AWAKE

Awake


The worst thing was the waking up. I felt disoriented and confused. The first thing I could see was the flexi glass of my chamber. Everything was smudged and it took almost three minutes before I got my full vision back. The door had been released as all the wires from my body. There was a nice lady of the medical staff to help me with getting out.
“How are you?”” It’s your lucky day, she said”.” I feel like someone run me over with the car then put it on the reverse and did it again”.” Well we all know how does it feel, don’t we? she said. “When they woke you up?” I asked.” Eight months ago, I got extension”, she smiled.” How did you manage to do it Dorothy?” I red her name badge. “Let say, it’s a secret”. .”Ok”. “Shall we go?” “Yes, please follow me”.
I was surprised; it was very rare to keep somebody awake more then six months, especially at her age. I was guessing she’s around twenty five.
I followed Dorothy through the long corridor. She took me to the room where I was provided with the white set of clothes. My identity card has been returned to me, and new identification chip has been injected into my body.
“Now Andrew, you can go to the lift and start to enjoy your self”. “Thanks.”
I start walking the corridor passing a number of chambers on the way and I was thinking how many of them they will be released today. Before I got to the lift I had to flash my badge to the security guy and my eyes had been scanned in the lift itself. Only fifteen more levels and I will be on the surface.

I was happy to leave A.S.S. (Assembly Surrogate Sub point).They were placed in the every city. After the war, when only the small number of cities survived and resources have been limited, cities became overpopulated to the point where there was not enough living space for everyone. That is why the A.S.S points have been created. They were large facilities build underground. In these facilities they kept part of the population in a sleep. Everybody over 16 years of age has been given six months to live when they slept through the other half. Everything worked on a schedule, and was shared. I had to share my apartment with the guy who had been put to sleep today.
They tried to keep everything in order so for example: if there was a family with a child they kept one parent awake but they always woke up the other parent some time before the first one had come back to sleep. There were a number of people who could enjoy the privilege of staying awake for a most of their lives like scientists, politicians, soldiers, engineers, basically anyone who was considered to be important for the development.
The large number of regulations and laws had been provided to make sure that all this system was working correctly. Of course they were F.U.C.Ks as well (Fit Unit Controlling Kryogenics- that’s how they called people put to sleep even if they weren’t frozen) F.U.C.K.S were like the police. They patrolled the cities, checking people, scanning identification chips. They controlled so there was no one exceeding their active period, using false chips etc. They had quite a power in their hands. If anyone was found not obeying the rules then usually they were brought back to A.S.S and put back to sleep for a longer period.

I decided to take a walk home as my muscles were still a little numb. When I got home I’ve noticed that my “roommate” like always had left the apartment in a mess. If I only could get a chance to meet him I would give him a word.

It was late afternoon and I was off. Next day I had to go to work. Everybody had some kind of job assigned as they had to keep you useful for the society.
I said to myself that I will go out today and have a little fun. Maybe I’ll go to one of the places with girls. I must say that prostitution had become very popular these days as it was hard to meet somebody and sustain the relationship. It was quite hard to find somebody you liked with a matching active period. If someone wanted to get married you had to get permission from the authorities then get another for having a child. In some exceptional cases for a year or two they were able to mach the active periods for some couples but it was very rare. The Government legalised the prostitution as a solution preventing frustration in the society, and providing quite good profits for the budget.

I took a bath, which was a great pleasure after months spent in the chamber. I got changed and left my apartment. It was slowly getting dark. I loved the night; everything looks different and brings a promise of adventure. Night has always been magical and mysterious to me.
I took a taxi and got out in the city centre. Everything was flashing with the lights, streets were full of people. I stood there for a moment enjoying the presence of the crowd and all the noises. I thought to myself that it’s a shame that we all have so little time to enjoy the simplest things and I was worried that I have to go back to sleep, sooner or later.

