The Light That Breaks the Mold

As I toe the line for the 2044 Titanium Running Championship race, I am only thinking about one thing: the take down. I clench the heart shaped locket my father gave me in my fist, and I reflect on the last year and everything that has happened. I can’t believe they invited me here. Our society, Steel Nation, has made all individualization and opinions illegal. It wasn’t this bad last year until someone challenged the beginning of these strict rules. That someone was my dad. Technology was becoming too personal and AWU (Always Watching You) cameras were placed all over. Our privacy ceased to exist, and our free-thinking opinions were slowly slipping away. They called this Project X. The X standing for elimination of individuality. 365 days ago, my dad competed in the Titanium Running Championship. I’ll never forget that day, the day it all started.

The night before the 2043 race, while my mom was taking a bath, my father sat me down and told me about his plan for the finish. This was when our society was first becoming strict but still held sanctioned events. They told all athletes they need to cover up tattoos and remove all piercings. They also told them that they can’t have any strange colored hair- it must be natural. They also had to wear plain uniforms and jerseys. Nothing was individualized. My father told me he didn’t want to live in that kind of society. He knew it was going to get worse. He gave me a necklace with a heart shaped locket that held a family picture of us.

“You’re going to do great things, Meeka. Your mother and I are your biggest fans, don’t you forget. We know someday you’ll be competing in this championship just like your old man. But what I need to tell you is this: this is the last time you will ever see me. I am going to win the race tomorrow and after I cross the finish line, I will expose my tattoos and tie-dye shirt under my uniform. Once I do that, the guards will most likely kill me. They will probably kill you and your mother too. I need you to leave town tonight. Once they see what I do, they’ll hurt everyone I love. Your mother knows the plan and wants to stay with me until the very end, but you will not. You must go far away from here. Up to the mountains where AWU can’t find you. I have given you all the money I have and some food for your trip in that bag over there. If you leave now, no one will suspect anything.”

My mother returns from the bath and adds, “You can do this, Meeka. You must stay alive and help bring down this entire project. Now kiss us both goodbye because after the race tomorrow, we’ll be dead. And we won’t go quietly. They think they can control how we think – they are dead wrong. They can’t tell us what we can and can’t say. They can’t tell us how to act. You’re the one to stop them. Come back to this race next year and show them what you’re made of. Meeka, we love you so much. Be the one to bring back our old ways. Be the guiding light for us all, the light that breaks the mold.”

My eyes start to water. I can’t believe what I’m hearing from them. I can’t believe this is what is happening to our society. At the same time, I’d admire my father’s bravery and my mother’s support. I hug and kiss them both goodbye. “I will be the guiding light. I promise.”

I grab the bag my father set aside for me and some other things. I figure the lighter bag, the better. I decided the best thing would be to take the train and avoid flying. I made sure to put on a hat and sunglasses to avoid being recognized. AWU is always watching. It was a 10-hour train ride until I reached by destination. I got off the train and it was storming. I stayed in the train station trying to find out where I could get a hotel room for the night.

The receptionist just laughed at me: “Honey, you’re in the mountains in the middle of nowhere. Good luck finding a five-star Shangri-la out here.”

I felt defeated. I didn’t know anyone out here and didn’t have many options other than a hotel. As the storm got worse, a local Park Ranger came in for shelter.

“Hey Hopper, a little wet out there?”

“Hey Shelly. Yeah, just a little.”

I was shivering and cold from being out in the storm. I was exhausted. I wasn’t sure if he was going to kick me out or not, but I laid my head down hoping to rest a little more.

“You okay, there?” asked Hopper. Shoot, he’s here to kick me out.

“Yeah, just a long night of travel. I don’t have anywhere to stay yet so I’m resting here for now.”

“Well, if you’d like, I can take you up to my cabin for the night. I just finished my shift, so I was going to head up there right now. I looked up at the clock, it was about 3 am, four hours before the Titanium Running Championship. He was a complete stranger. He’s a very cute stranger and he seems nice. I have a pocketknife if he tries anything funny.

“That would be great, thank you.” He has a Jeep that we take up to his cabin three miles north of the train station. He points me to the bathroom if I want to change into some dry clothes. When I come out of the bathroom, he hands me some hot cocoa and a blanket to help warm me up. He has also lit a fire.

“Thank you so much for your kindness. You have no idea what this means to me.”

“It’s my job, ma’am. Just glad I could help.”

