Them and Us by Paul Schueller - HTML preview

Chapter 1

“Do you know how long there have been high schools?” Sam asked as he and Jessica stood shoulder to shoulder ready to be herded like cattle through massive elevator doors.

Jessica, wispy thin and a beautiful mix of every race on the planet pondered the question for a moment before speaking “No, do you”?

“Not exactly but it was kind of a rhetorical question. What I meant is high schools have existed for a thousand years since the Great Migration and maybe even before that, but nobody knows.

And in all that time no one has come up with a better system than high school. That sucks, it sucks.” Sam stated.

Jessica stared incredulously at Sam’s thick, dark and muscular frame. He looked nothing like any of the other boys in their class and certainly didn’t act the same but that was what attracted her. “High school didn’t suck.” she firmly stated.

“Well, it did for me and I’m glad it’s over.”

The conversation passed as the massive doors slid open and hundreds of the soon to be graduating high school classmates orderly piled into large room sized elevators. It no longer even registered with Sam that his muscular build was a clear exception to all his classmates with each of them being long and thin by comparison, regardless of facial features and skin tone.

Jessica decided not to push the discussion further. She realized that high school had been hard for Sam. She was one of his only friends as he not only looked differently but thought in a way that was also much different. That became clear once again as the huge elevator doors opened to the roof observation deck on the 200th floor of the tallest building in the city. The open blue sky overwhelmed some classmates as they sheepishly exited the elevator for their 15-minute class trip to the top their city and the top of their world. Rarely did anyone even venture outside and if they did it was only on the 20-foot-wide walkways between buildings with just a sliver of the sky to be seen. The big sky terrified Sam’s classmates and invigorated him. The real thing was so much better than the simulators had shown, Sam thought.

To the south and east they could see nothing but the rooftops of the tall buildings that housed the 60 million fellow residents of their city-state that sat in the middle of what had been called North America prior to the Great Migration. To the north and west they could see the growing fields which stretched to the limits of their sight and beyond that the open range stretched to the limits of their imagination. Sam yearned to see it all up close but that opportunity was reserved for the city-state’s growing field workers, open range harvesters and protection forces. Most people spent their entire lives without leaving the city, reliant on simulators for entertainment and a personalized concoction of drugs formulated by their implanted AI chip and dispensed daily through an automated pump for their mental wellbeing.

As thoughts of his future rolled through Sam‘s head they were suddenly blurted out to Jessica.

“I want to be out there. I need to be out there.” His voice trailed off.

Jessica responded nonchalantly “I’m not sure that’s a realistic goal and besides, things could be a lot worse. You live in one of the top five cities of the hundred in the world. With 60 million life slots allocated to each city that leaves most of the 6 billion people on this planet worse off than you. Be normal. Be selfish. Take yours.”

Sam didn’t know how to respond so they turned to listen to the tour guide. “If you look to the northeast horizon you can see one of the greatest lakes on earth. It now provides fish for our entire city but before the Great Migration and the implementation of the Grand Plan it was hot, over fished and poisoned by our embarrassing ancestors. Those people lived wherever they wanted and did whatever they wanted and burn whatever they wanted until the planet was nearly dead. It’s a part of our history not to be discussed further. Us all know that the Great Migration to the cities of the world saved the earth from our nuclear war and climate killing ancestors. Since regaining equilibrium, where the world can supply for all its people, each legitimate can now live there 85 years secure that they will have that opportunity.”

Sam turned to Jessica. “Propaganda again and always, don’t you get tired of it?”

“How is saving the planet propaganda?”

“The killing the planet part I get, everyone does. They try to make us feel so fortunate that us each have a precious life slot in such a great city.”

“Us are fortunate. Us each get our 85 years. Our allocation. And more if us are healthy and not a burden on others. Us are lucky that leaders learned from the disasters of the past.”

“It doesn’t bother you that us don’t know anything else from back then?” Sam asked.

“Us don’t because it was all about disaster and devastation and killing each other whenever the population got too high. Billions would die in famine or war. It’s all too flawed and grotesque and terrible to teach. What more do us need to know than that?”

