Hardin's Dilemma

by A.S. Morrison

dream that I was back in the forest. It was probably my sixth or seventh time back there in my dreams. I was getting to the point where it didn’t bother me so much.

  In the dream I was running through the forest near the wall. Instead of the faceless gray shapes that chased me in my other dreams I saw fully formed humans all wearing red. They had faces this time, and I recognized each one as people I had seen the day before. It was getting too real. The fear that I had tried hard to defeat in those dreams was back. I can’t remember how it ended, I think I was killed, that’s how they usually ended.

  I woke before anybody could wake me. Without windows I couldn’t tell what time it was. I assumed it was still before dawn. Theen was still asleep. I got up and took a shower in the little bathroom. The water never did get hot, but it was at least warm.

  It was hard to believe that I was surrounded by all the things I had learned to fear, this time for real. It wasn’t the same as when I was in Bozlin. There I knew that those people never meant me harm, unlike here. I wondered what they would do to me if they found out I was from Humurom. Probably torture and interrogate me, or just kill me.

  Mr. L hadn’t even mentioned someone leaving the wall during his lecture. I wonder why. They obviously knew about me, Leric even asked us what we thought of it all. I suppose since it wasn’t in his curriculum he didn’t care to teach it.

  I finished my shower and got into the red uniform again. Theen was up by then, he showered after me. The woman who gave us those rooms was back, I never did learn her name. She came by to make sure we were all up and led us back down the escalator and outside a back door, into the chilly morning air. An automobile with many seats was waiting for us there. We all got in and took off down the road. The road had holes and cracks all over it and the vehicle bumped and jolted through the city. I could see the dome glow ahead of us, we were heading straight for it.

  I was getting nervous again. That combined with the cold night air blowing in from the open windows gave me quite a shiver. No one spoke, we all watched silently as we approached the wall. The vehicle stopped right next to it and we got out. The woman handed us bracelets, told us to put them on, and showed us how to get through the wall.

  We followed quickly, disappearing from Diz City and entering the much warmer side of the wall. My shivering continued despite the warmer climate. The woman then told us to go to the castle, and left back through the wall.

  This area of the dome was much different than what I was used to. There was a large castle only a hundred yards from the wall. It had high walls and four towers that stretched into the sky. To the left of the castle was a large fenced area with small hills and wooden posts. People milled about, unconcerned that more had just joined them. Billus led the way through a muddy field to get to it. As we approached a large muscular man with a bald head came up to us.

  “I am Filn.” The man said. “I will be your instructor for the next week. You four will learn the basics of being a Dizurian Wall Guard. This is a crash course so listen closely or you will not make it. We’ve already had three accidental explosions that have killed five, don’t be the sixth. As you’ve probably heard we will be doing things much faster than usual. Usually it takes a year for one of these guards to graduate and be adequate for their missions. But the leader has instructed us that something very big will be happening soon and so if you know which end of the gun won’t blow your face off you’ll be accepted in. That is so sad. Anyway, we’ll put you in pairs. Girlie, you and curly get together. That leaves Billus and the wild eyed one.” He pointed at me. “Good to have you back, Billus, your experience should come in handy. Now let’s get the itineraries set. Today we will show you around and show you to the weapons. Tomorrow you will get into your roles. Sounds good! Billus, show the others around, I’m tired of being a tour guide.”

  “Yes sir.” Billus said.

  Filn nodded and went away.

  Billus huddled us together. “Alright, this here is the castle. It was built by Humurom and Dizuria several hundred years ago and then destroyed after the wall was put up. The foundation remained. It was the first job of the wall guards when they got in. It has been the main base ever since. All the guards start training here. Let’s go in.”

  While he talked he looked right at me, as if studying me. I finally looked at the castle behind him, feeling a little uncomfortable.

