The Insane Boy

Chapter 3 - Lost

We walk back to the house again in silence. I follow the pavement with my eyes. Abnormally unblemished, and only slightly worn despite the number of people that must tread its surface daily. This street is so long that the houses are almost swallowed by the light haze that has settled over the city. They all must hold people. Yet it is silent too, the wide street avoid of life.

Then a shrill siren pierces the hush. My hands jump to my ears and I instinctively search frantically for the noise, but my eyes land on Anna first. She is laughing.

I look at her questioningly.

‘Don’t worry. It’s just the bell signaling the end of work shift. It happens every morning and night,’ she says, when the siren cuts off sharply. ‘They’ll be coming from work soon.’

‘Why didn’t you warn me?’ I ask.

‘I wanted to see your reaction. It was quite entertaining.’

I let out an exasperated sigh.

‘So will everybody be going home?’ I question, looking around the still deserted street.

‘They’re already coming.’ She points behind us where black, grey and white clothed people are beginning to appear. I was right, there must be thousands of them, all going home at the same time. Something about that seems wrong.

‘So everybody in this place works the same hours?’

‘Yes. Everybody works the same hours and earns the same wage. The equality ensures that there is no conflict and therefore no suffering,’ she says.

‘But what about things like, well, Doctors or police? Aren’t they needed all hours?’

She laughs. ‘We don’t need police because there is no conflict. Ever. And everything is watched over by the Facility, and they have Guards that remove anything that could disrupt the peace. As for doctors, people rarely get sick. In this place there are no viruses to go around, no bacteria, no parasites. They screen everyone who comes in and removes the illness. This place keeps out all disease, not just the Insanity. But if you did get sick, you go to the Facility.’

‘So the people who work there, they work different hours?’

‘Well, yes, but they don’t live in the Compound, they live in the Facility. They keep everything running smoothly.’ She looks at me. ‘We better quicken our pace, or Brent and June will already be home.’

‘Is he picking her up from school?’ I ask.

‘Of course not. Everybody over the age of six walks home by themselves. The city is completely safe,’ she says.

We walk through the now steady sea of grey until we reach the house. I could never have told it apart from the other houses, but Anna knows.

I walk through the door to find a girl sitting on a rigid chair. A mane black hair is spiraling out haphazardly around her face, and her dark skin contrasts with a white shirt. Her dark eyes widen slightly when she sees me, but only for a moment.

This must be June.

‘Who are you?’ She demands with her hands on her hips, standing up until her head just reaches the bottom of my chin.

‘Tala,’ I reply, holding out my hand. ‘I think I’m your new sister.’

She glares at my hand with such contempt, that for a moment I thought she was going to slap it.