The Birth of Dystopia

by A. Q. Moser

  A new day was upon me and I had the chance to achieve a purpose I never dared to imagine. I had the chance to make history—a voluntary change. Cadet would lead the way and, once convinced of our true motives, I would be by his side fighting the battle against the enemy.

  I rose out of my bed like a determined warrior stepping out onto the battleground. I tossed my sweaty t-shirt aside and the rest of my clammy garments. I washed up, splashing cold water to refresh my sweaty forehead and neckline. I dressed into some fresh clothes. In the kitchenette, I fed on plain dry toast and orange juice.

  It was still early in the morning the sunlight edging its way over the horizon. A new outlook on life and my energy level was high. I wanted to reach out to someone but whom could I turn too? Learning from my previous experience, I dared not to call May as she dismissed my last nightmare. I wanted to call Billy and see what he was up to.

  I made up my mind and I picked up the telephone and dialled Billy’s private cell number stored on my caller ID. I expected him not to answer or worse, yell at me for calling so early.

  A roaring sound echoed in the background. “Hello,” Billy answered preoccupied.

  “Hello Billy,” I responded astonished he was awake at this hour.

  The roaring sound prevailed. “Joel, what’s up?”

  “You awake?” I checked.

  “Yeah, of course,” Billy shouted. “I couldn’t sleep so I went for a run around the neighbourhood. Just couldn’t get certain things out of head.”

  I was surprised Billy was having a tough time with sleeping as I was. “Why what’s wrong?”

  “I think Cadet knows somethink but I’m not sure. We seem so close but in some sense I don’t know where we’re goink on this journey. I don’t know if you know what I mean?” Billy appeared preoccupied.

  I too was distracted by the background noise. I wanted to confirm what I was hearing. “Are you in a car?”

  “Yeah.” A car engine roared noisily in the background. “I’m goink to pick up the gang. I think you guys are sick of takink a taxi to my place so I decided to help out.”

  I was surprised. Billy had this caring heart that would turn up at the most opportune time. “Wow, thanks. Is everyone awake now?”

  “Wolfgang and May are. I called you earlier but got no answer,” Billy said. “Nobody can sleep. There’s just too much goink on.”

  How did I miss Billy’s call? “Maybe I was in the washroom and I didn’t hear it?”

  “Anyways, I’m on my way so be ready. We go find Cadet and get him on our side. Apartment seventy-five on Navrina Road, right?” Billy checked for my address.

  “Yeah,” I replied surprised Billy remembered my address.

  “Good, later,” Billy signed off.

  “What time—” I was too late; Billy hung up.

  How long would Billy be? Would he pick up Wolfgang first then May? Wolfgang was at a hotel and could take a while. Why not provide a simple answer to the pickup time? Everybody was in a rush. I sat on the couch not sure what to do.

  Since I ate and washed up already, I was actually ready to go but I did not want to wait downstairs in the front lobby. Instead, I could watch some television to pass some time. Or better yet, I could call up May. Yes she would know what is going on.

  I picked up the telephone and dialled for May.

  “Hello,” a mumbled voice answered.

  “May, you awake?” I checked.

  “Yeah,” May replied in a muffled voice. “Couldn’t sleep.”

  “Are you eating something?” Was May eating carrots again?

  “Yup.” May swallowed. “Billy called me.”

  “I just got off the phone with him too. Would you know what time he will be picking you up?” I asked.

  “Soon I hope. I’m outside waiting for him. He said he was on his way.” May was anxious as if she was waiting too long for her ride.

  “Oh, okay. Hopefully he’s fast.” Despite my protests, I succumbed and played the part that people should rush when you want them too.

  “He’d better be,” May ordered as if I could do something about it.

  “Alright, I’ll see you soon. Bye.” There was nothing to do but wait.

  May crunched down on another carrot. “See you soon. Cia—”

  I hung up the telephone before May could.

  I found the situation to be peculiar. I was closer to Billy’s place than May and yet she was expecting him to pick her up first. Billy seemed so intrigued by May and was blatantly pursuing her. Hopefully, this would not impact the group dynamics in a negative way.