  The inside was dark and cool, with very few lights. The walls were stone and a thin and dirty purple carpet covered most of the floor. He showed us through some of the rooms on the first floor. There were offices with people hard at work doing something. A cafeteria full of people eating whatever happened to be brought in that morning from Diz City. Several large rooms had bunk beds for the trainees. And down a short flight of stairs was a room with a big metal door. An armory. He didn’t have access to that and so we just looked at the formidable door.

  Up on the second floor he showed us more offices and meeting rooms for the guards who would be stationed in the castle after training. I took care to look into those rooms, hoping to find maps or diagrams to take, but they were all empty as far as I could see. The roof was next on our tour. From there we could make out a ruined city in the distance. Only a few walls and foundations survived. To our left was a great forest that probably connected to the forests we came through on the train. Our right had muddy fields as far as the eye could see.

  “This was the vision.” Billus began. “When the leaders saw this they knew that with a little work and time they could make this their own and create a new and expanded Dizuria without the fear of intruders or enemies. Then people were found alive, as you’ve heard. The leaders bickered nonstop and no official ruling could be made. So the land continued to waste away even after the castle was finished. A few expeditions were made, but none to establish anything. That changed when our current leader took over. The guards were given the mission to kill every person away from the bunkers. Now we have to be careful that the people inside don’t find out or, as Mr. L said, they will detonate the nuclear bombs that they are hiding. And if that happens then the radiation will make this place uninhabitable for a very long time, what with no way for the radiation to escape.” He suddenly gave me a stern look, and then looked away. “So that’s about it.”

  He led us outside and to the fenced in area I saw earlier. Several people were shooting guns at targets.

  “This is where we will be training tomorrow.”

  He then took us to the edge of the forest.

  “This is where two of us will spend a few days. There are two roles: Finder and Shooter. Meaning two of us will be sent into the woods to find something while the other two will go through training to kill.”

  On our way back to the castle about twenty of those flying things, Billus said they were called Nawings, flew over us. I suddenly ducked and, seeing that no one else was, stood up straight again. They were flying all around doing maneuvers right above our heads.

  Billus showed us to our bunk beds. There were two sets in the tiny room. Theen took the top and I took the bottom of one. Billus took the bottom of the other.

  “Go ahead and rest. We won’t do anything today. They don’t want to scare us too bad on our first day.” He got onto his bed and put his hat over his eyes.

  Zurrel stood over him. “Why are you doing this course again?”

  Billus didn’t move. “It’s a long story. Just get some rest or go look around. I’ll get you at dinner time.”

  Theen and I left the room and wandered about the castle. We didn’t talk much, afraid to be overheard. There wasn’t much to do there. Everyone seemed to have something important on their mind and shared it with others in hushed tones, often stopping when they saw us. We got back up to the roof a while later and looked out over everything.

  “So this is what it looks like in here.” Theen said, amazed.

  “It’s ugly.” I grunte
d.

  “I guess it would be for those who are stationed here for a long time.” He gave me a slight wry smile and turned away.

  We spent the afternoon in our bunks. I tried to take a nap but couldn’t fall asleep with the whizzing of Nawings and gunfire. Billus got us up for dinner some time later.

  The cafeteria was giving out bowls of chicken soup. It wasn’t the best I had had, but it wasn’t too bad either. We sat and discussed the day’s events.

  “So I was going around today,” Zurrel said when we were all finished, “and I heard something about a dark room, what is that?”

  Billus sighed deeply; I could tell he didn’t want to talk about whatever that was. “The dark room training is something that the recruits go through when they are done with the rest of the training. It’s not something I should be telling you about; it’s kind of a secret.”

  Zurrel looked highly interested at that. “Oh, come on tell us, is it hard?”

  Billus stood up. “Just forget it alright; you’ll get your chance. I’ll meet you back at the room.” He slammed his bowl down with the rest of the empty ones on a nearby table and left.

  Sometime later we all got back to the room and went to bed. Once again I had a hard time sleeping. Not because of any noise, it was very quiet, but because I