Don’t Be Fred

As I have not been on lately (life has been a bit chaotic), I decided to post a short story I wrote just a couple weeks ago.  I hope you enjoy it and more on the chaos of life later!
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Monday.

All heads are down.  Alaine stared at her fellow travelers.  Their attention rapt with the little screen embedded in their arm.  Miraculously evading collisions as they walked.  Everyone in the same suit.  Same hair style.  Same briefcase.  Same heels.  A sea of uniform.  Individualism long abolished.  The routine is the same.  Get up.  Get dressed.   Wait at the crosswalk.  Walk to work.  Work all day with your head down.  Go home.  Head down.  Eat.  Sleep.  Repeat.

Tuesday.

Alaine stood at the crosswalk waiting for the little man to give the herd permission to continue their monotonous walk.  As she looked around, at all the same people with their heads down, something caught the corner of her eye.  She looked to the right and saw a person across the street.  A person who didn’t have her head down.  This woman gave a little wave.  A small gesture long forgotten in this world.

Alaine quickly looked away.  This could not be so.  She must be more tired than she realized.  No one waves.  No one talks to each other out loud.  No one acknowledges they are on this planet with other people.  Alaine knows she risks everything by looking around.

The rule is to keep your head down.  Looking always at the screen in your arm.  Everything you need to know comes from there.  Everyone you need to contact is inside a screen.  But Alaine has always known she was different.  Her screen is boring.  Her world is boring.  Until today.  A lady waved.

Afraid to she was being monitored, Alaine put her head down and started tapping on her screen.  The little man told everyone to walk.  The herd moved forward.  Alaine arrived at work.  Her mind tried to wander to the lady who waved but she was able to convince herself it was a dream.  No one waves.

Wednesday.

Alaine arrived at the crosswalk with her herd.  Everyone is part of a herd.  Alaine’s herd is SM343.  All herds live in the same neighborhood.  Walk the same path to work.  Work at the same facility.  Shop at the same store.  Eat the same foods.  Wait at the same crosswalk.

Alaine looked around.  Nothing unusual today.  She looked to her right where the woman who waved was yesterday.  Just another herd.  Alaine sighed.  She had been tired yesterday.  Alaine looked down at her shoes.  She did this most of the time.  It gave the appearance of staring at her arm.  It was important to not be noticed.

Being noticed caused consequences.  Don’t be Fred.  Fred was in herd TS887.  One day, Fred decided to not wear the allocated black suit with black tie.  Fred showed up at his crosswalk with a black suit and a tie that was half red and half black.  When the little man told everyone to walk, everyone walked, including Fred.  When everyone had crossed the street, no one noticed that Fred was gone.  That night a message appeared on everyone’s arm.  Don’t be Fred.  Then the image of Fred with the half red and half black tie flashed on the screen.  Fred has never been seen again.  Don’t be Fred.

Thursday.

Alaine arrived at the crosswalk and noticed movement across the street.  This time it was on the corner diagonal from Alaine.  It couldn’t be the same woman.  The herd routes never change.  Alaine stole another glance.  It was her.  The woman from the other day.  Her wave was bigger today.

Alaine looked down at her screen quickly.  Who was this woman waving?  It must be a trap, Alaine thought.  She’s been noticed for not logging enough hours on her screen.  Quickly, Alaine began typing on her screen.  Her mind wandered.  Alaine looked up briefly.  The woman smiled.  Alaine looked back down.  The woman smiled and waved today.  Alaine was horrified.

The woman would be caught just like Fred.  Alaine didn’t need to worry.  Head down.  Go to work.  Go home.  Tomorrow the woman will be gone.  Just like Fred.

Friday.

Alaine was confused.  There was no message about the woman on her screen last night.  Fred’s message appeared the same night.  The woman should have been on the screen.  But she wasn’t.  Alaine thought she must be seeing things.  Alaine checked her screen.  Her next health day was in two weeks.  Alaine would have her head scanned.  Seeing things is not good.

Nothing out of the ordinary at the crosswalk today.  Alaine was relieved.  Today, Alaine would play by all the rules.  No cheating.  Today, Alaine would be the model citizen.  Until she arrived at work.

A yellow note was on her desk.  Alaine froze.  This was not here yesterday.  Notes are not written anymore.  They are sent on your screen.  Yellow is a forbidden color.  Alaine held the note under her desk and opened it.  “Hi” was written inside.  Alaine panicked.  She slipped the note into her shoe.  She would destroy it at home tonight.  Not here.  Too many eyes watching.

At home, Alaine took the note out of her shoe.  She looked at it again.  Alaine was worried.  She thought she was just seeing things.  This note was in her hand.  It was real.  But where did it come from?  Alaine hid the note under her mattress.

Saturday.

The herds work six days a week.  Today is day six.  Tomorrow will be the off day.  As she got ready for work, Alaine thought about what she would do on her off day.  She realized it would be the same as any other off day.  All days are the same.

Alaine approached the crosswalk and stopped to wait her turn.  Her mind was still curious about the yellow note.  She hoped no one had seen her with the note.  There had been no messages on the screen and she was still here.  That was close, Alaine thought.

Alaine looked up and her jaw dropped.  Directly across the street was the woman who waved earlier in the week.  She was wearing a yellow dress.  Alaine stared.  The woman waved.  Alaine looked down at her screen.  Then slowly back up.  The woman was still waving.

Alaine waved back.

Sunday.

Nothing happens on Sunday.  Everyone stays home and cleans their house.  Alaine cleaned her home on Sunday.  A yellow flower lay on her porch.

Monday.

Alaine awoke and got ready.  She ate her normal breakfast and left the house to meet the herd outside.  The herd walked to the crosswalk.  Alaine stood waiting for the little man to say walk.  She looked around at each street across from her.  No yellow waving lady today.  Alaine closed her eyes and sighed.  This was good.

When she opened her eyes the yellow waving lady was next to her.  The lady looked at her, smiled and waved.  Alaine jumped.  Alaine closed her eyes and took a deep breath.  She opened her eyes.  The lady was still there.

“What are you doing?  You’re going to get caught.”  Alaine mumbled under her breath.

“Oh, I’m not worried about that!” The yellow woman replied.

Puzzled, Alaine mumbled “Who are you?”

The yellow lady turned, met Alaine’s eyes, smiled and replied, “I’m you.  Well, I was you.”

Alaine screamed.

****

“Alaine!  Alaine! Wake up. Wake up, babe!”

Alaine sat up in bed startled.  “What? Where am I?”

“You’re in bed at home.  You were screaming in your sleep.”

Alaine took a deep breath to calm her breathing.  Her heart felt like it would beat out of her chest.  She looked around her room.  Everything as it had been the night before.  She turned to look at her boyfriend who was on the large wall screen in her room.  It had been a nightmare.  Nothing but an upsetting dream.  She could relax.

Alaine smirked, “I’m ok, Fred.  Just a weird dream.”  She got up and walked into the bathroom.  When she turned on the light, she froze.  Yellow flowers were scattered all over the bathroom floor.  Her vase knocked over.  Alaine shut off the light and walked out, her mind spinning.

“Hey what do you think about this tie?  I thought I would change things up today.” Fred held up a half black, half red tie.  “You better get a move on it.  You’re going to be late.” Fred winked at her as he finished tying his tie.

Alaine stared at him wide eyed, too shocked to speak or move.  The screen went black.

Don’t be Fred.

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Copyright © 2018 by H. R. Zoldos. All rights reserved.