A New World Order

Generations ago the plastic pollution reached critical mass in the oceans and the world’s fresh water became too polluted. Deforestation and a shortage of farm land cut food supplies. The lack of resources sparked the wars. Millions of losses from all countries continued to rise into the ten millions and hundred millions, then one billion, and two billion. When it hit 3 billion, the world leaders called a truce and met to discuss an end as they all saw how if this continued it would surely lead to the extinction of the human race. It was at this convention, which came to be known as the Unity convention that they created the first one world government. Sovereign nations were a thing of the past. The world became so scarred and barren that they had to build “pods” which would house the survivors. They decided individuality and personal choice were too dangerous and that’s what led to widespread pollution and resource depletion. So every aspect of their lives was prescribed and monitored. Crime was non-existent, or at least that’s what the TV programs told them. Those who resisted were vacuumed out of their pods and never heard from again. There were no elections, no rights, no due process. Freedom was a figment of the past. The only reason people can leave their pod is to go to work in their government issued car. At work, people plug into their devices and do their work for 10 hours with a half hour lunch that pops up from a slot in their desk. Everyone travels to and from at the same time but there’s no verbal communication. They may make eye contact, but everyone is too heart broken and scarred from losing everyone in the war to create new friendships.

In order to ensure everyone lives a long (physically) healthy life, they’re mandated to sleep 8 hours a night. At home you’re mandated to sleep 8 hours and all your food and essentials are delivered to your living pod by drones. Everyone wears the same grayscale clothing. The regime chose grayscale to give people the illusion of choice. At age 3 you’re taken from your parents and raised by neutered monks in government run foster care until you’re sixteen where you’re shipped off to your first living pod and assigned your “civil duty” known previously as a job. You live there for 5 years before being relocated to your final pod where you meet your arranged spouse. For the 6 hours you’re not asleep or at work you spend one hour preparing the meal the drone dropped off and once a week you’re allowed to have intercourse in the missionary position and no way else. The rest of the time is spent in front of the programmer (previously known as the television) to receive the message from their “great and glorious protectors.” To ensure everyone is in compliance, there are hidden cameras and microphones everywhere to pick on rebels and dissenters. The existence of book is denied.

The day of Joe’s final relocation comes and he steps into the transit to be taken to his final pod and meet his wife. His clammy palms tightly grasp the metal pole to keep him upright despite the sharp twists and turns.

The door opens and he sees an almost identical pod. This one is a little larger than his previous one. Each room is noticeably bigger and there’s a couple more bedrooms. The last one he finds has a person lying on it under some blankets. Joe walks in and to the other side of the bed. He realizes she’s a woman, about his age with long brown hair and pasty white skin. He kneels down in front of her and plants a kiss on her forehead then slowly pulls away. Her eyes barely crack open at first and then all at once. She pulls the covers above her head and rolls over.

“Who’re you?”

“I’m sorry to have startled you. My name is Joe.”

“Joe huh? And this is your pod?” Her voice emanates from the blanket cocoon.

“Yes, this is my pod, or better yet, our pod.”

“Our pod?” Her voice goes higher “What do you mean, our pod?”

“Well” Joe scratches his head “We seem to have gotten matched together. When did you get here?”

“Before you.”

“This is true” Joe says sitting down on the bed.

“Well” she says “If we’ve been matched I guess I should see if you’re cute or not.”

“How… considerate… of you. I would like to get a better look at you too. But you are a beautiful sleeper.”

“Oh… um… thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

“I would like to get back to sleep. You may lie down for sometime if you want to.”

“I guess that sounds like a good idea.” Joe says scratching his head, “Then we can formally meet when we wake up.”

“Yes, that sounds good to me. Good night” The mound of blankets pivots and Joe curls up next to it and closes his eyes.

–––

What neither of them know is the first twenty-four hours the two of them are in the pod, the cameras and microphones are disabled. It’s a remnant of humanity from before the corruption of the government happened. An idea that took hold and locked in as one of the first when the whole plan for pods was originally laid out. A sort of honeymoon if you will, a time for young people to express themselves fully without need for filter or caution so they can truly come to know their partner.

–––

Joe wakes up on his back and realizes the woman is no longer next to him. While rubbing the sleep from his eyes he notices there is something shiny hanging on the door. He gets up and walks over to it, finding a heart shaped locket with a note attached to it.

Joe, it was a pleasure to meet you, and I look forward to seeing you shortly after you get this message. We have roughly sixteen hours before the cameras and microphones come on, and when they do and they notice I’m not there, they’ll come to vacuum you. Leave now and don’t look back. The front door is unlocked. The back of this note has a map to a hideout in the Great Unknown. The locket will get you in. Hopefully I’ll see you soon.

Joe’s internal dialogue goes something like this: Who is this woman? Why did she escape? Why didn’t she tell me her name? There’s no way the front door is unlocked. The protectors keep it locked for our safety, and the cameras and microphones are always on, everyone knows that. I need to find this woman if only to get answers.

He walks over to the front door and turns the knob. Trees bigger than he’d ever seen greeted him and he didn’t think grass could be green, he’d only ever seen it a pale yellow color. Where am I? Look at the map Joe. A path seemed to twist and turn down the page leading to an X so Joe took one step forward and fell. He saw a massive system of pods and connecting tubes. He just ran, clutching the map tight in his hand, he ran and ran and ran.

To be Continued...