The Divorced (Open Novella Contest 2020)

Chapter 2

Typically, the trade one's father inherited was what the son would be stuck with and would eventually pass on to his sons, but Alpha Week served as these young men's one means of escape if they so chose to participate and proved themselves worthy of promotion by the Great GrandFather through the various organized competitions ranging from athleticism (which was Androidus's most praised attribute) to innovation in the Sciences, sculpting, welding, architecture, genetics, and yes, farming. And yet promotions and transfers were not the only perks to be earned. Alpha Week served as a staple, a kind of coming of age initiation into Androidus's community of Fathers. Every male, from babe to man was considered a "Son", obedient and lacking the certain esteem and privileges that came with years of experience and proficiency "Fathers" were granted, such as commanding one's own business and adopting sons of one's own. The only way one could elevate their subordinate "Son" status and become a Father was through Alpha Week. Then, the Counsel of GrandFathers would give their special attention to all the men competing as they traveled faction-by-faction, eventually hand-picking those who proved themselves ready to earn their new titles.

There were other, more direct ways of personally sticking out, though. Although Jacob had been participating in his own faction's arranged competitions which were broadcasted to Merrick from his own personal Base, the patriarch would occasionally (and, graciously) make rare trips to oversee ceremonies in person. This was one such case, and Jacob was not about to pass it up. If he could have the Great Grandfather meet him face-to-face, his chances at notoriety were all the better.

This was going to be the last time Jacob would ever have to get his hands dirty farming if there was anything he could do about it. If he made a good enough impression with GrandFather Merrick with some kind of achievement that set him apart from all the other young men in his trade, then he could be promoted to a trade-level much higher than that of pulling potatoes and dusting crops. He could be transferred to Nutritional Sciences, or even better yet, Genetics, which had been his dream field of study ever since he was a NewSon. But for now, he tried not to let the idyllic thought of his hopes slow him down at the present moment and trekked his way determinedly out the door after saying goodbye to his father and Issac.

Jacob rushed down the hall in a frenzy towards his unit's nearest elevator amidst the other members. He'd have to get to the uppermost floor and back down in less than twenty minutes if he was going to make it to GrandFather Merrick in time, which would be no easy feat. The very top of the Agricultural Base rested a hefty twenty floors above the one his home-unit and his father's agri-room were situated, but Jacob had purposefully chosen to carry out his special project not in his father's crops for a reason.

. . .

The city-state of Androidus revved to life down below from where Jacob stood on the rooftop of the Agricultural Base. It was abuzz with men of all age ranges and statuses scurrying to work and school and play, like insects to a hive. Reaching far above his head from all throughout the city were sky-scrappers so tall one would squint in an attempt to spot their peaks. It was an unspoken competition between all factions to see who would eventually rule as tallest, which was usually always the Providential Governing Base, who Great GrandFather Merrick was the head of. In this competition, the Agricultural Base was almost always lacking, along with many other factions as their resources would not always allow them to expand. And yet each one kept building regardless, even if only adding a few inches. 

But past the high rising artificial specters on the horizon, Jacob could spy the gate which marked the end of their state's borders and which lead to The Beyond. Well, that wasn't its official name, but it was tagged as such by his friends and him when they were children. It was a seemingly endless stretch of barren land, indicative of no other life forms and dressed in nothing but parched dust and sand, essentially making it a wasteland. As to what was beyond The Beyond, if there was even anything more beyond it, that was any man's guess. Jacob liked to wonder about that place sometimes, to imagine a world as baseless and fantastic as a daydream, even though such thoughts were fruitless and childish. No one cared for The Beyond or anywhere else because there was nothing of importance to be found there for ages, else they would have efficiently expanded Androidus to encapsulate it within its territory.