Dystopia

by Janet McNulty

  ~ ~ ~

  The gurgling engine of the bus as it neared alerted Dana that the hour had arrived. She sprinted from her spot and ran to the bus stop, arriving just in time to board.

  “Almost didn’t make it, missy,” said the driver.

  Dana smiled and put her fare into the slot. Glad that the bus was close to full, Dana found an empty seat and sat down. She glanced at the other faces around her. None of them looked in her direction. Most stared at their laps or blankly out the window.

  Sighing heavily, Dana focused on the objects whizzing by the window. Her heart pounded against her ribcage. She feared that at any moment, it might burst through her chest.

  The bus stopped at a red light. Dana glanced up at the giant TV screen above her. Once again, it warned of people who were too independent.

  Together, we are stronger. Alone, you are vulnerable.

  Bullshit, thought Dana, you’re alone even when you’re part of a group. She had never felt more alone. A plume of black smog escaped the tailpipe of the bus as it shifted into gear.

  Dana remembered being told once that the individual ownership of vehicles had been banned because of limited resources and environmental concerns. She counted the number of cars on the road, thinking back to all the times she had to ride the smoky dump truck while picking up garbage around the city. Funny how cars were banned for the environment, and yet there are an awful lot of them on the road. A limousine passed the bus. Rage filled Dana. She remembered her grandfather telling her and her sister about the time he was her age and had a car. One day, government officials took it, saying that a law was passed, making it illegal to own cars. Since then, she never knew anyone that personally owned one. So who owns all these?

  A bump in the road jostled her from her thoughts. Pay attention to your mission. She continued looking out the window, always mindful of where the bus was at.

  There it is!

  Dana pushed the button, and the driver pulled the bus over to the curb. She hopped out the back door, clutching her bag tightly. Noting where the officers were, Dana trotted down the street toward the media center. She kept the collar of her jacket up, doing her best to conceal her face.

  Finely dressed people passed by her. They laughed and joked among themselves. Seeing their tags, Dana knew they worked within the Council Building itself. Such people always enjoyed more freedom than others.

  Dana spotted an officer coming towards her. She turned a corner and quickened her pace. If stopped, one scan of the chip in her arm would reveal she didn’t belong. Only certain people were allowed into the city at night. Others, like her, were forced to stay in. Besides, she wasn’t even supposed to be outside the plant.

  Dana turned another corner, circling back to the media center. The officer had gone. She hurried to her destination before another showed up. Despite the chill, Dana sweated profusely, causing her shirt to cling to her back and itch.

  Almost there.

  She hoped George had not made it out of the plant. Her hopes were quickly dashed when a hand reached out and seized her, yanking her into a back alley.

  “What—” a hand covered her mouth.

  “Shh,” said George, “it’s me.”

  Crestfallen, Dana looked at him. Once again, she wanted to tell him to run, but the thought of her parents at the mercy of Colonel Fernau stopped her.

  “This way.” George pulled her along. They darted through stagnant puddles and to the far end of the building where the staff door and the others were.

  “Got them?” asked Charles.

  Dana studied the faces around her. She recognized Amy, Charles, Simon, and George. There was only one she didn’t know, another female who looked as though she worked in the media center.

  She tossed the bag to Charles. “The uniforms are in there,” she said as she pulled out the chain around her neck with the disk, “and this is the decryption disk.”

  “Everyone suit up,” said Simon.

  The people around her put on a media center technician uniform from Dana’s bag. She put one on as well, pulling it up over her clothes.

  “Ready?” asked the woman Dana didn’t know.

  “Yes,” said Simon.

  The female employee swiped her ID badge and let them inside. Once again, Dana entered an unfamiliar world. Lush couches, easy chairs, and polished tables lined the hallways and offices. Jealousy gripped her again. She pushed it out of her mind. No time for that.

  They moved quickly through the empty building and its sparse lighting. Dana peeked in the rooms as they passed, noting the high-tech equipment in all of them. Their feet made swift rustling sounds as they trotted across the carpet.

  The woman scanned her badge at a heavy, steel door and opened it. Quickly, everyone moved through the opening and into a stairwell.

  “Charles, you remain here at the front. If anything happens, pull the fire alarm. The rest of us will go to the top floor where the mainframe is,” said Simon.

  Charles nodded and took his position, hoisting his gun. “Don’t take too long.”

  Simon clasped his friend on the shoulder. He charged up the stairs, followed by the others. Their feet clopped on the linoleum as they raced up the steps to the top floor. Once reaching it, the woman with the badge swiped it and pulled the door open.

  “Quickly,” she said.

  Dana ran into the dark room with the others. Her mind raced over telling everyone the truth or just running away.

