Masks Of Freedom

Perfectly unremarkable

It was morning, Marina knew it because of the alarm that persistently sounded on the bedside table next to her bed. It was just a high-pitched beep that kept going off, but it was the most annoying of sounds. Marina quickly turned it off, and the desire to go back to sleep hit her. However, as soon as the alarm went off, the blinds on the window of her room began to open slowly, revealing the bright day outside. It was impossible to sleep in those conditions. A song started playing, a true march, with trumpets and drums. Marina hated that music, and it simply played every morning.

"Good morning, citizens of Cedreno! Today is the fourth of November, 2229, a clear Wednesday. You can rest assured that the entire day will remain this way, with no fluctuations in temperature, and no storms or snowfall either. Wishing you all a wonderful morning, and blessings to the Council of Cedreno," a voice emanated from the radio in your room. This radio was present throughout Cedreno, guiding citizens on their daily activities, such as waking up at the designated time, followed by a shower, then breakfast, and so forth.

"Good morning," Marina spoke, aware that in her small apartment, there was no one real—just that radio. Everything felt incredibly lonely in her tiny living space, and there were moments when it seemed like the walls might crush her.

"Citizens of Cedreno, now seems like a good moment for you to engage in activities of your choice within your rooms—whether it's using your phones, tidying up, or attending to any pending tasks. We'll be back at 06:10 AM," announced the radio voice. It was obvious to Marina that she wasn't going to tidy up her room, despite the usual mess, so she opted to spend her time on her phone instead.

"What's interesting today?" Marina asked herself, gazing attentively at the large screen of her phone as she scrolled through the feed of her only social network, CedrenoNews. Every photo posted on the platform had to be approved by the government before appearing, and Marina had contemplated creating a profile. However, the process was complex and time-consuming, and Marina wasn't the persistent type. There were indeed captivating photos and videos showcasing people enjoying life, right there in the city of Cedreno.

"It's shower time, citizens of Cedreno. We know many of you like to skip the morning shower, but it's necessary for excellent hygiene. We'll be back at 06:40 AM, and it's good to be smelling fresh!" declared the radio. Marina even chuckled, recalling someone for whom this message seemed to be a perfect fit. Well, in truth, much of her monotonous job involved things Marina disliked so much that it's hard to think of positive aspects.

Marina hurried to the bathroom, always fond of taking her time in the shower. She had been late quite a few times trying to keep up with these scheduled activities, so she aimed to get into the shower as quickly as possible. The water was lukewarm, the same temperature as every day of her life. In her bathroom, there were three tubes—shampoo, conditioner, and liquid soap—all identical and unchanged throughout her existence, the same for everyone. Marina adored her hair, and thus, it was the part of her routine that demanded the most attention. She lingered especially long during the conditioning phase, meticulously coaxing her curls into shape with her fingers. A song played from Marina's phone as she showered. She enjoyed adding music to her bath routine, singing and dancing along to every tune. However, there was a small problem—she had grown tired of all the songs approved by the Cedreno government. Even this part of her day had lost its charm.

"You can smell you from here, citizens of Cedreno! Excellent! Now it's time to brush your teeth. See you all by 6:45 AM," spoke the voice, prompting Marina to quickly step out of the shower and wrap a towel around her hair and body. Occasionally, in her mind, Marina wondered how humans lived before the apocalypse. Did they have their own routines, or was there just one for everyone dictated by the voice of Cedreno?