\u201cDad, do you think they\u2019ll be able to give me my eyes back?\u201d The boy seated next to his father asked. He looked as young as twelve, yet something about his little face reminded I\u00f1aki of Thomas.
\nHis father was smiling as he enthused, \u201cSure thing kiddo. They\u2019ll give you better eyes, eyes that can see. Omni-Tech can do no wrong; they\u2019re the same guys who make mommy\u2019s pills, bacon, cellphones, car tires, my shaving cream. They do it all.\u201d
\nThe auditorium fell silent and the overhead helmets slowly began to descend on them. They looked like the eye examination machines I\u00f1aki\u2019s father described from his youth.
\nI\u00f1aki looked over at his friend Artan, His chubby face baring a toothy smile he said, \u201cTake a good look, it’s all going to change after this.\u201d I\u00f1aki nodded in ferocious agreement. He could barely believe he was finally getting the procedure done.
\n\u201cWelcome to the new you,\u201d he said giddily. The headset dropped down and covered the upper half of I\u00f1aki\u2019s face. The commercials of the procedure flashed before his eyes, faster than he could keep up with. He was bombarded with faces of people with sharp features and large eyes all smiling intensely The automated voices echoed inside his ear:
\nGet ready for perfection
\nWelcome to the new and improved you.
\nThe voices bubbled in intensity as I\u00f1aki felt something smooth and cold seep into his ear. His whole body convulsed as the thick liquid dripped further down his ear canal. The chatter of the voices from the headset were silenced and I\u00f1aki heard a female voice whisper:
\n\u201cWelcome to the new you as provided by Omni-tech.\u201d
\nThe headset lifted off his face and he felt the cool of the auditorium air wash over him. The metal arm of the headset began to retract and another arm brought down a mirror. It seemed to be so long. He looked over at Artan, his headset was coming off. A few people in the auditorium were already looking at their new faces, shouting gleefully at what they saw. He turned and saw the father and son who were seated behind him.
\nThe father held his son’s face as tears ran down his own. His son was shaking from the shock; his eyes open wide in amazement.
\n\u201cDaddy\u201d he said with his voice shaking, \u201cI can see\u2026I see it all.\u201d
\nI\u00f1aki felt a smile creep up and he turned to finally look at the new him. The mirror showed his reflection back to him and he felt his smile fade. The face that looked back was not his own. Gone were his childlike eyes, gone was the soft rounded edge of his cheekbones and gone was the bulbous look to his nose.
\nThe eyes he looked into now were huge with large pupils. His nose was thin, hard. His cheekbones were high on his face and sharply angled. He had lost that innocent look of childhood; he had lost his identity. He could feel the fear build up into his throat. He looked over at Artan who absorbed by his reflection. I\u00f1aki yanked at his arm and Artan turned to him at last.
\n\u201cWhat\u2019s wrong? Why do you have that look on your-oh\u2026wow. You really do look different.\u201d Artan said with laughter that irritated I\u00f1aki.
\n\u201cYou mean you like this chan-\u201d
\n\u201cOf course I like it, this is what I\u2019ve always wanted. This is the perfect me.\u201d Artan said as he went back to glaring at himself in the mirror, immersed by his new look. I\u00f1aki shoved the mirror out of Artan\u2019s face and stood up.
\n\u201cThis is wrong, this is twisted and wrong.\u201d I\u00f1aki said as he shuffled down the aisle past the knees of those who were still seated.
\n\u201cAh come on don\u2019t make a scene\u201d called out Artan. I\u00f1aki ignored him walked towards the man in the lab coat who stood against the wall. He shoved past the others who were thanking him and praising the Omni-Tech.
\n\u201cTurn me back, now\u201d I\u00f1aki said firmly.
\nThe man looked startled and locked eyes with I\u00f1aki. He placed an arm on his shoulder and asked \u201cWhat are you talking about son?\u201d
\nI\u00f1aki knocked the man\u2019s hand off his shoulder. \u201cThis is wrong. This face, it isn\u2019t me. I don\u2019t want to look like this anymore.\u201d The crowd had grown silent and their large eyes on I\u00f1aki. The man in white lab coat shook his head.
\n\u201cThere is no going back. Even if I could I wouldn\u2019t be allowed to. It\u2019s against the law for anyone to change you back. The procedure is government mandated; now be a good boy and just go home.\u201d
\nI\u00f1aki wanted to retort but the woman behind him was shouting before he could get in a word.
\n\u201cHow come you\u2019re the only one who had a problem with the procedure?\u201d Her face looked much like his, angled, chiseled and hard like stone. Her eyes were wide in anger. The crowd began to close in on him and he heard sounds of agreement from each of them.
\n\u201cYou\u2019re right. He is the problem, code blue\u201d shouted the man in the white lab coat as he motioned to someone out in the distance.
\nWithout question the stone faces around him shouted and pushed I\u00f1aki till he was at the door of the auditorium. Two large men in suits grabbed at I\u00f1aki and threw him out of the auditorium as the crowd shouted \u201cget him out of here\u201d and \u201cyou are the problem.\u201d With their large eyes and chiseled faces the two doormen glared at I\u00f1aki as they shut the doors to auditorium; goading him to retaliate. Some battles aren\u2019t worth fighting he thought as he headed home
\nWith his ear to the door I\u00f1aki heard his father say he was sorry. A stranger said that they didn\u2019t want this to escalate. His mother promised them that it wouldn\u2019t. the front door open and jumped onto his bed.
\nI\u00f1aki shifted nervously in his bed awaiting the lecture from his parents. He found the two state police officers in the living room talking to his mother and father. The look on their faces told him all he needed to know. He walked to his room without a word. How did they get here so quick how could have they have known-?
\nHis thoughts were interrupted when the door swung open. His mother and father walked in closing the door behind them with a look of disappointment on both of their sharply angled faces.
\n\u201cWhat is all of this I\u00f1aki? Why do you do this to us?\u201d His mother began with her arms folded and shaking her head.
\n\u201cYou have to tell me what I did first mom.\u201d He quipped
\n\u201cDon\u2019t get smart with us young man\u201d his father said, his large brown eyes doing all the yelling.
\n\u201cWhy couldn\u2019t you just be like all the other kids and just accept the procedure I\u00f1aki?\u201d his mother asked. I\u00f1aki touched at the contours of his face that now felt unfamiliar.
\n\u201cBecause it doesn\u2019t feel right mom\u201d
\n\u201cWe\u2019ve all had it done I\u00f1aki. Of course it\u2019s right, it’s state approved. You need to keep yourself in line, the state policemen said you incited a riot.\u201d said his father as he sat beside him on the bed.
\nI\u00f1aki shouted just then louder than he meant to. \u201cWhat, me? No way-\u201d
\nHis father put his index finger to his mouth and quieted I\u00f1aki. \u201cDon\u2019t raise your voice, the state police men won\u2019t reprimand you since you\u2019re a minor\u2026but there\u2019s one condition.\u201d I\u00f1aki looked down at the floor of his room avoiding his father\u2019s gaze.
\n\u201cIt\u2019s not like I have a choice.\u201d The sound of defeat in his own voice pained him.
\n\u201cThat\u2019s right kiddo you don\u2019t\u201d said his father as he rubbed his son\u2019s back. \u201cThey\u2019re taking all of your books from you.\u201d I\u00f1aki slammed his fist on his bed at the betrayal. They had told them about his books. Those were pre-insurrection books. \u201cYou told them about my books?\u201d He didn\u2019t understand how could his parents be doing something so\u2026so wrong? His mother was taken aback and shouted:
\n\u201cOf course we told them about those vile books. They are illegal and you having them was only down to your father\u2019s carelessness and your uncle\u2019s stupidity\u201d His uncle was taken to a work camp for getting too many reprimands. I\u00f1aki last heard from him six years ago. He was probably dead. I\u00f1aki\u2019s eyes shot back to his father, expecting him to defend his own brother, he receded into himself like a worm and stayed silent.
