The Cost of Hope

Day -01: Preparation

Grubosh cubes weren’t the best tasting food and I suppose that’s the idea, but at least we had plenty of them. The pale white cubes with tiny Gs on all 6 sides were easy to store, which is why I obtained so many. I stuffed the last of the water purification trodes into the second duffle bag as I heard a noise in the front room. I grabbed the bags and quickly threw them into the closet.

“Sarah… Is that you?”

I didn’t hear a response, which worried me. She should’ve ben back by now for sure and she definitely would respond if she heard me. “Ana, Lock closet doors”.

The ethereal image of Ana appeared in the room. Her pleasant but synthetic voice with French accent was always comforting. “Closet door locked, monsieur. Would you like for me to initiate security protocol 7X-42, sir?”

“No, it’s too soon. Who entered the habitat?”

“Unknown, my sensors detect motion in the front room, but life signs are undetectable.”

“This does not look good. Ana. This does not look good at all.”

“What doesn’t look good at all?” I heard a voice seemingly come out of nowhere and turned quickly to see my wife Sarah standing in the bedroom doorway.

“Holy crap! Don’t do that. I almost had a heart attack. Is this it?” I asked her. “Looks kinda heavy.”

“It’s very light but it’s also hot in this thing. You didn’t hear me come in did you?”

“I did actually.”

Sarah turned and looked at me with a shocked expression. “Really? You heard me enter?”

“If it’s any consolation, Mrs. Banoby, my sensors were unable to detect your life signs at all and only barely detected your motion.” Said Ana.

“Well, then I guess we will just have to be quiet tomorrow, won’t we, Ana? I got one for you too, Sean. AND one for Rachel.”

“Does she even need one?”

“She’s alive isn’t she? Can I go see her?”

“Not yet. We’ll get her before we leave tomorrow. I have everything we need for the trek. Over 150 grubosh cubes.”

“You got the suits and Ron has the weapons outside of the city.”

“I did get the clocking suits, but…I also got something else.”

“Something else?”

“Yeah…”

“What else is there?” I ask.

“Promise you won’t get upset?”

Sarah sits on the bed next to me and reaches into her pocket.

“It’s sterling silver.” Sarah reveled a small heart-shaped locket with silver chain. “It actually separates into two half hearts. See?”

“This must have cost you a lot. You could’ve spent the credits on tools, medical supplies ….”

“We have most of what we need already. Besides, what good is living it if we can’t give something to the next generation?”

“What good is it if we’re dead?!”

“This is more than just a trinket, Sean. It’s hope for Rachel. It’s a message to the future that some of us gave up everything so that we could HAVE everything.”

“How much did it cost you?”

She pauses before answering and then let’s out a sigh. “1072…”

“Are you serious?! You wasted our credits on jewelry.”

“Just open it. I want you to write something for Rachel and lock it inside of your half.”

“This is bullshit…I can’t believe you did this!”

“I did this for her, Sean! She needs to know why we did this. I want to be free to love the two of you without being watched whenever we leave the house, or being told not to have children, or having to give blood samples every fucking week just to prove that we are healthy enough not to be processed into grubosh cubes. I’m so sick of this!”

“Come here.” I stand up and embrace her tightly. I realize that this meant more to her than I thought and she was expecting a different response. I hope she understands that I’m just trying to keep us alive. “I love you too.” I look down into her eyes and take my half of the trinket. “What shall I write?” I ask.

“Whatever, you think she’d like to know.”

“She won’t be able to read it for a while.” We both chuckle.

“Yes, but one day she will. I’ll leave the key with you too, Sean. There’s only one so don’t lose it.”

“What am I, 10 years old?”

“Sometimes you act like it, whiteboy.” She pushes me onto the bed and removes her top shirt.

“Is that right?” I ask. Sarah jumps on top of me and kisses me slowly.

“Are you sure we have time for this, baby?”

“We better make time for it because after tonight, we won’t be this comfortable again for a very long time.”

“Good point.” I smile and unhook my belt.

Day 00: Moving Out

The perimeter was a wall of concrete 15-feet high, but it had multiple entry and exit points to facilitate trade between the Global Restoration Authority’s different sanctuaries. GRA reps say their goal is to encourage repopulation of the planet back to at least 2 billion but that is not their only agenda. They clearly allow only specific people to legally reproduce. Well, I’m not going to have my daughter raised by some asshole trained by the state to brainwash kids.

“I had Ana initiate protocol 7X-42. Automatic payments for supplies will continue to go to the habitat as if we were still there.”

“I’m gonna miss Ana.” Sarah, said.

“I placed a copy of her digital subroutine personality in the locket. In a way, she’s coming with us. Sensors can’t detect us with the scrambler suits on. All we gotta do is make it over the wall, pull up the supplies, and meet up with Ron. You ready, baby?”

“I’ve never been more . . . “, she replied.

“I’ve been watching the perimeter for months. We have EXACTLY 47 seconds before the light passes this region so climb quickly!”