I walked to the first bar on my way and decided to have a drink. I sat by the counter and ordered a double Jack Daniels. After the third drink I was going to leave when I noticed a woman in the far corner of the bar. She was looking at me. She had long dark hair and even from the distance I could see her incredibly green eyes flashing in the half-dark like cat eyes. I watched her for a while; she hadn’t turned her head around and kept looking at me. I bought two more drinks and started walking toward her table. Now I could see her a little better. She was more or less my age, around thirty. She wore a long dark coat covering her quite tiny figure. She was pretty.
“Hello! My name is Andrew, May I join you? “She said nothing, just kept looking at me.
I took a seat just in the front of her. She pulled out the cigarette and lit it. Her lips were covered with very intense red colour lipstick, and when she blew out the smoke, it looked absolutely sexy. “Do you think that all of this makes sense?” She suddenly asked.
“What do you mean?” “I mean us, talking now, you coming to the table.”” Why did you even come?” “I came over because you looked at me this way, you don’t look on someone like that if you don’t want something”. “I guess your right, so what you think I want from you?” “Do you think I am a hooker?” “No! No! It never crossed my mind”. “I thought that maybe we can get know each other, talk”.” And then what?” “We will go to your place?” “No Andrew, this is not going to happen. Do you know how much time I have left?” “One week, just one week”. “Are you going back to sleep?” “Yes”. “Do you want to go back there Andrew? To this chamber, lose another part of you life?” “Do you want to give away everything again: chance and time to make real friends, joy and freedom, having choices? No?”
“No I don’t, but what can we do in the end?”” You know that rebels have failed. No one can fight anymore, there is no choice.” “There is always a choice”. She opposed.” I don’t want to do this alone”. “Do what?” “I have to go now Andrew”. She got up and wrapped her arm around me .She kissed me in the cheek.” Good bye Andrew, we might meet again”. “But I don’t even know your name”. She just smiled, turned around and left.

I sat there for a while thinking who was she? and what she meant by “I don’t want to do this alone”. She was absolutely nice but it was the weirdest conversation I have ever had.
I wanted to go and finish this night somewhere else but I just couldn’t.
I decided to go back to my apartment. When I got there I took my jacket off, I saw something falling out of the pocket, a little piece of paper. I opened it. It was a note saying:
“I can free you if you let me.
The same place tomorrow 6.30pm”
Cathy

At least I finally knew her name. What did she mean by “I can free you”??. Who was she? What did she want? All these questions were jumping around my head like a ping-pong ball.
It was very late and I was tired. I wanted to go to sleep. What irony ha? Thanks to a special pill I didn’t need more then three hours sleep a day.

I woke up in the morning, took a shower and headed for work. Another ironic fact, I was working for the company dealing with technology for the A.S.S. points.

It was around four o’clock when I got home. For the whole day I couldn’t stop thinking about Cathy, her letter and the meeting. What if that was some kind of trick, a trap maybe? But what if she really knows something? I realised that I was willing to take the risk, at least something was going on, something else apart from day to day routine. I was a little nervous but I decided to go.