“Well, since I’ll probably never know more I should let it go. Maybe an adventure would allow me to forget about all this. Did you know a guy my age is worth under a $1 million in some cities? I checked it out on the Life Ledger and my value here is about $4 million. I could sell my life here, buy one elsewhere, pocket the difference and would be financially set for the rest of my life. If I really wanted a ton of money I could get sterilized and sell my offspring rights too.”

“So, you let some rich person buy your slot? They would take your place and you would never be able to come back. And have you heard what is going on is some of those cities? People are escaping by the hundreds of thousands or even millions. Wondering out into their city’s

harvesting areas to eventually die or be slaughtered by the city’s drones. Those city’s aren’t delivering a fair share for their residents. So, if you do that you’ll still be stuck in a city, just a shittier one.” Jessica said.

“Didn’t say it was a great plan. Just spit balling here.”

“Doing what?”

“Never mind.”

“If you’re so hell-bent on getting out of the city why don’t you apply to work in the growing fields or for the open range harvesting crews?”

“You’re right! College isn’t for me anyway. Maybe someday I can work my way up to be part of our protective force, patrolling the open range.”

“There you go! Out there, protecting our city from the flocks of refugees from other cities that someday might be at our door. Or maybe even from nomads.”

Jessica knew that it was the right thing for Sam but she also knew it meant she would see him less and less as time passed and eventually the relationship would likely fade. None of that yet registered in his less developed male brain. That might take a few years to sink in.

“I feel better already. Thanks.” Sam said as he squeezed Jessica’s hand.

“Good. Now you have a career path. So, let’s get out of here.”

“It’s only been five minutes!”

“The wind and open air are freaking me out and most of the rest of our class. Us were bred and drugged to be inside.”

“You go ahead. I’m going to stay until they kick me out. I’ll see you inside later.” Sam continued to stare out over the open landscape and took long deep breaths, enjoying the scenery. After being ushered out by a security guard Sam met up with Jessica. They took the elevator down together and then continued their journey home via moving walkways, people movers and then back on an elevator as they talked.

“What were you doing out there?” Jessica asked.

“Embracing the openness. I feel so confined. Doesn’t it bother you that were watched constantly and that us have a chip implanted in our shoulders so the city knows where us are at all times?”

“Why would it bother me? They don’t really care what we’re doing if us aren’t doing anything wrong. It’s comforting that AI is monitoring every second of every day. No room for crime but it’s not like that in many other cities where things are crazy. How else can you properly manage 60 million people in such a tight space?” Jessica rationalized.

“Don’t you ever wonder what it was like before the Great Migration to the cities? The people that developed the Grand Plan a thousand years ago completely wiped the era from history.”

“Isn’t it enough to know that it was the only way to save the planet from overheating and the only way to stop any future nuclear wars? Wars just aren’t plausible anymore because a city could just get completely wiped out. Also, after all these centuries of shooting down each other’s satellites us have become more isolated and more safe.”

“But wouldn’t it be nice now if us could just spread out a bit?”

“You know darn well that cities are the only way to save the planet. It let the earth heal and now us know after centuries of having Equilibrium Day celebrations that the earth can continue to provide for all of us. If us start spreading out again and let the population grow us’ll end up back in the same place us were a thousand years ago. The only way to get what this world owes us is to leave things the way they are.”

“Huh. I suppose you think the Life Ledger is a good system too.”

“Of course I do. Everyone gets their 85 and the right to have a child or sell or give away that right. You get to replace yourself, no more no less.”

“It’s not fair. If a couple wants to have three kids they should be able to do it.”

“You know they can. They just need to pay up and a Life Broker will find someone will to be sterilized. The broker will handle the payment, sterilization and all the paperwork. Harder to do but someone can even get there through friends and family early terminations”

“You know that no one really does that anymore, right?”

“Well yeah, I know. People are smart enough to get their 85.” Jessica said as they approached an elderly woman who had fallen. Hundreds of people had passed her by until Sam helped her up.

“Why’d you help her up?” Jessica asked?

“Because it’s the right thing to do.”

