The Anchors

I’m what they call an Anchor. The government gave the name to those of us who have the current genetic make-up to be of benefit to the human race. The anchor symbolizes hope and stability for our world. Only a small portion of us have been dubbed an anchor. Most of us are identified by a rope-like necklace with an anchor pendent. Then there are others like myself, who were given a heart-shaped locket with an achnor inside it. I never understood why the difference and it seems to be some secret.

Very little information has been shared by the government. We all just kind of comply with what is needed of us and don't ask many questions since the world has been rapidly changing.

I go to a lab 3 to 5 days a week for my blood to be drawn or x-rays to be taken of my brain for whatever else they choose to do. I’m at their beacon call. My whole existence has become to save the human race. It really isn’t something of glory, but our world is in turmoil. All I really get in return for it is the knowledge that I am helping science to discover how to save all of humanity. Or what is left of it anyway. I guess that is why many of us are so submissive to the government. That and, we are left feeling as if there is no choice. We are human controlled cushion pins. Our submissive stance towards the government only grows their control as we are convinced this is to save all of humanity.

Since the latest pandemic started to show its ugly, over 10 years ago in 2040, suicide has been on the rise. This increased the funding of psychiatric care over the years. That is what they want everyone to believe anyway. Unfortunately those funds have really been focused on research to try and understand this new virus and not so much the treatment just yet. Though, they say the blood of an anchor might be able to save an infected person. But no one seems to know of anyone who has received the blood that has been taken from us.

What has been discovered and shared, is that the brain is being attacked by this virus. Brain scans are showing plaque on the brain. This attack is somehow affecting serotonin and dopamine levels in the brain which in turn has lead to a rise in anxiety and depression. Some people only have a sudden hit of depression or anxiety and nothing else with the virus. It’s people who never had these issues that really made this symptom stand out.

Now that 90% of the world has experienced severe depression and anxiety, it has now been treated just like any other disease. Luckily anxiety and depression have now been able to be identified through actual tests that can see into the pyche of ones experiences. Those who developed anxiety and depression due to the new strain of the virus did not deal as well when hit with this virus than those who have already dealth with mental illnesses for many years pior, and well that is where the anchors came into play. They started studying the differences in our genetic make-up, brain and blood and discovered a whole new world of differences and benefits from us anchors.

There became a deeper understanding of the anguish and suffering that came from anxiety, depression and all mental illnesses in general. It was finally seen as a legitimate disease by everyone and due to the seriousness of this virus causing mental illnesses, has grasped everyone's attention. This virus was causing mental illnesses and killing hundreds of thousands of people over the last 10 years. People were no longer looked at as weak because they have anxiety or depression.

The thing is, most people will either get the virus 3 times before their body becomes immune. Each time someone acquires the virus, it is often worse than the last. If someone is walking out in front of your car, you know it is either their 2nd or 3rd time with the virus. Why walking out into traffic has been the chosen method of suicide by these infected individuals, well, it seems that their mind is so jumbled and has such a difficult time thinking through any other way of ending it. The roads are much more bare than they once were. No one wants to be on the other end of that tragic accident.

When going to the grocery store, you would see a mixture of individuals. Some who drag their feet and walked and move in slow motion as if they are weighted down by bricks tied to their arms and legs. They walk past slowly without making any eye contact with anyone as if they believe that if they don’t make eye contact, they cannot be seen. These individuals are often only seen wearing pajamas or perceived workout clothes. Women’s hair up like a total rats nest, not washed or brushed in weeks. The only reason these individuals even go to the store is because the doctor’s have advised them they need to get out of the house and that just staying home is not good for their mental well-being. In fact a big difference between this pandemic and the one of 2019 is that they encouraged people to go places and not to wear masks. It was discovered that the masks only caused more harm when it came to this virus. The mental setbacks were far too drastic with this virus to follow such guidelines. It was found that it was impossible not to get infected even if you stay home. The virus could get to individuals through the tiniest pores in the air and through cracks in buildings. The only buildings built to date that could keep out this disease were the newer government buildings.

Then there are those who become especially irritable. You would see these individuals in the store line starting fights with people around them or with the cashier. If you walk by them, they might make eye contact with you and give you a dirty look. These are the people you want to steer clear of, as some can be irrational or just appear to always be in a bad mood.

As I dreadfully step one foot in front of the other to walk the dreary road from my apartment to the lab, I look down at my shoes trying to avoid eye contact with anyone. Today is just not the day. I don’t have it in me to be staired down by someone in fear I may be mentally distraught and ready to dash out in front of their car.

You can see the fear in their eyes as they roll down the window. If you are not suicidal you are either walking to avoid someone dashing out in front of you trying to end their life, or when you do drive, you drive very slow.

I then happened to look up as I turned a corner. Luckily, today was one of those days that someone noticed my heart shaped locket. The young lady showed a sigh of relief as the scowl disappeared from her face. The now half-smiling lady, waved, rolled up her car window, and began to drive at a normal speed. Only anchors are allowed to wear an anchor necklace or a heart shaped locket.

I finally arrived at the lab that has become like a second home. I walk to the security guard and opened my locket. He scans the inside where my anchor shines brightly with a hidden embedded code that identifies me. He opens the tall glass doors and motions me in without a word.

After having my blood drawn, I am directed to head down a long white hallway. I push a 20-foot black door open. As I enter, I am greeted by my daughter. My daughter is also an anchor. No surprise I guess, since before the pandemic, mental illness ran in families and was often genetic. The only difference, my daughter works at the lab.

“Hi Ma’am”

Ma’am? I thought. She has always addressed me by “mom”, even when working.

“Hi”, I barely exerted from my mouth while she proceeded with scanning my locket.

“Wow, looks like you are bruising a lot this week.” “Let me take care of that for you.”

"Thank you".

She picks up a hand laser that I have yet to understand how it works. As she runs it over my body, my bruises from all the needles start to dissipate. I watch my daughter with confusion as she proceeds to connect me to machines with a rigid body and almost a frown on her face.

“Is everything ok?” I asked.

“Yes ma’am” in a monotone response.

She suddenly ended the testing quicker than usual and said, it is time to go home. As she began to disconnect wires, another woman and man came in. The woman took over for my daughter while the man took my daughter by the arm and escorted her out. At this point I did not know what to do other than rush home to call my brother who worked for the government as well and see if there has been some new insight he might be able to share.

The lady quickly escorted me from the building. I must have asked too many questions. They had to have noticed my concern of my daughter’s behavior.

As soon as I hit the exit doors, I sprinted home. What is going on? Why was this visit so different? There was so much that the government did not share about the testing, what next steps were, what their findings are. We have always had a bad feeling about being an anchor with the heart shaped locket and so has my daughter. Come to think of it, my daughter did look at my locket multiple times. Each time, you could see her trying to avoid a frown. What in the world is going on?

I started dialing my brother as I got closer to my home, but the phone just kept ringing.