Superiority

SUPERIORITY

'All Animals Are Equal, Some Are More Equal Than Others'
Animal Farm, by George Orwell.


Alex placed Dominic, his imitation pig, acquired from a shop which succumbed to hard economical times.
You the superior, so I thought. More equal, better paid and fed, exerts control over the Country and people. There was only one thing to do...become one myself.
I enjoyed being in charge of my neighbours, they listened to me. Perhaps it was because I held a gun strapped to the side of my menacing black uniform. I felt strong, under the Party's rule being one of them was empowering. I lost friends, but made new ones.
Then my sister became ill, being a Party member, we could get the best care from the top Doctors.
One Doctor in the Party was not qualified in Ovarian cancer. Where was the Doctor who could treat my sister? Left the country because his wife lost her job and a son who was arrested for protesting about the Governments cutting pay for workers.
The President was a despot, but I thought being a member would get my family more privileges.
The ongoing unrest of people, and torture happening in the prisons, pricked at my conscience.
'Don't do this son', my father warned. 'It's an evil regime'.

One night I had leave for my sister's funeral, she left behind my ten year old nephew. Would he be proud of his uncle in years to come? The grief which overwhelmed my family was palpable, but what shocked me more...they were afraid of me. Me, their son and brother.
What had I done?
I started seeing flags, signs of emerald green with a white open hand. Resistance.
I was walking down the lane in pursuit of bread when an old friend ran from me. I followed him and broke into his window where I saw him run in.
I was grabbed, and struck in the mouth, I felt warm blood run down my face. My friend pulled them off.
'Let him speak'.
Through my eye which was starting to swell, I saw a large poster on the wall, green with a white open hand.
Around me hands raised, open akin to the insignia.
All I could mutter was 'I'm sorry'.
I clicked on to their social media link, one which had not been blocked.
At first, I covered my face and told my family I had left.
The demonstrations were small at first. I manged to avoid arrest. Being a 'Party' member would be a death sentence if I was with 'Isonomy rebels'.
It grew to hundreds then thousands.
Army members and Police had family members in the movement so were reluctant to respond to government orders to shoot.
It took three long years for the regime to fall with a new President, a prominent Doctor, risen from the Isonomy Party.
So Dominic, I can only feel contrition, haunted by what I did and saw. The battle of superiority lost.
We are all equal.

Sandra Jones