The Golden Rule

Note: Voxa is pronouced liek Va-Sha

Voxa turn 24 today. It was her birthday but no one knew. She was all alone in the world. Her mother passed. Her friends, turned out not to be friends at all. She was all alone in the world and doing better than ever. Still it was her birthday and the pit in her stomach was growing by the moment. She decided to go for a walk. The air was putrid, a dusky haze hung over the sky. Her face mask smelled like a musky bookstore “Guess it’s time for a wash.”

She walked and walked and walked. Passed tired but the weight in heart made her continue on. She longed for numbness, but tiredness would have to do. She was 7 and 1/2 miles from her home before she allowed herself a break. A dusty bench with caution tape, which she removed. As she sat she glanced at the glowing horizon. As sun seeped into the darkness she notice a glint of something just off in the distance. A glowing black notebook, but how was it glowing?

She opened it tentatively. The past year had taught her to be cautious of germs. So much so that the world itself seemed to be covered in muck and sanitizer fell like the warm embrace of a long lost loved one. As she opened the book, she noticed words forming. “Happy Birthday!" But how? She threw the book down. Horror in her eyes.

She began to walk away. The sun had vanished beneath the horizon. Cold air swept through bones. The glowing black book throbbed and hummed in the distance. Finally she couldn’t ignore it any longer. She froze with a sigh “Alright.” Turning she walked up to it as if to put it in her backpack and it opened slightly. She noticed the writing had changed “Underneath the bench. Your birthday present.” She hesitated for a moment and then got to the ground to take a look. Being that it was already dark and to spite the glow of the notebook she couldn’t see. So stuck her hand underneath the bench to feel around. No. No. Nope. There!

A large gym bag! She opened it like a small child opening a Christmas present. Frantic and excited and full of glass. The bag was so heavy. “Oooooo what could it be!!” It was dark but the contents glisten slightly. Gold! Gold bars to be more precise. 24 of them she counted. She began to get paranoid siting in the cold dark night. She glanced around her to notice if anyone else was around. Her eyes darted all around to see if any eyes had spotted her and her new found treasure.

I should mention that gold was striating forbidden in Voxa’s society, on the ground that it would devalue the global Yuin currency adopted under the Greed Purifying Act of 1963. Only the Celestial Reserve was allowed to use and or distribute gold of any kind. Only those registered with the Commission of Essential Gold Workers were allowed to purchase small amounts after a grueling venting period and ample amounts of paper detailing how it would be used. Most claims other than the electronic variety were denied.

She ordered a car from her watch. Five minutes later she was being whisked home, the cold night air blowing towards her via the opened window. “Quite a birthday present” she thought to herself “what will I do with it I suppose?” Immediately the image of her neighbor passed through her mind. Gregory was a staunch advocate of personal freedom and detested the control and tyranny of the present government. He dealt weed and other mind expanding drugs to spite the high penalty of such crimes. “Free minds are free bodies” he used to say

She was sweating from the climb up the stairs but the time she reached his apartment. 632, “I made” she huffed. Elevators were made illegal Under the Global Energy Act of 1992. Gregory answered promptly. “Hello Voxa. How are you this evening?” he shut the door behind him. Voxa without a word open the bag to show him the contents, the gold glistened as it hit Gregory’s eyes. Gregory had never seen gold before but he knew.

Voxa didn’t have to explain that she needed his help to sell the gold in exchange for Xuin currency. Gregory simply said “Ive got just the guy. Come back tomorrow night" She nodded in gratitude and zipped up the bag. She descended down three flights of stairs to her one apartment. Her cats snuggled her as she entered. “This money is going to change my life” she thought “ I hope its enough to travel off world. To Free Earth.” Excitedly she pondered her future. So much so she could barely sleep.

The next night she met Gregory downstairs. Gregory has a brand new sports car. The top came down and as the drove the wind blew over them. It was relaxing and it made them both feel truly free. “This guy is from Arthcadia be careful. He’s paranoid, aggressive and potentially violent. Let me to the talking” Gregory said. “Don’t have to tell me twice” Voxa thought as she nodded.

They arrived at the dimly lit warehouse. Two armed guards frisked them at the entrance. “I’m not armed” Gregory said. “You recording? You packing SPYWARE?” The man looked like he was about to get violent when Gregory started striping. Voxa took his lead and also began to strip. The guards laughed. “Alright, alright. Calm down, keep you clothes on” the guards said with a giggle “Villiam will see you now”

Villaim examined the merchandise for a long while. “Ill give you 2 million Xuin.” Voxa thought of all that she could do with that money. She could live a good life here with all that Xuin. Thats not what mattered to Voxa. She valued freedom above all else. “I want transportation to Free Earth and enough to settle there. For Gregory too if he wants it.” She knew she wasn’t supposed to talk but that’s what she wanted. Thats all she wanted. “Alright then I will give you 200.000 cash, that’s the currency they use there and two tickets on my next transport. Luxury accommodations all the way.” Gregory smiled. He too had longed to go to Free Earth ever since he was a small child.

A month passed before the transport left. They donated most of their belongings. Gregory went back home to see his family one last time. He didn’t dare tell them he was leaving. Off world travel was strictly illegal unless you were authorized military personal. Voxa had no family but she visited her favorite spots in the nature of her world. The glowing book had left no knew messages until the day of travel “Have a safe journey. Hope to be seeing you soon.”