Utopia

Prologue

I can hear the bells. But it seems like I'm the only one who can hear them ringing. I wonder if it's from a church? It seems like a funeral bell. Mocking. It is mocking the deaths of thousands. According to The Leader, the lives of the imperfect meant absolutely nothing. And so, the funeral bells chiming mock the events that took place in this very city so many years ago. But why me? Why am I the only person who can hear their cries? It makes me feel crazy, like I'm losing my mind. But I'm not surprised. War does that to a person. And being here, in the old capital, makes me feel worse. The bells are still ringing, getting louder every time.

"Georgia?"

I turn to Dahlia. She's staring at me with a worried expression. "I still can't hear them. Those bells you were talking about." She tells me. I look up at the gray sky.

"I didn't expect you to. Nobody else can." I whisper. Dahlia frowns.

"That's troublesome. Are you sure it's not just a headache?" She asks. That stops me. What if it's only in my head? What if I'm just going crazy? I shake my head. I can hear them so clearly, so clearly. They're getting louder, invading my mind with the constant ringing. I do my best to shut them out, and suddenly it's gone. The bells are no longer ringing, no longer bombarding my mind with the loud chimes. And so I stand up tall, staring out at the ruined city in front of me. I smile slightly and turn to Dahlia.

"Get up, Dahlia. We have a job to do."