"Fresh Air" by L. ´Frog´ Janas

Of course, the Leaders probably don’t personally write schedules themselves, but you treat them as a holy commandment nonetheless. They tell you what time to wake, dress, eat, have sex, watch television, exercise, work, and who to work for, thus eliminating any opportunity for stressful, time eating decision making. Resources are allocated by the Leaders in the most efficient and fair manner possible so nobody is ever oppressed.

They got me during my 16:00 cigarette break. Each employee at the facility is allocated 14 cigarettes a week, a cigarette with a stimulant for the 16:00 work break and a cigarette with an opiate for the 19:25 relaxation time. Four men in navy blue Party uniforms came with guns and shackles. I dropped my cigarette with surprise when I saw them. What faith I had in the Leaders! How well they did their jobs - they knew I was having rebellious thoughts against the government before I did!

Of course when they read the charges I knew they were right. They showed me a video they had shot of me in my room at 20:00 and do you know what I was doing? I was working during the scheduled television hour. I skipped it all week! I was so behind at work the stress must have gotten to me. Missing television hour is practically as bad as reading a book.

I was placed in a cell with a squat curly haired fellow – a dangerous rebel if I ever saw one. I sat down as far from him as I could inside the small cell and tried to avoid eye contact. He wouldn’t stop staring at me.

“What’s your name?”

“Ernie,” I said quickly.

“I’m Aleksander,” the prisoner said. “What did they get you for?”

“I skipped TV hour to finish some work.”

“Great. Another buffoon.”

“Excuse me?” He didn’t respond. There was a long pause.

“The smell is stronger here,” I said.

“They burn the executed prisoners next door. That’s what I’m scheduled for tomorrow.”

“Good heavens!”

“Don’t worry; they won’t lay another finger on me.” I was really sure he must have been a madman. “I’m not naïve,” he said. “I’ve been planning for tomorrow for six months. I have backup from my organization coming with explosives. As soon as they let me outta this cell – boom!” He laughed but I just stared at him. “Don’t worry. There ain’t no cameras in here – so the guards can’t be caught beating prisoners. Aleksander leaned forward and studied me curiously. “What’s in your head, kid?”

“You’re insane. You want to take down the Leaders! People could get hurt.”

“People have to be free to—”

“The Leaders keep us free!” I shouted. “The Leaders are there to protect us!”

“It’s too late for you. They keep you complacent with drugs and mind numbing television filled with subliminal messaging and you’ve had, what, 35 years of it? You’ll never see the truth.”

“Why did you tell me your plan? I’ll tell the guards!”

“No you won’t. I told you so you could get out of here safely and if you’re smart that’s all you’ll do.” He looked me over. “Even if you are a buffoon.”

I stared at the ground. Aleksander was a terrorist and a rebel; he was the enemy. The Leaders are there to protect us! They think for us so we are free to live! I was scared of what he would do if I told. Was the country worth the risk?

The next day two guards came for Aleksander. The first was a real official but the second slipped something to Aleksander as he shackled him. Aleksander hugged me goodbye, passing over a key and I could also feel the detonator in his palm. As the three of them made their way down the hallway I opened the door as silently as possible. I head my breath and slid it open. I had to get out of range. I took a few silent catlike steps backwards and when the guard didn’t look I turned and bolted full speed down the hall.

I heard a man shout and then a chaotic jumble of screams. There was a gunshot and I heard a woman’s cry. I froze in my tracks. Who was shooting? Someone might have died. With that realization I began running again as fast as I could. I could hear voices shouting once more, but they were distant and muffled and I tried to block them out. I began singing a childhood nursery rhyme under my breath to cover the screams, my heart pounding in my chest.

The explosion sent a wave of heat streaming past my body before I could realize what had happened. A structural support above me broke and a large pipe hit me on the head, knocking me out. I didn’t wake up for 36 hours and when I did I found myself in a public hospital.

I found out upon inquiry that Aleksander had died during the explosion. His organization, however, was much larger than I ever could have imagined and had coordinated attacks like the one I witnessed across the nation. Within a month they would be the legal government and every Leader dead.

You get used to the smell of burning documents, burning books, burning flesh… yet somehow you never quite get used to the smell of fresh air. Somehow you can’t accept that the burning won’t return for a much more sinister purpose. Their freedom is superficial and evil and we will be oppressed again. The Leaders kept us from being oppressed! Theirs was true freedom. I will not let the new anti-Leader “freedom” propaganda stand. I must desperately cling to the status quo before the next generation believes that freedom is desirable. The stench of fresh air will slowly consume me until my values are lost forever.