  I looked outside and the sun was breaking out the new day. It dawned on me that I could call Marie and see if she wanted to meet Billy. Since we patched up the unpleasant misconception over abandoning her at the concert, I promised she could meet him in person. Plus I still had the autographed poster for her. I was dialling her telephone number before I thought it through.

  “Hello.” Marie’s voice cracked.

  I cleared my throat, knowing that I woke Marie up. “Hello Marie. Did I wake you?”

  Marie cleared her voice too. “Joel, yeah, that’s okay. How are you?”

  “I’m fine. I’m sorry to call you so early in the morning but Billy Coax is coming over to my apartment. Did you want to meet him?” I switched topics hoping the exciting celebrity encounter could smooth things over.

  “Right now?” Marie signed exasperated.

  “He’s got this really busy schedule.” This was a must-see opportunity. “This could be the only chance.”

  “I’m so tired. It was crazy at the deli. I worked till late last night.” Marie explained. “Can you tell him to come by later?”

  “Just for you, I will try. I’ll let you get back to sleep. It was really nice to hear from you.” I hoped Billy would be receptive to meeting a fan. It was after all a female fan, which he seemed to prefer.

  “Thanks Joel. Yeah, you too.” Marie yawned loudly. “Ciao.”

  “Bye. Sleep tight.” I tried to poke some humour to the situation.

  I hung up, grateful for the moment to touch base with an old friend who cared. I felt like our relationship was stuck in a rut over a petty matter. With my new group of friends, we were climbing out of a hole of distrust. I was unquestionably not alone but yet broken on how to prove myself. Life was so stressful.

  Rather than wallow in pity, I grabbed my keys and wallet and left my apartment. I was embarking on a life-changing journey with the potential to reach a higher plateau in life. I sought clarity over a mind clouded by negative images. The hermit Cadet could be the one who could lead us to a promised land liberating me from these haunting nightmares. Locating Cadet was a real result, a point I would never have guessed where we would be without Aerial’s prognostication. Time was unfolding a lot of secrets and it was time to uncover more. Soon, my life would make sense.

  Instead of riding the elevator down, I stepped out into the building stairwell and scurried down towards the ground floor from the third floor. The exercise would do me good and help me clear my mind. Heading down was easier than going up; gravity was accomplishing most of the work. In some sense, our persistence was our gravity.

  Once on the ground floor, I peered around the stairwell door across the front foyer out. The building floor rumbled as a result of a deep bass sound in the distance. Instead a luxury car, Billy arrived in a full-sized white four-door station wagon vibrated in the driveway. The ancient vehicle of choice was suited more for the junkyard we were set to visit than to transport us there. Wolfgang and May were cleverly positioned in the back seats leaving me the privilege to take the high-risk front seat beside the maniac driver Billy. I stormed out the building, feeling the fresh morning air for a moment as I went straight to the station wagon. Billy lowered the blaring music to an acceptable level.

  May had her window rolled down. “Joel,” May and Billy called out together.

  I smiled. “Hello everyone.” I climbed in to the back seat and shut the
door.

  May smiled at the cooperative set of words. “Touch your nose, Billy. It’s for good luck.”

  Hiding behind sunglasses and a baseball cap, Billy touched his nose and then swayed rhythmically to the thumping music. “Let’s do this again.” With that, we were off.

  Billy drove north to the four-oh-one highway, and then headed east for the old neighbourhood of York West. The station wagon had no GPS unit so it seemed he knew where he going. Taking the corners sharply and speeding were once again the choice driving style.

  Wolfgang patted me on the shoulder. “How are things? Did you get a good night’s sleep?”

  “Somewhat.” Thinking back to my nightmare with the water drops, I looked at the faces of my three friends brimming with hope. Unlike fallen leaves tossed about by a forceful wind current, something would come of this new day. I resolved to forget about the sleepless night, and respond with a brimming smile for my friends to see. “I’m so excited. I think Cadet is our guy.”

