Purgatory

Chapter 6

The white halls of Purgatory felt sterile and sleek with the occasional wall panel bursting into color with the Purgatory logo animation.  It reminded me of the city I had come to despise, yet now compacted into hallways and corridors that led to rooms and other hallways.  Occasionally the ceiling would open up to grand entry ways that would designate a new ward, and wall panels stretching up a hundred feet would simulate the sunlight in various outdoor settings.  A widget in the corner would display the room’s temperature as well as the surface’s temperature.  Under that would be varying digital displays of time in various locations around the globe.

In this particular entryway to the recreational ward, the ceiling panels also simulated the sky.  It was as if they were standing outside with the sun beating on their faces.  The ground was synthetic grass, and large trees stood tall in grand pots that were spaced in two rows uniformly.  The audio system softly simulated the sing-song chirps of birds or the occasional buzz of insect wings.  It reminded me of home; the home I had in that small town.

“The entrance to the recreational ward is meant to remind you of the surface,” Cole explained as he led us through the line of trees.  On one side of the trees was a grand cascading waterfall, complete with rocks and lush foliage that trailed down to the pool below.  The pool of clear water snaked into a creek that ran across the span of the entryway and to the other side of the other line of trees where it filtered into a large pool.  There was a group of people in swimwear that took advantage of the cool water, and I couldn’t help but desire it myself.

“Swimming in the pool is allowed once you’ve been cleared,” Cole continued as we walked on the bridge that took us over the trickling creek.  “But only in the pool.  The waterfall is just for decoration.”  I looked over at the waterfall surrounded by a forest of potted trees.  People casually walked around the area or lounged on the grass to pass the time.

We made our way up the stairway and into the first hallway where we walked past things I never expected to see.  There was a salon and barber shop, a fitness center, party rooms fitted with karaoke, tables and chairs, and a movie database, another smaller park with fountains, and a stargazer room that simulated the night sky in real time all hours of the day.

“The salon and barber shop is something you can make appointments for once you start earning credits,” Cole said as we made our way down another staircase.  “Those guys started the project in placement of their designated daily free time, so to compensate we pay them with our credits.  Credits are a currency accumulated through not only your rank’s pay grade, but through any side job you take on.  No side jobs are required, but it’s nice to have a few extra credits to blow off.”

“What other things are credits used for?” Juels asked as we entered another hallway.  We then passed by a coffee shop, a gym fitted with basketball hoops and a track, and an arcade.

“Well, there are fees to use these rooms, not to mention the coffee,” Cole responded.  “Credits can also be used towards purchasing movie tickets for showings in the auditorium.  Since we can’t indulge in a lot of surface activities, those activities are brought to us, but it’s expensive to do so.  The credit system was created to compensate for that since we already receive money from the government.  Credits are dollars, but in digital form and on a new account.”

“Why not just call it dollars?” Abena asked, her tone slightly sassy.  I could see Juels mock her tone out of the corner of my eye as she cocked her head slightly from side to side.  I smirked, but kept myself silent.

“Because it’s not,” Cole replied simply before moving on.  We entered a long familiar hallway where the auditorium doors stood shut.  “The auditorium is accessible by all wards, but sits between the recreational ward and the training ward.  It’s used regularly by both.”  We continued on down the long empty hallway towards the training ward, and Juels leaned down slightly to whisper to me.