Love of the Heart Shaped Locket

My breath was taken away. She was gorgeous. Her brown hair cascaded in curls just kissing her shoulders. Her deep brown eyes glinted with innocence and strength while the curl at the right of her mouth showed a playful smirk. She looked slightly to the side, as if she were just witnessing something light-hearted and enjoyable.

How I wished to be the cause. How lucky I will be.

The heart-shaped Locket snapped shut in my face. The care-giver leaned from above and said “If you stare too long, the others will never see their true love! Get on! Back to work!”

I rubbed my sweat-stained forehead and eyes with my grimy gloves and realigned my posture. Bending over was no way for a worker to operate. It opened the door to too many risks. Injuries, accidents, and worst of all, bad habits. For would I really want to risk being seen in such a manner when I finally get to meet her? Would any of us risk it?

The locket showed each of us who our true love would be. Being separated from all women was hard enough, but after hundreds of matchmaker quizzes taken during our free time as we grew up, it was every person’s gift at the age of 18 to be shown who they would be betrothed to once we have finished our fair share of working in the Pits.

After all, a society has to function, and who best to do the hard work than the young?

And so we work. Sure we have free time, but most of it is preparing to meet our love: manner lessons, communication practices, and proper form. The Overseers generally treat us well, and when we have worked our fill we Retire to the Upper where we meet our scientifically assigned love and enjoy our lives. It will be hard to send our children to the Pits to work their fill, but once they Ascend and meet their loves we will rejoice together.

I am always curious about who the other men see when they look into the Locket. Sure, I always hear about the beauty which they have seen, but never details. I never share details. For details are dangerous, and may make a man wish they had what I had, should they learn their lot is not as lucky as mine.

I have seen men hang themselves for this. I have seen other men do terrible things for the same.

The Overseers try to hide it, but somehow it still shows through. I will be walking back to my bunk after a long day and see a White Shirt on the floor, which sure enough means something has happened. Despite being told to stay away, my curiosity always gets the better of me and I approach to see the horrors which have transpired.

It makes me sad for his true love will be assigned another.

But mine has always stayed the same. And for her I work. And I keep to myself. And I follow the rules and share no details.

For I am nearing 30, and many who are younger than I have already been offered Retirement, though that may be because they experienced injuries which I have avoided, or lacked durability due to posture. In any case, in another year’s time I will be the oldest person I would have seen Retired.

As I lay in bed one day, the beautiful colored Pink Shirt arrived at my door. I say pink, but in the right light and angle, it would appear both a rich purple or a deep red. Truly a masterwork of clothing, and I could see it clearly through the bars that covered the window of my door.

As my heart raced, I politely advised the Pink Shirt through the window that I would be ready in a moment and gathered my most cherished items. A wooden heart carved in the shape and spirit of the Locket, my alternate set of clean clothes, and my only drawn image of my love. Mediocre by any standards, but sacred and secret to me.

The Pink Shirt smiled brightly. “You’ve worked a long time lad! How have you stayed so strong, with such a smile on your face?”

I simply smiled back at him, too excited to say my own words.

He led my past the Locket and said “Do you care to take one last look? Or would the real thing be better?”

I stepped off the path and approached the locket, maneuvering the release until it opened up and I gazed once more on my love. My thumb caressed the outer edges before closing it, which I had just realized was the first time that I had voluntarily done so. After a brief moment of hesitation, I practically skipped back to the path and we were on our way.

The Pink Shirt said to me “Now don’t get your hopes up too much. Love is not instantaneous and doesn’t always take the form that you would imagine, but give it time and to nurture and grow and you’ll come to see the beauty behind it.

I was led to a dark, small room with a chair and I took my seat. There was no ceiling to the room, and I could feel the void above me as I realized I was in a room that was yet in a larger room. Over the walls I thought to hear other voices or maybe a cough or two, and every few minutes I could hear a door open and close. After half an hour, or maybe an hour, a light turned on and I could see it was in front of me over the wall.

Surprised, I felt the floor start to shake as the walls started to descend. Being the taller sort, I saw first what was in front of me, and it was that of a worn, worked-out woman sitting on a chair not 20 feet in front of me. As the walls continued to fall, I noticed many other men sitting in chairs not unlike my own.

As the lights came up and a projector began to whir to life, I could vaguely began to see the woman’s features: brown hair with curls that came to shoulder length, brown eyes, and if she had a playful smirk---

Suddenly the projector light loaded an image behind her, and it was the love of my life.

OF COURSE – she was beautiful! She was here! She was-

She was like me. Dirty from the Pits, tired from years of being overworked, and quite confused.

A Black Shirt walked to stand next to her and said, “Gentlemen, after your many years of work, and your many exams taken, it is finally time for you to Retire and be with your love.” He spun around. “And my lady, you have long sought for the attention of men and it has been granted.”

He turned back to us. “Because you have worked so well, followed the rules, and shared no details, you have finally come to your reward without ever meeting a White Shirt. Congratulations! Your work with physical labor has come to an end, save how my lady chooses to spend her time, and your work as an overseer has begun, for not many Retire and instead most Ascend.”

I was taken aback and raised my hand. After being pointed at, I spoke for the first time, “There is a difference? We were always taught they are one and the same.”

The Black Shirt spoke and said, “Retirement comes to those we can count on and trust. Ascension comes for those who have worked their fill and are ready for the next life. We teach them as the same as they are the same until you leave the Pits. The life of retirement as an Overseer can be quite nice though, and should you do well enough, the rank of Superintendent may be awarded to you. There you shall make the choice of who appears in the locket, and who you keep for yourself.”

I sat back down to considered my rewards. My love as shown in the Locket was real, and I should know her until I die. Which is good. Yes, I shouldn’t give up hope, as love is not instantaneous. It isn’t the form I would have thought, but yes, it will grow. It will grow.

I was still lost in thought when a small package was placed onto my lap. As I peaked inside, I could see White.