  “Dana, the disk,” said Simon as he sat in front of a holographic monitor and clicked it on. She handed him the disk and he started to put it into the slot.

  Clap. Clap. Clap.

  Everyone whirled around to see who clapped their hands. Lights flickered on, revealing a bunch of armed officers and Colonel Fernau. He walked up to them with a triumphant smile, his hands squeezed tightly around his stick.

  “I commend you all on managing to get inside.” Colonel Fernau stopped in front of Dana. “You are to be congratulated for your efforts.”

  “Congratulated?” said George. “Dana, what is he talking about?”

  Dana stared at the floor in shame.

  “Oh, yes. It appears you have a traitor in your midst,” sneered Colonel Fernau. “Dana here was simply doing my bidding. I needed to find the leaders of the resistance, and she willingly helped.”

  Tears filled Dana’s eyes as she continued to stare at the floor.

  “Don’t be shy, dear.” Colonel Fernau lifted her chin with his stick. “Take pride in what you have done.”

  The faces looking back at her tore at her heart. Disgust and loathing wafted over her, filling her every being.

  “And you.” Colonel Fernau walked over to the woman who had the ID badge. “You despicable creature. You were once a decorated officer of Dystopia, and now you are here with them. Their lies have corrupted even the officers.”

  “I’m not the one spreading lies,” hissed the woman.

  Swiftly, Colonel Fernau pulled out his pistol and shot the woman in the head. Her body slumped to the floor, forming a pool of blood.

  Horrified, Dana just stared at the woman’s corpse.

  “Take this rabble away,” said Colonel Fernau, putting his gun away.

  Officers seized the people around Dana. George elbowed one and attempted to flee. Ruthlessly, Colonel Fernau whipped out his stick, striking George in the face and knocking him down. He raised his stick again.

  “Stop!” Dana’s voice quieted the room.

  Colonel Fernau gave her a menacing glare, but lowered his switch. “Get them out of here!”

  The armed officers filed everyone out of the room.

  “I don’t blame you for what you did,” said Simon to Dana as he walked by.

  The sincerity in his voice choked her. Unshakable guilt filled her heart as she watched those who trusted her, those whom she called friends, being led away by the very people she despised.

  Dana snatched the disk Sanders had given her before anyone else could. She
put it around her neck and tucked it under her shirt. A glint of gold caught her eye. Curious, Dana reached down and picked it up. George’s locket. Realizing he must have lost it when Colonel Fernau struck him, Dana put it around her neck as well and tucked it under her shirt.

  “Miss Ginary.” Colonel Fernau stood in the doorway waiting for her.

  Grudgingly, Dana moved and walked with him down the stairs. His obviously fake smile unnerved her.

  Once outside, Dana noticed Charles being pushed into an armored truck with the others. They must have gotten him earlier, she thought. Not knowing where to go, Dana stopped on the sidewalk.

  “Miss Ginary,” said Colonel Fernau, holding the door to a limousine open for her and waving her in.

  She did not like his sudden niceness. Not wanting to cause trouble, Dana stepped into the limousine and sat down. Seth Michaels and Kenny were already in there. Colonel Fernau sat beside her.

  “Well done, my girl,” said Seth Michaels in an exuberant voice. “What we have been trying to do for ages, you managed to do within weeks. This is truly a day to remember.”

  “Yes,” said Colonel Fernau. “Drink?” He held out a glass with a gold, sparkling liquid that Dana had never seen before.

  Unsure of what to do, she accepted the offer. Dana took a sip. The bubbles tickled her throat as they went down. Deciding she did not like this beverage, she placed the glass to one side.

  “How are my parents?” asked Dana.

  “They’re fine, dear,” Seth Michaels waved her question away.

  “When may I see them?”

  “Soon.”

  Dana did not care for his evasiveness.

  The limo meandered down the street, passing the armored truck when it stopped in front of the Detention Center. She watched as the others were shoved into the building, knowing full well what their fate would be. Once again, guilt panged her.

  “What’s the matter, Dana?” said Seth Michaels. “You seem down.”

  “Just tired,” Dana said quickly. “Too much excitement.”

  “Ah, yes, well, when we get back, you and your parents can take a long rest.”

  Colonel Fernau and Seth Michaels exchanged knowing glances. Ill feeling filled Dana.

  “But for now, there are things that must be done,” said Colonel Fernau.

  The limousine pulled to a halt outside a building.

  “My office is in here,” said Seth Michaels. “One of the officers will take you there, where you may rest for the moment.”

  The door opened and an officer held his gloved hand out for Dana. Unused to such treatment, she took it, warily allowing the man to help her out of the car.

  “It will only be for a moment,” Seth Michaels reassured her as she stepped through the glass doors.

  Chapter Twenty