Hauntingly Beautiful Girls

"This Is How They Get You (Part 3)"

"Innovation made lives better.

It created a new type of transportation. It rolled on long strands of steel tubes. It could carry heavy things in large volume.

The king decreed where the steel strands could go. They were not 'King's Roads'. They were owned. They expected payment.

Those places where the machines stopped became different.

New goods arrived there. Assembled goods could be easily shipped from there.

Being close to the places where the machines stopped was valuable and desirable.

They devoted less effort to keeping the 'King's Roads' safe.

In a case of simple luck. Some people had lives improved. They were near a popular area. They could charge rents and sell food. Some people had lives diminished. Money became more necessary to sell goods far away.

Troops and law kept thefts down on these new machines. Thieves climbed aboard and jumped off with packages or fuel. Simply walking along the paths of the steel tubes was a crime.

Because the place where the machines stopped were prosperous, jobs could be had there. The value of the place made rents high. Workers would often get up very early and walk to the [factories].

For many, the fastest and safest route was along the steel tubes. There were fewer barking dogs and scolding villagers along those places.

Over time, they put workers arrested for walking the that path to work as punishment. No longer getting paid for the same work. Sometimes children would be sent to work houses to labor for no pay.

Those whose houses had been near the station for the machines grew prosperous. No longer thinking it was unfair to make the others work in their factories.

They had been equal not long ago, but now were separated by wealth.

For those not enjoying the success of this new condition, it was miserable.

So many did the natural thing. They sought to leave that place by water craft. To go some place where life was more fair.