  “I believe he could help us.” May was convinced too.

  “First we need to convince him we’re legit.” Billy snapped us back to reality.

  “True,” May agreed. She turned to face me. “Anyone with ideas on how to convince this guy to work with us?”

  As if no one had anything further to contribute, the brainstorming session was a bust. It was up to me, my turn to contribute to the group and make a difference. I was to make or break the group momentum. My palms went clammy and cold. I raised my hands to my mouth and blew warm air over them. I needed to step up to the plate and do my part.

  “I think we should detail more of our common nightmares to him. Maybe he had them too?” Unsure what reaction to expect and not wanting to look anyone directly in their eyes, I examined my hands.

  Billy shifted a shoulder, appearing to accept my suggestion as a possibility. Wolfgang ran his fingers through his course beard. And May shifted in her seat, unable to stay still for longer than a minute.

  “Why not?” Wolfgang spoke up. “He won’t be the first person to be told about them.”

  “Excuse me,” May responded resentful about the innuendo of her séances with Aerial. “You told your wife.”

  Distraught about May’s remark, Wolfgang turned away to watch the road instead. A bit abrasive on both parts, Wolfgang sulked like an overgrown child.

  “Then we have nothing to lose to inform Cadet about what we know but lots to gain if he knows things that could help us.” I tried to ease the tension by presenting a case of benefits for being truthful.

  “May I ask everyone to not mention anything about the microchip and the wires to Cadet? He could, after all, turn us in.” Wolfgang inserted his precautions on to us concerning his personal mementos.

  The nightmares served to unite us and our claim at a shattered life was backed up by Wolfgang’s four-piece electronic set. Wolfgang firmly instructed us not to mention this to anyone.

  “Keep it quiet. Everyone agree to that?” Billy shouted out, forcing a consensus.

  “Of course.” May looked to Wolfgang with a solemn level of acceptance.

  “You can trust me,” I said sincerely.

  Wolfgang smiled. “Thanks guys.”

  “We should be ourselves under the notion not to scare him,” I precluded.

  39

  Barrelling down the highway, the station wagon turned off the marked exit for Ellinton Street and headed south on the major street. We were south of the Firkin with yesterday’s freaky fan episode, moving past the five-store mall and the oak tree covering Aerial’s psychic shop. Billy made a right at the old DEF lumberyard landmark, and travelled past the old high school Toronto High. A second right and we arrived at a clearing for the ramshackle junkyard. He parked the station wagon by the metal poles cemented to the road; a deterrent to prevent people from driving down the hill to the junkyard.

  “With all this junk, we need to find this hermit guy,” Wolfgang reiterated the plan.

  “I got it covered, I know the way,” Billy decided despite his previous attempt on locating a teenage hang out by the creek.

  Like doves exiting a crowded cage, we all rushed out to the early morning air with the lingering smell of corroded metal. The field ahead was calm, as if abandoned by its occupants. We moved as a group down the embankment towards the rusty fence.

  “Back already?” a deep voice called out from behind a set of trees.

  Cadet stood in his natural form: dishevelled, dirt patches covered his face, his t-shirt wrinkled and torn with pants to match the look. Two overstocked burley duffel bags lay by his feet, complete with an extra pair of shoes tied by the shoelaces to the gear. A trip of some sort was planned—maybe a long one.

  “Where are you going?” May pointed out the effort to elude us.

  “I said back already?” Cadet repeated, almost mysteriously.

  Billy for once held back from commenting—a possible remark that I would venture could upset the fragile balance of communication. Instead, he eased back a few steps and let the action unfold as a spectator.

  “Do you remember my name, Billy?” Cadet was not the type of person to let bygones be bygones.

  Ignoring the question, Wolfgang extended his hand. “My name is Wolfgang T. Pauli. I’m an assistant professor at NYU working in the field of Microbiology.” He portrayed the role of a mediator. Realizing Cadet was not cooperating, he lowered his hand. “We believe you have answers for us about our situation, however, there is a little thing called trust.”

