anonunamed
Arthur Hastings - a newspaper clerk, tasked with re-editing unhappy articles from old newspapers by censoring them. During his work on the latest batch of articles on 9 October, Arthur comes across a story from the war, concerning both himself and his younger brother Percival (percy), that brings back painful memories. Rather than take his Joy pill, Arthur throws it in the bin, and soon begins to recognise that things at his work are not right. From a co-worker having been gone too long on "summer vacation", to the brutality of Joy doctors, culminating with the discovery that a piñata he hits, which is being used for a colleague's birthday party, is in reality a rat whose insides covers the table upon being hit and is eaten by his colleagues thinken of as "candy". Upon his nauseous reaction being seen by his boss, his boss realizes he didnt take his joy, Arthur promptly runs for it as Bobbies arrive to stop him, and escapes to the wastes.