tries to trick herself that she's fine. While her husband has sex, she plans her parties and cooks the dinner, like her husband tells her to.

They've been together since The Upbringing, and most likely before then. But there is one thing that I know about her husband that Poor Adrienne shoves in the back of her mind. Something that only few know and the few who know only do for they are guilty of his sins, like a certain radar for like minded people.

Poor Adrienne's husband is not what everyone believes he is. Yes, he sleeps with many people but with each of those people, there is a pattern. He sleeps with the person who has a thing he wants badly. When he needs more, he goes to sleep with another who has more of the thing until he runs out and the cycle starts over and I'm sure you have guessed it by now(or at least a part of it). Because he is addicted. He is addicted to the Class One drug Pescapiline and sleeps with hippie drug dealing meth-addicts to get it. And no, Adrienne did not tell me so.

I guess Poor Adrienne is the closest thing i have to a friend. Were too knowledgeable of each other to be an acquaintance, but not happy enough to be family. Still, her life keeps me from downing whatever alcoholic concoction i had in my flask.

Today Poor Adrienne wore a simple green polo with black elastic pants. Her shoes were loosely fitted, her coffee clearly decaf, and she looked as if she gained weight, mostly in her midsection.

Pregnant.

Oh no. Poor Adrienne. Factory doesn't offer maternity leave and there's no way in hell she will let her husband take care of the child. Pity.

I should speak with her. Do friendish things.

I slowly shuffled towards Poor Adrienne. Poor, pregnant Adrienne.

I hope she's not just getting fat.

Placing my hand on her crooked shoulder, I prepare to give her the "It'll be fine speech". But before i could make a sound, The Alarm screamed.

And everyone fell to the ground.