When I got there it was before half-past six. I took a seat in the bar like I did last evening. I took a look around but I couldn’t see her anywhere. Suddenly I though that I saw her across the street. I was almost certain that was her. I came out of the bar, she waved at me. I ran across the street barely avoiding being hit by a huge truck. When I came to her she smiled widely with honest joy.” Good you are here!”, she said, and took my hand. “Andrew you have to come with me, there is no time”.” Go where? Why?” I asked.” No time for explanations, you will find out later. Are you coming?” “Ok”.
She stopped the taxi. Before I managed to get in she gave the address to the driver.
“Where are we going?” “I asked.” You see, I found this guy; it was very hard and expensive. He is going to help us”. “How exactly?” “Don’t worry, you will understand”.
We stopped in a very poor and quite unpleasant neighbourhood. She paid the driver and we got out. “Come on Andrew! It is not far now”.
I wasn’t quite convinced about all this but I thought to myself that if I have gone so far I wanted to know where it all leads. We turned in to one of the small and narrow streets. You feel there like the walls are about to move and squeeze you. We came to a small blue door.” It’s here”, Cathy said. “Before we go in here I have to confess something”. “I know for that moment it seems weird that some strange woman brought you to some weird place for God knows what reason”. The truth is that we had met before Andrew!” ”What do you mean?” “When?” I don’t remember meeting you, ever.” “I know and I am not surprised”. It was a quite long ago when you were fifteen. We had met on your birthday party, we talked for quite long. It was two weeks before you moved out with your mother. Don’t ask me why, but since than I just couldn’t forget you. Yesterday when we met in the bar it was not a coincidence. I followed you many times but never had courage to speak to you. Now probably you think that I am crazy or stalking you, well I am not. It is just not enough time and I hope you will go with me. I had to do something, needed somebody and the only person I could think off, was you”. “That’s very nice” I said.” I still don’t understand what we are doing here?” ”Just promise me one thing, when we walk through this door, don’t make any decisions for now, just think about it first”.
She knocked on the door using some kind of knocking code. The door opened. The dwarf man opened it and asked: What were you expecting a giant? Follow me. We walked with him through the dirty corridors of the building; he led us to some kind of basement.
We came to the big old room filled with some kind of equipment set up all along the walls. The short old man came out from the smaller room. “Welcome Welcome! I am Hared. I’d like to chat some a little more but we don’t have much time. We will start with you Cathy”. Cathy sat in some kind of a chair, her hands and legs had been grabbed by the metal rims, so she couldn’t move. The big device slide down in to the front of her face. “Prepare yourself Cathy! Three, two, one!” Old man counted. I saw a big flash of light and Cathy started to scream, it was a horrible scream, she started to shake in the chair. “What a hell you doing man?! Stop it, stop it now!” I shouted.” Be silent! I can’t disconnect her now. Everything is going to be fine”. The device stopped and I ran to the chair.” “Cathy, are you ok?” “Yes, a little in pain but I’ll be fine”. Now it’s your turn young man. Are you kidding me? What kind of freak show is that? I asked “gently”. “Take it easy”, weird doctor said.” I will explain. This device deactivates identification chip in your body. It has been replaced with the new false chip and will allow you to leave the city. With the new chip you gained the new identity and the necessary pass for the border security. Congratulations! You are the married couple now!” The doctor smiled ironically.
“Why do we need to leave the city? Where are we going to?” “You see Andrew, I have managed to contact some people, and we need to meet them in the morning outside the city, in the desert. They will take us to the island which is outside of the interest of any authorities. When we get there, we will be free. No more sleep, just life. I know is a big risk but I told you that I don’t want to do this alone. I don’t have anybody else. If you want to go, you have to go know”. “You know Cathy, if we will be caught that’s probably mean a long sentence in the chamber or maybe even death!!” “I know but I rather to be dead then live like this!! O please! Don’t leave me! You got so far, don’t you want to try?” “I want, but what warranty do we have there is someone there who will pick us up or that this island exists?” “Well, you can’t be certain of anything in life. It is beautiful but terrifying in the same time, but if you terrified too much then you don’t have time to live.”
“I guess there is a point there”. I didn’t want to think a lot so I said: “what the hell!!”
I sat in the chair. This time device was over my head. I saw the big flash of light and then I felt incredibly strong pain. It was like someone was sticking thousands of needles in every single nerve of your body. The process lasted fifteen seconds but it was eternity for me. I couldn’t put myself together for a while and Cathy helped me to get out of the chair.
“You have to know something”, Hared spoke. “We haven’t developed proper technology of replacing an original chip. These chips will be valid only to midnight; if you want to leave you have to do it now. There is one more thing. The chips have limitations. They are fine for the scanners in all public places but they can last only three deep scans made by F.U.C.K.s After the third scan, the chip will burn. This will cause temporary blindness; couple of hours top, so you have to be careful”.
“What? Why nobody had told me that before? If something happens we don’t have any choice, nothing to cover us, no original chips, and we can’t stay here anymore”. “Forgive me Andrew that was the only way. Would you turn back anyway?” “I guess not but I like to have some kind of a choice.” “Well. Now we don’t have it. Let’s go!”
“Thanks for the ride Hared!” “No problem! My pleasure!”

We found ourselves back on the narrow street. We have three hours to get to the south of the city. It shouldn’t be that hard, we will take a taxi. We started walking the street. It was not a many taxis in this part of the town. Instead of a taxi we saw F.U.C.K. patrol coming toward us. They stopped.
“Good evening! Can I see your id cards?” We presented them to the man in the green uniform.” Please stand by for the scan”. He directed a hand scanner to our eyes. “Thank you everything seems to be fine. Just married ha! Lucky you!” “Yes we are very lucky” I said.
“Not a very nice place for a honey moon. What you doing here anyway?” “We were just walking and we lost the track of time and direction.” “Do you need a lift to the city?” “Actually that will be great!” We got in to the F.U.C.K. patrol car. The guy asked as where are we going for the honey moon and said where he was. It was all a bullshit talk but we were trying to be as nice as possible so they couldn’t suspect anything. They dropped us in the city centre.

“Thank you Andrew!” “For what?” “For everything. I thank you for the fact that we don’t know each other and you have decided to take a risk. I thank you that you are here with me. I couldn’t do all this on my own.” “In some kind of way I am glad I am here and I hope that something good will come of this.” I took her in my arms and hold her for a while; she kissed me, this time not in the cheek.
“We have to rent a car and start heading to the border”, she said. “Rent a car?” “Don’t you think that we will look weird as a married couple leaving the city in a cab?” “Yeah you right” I said, “but I don’t know how to drive one. These modern cars, they look like electric shavers.” “Don’t worry I will drive”, she said.
We rented one of the two seats cars, it was cheap and small and powered by some special efficient fuel.
The drive to the border was quite easy, little traffic and no patrols. We didn’t talk much; we just wanted to get out of here.

