What Have We Become

Chapter VII

Chapter 7

After their conversation, Jom got back to the topic of work. "So what exactly do you think you will do in the government?" he asked.

"I suppose I will have to select a sector within the division and go from there. To be honest, I am not entirely sure what kind of duties I will be given or what kind of authority I will have, maybe I will be enforcing stability within a different division or reviewing new ideas and improvements for approval. I do not mind either one," Mattae replied feeling a little defeated.

"Well I hope you choose to become an Overseer!" laughed Jom, "It would help me a great deal with my ideas."

"I believe applicants are passed on algorithmic evaluation. I doubt I will be able to just pass your ideas just on the premise that you are my father," he responded ironically, knowing his father knew this already.

"Well, that is a true shame. Maybe then, you can perhaps help me in acknowledging where I am going wrong all of these years," hinted Jom.

"I will try and do just that," smiled Mattae, "but as for now, I need to prepare for tomorrow. For tomorrow is the day I become a valuable part of society." He waited to receive the warm feeling in his heart when he said that, but, the feeling never came to pass.

After some time of silence and self-reflection, Mattae stood up from his chair and made his way to the door. He bade his parents farewell and set his destination back to home. The boy was deeply touched with the brief conversation he had with his parents, they made him feel a lot more at ease with his situation and choice. Maybe what he did the day before was indeed too crazy. And maybe what he had discovered should remain a secret, there seemed no real reason why he should make a fuss about it. Also, who would believe him anyway? He was still not even sure if his parents believed him or not.

Making up his mind on the way home, he was resolved to forget the whole thing. After all, the time he lived in was perfect. There was really no need to cause any mischief. He was driving in his car that he chose, going to the house of his choice, to eat the food he will choose, and prepare for the work that he had chosen. Everything, in most people's eyes, would have seemed perfect. So why did something still feel off?

When he arrived home, he looked around at his surroundings. His area was so quiet. He squinted, looking to the distance where he had traveled the day before, trying to find something that would catch his eye, but found nothing other than natures beauty. He had cleared his thoughts, he wanted to forget everything he had saw the last days.

With renewed enthusiasm, the youth ran to his bedroom to fidget with some gizmos at his workstation. He was currently tinkering with a microorganism which had been designed to deal with food waste in a speedy amount of time. Typically, full decomposition could take weeks, but with the enhanced bacillus strain, this was cut to a matter of days. Mattae was studying the bacteria, experimenting, looking to improve on the hybrid if possible.

Some hours passed and he gradually started to lose his focus. Something kept persisting in the back of his mind, something remained unfinished to him. The thoughts kept sidetracking him and taking him away from the task at hand. The more time that passed, the more distracted he became. Eventually, it was all that Mattae could think of. Is Mesantis really contained within the walls of this thing? Staring at his thumbs, not progressing in anything practical, he had to check his prison theory. He prepared himself to travel North of his home. He planned to ride as far out as he could to see if the city indeed was concealed from the rest of the world with this invisible anomaly.

Bursting out of the house, he ran back to the gloomy, abused bush and ripped out the neglected bike to which he set off on a journey once more. If he was stopped by the same force that prevented him to pass in the East; What exactly would that imply? He could deduce that the wall most probably surrounded the city, that would be made obvious, but for what cause? In discovering this he will be left with more questions rather than answers.