Dystopia

by Janet McNulty

A week had passed and Dana was no nearer to getting George to take her to the resistance movement. She had no idea how to do it. Frustrated, she slammed her locker shut.

  Colonel Fernau stood right behind her. “Stressed?”

  Instinctively, Dana jumped back. His malicious demeanor frightened her. This is a man who wouldn’t hesitate to kill his mother.

  “What makes you say that?” Dana tried to sound casual, but her shaky voice betrayed her.

  “It has been a week, and we have heard little about your progress,” said Colonel Fernau.

  “There hasn’t been much.”

  “Perhaps you do not understand the gravity of your situation.”

  “I understand it fine,” said Dana. “It’s just George does not fully trust me. The resistance is a tight-knit group. They aren’t about to let me in without reason to.”

  “Yes, well we’ll just remedy that.” Colonel Fernau used his stick to turn Dana’s head toward a window. “You see those people out there? Dregs of society. They are the ones who did not understand how things work. So they are here, where their lack of understanding will not harm anyone. You are quickly becoming one of them.”

  Colonel Fernau’s dangerous undertone unnerved Dana.

  “The little problem of yours will soon be at an end.”

  Dana eyed the man, wondering what he referred to.

  “It has been arranged,” continued Colonel Fernau, “Just make certain that you are in that mass of rubble known as Shackville. When you see George head out, follow him. The resistance is meeting tonight.”

  “How do you—”

  “Oh, I forgot that you would be completely unaware of such things. We decided to do something that would push them to have a meeting. This is your chance to find out where they are. The little show we mentioned earlier will happen then. Just make certain that you are near George tonight when it happens.”

  “But—”

  “Don’t screw it up,” warned Colonel Fernau, his face close to Dana’s so she smelled the bourbon on his breath.

  “Yes, sir.”

  Colonel Fernau left the locker room. “This will be your one and only chance. Once in, it is up to you to gain their trust. Your parents’ lives depend on it.”

  The colonel left. Dana stared after him. She leaned against a locker, the cold metal reminding her of her dire situation.

  As was agreed, Dana snuck out of the plant and down to Shackville immediately after supper. Smoke spilled from the smoke stacks behind her. No guards patrolled the area she moved in. Undoubtedly, she thought, that was all arranged for my benefit. Dana didn’t care. She had one thought on her mind, to wait for George to leave his hut and follow him.

  The sun settled low on the horizon, setting earlier and earlier each day. Dana found a spot where she could easily see George’s front door and not be noticed. She rubbed her cold hands together; her fingers had gone stiff. Blowing on them, Dana wished George would hurry up.

  A creak grabbed her attention. George had opened his door. He poked his head out, glanced around, then slipped out and ran off down the hill. Dana jumped to her feet. Pins and needles filled her cramped legs as the circulation returned. Ignoring her stiffness, she took off after the man.

  Dana hugged buildings as she followed George. Please don’t spot me. George continued unaware of her presence. Dana dashed down the hill after him, crouching behind bushes when she reached the bottom. George whirled around and surveyed the area behind him. Staying extremely still, Dana watched. When George continued on, Dana bolted from her spot.

  Surprised, Dana paused a moment when she noticed that George did not go to the cart he had used to get to the city with her. Instead, he took the bus.

  “Why is he taking the bus?” Dana whispered.

  She knew it was not illegal to take the bus, and one could ride it freely until the midnight curfew.

  Dana dashed after George. She had no idea how she would follow him on the bus without being noticed. She stopped behind a pole when she neared the bus stop. The roar of a diesel engine told her the bus approached. It stopped and George hopped on.

  Stamping her feet, Dana panicked. How was she to follow him? She spotted an abandoned moped. A deliveryman had just gotten off it. Quickly, Dana ran to it, hopped on, and took off after the bus.

  “Hey!” yelled the man it belonged to.

  Thankful that Kenny had allowed her to use his moped when they were kids, she hunkered low for the least resistance and put it at top speed. The bus pulled to a halt and picked up more passengers. Dana slowed. She watched as the new people boarded the bus and pulled away again. Turning in its direction, Dana sped after it. She hoped she wouldn’t miss seeing George get off.

  The spurting engine backfired a bit as Dana pushed the moped hard. It hasn’t been well-maintained, she thought to herself. Didn’t matter. She had a job to do.

  The bus stopped again. Dana pulled in behind a car and waited. An exchange took place as people got off and others stepped on. The squeaking of the doors told her the bus was moving once again.

  She put the moped in gear and charged after the bus. No one paid attention to her. They all assumed she worked for the Delivery Service Department. Her eyes watered from the cold air that whipped around her.

  The bus stopped for a fourth time. George got off. Quickly, Dana plowed through the streets to catch up to George. When she reached the bus stop, she came to a screeching halt. Dana jumped off the moped, allowing it to crash into a row of bikes. She leapt behind a giant planter just as George turned around to see what the commotion was. He shrugged his shoulders and continued.

