Chapter 2: Chapter 2
The Top Floor was where all the department heads spent their day. These were unseen Grade B suits who took their orders from the Grade A select, people such as presidents and government ministers, high up police and military officials; those elite who were in direct contact with the Archon overlords. From what Julian could glean this contact was not physical. In fact, he’d never heard of anyone actually seeing an Archon overlord in the flesh. Rumours suggested the contact was psychic, an altogether more insidious method. The Archon overlords could take over the minds of Grade A citizens, working through them to ensure their rigid system of control was maintained at all times and that any thought of rebellion or revolution was quashed before it had a chance to blossom.
* * * *
Day Seven was a free day. Most citizens in Grades A to D were at liberty to do whatever they chose to, within the confines of the law. The choice of leisure activities was slim. The state television station broadcast its once-a-week schedule of propaganda-filled shows. Citizens could stay at home and be subjected to 12 hours of brainwashing-dressed-up-as-entertainment, or stroll to one of several parks to enjoy the only places within the habitation area where grass and trees were permitted; although even there everyone was monitored via street cameras. For despite the fact it was Day Seven, the computers at the Department of Communications were still recording every word spoken, texted or emailed for perusal on Day One of the following week.
Julian chose to sleep in until his body told him it was time to wake up. There were no clocks or watches, as there had been in the time of letter-writing. Computer chips inserted into every citizen at birth dictated most of what they did, and when they did it. Only on Day Seven of the week were they free of the influence of their chip.
After eating a light breakfast, Julian showered and dressed, and walked out into the drab, fluorescent-lit corridor of K block. He descended five flights of stairs to the ground floor and stepped out into an overcast day. He wandered through the streets, bidding those he met ‘good morning’ and receiving many ‘good mornings’ in return. He walked through the park nearest his house and continued on, weaving his way down one dull, grey street after another until he came to the seven-metre high, wire perimeter fence, topped with razor wire. He followed the fence until he came to the park in M Sector, and after finding a nice leafy tree to rest beneath he sat down and stared out into the wilderness on the other side of the wire mesh.
Beyond the fence was an expanse of tall, wild grass behind which stood an ancient forest. Sometimes, if he was patient enough, he might see a wild animal going about its business, seemingly oblivious to the massive sprawl of Habitation Area 23. He envied those wild creatures. Despite not knowing what, if anything, lay beyond those trees, he knew he’d rather be there than where he was. Then realising what he was thinking, he stopped himself. Treasonous thoughts could only lead to trouble.
A slight movement on the other side of the fence caught his attention. A small animal with long ears and a tuft of fluff for a tail was busily mowing through the grass which grew along the base of the fence.
“Hello, friend,” Julian said, his lips stretching into a smile.
The small creature took a break from its breakfast and looked up at Julian.
“What’s your name, friend?” he asked, extending a hand slowly towards the animal, whose nose was twitching like crazy.
“Rabbit,” he said. “Your name is Rabbit.”
The small creature sniffed his fingers then took a couple of steps further along the fence to a clump of hitherto untouched juicy, green grass.
Julian sat back against the tree and watched the rabbit nibble its way along the fence until something sent it leaping back towards the trees. Julian was disappointed to see his new friend disappear into the long grass, but his attention was soon captured by something infinitely more enthralling.
The air had become charged. He could smell something like electricity. Then he could hear it. A quiet crackling sound. The fence to his left seemed to shimmer, like a heat haze, and in one part seemed to disappear altogether.
A dozen thoughts flashed through Julian’s mind. Should I make a break for it? Run into the trees? What will I do when I get there? How will I survive? Am I being monitored? I’ll be caught and punished if I flee. What if this is a trick by the overlords to catch me out? What if this is an overlord?
Julian inched slowly backwards around the trunk of the tree. When he was completely hidden by its girth, he poked his head around the side to observe whoever it was emerging from out of nowhere through the hole in the fence.
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone