The O Men

1

         They're always around, roaming the streets, sitting on the rooftops, scanning the area. It's to keep us safe - at least that's what I'd been told. The streets where I am are the cleanest they've been all week, normally there would be pools of inky black oil covering the streets with large CAUTION signs posted up on the walls of buildings and lamp posts. You'd see a lot of trash pile up in alleyways and if you accidentally turned towards one like I had just done, you'd hear the hissing of cats and the pitter patter of what I think would be mice, but no one is really sure. Quickly turning back the way I came I saw a figure in black, slender and uniform based off what I could see in the dark. It was sitting, squatting on the roof opposite my position facing me.

         My heart skipped a beat.

         "I've nothing to hide,"I said to myself, almost in a low whisper, "Nothing to hide at all."

          I began walking home, a little faster than I had been going before but slow enough to avoid slipping in any stray oil puddles. I passed many buildings, ragged and rundown, but still intact with idle business - I live in the better part of town. There were less of those unsettling posters, the ones with a large letter O in the center with an eye in the middle

THE O MEN ARE ALWAYS RIGHT

          I shudder whenever I look at them, unfortunately my work is in a...less developed part of town. I go from school straight to work and come home before the state curfew. It's illegal for someone my age to be working past 22:00, I'd be arrested on the spot by The Observers.

THE O MEN ARE WATCHING

         I shuddered again - it never bothers anyone but me it seems.

         I live alone. It is mandatory that my parental guardians remove me from the house by the time I reach learning level 010. We are to be in school until learning level 015. most kids my age are at learning level 07 or 08, but I seem to have progressed faster. I fear I know too little sometimes, and I fear that I fear that thought.

THE O MEN ARE LISTENING

         I learned very quickly not to think out loud. It would be the death of me, quite literally. I reached my building just minutes before curfew, my heart pounding from the adrenaline and fear.

         "Block 19E key 1380 I presume?" asked the secretary, as I walked towards the block front desk.

         "Same as always"

          He hands me my block key and looks up at me.

         "You look quite frazzled, you almost miss curfew?"

         "Just nearly"

         "You truly are the same as always"

         "As is everyone here"

         I started to head up the stairs when I heard the curfew warning. Breathing a sigh of relief I went up to my block and locked the door.

ALL THOSE WHO ARE 16 YEARS OR YOUNGER MUST NOW BE WITHIN THEIR BLOCKS. THE OBSERVERS WILL COME AROUND AND CHECK IN 15 MINUTES

         I started to get ready for bed. I removed my day clothes and put on my sleepwear. I brushed my teeth and checked the visor, it was against the law to have it off and The Observers will come and arrest you for having it off. You need permission from the town stature to have it off for a certain block of time, but never for more than 12 hours. Mine is never off. I get a knock at the door.

          I begin to worry, I check every nook and cranny, "I have nothing to hide." I repeated to myself as I opened the door.

         "Hello this is Observer 309, state your full name, age, and ID."

         "Charlotte Rose Phence. Age 16 years, 6 months, and 3 days. ID-386858"

         There was a pause

          "Ok, you are the resident of this block. Quite young to be in learning level 011 already, I believe you've been placed to become a strategic general, or possibly a corn scientist"

        "Yes" I answer, hoping my response isn't read improperly

         He looks into his handheld computer, silence. My heart begins to pound, threatening to leap out of my chest. I do nothing, I am silent, waiting.

        "Well everything is situated Miss Phence. Thank you for being an obedient citizen of the O men." He finally speaks. He looks me over one final time and leaves.

         I got clean day clothes laid out for tomorrow and I have the radio on, listening to The O men NAP station - it's the only interesting thing that's on that I can afford. I especially enjoy the station on days like today. Days like today are when the O men opposition are given 2 hours of voice time once a week. They are always saying something new and give whoever's listening a sense of individuality and purpose for 2 hours. I don't fall for that. There is no purpose to exist and yet I do. I fear that i know too little. After each station, I contemplate the purpose of existence. I've been told since I was young that you exist for the state, and only for the state.

         "For once" I thought to myself

         "For once, I'd like not to live a life such as this, but the opposition's promises could turn out to be just as bad."

         The lights dimmed, I was to be in bed now.