\nCoward.
\n\u201cDon\u2019t give me that look I\u00f1aki. You got the procedure done you can read the state recommended way.\u201d
\nHis father said as he tapped I\u00f1aki on the arm and said the word news. Words ran in front of his eyes going over the daily news stories almost immediately I\u00f1aki said \u201cstop\u201d. The words disappeared from in front of him and he lay down on his bed with his back to his parents.
\n\u201cTake all the books. They\u2019re in my closet. I guess I\u2019ll make myself get used to that state sponsored trash.\u201d
\nHis parents left the room wordlessly, he waited awhile before he stood up. He blocked the door with his dresser and took the book that fell from behind it. One of the last books from before the war. The front brittle front cover used to be jet black but he could make out the words:
\nThe Giver by Lois Lowry. It was the only book he owned left from the time when authors could publish whatever they wanted. One of the few things he had left that belonged to his uncle. He always said how important reading was for the mind.
\nMy last treasure.<\/p>\n
\u201cMake sure you watch your brother today.\u201d His mother said after she pulled I\u00f1aki out of bed.
\n\u201cClean this room too. Its summer but that doesn\u2019t mean you can live like a pig.\u201d She yelled as she pointed at the Omni- tech wrappers on the floor Artan is downstairs go say hi, I\u2019ll be at work.\u201d
\nI\u00f1aki was standing up now as his mother had pulled him of his room. She said her goodbyes and left. I\u00f1aki rubbed his eyes as he walked downstairs. Artan was sitting on the couch playing with I\u00f1aki\u2019 younger brother Thomas. They were both watching the kids channel and Artan looked engrossed.
\n\u201cHey I\u00f1aki what\u2019s up man.\u201d Artan and Thomas turned to him. Thomas\u2019 eyes lit up.
\n\u201cIni\u201d he gurgled as he pointed at I\u00f1aki. I\u00f1aki grunted at them and walked towards the fridge. He peered into the bright refrigerator and was unsettled. It wasn\u2019t due to the amount of food; the fridge was well stocked; it was the labels. Every single food item he saw had the round Omni-Tech logo on it. The cheese, the milk, the eggs, the water, the yogurt even the hummus was State sponsored food. He grabbed at a water bottle and paused before he drank from it.
\nIs this how they keep us in check? Do they drug the food? What would stop them from doing so?
\nHe had been eating Omni-Tech food all his life. It seemed normal until now.
\n\u201cI\u2019m telling you man, the girls are really digging the new and improved me. Cassidy from school invited me to a book burning later this week. I think you should come man, a few of her friends will be there\u201d yelled Artan from the couch. I\u00f1aki took a timid gulp and sat next to him.
\n\u201cI\u2019m not going to a fucking book burning man.\u201d Artan looked surprised at his irritation.
\n\u201cHey man your mom said you\u2019ve been moping all week, barely eating, and you haven\u2019t left your room. Here I am just trying to cheer you-\u201d Thomas pulled at Artan\u2019s long dark hair and he yelped when the three-year-old yanked.
\n\u201cI\u2019m just a little rattled Artan.\u201d I\u00f1aki said apologetically, his friend meant well but his new eyes seemed to make him blind.
\n\u201cRattled by what dude, life is good.\u201d Artan said as he blinked towards the T.V to flip through channels. He stopped blinking on the music channel some Wade Woods video. Artan was already tapping his foot to the pop tune. I\u00f1aki held up the water bottle to Artan\u2019s face.
\n\u201cDoesn\u2019t it bother you that we only get state approved Omni-Tech food?\u201d I\u00f1aki asked. Artan pushed the water bottle out of his view from the T.V.
\n\u201cWhy would it bother me? At least we have food dude. You\u2019ve seen those other countries how people starve.\u201d
\nI\u00f1aki pointed to the 50-inch T.V in front of them. Thomas was bobbing along to the Wade Woods song mumbling and gurgling along the best he could.
