The Machinering

A future no one wanted, but a future nonetheless. A government attempting to force its hand with metal implants to control societies, and a rebellious force fighting back.

"Hey, is this thing on," I said right before my mind went blank and shut down.  That was the last thing I ever said.  It really amazes me it's been 15 years since then… since we put these machines into our head.  Ever since the end of the third world war, where we all became one nation, one government, things in the world have just been getting worse and worse.  That's when they came up with this implantable device, enforced it everywhere and for those who didn't obey didn’t last long...  My grandma was one of them, oh what a stubborn person she was.  She's gone now, but that's okay because I'm probably going to be able to join her soon.  I'm writing this to anyone who finds this:  I'm machine-less and now on the run, going as far as I can.  I can't take it anymore.  This machine... it swallows emotion, demolished creativity and makes everyone a blank slate for the government to manipulate and control.  The reason why I'm starting to understand what they've done to us is because I met someone.  One of the rebels came up to me and was spouting all this nonsense, talking to me.  Her lips were moving and she was actually making sounds.  I haven't heard someone talk in years because the machine muted us in turn for telepathic communication.  I was about to turn her to the enforcers but then she took this device and tapped my head where the machine was placed, and I think it turned off.  Then everything she told me made sense and my whole world changed at that moment.  I'm going to try to find the rebels, and hopefully find her too.  She saved my life and opened my eyes to what was truly going on.  The government was controlling us, making us do whatever it pleased.  Putting thoughts into our mind to do things, adding memories we've never had, and making us conform.  I hear something... I think I've been found.  I'm currently in an abandoned farmhouse somewhere in the Midwest, it’s the break of dawn and the date is January 5th of 2155.... I definitely hear enforcers nearby.  If you're reading this.... don't believe

"That was it, its cut off after that word... you think he's dead?"

"No, he's not... he's more powerful than he thinks.  He's going to be crucial in the revolution... come on then, let's keep moving Rashad."

"I hope you're right Shiela, he knows too much."

 

March 2156

It was a rainy and gloomy day in London.  The sky was overcast, wind was blowing at high speeds, and rain kept pouring down on this lively city.  London was one of the mega hubs of the world, housing over a billion people now.  As populations grew, more skyscrapers were made, and then the city had to be divided into 3 levels, going as far up into the sky as humanely possible while still maintaining Earth's atmosphere.  The first level, on the ground, was the poorest part of London and it was filled with crime and disease.  This is where Max was, this was where he ended up at after all the running.  It was a hard year for him, evading enforcers left and right, while still trying to get enough food to survive the next day.  He heard that the rebel base was somewhere in the first district of London, and he intended to find it and to find those with their eyes open. 

Walking through a desolate street, Max looked up in awe as he knew above him lived millions of people, and that weather and sunlight was all simulated at the roof of the district, giving it the same climate everywhere else in London.  He grew up in the states, and the only megahub there was New York, which he was never able to go.  Megahubs began forming after the Third World War, making a huge city only kids had dreams about, and it became a place of great advancement.  As he continued walking down the dark, dirty and wet street, he could see people sitting down on the sides trying to sleep through the rain, some with umbrellas and some with nothing.  It's a hard life in the first district.  The other two districts get the best commodities and the last gets whatever is left.  The first district also has by far the most population, with half a billion living there and it is also the least regulated.  Enforcers rarely come down to this district, making it perfect for a rebel base to be placed, but also perfect for crime and anarchy to flourish.  Rival gangs have made this place their home, and every day the sounds of bullets can be heard from many a street.  Because of the almost complete disregard for the first district, most people living here had outdated forms of the machine, some turned them off, and others altered them.  People here are more like those in the old movies or back before the third war, and it was a sight to see for Max. 

As Max's mind was wondering off, something in front of him in the distance took his attention.  Two groups of people were arguing and shouting at each other violently.  It was a quiet day except for the rain, yet the shouting in the distance was the most prominent sound.  Homeless people on the sides of the road up ahead began to disappear into the darkness, as if knowing something was going to happen.  Max began to notice this and slowed his pace, focusing on the mass of people.  One group were all in black uniforms while the other was in red.  Suddenly, shouting turned into gunfire as someone in black shot at the other group, instantly killing a man in red.  Max immediately ran into a alleyway away from the bullet filled street and accidentally bumped into someone kneeling down near another alleyway leading into the street, as if monitoring what the commotion was.  They were wearing brown so Max knew they weren't a part of this fight.  It was a woman's back, he could tell by the long flowing hair, slender body shape and an eerie familiarity arose him.  She quickly turned around, stood up took out her blaster and aimed it at Max, about to fire before she saw he wasn't wearing red or black.

"Watch where you're going, I almost killed you firster," she said as she slowly dropped her aim on Max. 

"Sorry, I'm not really from here... what's going on?" Max said, in total confusion.

"I don't have time to talk, just stay out of this stranger," the woman said, looking Max with intensity in her eyes.

"I'm looking for the rebels, do you know if they're here?"

What at first was complete disinterest in Max, turned into a curiosity tethered by surprise.  "Where did you hear that from, who are you?"

"I'm Max, I was in the states when someone came up to me and turned off my machine before telling me I need to come here."

As Max was talking, this woman was just frozen in awe.  "It's you... you finally found us, I'm Shiela.  We need to get you out of the crosshairs of this fight, I'll bring you to our hideout."