“It’s the naive thing to do. You help yourself and yours.” Jessica calmly stated

“And none of that sounds bad to you?”

“Hey, I didn’t say it was a perfect system but everyone gets a shot this way. Why are us even having this conversation? It’s not going to change.”

“It’s bullshit.” Sam growled.

Jessica smiled and pecked Sam on the cheek as she got off on the 50th floor of their apartment building. “You’re such a rebel. I’ll see you tomorrow. And watch how aggressively you express your displeasure. The city is always watching and listening.”

Sam exited the elevator on the 159th floor and strolled into his family’s apartment. The unit was stark. Nothing on the walls or counters. There was no value or function to décor so it was prohibited, as were pets. The city didn’t need more mouths to feed. Resources went to the people. The apartment faced southwest with sun pouring in. A rare find in the city of overcrowded tall buildings. It had always been a happy place for Sam but things had been tense of late. Sam’s suspicions heightened when he saw his dad was home from work early. Sam asked, “What are you doing home?”

His father, John, built thick like Sam said. “Well that’s quite a greeting. Can’t a guy come home early to be with his family?”

“I guess, but you’re usually pretty busy.”

“Well not tonight. Us have some things to talk about with you and your sister.”

As John finished his sentence Erica, Sam’s 15-year-old sister, let out a scream from their parent’s bedroom then abruptly opened that door and yelled “Fucking Grand Plan. That’s not fair!” She moved quickly down the hall and slammed the door as she entered her bedroom.

Addie, Sam and Erica‘s mom, then walked into the living room greeted by stares from Sam and John but she didn’t say a word. Addie was a slender woman in her early 40s with deep set brown eyes that matched the color of her hair. Her high cheek bones, sharp chin and a bronze skin tone coming from centuries of races mixing. After an awkward silence between the three Sam had time to work through what he had heard and seen. Putting the pieces together he spoke first “Oh my God. You’re pregnant! How? Never mind. Don’t answer that. What were you to thinking?”

“Us weren’t, obviously.” Addie said.

“How come at least one of you wasn’t sterilized after having two kids? Isn’t that required?” Sam asked.

“Usually you’re supposed to but technically it’s not required if you have the assets to buy a third life. Plus us always thought someday maybe the rules would change and us could have a third child or maybe even afford to buy the credits for one.” John said.

“A lot of other people want a third child too but since I know you don’t have the $5 million it takes to buy the rights to a newborn…when are you getting an abortion?” Sam stated more than asked.

Addie looked sternly at Sam and said “That’s not your decision, young man, and why do you happen to know what a newborn costs on the Life Ledger?”

“Oh, I looked at my value the other day or what I could sell my future offspring rights for but I don’t think that’s important right now. What are you going to do?” Sam asked.

Addie jumped in. “If us can just hide it for at least six months they can’t take our baby.”

“We’ll figure something out.” John added

“Sure, what the hell. Us have four grandparents all around 65. Why don’t you just ask the four of them to terminate early and then you would probably have enough money for that kid of yours.”

“Sam! Stop it! Us aren’t going to do that.”

“Well they might get it in their head. Shit, who is the parent here?”

“They won’t. They deserve their 85 and it won’t happen that way because this is not their problem. And it’s not your problem either.” John stated.

Sam was way ahead of his parents on thinking the situation through and grew more irritated.

“Oh really? It’s not my problem? If this baby is born the city is going to get their 85 years one way or the other. They’ll either sell the baby or sterilize me or Erica to get their 85 back.”

Sam got up abruptly and as he walked out of the room yelled “And you think the city won’t figure this out very soon?” Then Sam’s bedroom door slammed just as Erica’s had done, leaving John and Addie quiet and stunned.

John broke the silence “That didn’t go well at all, and maybe he’s right. Plus you know one or both of us will go to prison for a year or two. You know they’re cracking down. Too many unplanned babies might hurt supply and demand. The cities precious Life Ledger value might go down or the city might go over their allowance.”

Addie thought for a moment and then said, “Let’s not do anything yet. Us have at least a little time.” They sat down together on the couch holding hands and staring out the window over the top of endless buildings trying to see where the future might take them.