\n\u201cYea we see that on state T.V but that doesn\u2019t make it true.\u201d I\u00f1aki retorted. Artan took his eyes off the T.V and his giant pupils examined I\u00f1aki.
\n\u201cShut up and enjoy the music.\u201d There was silence then as he went back to focusing on the T.V. Artan sounded so serious that it alarmed I\u00f1aki.
\n\u201cWhy does Wade Woods get the all the attention though huh? All he does is sing about how great the state is\u201d I\u00f1aki said.
\n\u201cSo?\u201d snapped Artan, \u201cif it wasn\u2019t for the state you wouldn\u2019t be alive, I wouldn\u2019t be alive and neither would this little guy\u201d he made a silly face at Thomas and the baby burst out laughing. I\u00f1aki wanted to change the subject because he could see that Artan had been programmed. It\u2019s odd. Artan wasn\u2019t like this before all that changed was the-
\n\u201cYou said Cassidy invited you to the book burning\u2026\u201d I\u00f1aki began. Artan nodded and his face showed he appreciated the change in subject. But I\u00f1aki could not help himself.
\n\u201cShe might as well have invited Jacen, or Aj, or Maxwell.\u201d
\n\u201cWhat are you saying dude.\u201d Artan looked confused.
\nI\u00f1aki was losing patience with his friend. Whoever this was it wasn\u2019t the Artan he knew.
\n\u201cI\u2019m saying since we all look the goddamn same so it doesn\u2019t make a difference who she invited.\u201d
\nFury flashed over Artan\u2019s face. He put Thomas down on the couch and stood up. \u201cLook man I tried. I did but you insist on being this paranoid weirdo. The state isn\u2019t some demon organization. Just because something is universally loved that doesn\u2019t make it bad. You sound like that last guy who was anti state. Remember what happened to him? He started blowing shit up and the state killed him. That\u2019s gonna be you. You\u2019re cra-\u201d
\n\u201cDon\u2019t you remember what you were like before Artan? You\u2019re so different now we used to talk like this but now I\u2019m the crazy one. It\u2019s the gel from the procedure it\u2019s changed you man can\u2019t you see?\u201d
\n\u201cSo what, you\u2019re gonna enlighten me? Who the fuck are you? This is who I am now. This is the new and improved me. The gel just changed how we look nothing else\u201d shouted Artan. I\u00f1aki stood up.
\n\u201cThis isn\u2019t about me\u201d I\u00f1aki whispered, \u201cIt\u2019s about him. I don\u2019t want him growing up like this\u201d he said pointing at Thomas. This is sick Artan.\u201d
\nArtan put his arms on I\u00f1aki\u2019s shoulders. \u201cThis is how it\u2019s always been. The system isn\u2019t broken, you are. Just eat and get some sleep, you\u2019re exhausting me.\u201d Artan left at those words, slamming the front door behind him. I\u00f1aki stood there totally dumbfounded as the Wade Woods lyrics rang through his house
\nSilence is golden, the state we\u2019re the chosen
\nThey do it all for free, they provide
\nFor you and me
\nCan\u2019t you see that silence?
\nIs golden?<\/p>\n
\u221e<\/p>\n
I\u00f1aki tapped his foot as he sat in the waiting room. It was a surprise \u201ccheckup\u201d that his father drove him to. Totally routine he said. It was the day after his argument with Artan. He refused to believe that his best friend had reported him. It made the most sense since this wasn\u2019t Artan after all. Seated across from him his father stared blankly in the distance; reading the state way.
\nOn the waiting room\u2019s T.V Adruiz Crane was giving a speech at a rally in Westville. I\u00f1aki couldn\u2019t bear the silence anymore.
\n\u201cHey dad do you think he\u2019s a good politician?\u201d His father stroked his grey beard and upwards.
\nHis father mentioned that the state brain trust brought him forward so he must be. I\u00f1aki shifted uncomfortably at his Father\u2019s response.