  Dana jumped to her feet. Following at a distance, she stuck to the shadows. George continued on, unconcerned that someone might be following him. He stopped. Dana hugged the outside wall of a brick building.

  Two men approached George. This must be it. Dana watched as the men pushed George around and he tried to walk away. Soon they came to blows.

  George took a fist to the mouth. He returned the favor. A grunt sounded as George took a hit to the stomach. Having waited long enough, Dana plowed into one of the attackers and knocked him to the ground. His partner socked her in the face. The sting of the impact dazed her.

  Dana had been warned that they would make it look real. She felt that they were only told not to kill her. Blocking an attack, Dana rammed her fist into one of the attacker’s nose. She elbowed him again in the stomach. The one she had knocked down charged. Instantly, George stepped in, catching the man’s fist, and threw him into a pile of empty crates.

  “Let’s get out of here,” yelled one of the attackers. He grabbed his partner and the two darted away.

  “Thanks,” said George.

  “Anytime,” replied Dana, wiping blood from the corner of her lip.

  “What are you doing here?” asked George.

  “What are you?” replied Dana. “Why’d they attack you?”

  “Muggers most like,” said George. “They don’t need a reason.”

  Dana said nothing.

  “Really, Dana,” George’s tone grew serious, “why are you here?”

  Dana thought quickly. She needed a story, and once again, she wished she had thought of one beforehand. “I needed to be in the city for reasons that are my own.”

  “Fair enough.”

  “What about you?”

  “Same.”

  “You going to be all right?” asked Dana, not sure how to steer this to her accompanying George to wherever he was headed.

  “Yeah, I’ll be fine. This isn’t my first skirmish.”

  “Then I guess we’ll—”

  Officers patrolled by. George seized Dana’s hand and pulled her along. They hid behind a dumpster. Slowly, the officers moved past them, but their shadows still draped across the walk.

  “Come on,” said George. “You might as well come with me. No use you getting arrested.”

  Dana didn’t respond.

  “You are not to tell anyone about where yo
u’ve been, understand?”

  “Yes,” said Dana.

  “I mean it.”

  “I understand,” Dana reiterated.

  George took her wrist and dragged her down the alley. They turned a corner and another. Pausing, George looked behind them. No one followed. He steered Dana through the maze of back alleys until coming upon a door.

  Dana instantly noted that this door was different from the one that led to the underground market. George knocked twice and opened the door, pulling Dana inside. He shut it silently.

  Dana stopped short the moment George let go of her. Men and women stood gathered around a table, staring at her and looking none too friendly. She desperately hoped that she could convince them she was their friend.

  “George?” said a man with dark skin and a mustache.

  “I wasn’t followed,” said George.

  “Who’s she?” demanded the same man.

  “A friend,” said George.

  “A friend?”

  “My name is Dana—”

  “I wasn’t talking to you,” snapped the man.

  “Hey,” said George, “you calm down. She works at the plant with me. I was attacked in the streets by two hoodlums and she came to my rescue.”

  “How convenient,” sneered the man.

  Dana didn’t like him.

  “What were you doing in the city?” the man asked her.

  “None of your business,” replied Dana.

  “I’ll make it my business.”

  “Will you calm down?” said another to the man that had been hostile towards Dana. “Charles here is not very trusting.”

  No kidding, thought Dana.

  “My name is Simon Reeds,” said the kinder man. He pushed his glasses up his face. “This here is Charles Wayneberg.”

  “I still want to know why she happened to be where he was when he was attacked,” said Charles.

  “She was probably in the city for the same reason that many sneak into the city,” said Simon. “Let it rest.”

  “What if she’s a plant?”

  “Oh, now see here,” said George.

  “Charles,” Simon’s calm voice commanded attention, “the resistance is bigger than all of us. And besides, I don’t think she would ever intentionally harm us.”

  Dana watched the proceedings, trying to figure out who was in charge.

  “Let her stay,” said a woman, whom Dana learned was Amy Nelson. Her muscled arms made Dana wish she never got in a fistfight with her. “You can take a seat over there.”

  George approached the table, while Dana scooted to the far side of the room. Positioning herself in the corner, she just watched and listened. What have I gotten myself into?

  “As you all know,” said Simon, “the government has been trying to infiltrate us for some time.”

  Charles glared at Dana at that statement.

  “I am almost certain that they will succeed at some point,” continued Simon.

  “What makes you say that?” asked another in the room.

  “It is only a matter of time. Our business is dangerous. That is why I said that our movement must be bigger than just those of us in this room. Now, they have branded us as traitors, terrorists, and extremists. What we need to do is get our message out.”

  “What?”

  Simon spoke again. “Most people know that there is something terribly wrong about our society. They know that the government controls every aspect of their lives. Some don’t care. But most want things to change. They just don’t know how. What we need to do is remind them of a time when none of this existed. We need to remind them that people were meant to live free.

