1, 2, 3… go.

10Apr08

The static on the screen replaced itself with a picture. On it a man talked, he promised riches, wisdom, achievement, and many things that seemed great. He looked right at the camera, right at me! He said he wanted ME to vote for me. I told him he wouldn’t have to worry about that, I would.

Off the screen there was a commotion. The man looked to the side, still talking about what he would do for me.
A young man, lean and strong with his hair cut short, walked on the stage. He shook the man’s hand,
smiling. I envied that boy. They talked shortly about something nobody could hear.

The boy reached into his pocket and pulled something out. It was a switchblade! I screamed at him through
the TV to stop, to not do it. He thrust the knife into that man’s chest. Now, we would never get anything he
promised us. I told myself that it was going to be okay, the established officers would take care of that wretch.

To the side, there was gunfire. That will show him, I told myself. But, when the cameras turned, it was not the
officers who were shooting. The room was surrounded by men who looked just like the murderer, all of their fingers holding down a trigger on a fully automatic weapon.

Officers will take care of them, the government won’t let this happen. Someone knocked on my door, then.
That must be an officer, he’s probably coming to tell me I’m safe. They’ll be alright, I’ll be safe. I opened the door and a man was standing there. I asked is he was just on the TV. He told me that he wasn’t worthy to lick the boot of that man and that I needed to get outside.

Outside, stood thousands of people, the streets filled. The goernment is doing a census, I say. Names are being
called over a loudspeaker. Was that my name? I can’t tell, they’re muddling all the names together! There it was! My name! I heard it! I walked toward the loudspeaker.

A man on a podium was at the head of the line. People were called into a booth one by one. Some left after a few
minutes, but they looked down at the ground as they left.

I got to the front of the line. A man ushered me into the booth. It was about five feet wide in both directions, tall enough to stand in. A light flickered. A voice in the dimness asked me, his voice raspy, if I loved my government. I started to answer, but he interrupted me. He told me that if I said yes, he would kill me. Then there was a click and a low hum.

This is not an officer, the government is weak, rebels have overthrown them, I put my faith in them and now
what? Now they roll over and play dead! All this came in a rush, overcrowding my head. I wan to yell that I don’t, that I hate them. But then I realize, this must be a test! Yes! Yes! I love my government and I will gladly die for them! I screamed it, a smile on my face. Then there was a click and a bullet tore through my teeth, my tongue, my neck. It’s a test, I knew it, I say as the ground rushes up to meet me.

It’s only a test.

Filed under: Socio-fiction   |  6 Comments