Cubes and Rats

A woman who lives in a strict, clean, and efficient society discovers a dark secret beyond their white walls that keep them safe. (does involve gore)

"It's a shame about Ron, isn't it?" a man wearing sunglasses remarks. 

"He was a brilliant and respected repairman. He should have known better than to venture outside the walls," another person replies. 

"The walls are there for a reason. As intelligent as he was, he made a foolish decision," adds the man with sunglasses. 

"Quiet now, the announcer is about to speak. They might address Ron's disappearance," someone says. 

A figure wearing sunglasses emerges from behind a curtain and walks to the podium. He gazes at a blank wall before speaking. "Day 356970," he begins, his eyes darting back and forth. He looks at the crowd and continues, "Ron disappeared on day 356969. His replacement will be Kady Mundera." Pausing momentarily, he adds, "Today's weather will be sunny with clear skies. Sustenance times remain the same: breakfast from 8:00 am to 8:30 am, lunch from 12:00 pm to 12:45 pm, and dinner... only if you meet today's quota." The man delivers his message in a robotic manner, as if he has repeated it 356969 times before. As he starts to turn away, a member of the crowd speaks up. 

"What happened to Ron?" asks an older woman. 

"He left the safety of the walls and perished," the man with sunglasses replies, leering at her. 

The old woman flinches at his response but remains silent. 

"Any further questions, and the quota will be increased," the man warns. 

The crowd murmurs among themselves but quickly grows quiet.

 "Wait for the bell before leaving," he instructs, and then exits. 

The people engage in hushed conversations as they make a swift exit upon hearing the square bell. Its commanding, robust sound fills the air, conveying a sense of emptiness. Days pass, and Ron's memory fades from everyone's minds. The society continues its monotonous routine, but today holds a tone of difference for this ruminant community. 

"Ms. Kady, you are needed at the tower to fix the antenna," a voice calls out. 

"I'll be right there," she replies.

 After some time, Kady reaches the top of the tower. Unlike other towers, this one is covered with a metal cone-shaped structure, preventing a view of the city beyond the walls. As she reaches the platform where the radio and internet equipment is located, she notices something peculiar�"a rough patch where a screw should be. Curiosity takes hold, and she retrieves her toolbox to remove the three remaining screws. With trembling hands, she slowly removes the rough metal covering. Her excitement builds, as this will be her first glimpse of what lies beyond the pristine white walls. In her anticipation, she accidentally drops the plate, but it doesn't deter her from peering outside. She decides to focus on the city first before delving into the unknown. However, the sight before her drains her excitement rather than heightening it. The city she knows is a sea of monotonous white cubes. Everything is meticulously clean and perfectly structured, as if looking into parallel mirrors with a cube in between. The living quarters, factories, cafeterias, and even the stage�"all cubes. "Why is everything a white cube?" she wonders aloud. Though she had noticed this uniformity before, seeing it all at once gives her a different perspective. Stepping back, she takes a moment to reflect. "So what?" she says, frustration evident in her voice. "Even if everything is designed for efficiency, does it make life any better?" Clenching her left arm, she once again gazes outside, still fixated on the blankness of the city. However, her curiosity compels her to look upward, to the towering white wall. Its perfection captivates her, its surface devoid of any irregularities, bumps, or scars. As her gaze ascends to the edge and eventually reaches the top, she finds herself frozen in place. Her breathing becomes heavy, and her heart pounds erratically. "Is this real?" she whispers. The shocking discovery unfolds before her eyes�"bodies, twisted and intertwined like a grotesque knot, limbs of both the living and the dead. A rat king of humanity beyond the white walls. Their limbs flailed about and they moaned and groaned. A harmony of doomed voices exclaimed, "Ignorance is bliss". The sound was gut-wrenching and Ms.Kady hunched over the opening and vomited. As she did she noticed everyone going on as normal. This deranged sound occurred and no one batted an eye. "Ignorance is bliss," said the mangled bodies. 

"It's a shame about Kady, isn't it?" a man wearing sunglasses remarks.

"She was a brilliant and respected repairwoman. She should have known better than to remove the protective railing," another person replies.

"The railings are there for a reason. As intelligent as she was, she made a foolish decision," adds the man with sunglasses.

"Quiet now, the announcer is about to speak. They might address Kady's unfortunate accident," someone says.