The Concrete Sun

The Parents

Slowly we were falling into a rhythm. Bade was going to work every day and I worked every odd day. He brought home the coupons for potatoes, while I got some more luxury products.

A week had passed and every night I was worried how he was going to come home. I tried to have some food ready, although he usually just crashed on the bed as soon as he came in.

It was really hard and we knew that nothing was going to change any time soon. He would need to keep working into the factory, and I just hoped that his heart could keep up.

Almost every night, I was reading out of the books, and it was going better and better. He still helped me, even though I was not sure about everything I read about in the literature I was happy to be spending time in this way.

Every odd day, I was still working with the files. Every time I was so tempted to look in our files, but my fear of what was going to happen even beat my curiosity.

It was another morning and we got up and while I got ready to go back to the office to do more file work, he was getting ready for the factory.

Eli kept a close eye on him, and I was so glad he was there for Bade. In a world where everybody had to fight for their own survival, he was lucky with such a brother.

He was all ready to go then, as we walked different ways and he had to be a bit earlier, he got ready to leave, kissing me on my cheek.

''I love you.'' He said at the door, holding it open a bit longer now.

''Have a good day, see you tonight.'' I replied.

He closed the door and I felt bad for a second, I really wanted to say I loved him, but I was not sure, not while the Nation still forced us.

Soon I left for work as well. Trying to smile to just brighten somebody's morning, I walked in. Most of the people I worked with were not very friendly, but I still tried. I figured that if I smiled, I would start to feel a bit better as well.

When I got no replies from anybody, I just walked to the room where I was doing my work.

Suddenly a woman walked up behind me.

''There was mistake noticed yesterday.''

''Won't happen again.'' I promised and the woman walked away, closing the door.

I was working and the door was closed. Nobody had walked in on me, ever and I was building courage to finally look in the files. I know Bade was scared about me being found out and did not want me to do it, but I felt my curiosity become more pronounced.

Finally I dared. My fingers slipped into the drawer and for a second I stood with my hand around the file. I could lift it out now, look at it and read it. My heart was pounding and I looked back, the door still closed.

I grabbed it and opened it. The first file was the most recent news, that he got married and started the factory job.

Going all the way to the back, I saw information was missing from his files. Pages were torn, there were large holes in the papers.

I wanted to take my time reading everything, but knew that I had to keep hurrying as I was not a fast reader, and somebody could come in any time.

A page about his parents. He looked like his dad. There was Eli, his oldest brother and papers almost fell out that showed he had another seven siblings. His mom was so young on the picture, and I wondered what had happened to her. I knew we weren't to have contact with our parents, and we never would, but it was sad that she never her sons and other children grow up.