Art Creds: The Persistence of Memory by Salvador Dali
I've never been the type to explore, but ever since the asteroids destroyed the majority of my planet, exploring has become my best friend. My name is Iona and I'm 16 years old. My mother always called me her 'jewel', that's what my name means "purple jewel". Although she hasn't been around to call me that anymore. In fact, no one has really.
Today, I'm going to City Hall, or at least what it used to be. Now it has been taken over and the only people that live there are Projectors and Images. A Projector is anybody over the age of 18. Images are stolen kids that are too become Projectors. Ever since the first asteroid hit the Earth in 3010, all the adults were adamant about the "future of the world". They believed that it was their right and their job to protect kids from reality. What they really do is make these kids wear virtual reality glasses 25/8. Inside, they project images of the world could be like. A fake and unrealistic one. Projectors would wipe your memory, so there would be no protesting against them.
Four years ago, I was just like those forbidden children. I was an Image. Image 2936, to be exact. Personalities, possessions, obsessions, they were all 'flaws of the human race' a Projector would tell you. I was put under high security one night when I was placed under arrest for discovering things I shouldn't have.
*Flashback*
"Is she under?" One doctor spoke with a quiet tone.
"Yes, doctor she's ready for you." a nurse nearby spoke.
By now I have learned to fight the drugs. I had to know what they were doing to children in the facility.
"Alright, let's begin the process." the doctor speaks again, I hear a screeching of a metal chair on the floor. "12-year-old little Iona. You had quite the personality. Unfortunately not the type we could support in this great upbringing of our society. Nurse, jot this down. Her identity will be known as Image 2936. Place her in school and give her some friends. Make sure her virtual family is supporting and accepting of whatever she chooses. You got all that?"
"Yes, doctor. Is this all?"
"Yes, I presume you can finish the erasing, uploading, and tagging by yourself?"
"Of course. Do you need to be elsewhere?"
"I'm going to release an Image today. You know how those go. Sometimes they can't handle the reality, but most of them do accept it, for the 'better of the society'." the doctor chuckles and I hear him exit the room.
I hear the nurse walk to the bed tearing off the piece of plastic for the tagging. She wraps it around my leg. When I heard her walk away I open my eyes to look at the new attachment. The contraption was thin, black, and very tight. I close my eyes again and slightly adjust my body. With my eyes still closed, I hear the nurse go to the computer and she begins to type.
"It's a shame that kids go through this. I wish they could leave you with the other children, but apparently age 12 is the age you begin to think for yourself." I hear the nurse say, still typing.
When the nurse wasn't looking I slipped out of the bed as quietly as possible. Much to my defeat, my foot connected with the rolling tray beside me. The nurse stops typing and turns around. Crap! I think. I make a dash for the door, but as I look out the corner of my eye I see the nurse's face in utter shock. In disbelief, I stop in my tracks. I make eye contact with the nurse as I lay my hand on the handle of the door of freedom.
"Go, but don't you ever come back. If you do they will kill you." The nurse said in all seriousness.
Dumbfounded, I barely nod and dash out the door after seconds of piercing silence. Coming to the nearest corner, I hear voices. Two different ones. Judging by the way they speak it's probably two doctors. I run back into the nearest room. Inside there is a teenage boy laying on the table in restraints. He had bluish grey eyes and two scratch marks that were deep enough to leave scars, above his right eyebrow.
"Who are you?" he asks.
I decided to use the name they were going to give me.
"I am Image 2936. What's your identification number?" I ask, trying to sound like one the Projectors.
"Looks like they got to you. Man, that's really tough, you looked like a fighter to me," he mentions with a sigh. "My name is Amp. Short for Amphion. It's greek. Not like you'll remember. After they discover that you were in my room they'll probably wipe you again." He chuckles and turns his head.
I hear the same doctor's voices approaching. I peek out the window of the door, waiting for them to pass.
"Are you leaving?" Amp asks.
"I have to return home." I respond, still keeping up my act.
I make my way to the door.
"Hey, kid?" Amp speaks one last time.
"Yeah?"
"Come back for me." He chuckles.
I open the door and proceed to leave. Amp doesn't know it but I will come back for him, and every other kid stuck in this cursed place.
*End of Flashback*
I didn't know it back then, and neither did Amp, but I did come back for him. I won't stop trying until I get them out either.
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Eyes on Me
Science Fiction16 year old Iona isn't alone at all in this post apocalyptic setting. In fact she is now surrounded by the most corrupted people she has every encountered. Projectors and Images are slowly being created everyday. Along the way, somehow, little Iona...