Ma’am? How old does he think I am? I sip the hot cocoa and try to relax. I know my dad’s race is still hours away but it’s all I can think about.

“So, what brings you up here? We’re pretty secluded.”

I had to think of a lie. What do I say? Why didn’t I have anything prepared? Stupid.

“I needed a change of scenery. The area I’m from is becoming very strict and I had to get out of there.”

“I get that. We’re far out and we don’t have to deal with much of that nonsense. I don’t think AWU is out here; there’s no need for it.”

That’s good. I can’t have anyone finding me.

“That’s a relief. It’s good to get away from all of that. I don’t know what they have planned but I just know that I don’t want to be a part of it.”

“Do you have anywhere to stay?”

“No, do you know of any rentals?”

“I’m not 100% sure but I can ask around for you”.

“Thank you so much”.

“Not a problem, ma’am. Go ahead and get some sleep and we can discuss those details tomorrow.”

Great, again with the ‘ma’am’ business.

“You can call me Meeka. And that sounds good, thank you.”

There’s a couch by the fire that I fall asleep on. I didn’t sleep much on the train because I was so paranoid of getting to my destination without AWU finding my face. I wake up and Hopper is listening to the radio. He doesn’t work until later, but he keeps the radio on in case of a local emergency. The local channel is silent, so he flips through the different stations. One is the news channel and it’s covering the Titanium Running Championship. I try to keep composure.

“You ever heard of this race?” he asks me.

“Yeah, I think so.”

“Would you like to listen to it?”

“Sure, I don’t mind.”

The commentor is giving a play by play of the race: “Half-way through the race and Clover Bingsly is leading! He looks very comfortable and might be able to maintain position to win it all. Now for all you folks at home just now tuning in, all the athletes competing today are wearing white uniforms; no colors or logos allowed. And all athletes must cover their tattoos and take out their piercings.”

I try to remain calm. I don’t want Hopper to find out that Clover Bingsly is my dad. I clench the heart shaped locket around my neck.

“You ever heard of this guy, Bingsly?” he asks.

“The name sounds familiar, but I don’t pay close attention to these events.”

It’s not a long race so I know the commentator will be on again shortly: “With about a mile to go, we see that nobody is even remotely close to Bingsly. He looks smooth and he’s just about to turn the final corner! He is flying to the finish! Now these finishing chutes are very narrow to avoid unfair passing at the end. Bingsly looks like he’s adjusting part of his uniform as he crosses the finish. Bingsly wins by a landslide! He throws his arms up with joy. Wait, he’s doing something else. He’s removing his tattoo coverings and taking off his white uniform top. It’s a TIE-DYE shirt underneath! I don’t know how that shirt got past security. Two guards dressed all in black run to him and tie his hands behind his back. One of the guards takes out their gun and puts two bullets in Bingsly’s head in front of everyone.”

I look over at Hopper and he looks shocked. I cover my mouth in shock. I can’t believe they just killed him. I knew it could happen, but I didn’t think they would actually kill him. I’m not sure if I zoned anything else out so I ask Hopper if I missed any other details.

“They also shot his wife. She went into the finish line area and revealed her colorful outfit and hair style. I-I-I can’t believe it. I didn’t think society had become that cruel.”

“That’s terrible. I can’t imagine being there and witnessing that.”

I can’t cry in front of Hopper. I need to keep composure. As I hold my locket, I think of a plan for next year. I stare at his emergency kit next to the radio. I eye one of his flare guns. ‘Be the light…’

“Hopper, do you know where this race is held?”

“Yes.”

“Good, because we’re going to take our protests to the next level.”

“Huh? Protests? Next level?”

“We’re going to show them that they can’t control us. I’ve qualified for this race. One year from now, we will change the plan they are trying to force upon us.”

“How are we going to do it?”

I grab his flare gun and say, “Be the guiding light. Let’s get to work.”

The 2044 race is about to start. I look at the starter, it’s Hopper in disguise. I look at the starting pistol, it’s a flare gun in disguise. Everything is in place. I look at the crowd. Blank faces and bland outfits, I hope this works. Using Hopper’s radio over the last year we have secretly recruited 1000s of protesters to come out to this race to help break the mold of our uniform society. The plan is that when the flare gun goes off, everyone will storm the race barriers in their unique outfits and show everyone that we can’t be controlled. I clench my contraband heart shaped locket and remember my parents’ last words. The flare gun goes off and the race has started. Be the light that breaks the mold.