We saw the checking points from the distance. ”Now or never” Cathy said and she speed it up a little. We drove directly to the control point.
“Hello! Said the officer, “I would like to see yours ID cards and please be ready for scan”. Again scanner was pointed to our eyes. “Thank you, you are good to go! Happy honey moon!” “Thank you officer.” We were about to drive off when I suddenly felt a crushing pain inside my head. I grabbed my head with my hands and tried to kill the pain.
Cathy started to drive. We were almost outside the border when one of the officers called us back. “Hey Hey! Stop!” Cathy stopped. I thought it’s over, that he has noticed something. In this moment I lost my vision,” Cathy I think that my chip just fried”.” Are you still in pain?” “No but I can’t see anything.” “You have to pretend that you do.”
The officer approached the car. “Sorry for stopping you but I’ve notice that your husband is in pain. Is he ok? Do you need a help?” No thank you. “I’ll be fine it’s just a little headache.” “Please take this just in any case”, he hand over a bottle of painkillers to Cathy, that’s what she told me. “Thank you very much.” Finally we could go.

“Are you ok Andrew?” “Despite the fact I am blind I am fine.” “What a hell happened? The chip should last for one more scan”. “Your vision will be back in few hours.” “Are you sure?” “I am not but there is nothing we can do. I can’t stop or turn around. It’s too late. We have to go to the desert. I will take care of you. Try to get some rest.”

We drove for another one or two hours, it was hard to say. I felt that vehicle turned and I heard the noise of sand under the tyres. “Are we here?” “Not far now.” Cathy drove for another ten-fifteen minutes and then we stopped. She got out and helped me.” Do me a favour Andrew. No matter what you hear, stay where you are. Can you trust me?” “I trusted you so far didn’t I ?” Ok. I’ll be back in the while.” I heard her shutting the door and the engine started, car moved. After a moment I couldn’t hear anything. I was standing alone and blind at night in the middle of the desert ( I assumed it was a desert) When she was not back after 15 minutes- well at least I thought that how long it was- I started to think: is she coming back? Few more minutes passed and I heard Cathy’s voice in the distance.” Andrew! Andrew!” “Here Cathy! I am Here!” “I am sorry that I left you here alone for so long. I had to get rid of the car so no one can track it down. I found a place for us. We can wait there until the morning. I found a small cave nearby.” She took my hand and we walked slowly. We walked into the cave. Cathy made a fire from whatever was laying around. We had a small amount of food and drinks. “I can’t wait to the morning Andrew. We can start the new life now.” “I would have been happier if I could see”.” It will pass and tomorrow is going to be a great day.” She set just beside me. Heat of the fire and her presence so close to me helped me to relax. “You know, she said. I was thinking. According to the ID cards we are married couple. What you say if we make this night our wedding night?” She moved closer to me. She touched my face and started kissing me. I kissed her back. The fact that I couldn’t see intensified my senses. The smell of her skin, the softness of her hairs and the taste of her lips, I could feel everything much more clearly then ever before. We slowly undressed and made love. It was much better then all the meaningless flings I used to have. We couldn’t stop enjoying ourselves but eventually we fell asleep tired.




I woke up first. I opened my eyes and I was so glad that my vision was back. Cathy was still sleeping. The sun was already in the sky and it was quite hot. I saw something small ran in the front of the entrance to the cave. I decided to check it. When I got out I saw a small set of footsteps, like a child’s feet, they led to the top of the nearest hill. I climbed there and I couldn’t believe what I saw. Two hundred meters below I saw the same dwarf man from the weird doctor’s place. He was dressed in the dark violet suit. He was jumping in one place and pointing his finger at me saying HA HA HA! Is it possible that I experienced hallucinations? But if not, how on earth he got here? I tried to reach him but every time I was close he was moving further away. I tried to talk to him but with no result. He just kept jumping and repeating his HA HA HA full of malice. I gave up. I had to wake up Cathy. When I was close to the cave I saw a few black cars coming from the distance. I saw as well some shapes coming from the hills around.
O F U C K! Now I understood everything. I run into the cave. Cathy wasn’t there.
Suddenly everything went black.

The worst thing was the waking up. I felt disoriented and confused. The first thing I could see was the flexi glass of my chamber.
I had a feeling that something was wrong, something was different. I couldn’t see everything clearly yet. I touched my self. My skin was different, not so smooth, I also felt weaker then usual and now I realised what happened…. O Cathy!