I made it to the top with about 20 seconds to spare. “Sarah, common.” My wife was near the top so I grabbed her hand an pulled her up to the top of the wall. “We just gotta get the supplies up now and head west. Start pulling.” We both pulled as fast as we could to bring up the bags when suddenly, we head an alarm.

“Oh, shit is that us?!”

“I don’t know, keep pulling, baby. We still have time.”

“Sean, I think that alarm is us. Take this.” She hands me her half of the locket and removes her backpack. “He’ll be waiting for you.” She kisses me on the lips and starts to cry a little. “I love you Sean.”

I felt her body stiffen and a mist of blood appeared in front of our faces. I didn’t even hear a shot. I grabbed the heavy backpack with our daughter, dropped down from the wall without the supplies, and ran as fast as I could to the coordinates.

Everything was getting blurry and then I heard a voice. “Sean! That you?” A man with a rife seemed to teleport out of the shadows and into my blurry view. I couldn’t see him very well but it sounded like Sarah’s brother, Ron.

“Oh my God, Sean. You’ve been shot.”

“Oh…that …explains a lot….doesn’t it?” I chuckle as I feel my body getting colder.

“I’ve got a first aid kit in the truck but we gotta move now, man. Why did Sarah stay behind?”

“She thought…it would be…best…if she … remained … at the habitat…to reduce…suspicion...she’ll join us … later.”

I pull the Artiwomb very slowly out of the backpack and uncover it. Ron looks past the glass at the small 6-month old fetus and smiles. “Is this my niece?”

“That’s … Rachel. The Artiwomb will … take care … of her just keep her .. inside of it and … deposit the feeding coils … every week. Get her to … Oceania. Get her to freedom.”

“I will brother.”

I pulled out the 2 heart lockets and snapped them together. “Her mother … wants her … to have this … and the key. It opens … both chambers. It’s for … her eyes only…you understand?” I could taste my own blood a little at this point.

“I’ll take care of it. I promise, brother.”

“I know you will. Remember, as long … as she survives…we survive…”

The last thing I remember hearing was the sound of a vehicle moving away. “Don’t worry, Sarah...I’ll be … joining you soon, baby. I’ll be … joining you soon.”

Day 26,548: Oceania

“Chloe, where did you put the cucumber slices? You know those help me stay cool in the summers.”

“Sorry, grandma, they’re in the hibbrite unit not the fridge”.

“You kids with your technology. You wouldn’t have lasted a day back when I was coming up.”

“I’m 33 years old and you use that hologram all of the time.”

“Thirty-three? Like I said, kids.” They both chuckled. “You’ll be getting married soon though. I remember when I was a bride. You’re great granduncle Ron, gave me away to Sam. They were both good men.”

“Didn’t uncle Ron bring you to Oceania? You never told me the whole story.”

“That’s because I don’t know the whole story, my dear. I just know that I was gestated within an artiwomb, which was not very common in those days. People weren’t having kids at all in some places. It was against the law as was writing ideas against the government. Was called Global Restorative Authorization or something to that effect. Hell, you could barely take a piss without them knowing when and where the piss would land. Cameras everywhere. Privacy almost nonexistent … at least that’s what uncle Ron described to me.”

“So what happened.” Chloe asked.

She stared outside the window and smiled as she watched children playing soccer in the grassy field. “I’m not sure entirely. I just know that my parents sacrificed a lot to get me away from there and to some place where I could live freely, which brings me to the bride to be. Sit down…I want to give you something, Chloe.”

The old woman pulled out a sterling silver-heart-shaped locket and placed it into Chloe’s hand. Grandma this is nice but . . . I’m not a little…”

“Shhhh … this is the only thing besides that damn old artiwomb in the garage that my parents ever gave to me. I want you to read what’s written within the locket and give it to your daughter or granddaughter when she is born. It’s the only thing that I ask of you.”

“Of course. I will.” Chloe smiled and hugged the old woman for a full minute before letting go.

“I’m tired, girl. I’m gonna go get some tea to drink with these cucumbers. Don’t lose that, you hear?”

“What am I 10 years old, grandma Rachel?”

“Compared to me…you might as well be child. Now go and make me some greatgrandchildren. Okay? ... ANA!”

“Yes, madame?” A tall, skinny holographic female appeared in the room besides the old woman.

“Play some music for me…something…old school.”

“Selecting music based on your previous viewing and listening choices, madame. Enjoy.”

Chloe chuckles and unlocks the heart locket compartments.

Mom

Daughter, never confuse survival with living. Your freedom to express yourself without fear Is what I’ve wanted most for you because I live every day without it but if you are reading this, it is because you live every day with it. I love you.

Dad

Hi, Rachel. your mother and I love you more than the world. We could not see you born legally so we risked it all to give you life, my daughter. As long as you and your descendants survive, we all survive. P.S. Your mom bought this locket instead of food. Can you believe it?