  “Now our methods should be peaceful.”

  “You do realize that we won’t be able to achieve our ends without a fight,” said Charles.

  “I realize that,” said Simon, “but we should try peaceful means first. War should always be a last resort.”

  “It won’t work,” muttered Charles.

  “Always the hothead,” said Amy.

  “Enough, you two,” said Simon. “Look, I have no doubt that our fight won’t be won without a few bullets, but for now, let’s try changing people’s hearts. Until they decide that they want to live free, what does it matter if we go down guns blazing?”

  “So what do you want to do?” asked Amy.

  “The government controls the media,” said Simon. “Every night at around six, the news is on, and most people watch it because they have little choice. I propose that we air a video with our message at that time.”

  “What?” said Charles. “And how do you propose we do this? Just walk in?”

  “That’s a good idea,” said Dana.

  Everyone turned to her.

  “At the plant, discarded uniforms of the media center are usually stored for a while before being incinerated. George and I could lift a few of them for us to wear to get inside.”

  “That is an idea,” said George, “and she’s right about the uniforms.”

  “I have procured the passes,” said Amy.

  “Good,” said Simon.

  “We need a timetable,” said Charles.

  “We’ll discuss that later,” said Simon. “I have the tape already made with what we want to say. But there is the question of breaking the access codes at the media center.”

  “Leave that to me,” said Dana.

  “What?” said George.

  “I can get us past the access codes,” said Dana.

  “How?” challenged Charles.

  Dana thought a moment. She had seen an opportunity to prove useful and gain the trust of these people, but she did not want Colonel Fernau to suspect Sanders of being part of the movement, though she would need her friend’s help.

  “I’d rather not say,” said Dana.

  “You mean you can’t do it,” scoffed Charles.

  “No, I just don’t want to specify at this point and time. You said yourself that the council has been trying to get a spy into the resistance. What if he has been among you for a while?”

  “What are you proposing?” asked Amy.

  “Let me help with the uniforms and figure out how to get by the access codes. Don’t worry. I’ll deliver.”

  “You better,” said Charles, “or this is all for naught.”

  “I will,” said Dana.

  “Alright,” said Simon, “we’ll trust you.”

  Relieved, Dana set about thinking of how she would get Sanders to break the codes without bringing him to the attention of Colonel Fernau.

  “There isn’t much else we can plan tonight,” said Simon. “We will meet back here next week. George, you and Dana bring the uniforms. Dana, have those access codes broken.”

  “You got it, Simon,” said George.

  “Right then,” said Simon. “See you all later. And be careful.”

  With the meeting ended, people left the building in twos so as not to attract attention. Dana and George left together. He guided her through the streets, taking extra precaution to avoid officers. Dana allowed herself to be led. She didn’t know this area well and did not want to get lost.

  Eventually, they reached the bus stop and Dana quickened her pace. “You got fare for the bus?” asked George.

  Dana shook her head. She hadn’t planned on taking the bus.

  “Here,” said George, handing her enough for one fare. “Don’t worry. I have enough for me also.”

  The wheels of the bus squealed as it came to a screeching halt. Air blasted Dana as the doors opened. Dana stepped on board, putting her money into the machine. The bus driver eyed her curiously. Betraying nothing, Dana walked to the back and took a seat.

  George paid his fare and took a seat in the middle. Dana frowned some with disappointment. Later, it occurred to her that George sat there on purpose so as not to alert anyone who might be watching that they came together. She settled into her seat and watched the lights streak past.

  Giant screens lined the city with pictures of be
autiful women and gorgeous men all dancing around. Their broad grins gave the impression that they were happy to be living in this world. Dana never witnessed any of that in real life.

  The bus stopped at a light. Dana peeked out the window. Another screen with images and words sprang to life.

  Help keep our society safe.

  Dana read the words that popped on the screen.

  Know anyone who is too individualistic?

  See people gathering in secret?

  Be aware of anyone who is unhappy or disagreeable.

  Consult the nearest officer if you suspect something.

  They are there to serve.

  Yeah right, Dana thought. Officers were never friendly.

  The bus jerked as it took off again. Ding! George had pressed the button, signaling that he wanted to get off. Instantly, the bus swerved to the right and stopped. Dana started to get up, but George shook his head slightly, telling her to stay out. She settled back down.

  After a few more stops, the bus finally arrived at the one nearest the plant. Dana got off. Breathing deeply, she inhaled as much of the cold air as she could, relieved to be outside. The plant loomed before her. Dread filled Dana. She had no desire to go back.

  Glancing around, Dana saw no sign of George. Doesn’t matter. He knew that she could sneak in and out of the plant as she chose. Summoning her resolve, Dana headed back to her new life, her life as a spy for a man she detested.

  Chapter Seventeen