Across Dimensions (ONC 2020)

Chapter One: Condemned

A long time ago, in a galaxy lost and forgotten, there was a guy with an insignificant life. He was doomed to wander the streets alone and abandoned by those he thought loved him. But thoughts are useless brain patterns that tell the grandest of lies, the type that break hearts, and leave the victim soulless. Figuratively of course. If a heart was actually broken, the poor sap would die...rather quickly, probably wouldn't even feel it. Maybe that's the best way to go.

Not that I plan on dying any time soon. In fact, I want to live so long that I see the crooked bastards in power shoved off into the stars. Our atmosphere is a graveyard, causing the skies to grow dimmer each day, as coffin after coffin soars into the air.

Don't get me wrong, this planet is not occupied by savages dying of disease. The medicine is far more advanced than most others I've heard of from neighboring planets. The envy of the galaxy. But because of that, it is at max capacity. If a baby is born, it threatens the lives of everyone who calls this planet home. The government feared that there would no longer be enough air to go around, presuming the entire population would die as a result.

That is when the sustaining life act was established. Old farts in comfy chairs decided that they wanted to play god. Placing the value of one persons life above another. The stiffs determined a fair life span that they wanted to ensure everyone lived to. Declaring it was unfair for an unborn child to die, if they hadn't yet had a chance to live. This idea may seem good in theory, however, there was no guarantee that each person would get to live a comfortable life, or any aide offered to prevent starvation.

The government treasured childhood, but understood that in order for the planet to continue running, certain individuals would need to reach adulthood; being educated in how to keep the important industries running to ensure the planet continued to thrive.

Each year, children with an above average intelligence are taken from their homes, and moved into the safety net of Edipeis. A district for the gifted, those chosen to survive. The rest of are encouraged to live life to the fullest, for they never know when their name will glow on the execution board to make room for new lives coming into the world.

Never could I have imagined that Edipeis would choose me. But here I am, bound by a stuffy gray uniform, and countless rules to make me a 'dignified' citizen. I was chosen later in my life. The regular age of acceptance into this academy is thirteen. Two days ago I turned fifteen, growing nearer sixteen, the age where death became a possibility.

That same day, a group of government officials came to the orphanage and took me aside. "We've taken notice of your experiments, your unique approach and ability to work with less than satisfactory components to create medical remedies is amazing."

For those less fortunate, I made a reasonable profit by making affordable medicine that still got the job done. One of the people I helped was a government agent in disguise, investigating the 'miracle worker' as people call me. I know they only invited me to Edipeis because I was causing them to lose profits. I created better versions of their medications for cheaper.

As I stare up at the glittering silver gate, guilt ebbs away in the back of my mind. By stepping through, I am abandoning those I've been helping. They will have no other option than to pay out of their backsides for things they cannot afford, or die because it's their only choice.

Not that they'd have long regardless, it seems to be baby season.

My fingers tap the side of my leg in anticipation. This can be a new start for me. I'll get to lead the kind of life I've always wanted. I will never have to say goodbye to another friend, have my belly full every night, and my thirst quenched before I have a chance to say it is parched.