  Blunt and to the point, why should we hide the obvious?

  “Are we safe to talk here?” Wolfgang whispered.

  “If you all turn around for ten minutes, I’ll check,” Cadet replied, serious on skipping out.

  “Sarcasm is great for fish. Since we’re not fish, I’d just rather you listen than talk,” Wolfgang scolded Cadet for the crudeness. “That’s Billy, that’s May and Joel.” He pointed to each one of us. “We’re basically four strangers who have something in common. We had the same dreams. Dreams that are very painful and simply put seem unnatural. Do you understand?”

  “What do you want from me?” Cadet was annoyed and could bolt from us at any minute if not held back by his bulky gear.

  “Can you help us understand why?” Wolfgang looked like he would drop to his knees for extra sympathy points.

  “You guys are wasting your time. I know nothing. Just leave me alone.” Cadet squatted to lift his duffel bags.

  Under less constrained circumstances, we could have worked in Cadet till he saw our case. Since time was what we did not have, I had to act to the situation otherwise all could be lost. “The docked steamboat nightmare? The nightmare of the quest of the treasure chest? The axe wielding stalker? The narrow bridge and the sandals with the blue trim? The school bus accident? Do any of these make any sense?”

  An eyebrow on Cadet’s face twitched higher than the other. His subtle reaction was enough to give it away that I struck a nerve. He knew what I was talking about. He understood loud and clear.

  “You know about these nightmares,” I stated clearly while advancing a step toward Cadet. “We all dreamt these. And because of these nightmares our childhoods were robbed. We want to fight back but we need help. We need to know who did this to us. We know you know and we won’t stop bothering until you admit it and help us.”

  “Do you really want to know what’s going on?” Cadet sighed deeply, dropping the heavy duffel bags. “The old TV show Tank Rider is your subliminal culprit.”

  “What?” The word echoed around from three different people.

  In disbelief and amazement, I had no idea what Cadet was trying to get at. He implicated a childhood television show by name but how could a nationwide television show be exclusive to a few participants without affecting every viewer? And then it dawned on me Wolfgang had the special items. These were the broadcast tools for pushing subliminal messages across to a select few through a popular television program made especially for ch
ildren. It all made sense. It was like seeing an actual iceberg for the first time; yeah I heard they existed but never would I have imagined its gigantic presence.

  “Can we go somewhere else to discuss this?” Cadet requested, not expecting us to deny his demand. He gazed around uncomfortable with the frankness of the discussion in an insecure location.

  “Sure,” May blurted with an open mouth.

  “How about we go for a ride in my car? Anywhere you want,” Billy offered, indicating his station wagon at the top of the hill.

  Cadet reached for the handles of the duffel bags, and lifted them, his arms strained under the weight. He looked around suspicious but accepting to partake in the drive. “Anywhere but here is fine with me.”

  “Where’s anywhere?” Billy wanted a more real location.

  “How about heading up north on highway four-hundred? Somewhere out of the city.” Cadet suggested with sly smirk.

  Billy nodded solemnly, understanding secrecy was imperative. This open area could not be trusted.

  I did not want to jinx the situation, but I felt we had moved up another ladder rung on the ladder of life, higher to the top where the truth lay. We came so far. It was a video re-enacting a childhood nightmare that finally brought us to a reclusive army guy who could very much lead us to the promise land.

  The march was solemn but highly anticipated. It was a cool morning and a momentous road trip was planned on the spot. Billy led the way towards the oversized station wagon parked by the side of the road. Cadet carried his two duffel bags like a hockey player—each slung over the shoulder. Two massive, hockey-style bags where no one dared to ask what lay inside of them.

  Billy opened the trunk for Cadet’s duffel bags and offered to assist with the heavy load. Cadet refused any help for his gear and even closed the trunk himself. Keeping the unspoken streak alive, Billy was to be commended for taking this seriously. For that matter, no one spoke up. We loaded into the station wagon as school kids heading out on a field trip. Wolfgang, May and I filed into the back of the station wagon while Cadet rode shotgun beside Billy.