Angel Of Clinia

3. Results

All of my hope just crumbled before me in four words.

"I got the job!" Leo set down his briefcase and bumped his arms together in front of him. "Oh! My boy, I'm so proud of you!" My mom gave him a bear hug. Dad pointed his finger at him saying, "I knew you could do it, that's my son!"

Soon my parents and brother had a big hug session as I just stood awkwardly in utter shock at the door. "Mar, congratulate your brother!" Mom motioned towards him with her head, arms still resting on Leo's shoulders. I could barely make out what she said, as I was still frozen, unsure what to think. "Marlow Lillian Lance, congratulate your older brother, he just got the job of his dreams." My mother looked at me with that mom look, a stern tone in her voice, all of which sent shivers down my spine. "Congratulations..." I mutter quietly under my breath. "It's okay, I understand your 'concerns', Mar, you don't have to be happy about it right now." He knelt down and gave me a big squeeze. I hugged him back, with a small smile. He really was a great sibling, which is why I am so genuinely horrified that out of everybody, he had to have gotten the position.

The rest of the day, I spent in my room, unhappy, feeling lonely, and cross. I knew it would happen, but I told myself it wouldn't because I didn't want it to. I don't know what'll happen once the government starts directing him to obviously evil directions, and he has to go through with it. He won't even be allowed to speak to us about it without the risk of his life for giving out confidential information.

I heard a knock at my door. "Who is it?" I ask with my face buried in my pillow. "Leo," he replies. "Come in." I groan, rolling myself over to look up at him as he enters my room. He sits down on my desk chair, and looks back at the window that has a small printed photo of him and I when we were younger. "Nice photo," he grins, grabbing the photo to look at it closer. He wipes off a slight bit of dust with his thumb, and sets it back on the double sided piece of tape it was stuck to. "What is it?" I ask, trying to get straight to the point. "I know you aren't super happy about the job," he starts, and I roll my eyes. "Hear me out. I want to make a good impact on the world, and that'll mean change. I want to fix the city, even if I don't see it as evil as you, mom, and dad, do. I want to see what you see, that way I can make it better." "And?" "I want you to try to let me see eye to eye with you. Teach me. I'm all ears." He shrugs. "Seriously?" I ask, sitting up. "Yeah, go for it." He says. "Alright," I stand up enthusiastically, opening my closet door and pulling out a giant board that has a bunch of photos, string, and points on it. "Let's begin."

"Now, if you were to take over the world, would you want people to be aware and try to stop you? No. This is where technology comes in. Giving people access to anything they want at the convenience of practically no work at all, they won't question it, because it makes them happy. Happy as a state of euphoria, keeping their minds right where they want them to be. Everyone stays clueless and happy, they don't have any conflicts. Meanwhile the government has a plan, I don't know what they want to do, but something is going to happen that the citizens won't be aware of. That's only part of it, and that's the lesson for today. I want to let each piece soak in." I roll the board back into my closet, and shut the door.

"That...oddly made sense." His eyes remained focused down, enlarged with growing fear and confusion. "Just think about it, I want each part to really mean something to you, and not just simple memorization for a test." I tell him as I plop back down on my bed. "I'll keep that in mind," he says, "you really take pride in your research."

He leaves after we discuss what comes with his new job, and apparently, that means we have to move. When I say we have to move, I don't mean to just a larger house close by. I mean we have to move to the heart of the city, and it is hours away.

I take a deep breath in, and decide to give the news to Jenny, who I won't be able to see as much anymore. She's upset too, but understands. I just don't want to be replaced by one of the mindless kids at our school. We had been friends for such a long period of time, only to be wasted by the future of some random classmate. I don't want that to happen. But if I was right about Leo, I have a really big gut feeling that I'll be correct thinking that someone else will take my spot with her. We'll always be friends, no doubt about it, but some day, she'd rather take her new friend to the Amazo factory, or whatever the real name is. That also means I'll have to carry my record over to my new school, and I don't want to make new friends with some clueless kids. Jenny at least had somewhat of a mind of her own. I hope all can go well, and for the school to at least be more enjoyable, or if anything more human, more realistic. I would give anything to live in a world that seemed real, not one that is made of bolts and metal.