An Inch Of Infinity (Short Version)

CHAPTER 2~Rebellions

The Royals keep us feeling powerless by reminding us of the genocide they committed. They treat us like ants under a boot- the boot always hovering over us. If we aren't useful or if we can't satisfy them, they'll step on us. The Royals don't care what happens to us. As long as we meet our quota they couldn't care less. In a way the Keepers are better. The Royals are just the ones pulling the strings. Not that I trust the Keepers.

The Royals give us clothing that is made of their rags. Sure, we are given a new shirt and a pair of shorts each year but everything else we must buy and we can only buy Royal government issued products. If we are lucky, we can purchase small swatches of silk- small scraps from the robes of the Royals. My current block clothes are like everyone else's- random, colorful patches sewn onto a tattered black- t-shirt and black shorts. We can buy longer pants for almost as much as it costs to eat for a month. I don't find that deal much of a bargain. I'll tough it out. Thank you very much.

The pollution from the factories heats the air and it makes it so we only get clouds and rain. The air is so thick with smog that sunlight is rare. No snow, no hail. Nobody can remember the sweetness of fresh air, nor the melody of the birds.

Tomorrow we will most likely have multiple children imported to our block in order to make up for the people we lost earlier today. We never know how many will be coming. Some blocks have many citizens taken while other blocks have none taken the same day. The population must remain even. Those kids will live in an orphanage until they are 7, I should know, I've been through it. Simple enough, until your five. When your five is really when you leave. You are sent out each day at sunrise and are not allowed in until it's almost dark. They don't tell you to steal, but if you want to survive you need to do just that. I can grab an entire loaf of bread and stuff it up my shirt without anyone noticing, at least I could.

Life as an import here is not a picnic in the park, even though about 60% come from somewhere else. Most imports come from #1 because they are the most comfortable, if you can call it that. The only reason they are more comfortable is because they can't go outside, not without the right equipment. They would freeze to death, especially since they are given block clothes. They don't have to worry that their children will not be theirs within 8 months because so many people disappear or die in the freezing weather. In Block one, everyone is required to work on computers or in a research lab. The only thing they really have to worry about is if they don't know how to use a computer or microscope, or if they can't pay for the heat. Having heat there would be the difference between life and death.

Of course, most simply choose to do computer work because of their housing, I read in a book that some houses in block 1 don't have doors or windows, just a drop box where they get their rations, clothing, etcetera. I also read that they don't even have containers, they all live in houses or apartments!

I suppose that might not be true. We all know the Royals feed us propaganda day and night. For all we know there is only one block. Afterall, the royals can't just live on islands like they claim. If they don't though, what block or blocks aren't real? Most say number 6 because even we get word of the rebeliuse people there. I think it's a real block. After all, where else would I come from?

A static sound buzzed from the speakers hidden everywhere. I awake with a start. Time to try to survive out of my box again,I think. I open my container and take off full sprint to the other side of town to work in the factory, shaking off my sleepiness as I go.