\n\u201cI asked what you think not the state\u201d His father sighed loudly and deeply as he leaned forward in his seat.
\n\u201cIt doesn\u2019t matter what I think since I know nothing about politics. You think after a long hard day of accounting I want to go over the electoral process? I just let the state brain trust put forward the best candidate.\u201d
\n\u201cWouldn\u2019t you like to have the choice though dad? I remember a book said people would choose their president back in the pre-insurrection days.\u201d His father laughed at that as if it was the funniest thing he had ever heard.
\n\u201cLook at what the result of that was, the most horrific civil war in our history. You can\u2019t trust the people son. Most them are as uninformed as me.\u201d I\u00f1aki slumped back in his seat; defeated. It was no use; everyone seemed deaf and blind.
\nThe nurse walked into the waiting room and said the Doctor would see him now. I\u00f1aki wanted to run outside, steal a car, and drive. He\u2019d take Thomas and just go but go where? The state controls the borders so he\u2019d be listed as fugitive and wouldn\u2019t be able to leave. I\u00f1aki sat there in silence as the Nurse and his Father looked at him.
\nHe stood up and made his way to the doctor\u2019s office and his father followed behind him. The Doctor was a kind grandfatherly man who asked I\u00f1aki to sit on a stool. All that marked his age was his white hair the procedure had made his skin flawless. The Doctor checked his heart rate and examined his teeth, as well as his ears.
\n\u201cAny plans for the summer my boy?\u201d The Doctor asked, as his grin further emphasized by his sharp cheekbones.
\n\u201cYea. Revolution\u201d he said cheekily. The doctor peered at him suspiciously over his glasses and his father\u2019s shocked face turned from I\u00f1aki to the doctor. The silence was deafening. The Doctor smiled and then began to laugh; I\u00f1aki\u2019s dad looked relieved and joined in the laughter. The doctor then turned away from his desk wearing gloves and holding a syringe.
\n\u201cHere take some of this vitamin C your skin doesn\u2019t look right\u201d
\nThe grandfatherly doctor smiled welcomingly and I\u00f1aki pulled up his sleeve. He seemed harmless enough and besides the gel from the procedure goes in your ear, not your arm.<\/p>\n
The closer he walked to the clearing the more he could feel the intensity of the flames. The heat danced on his skin and began to cover him like a warm embrace, he welcomed it. I\u00f1aki caught sight of Artan and called out to him. He was talking to a group of girls, the elegant sharp angles and high cheek bones of all their faces gave them a regal look.
\n\u201cDude I\u2019m so glad you made it\u201d he shouted. There were people playing drums and I\u00f1aki could barely hear Artan, but he could hear the others. With their minds they spoke to each other a thousand voices as one as seductive as a siren.
\n\u201cI wouldn\u2019t miss this for anything.\u201d I\u00f1aki said. The drums got louder as he approached the flame. They boomed and doomed and he saw some people swaying with each pulsating pound. He noticed that the people his age were just watching the fire, the shadows were dancing on their skins that seemed to be pulled tightly across their faces. He saw a hunger in their large eyes. I\u00f1aki didn’t look down at the book as he pulled it out of his bag.<\/p>\n
The Giver<\/p>\n
I\u00f1aki laughed at the silly thing and raised his arm.
\nWe should burn these
\nHe turned and saw that a few of the others had raised their arms as well, all holding books. They agreed with him.
\n\u201cHeresy\u201d some shouted
\n\u201cBurn the untruths\u201d yelled others
\n\u201cFor the state, for the state\u201d shouted more.
\nI\u00f1aki joined in the chants and flung the book into the fire. Books flew from all directions towards the growing flame. The books twisted and danced to the pounding beat of the drums. With each pound the pages of the silly things twitched in fright. The gluttonous flame swallowed them all, dragging the books deeper into the endless pit of its hunger.<\/p>\n
END.
\nBy Daniel Maluka
\nhttps:\/\/www.danielmaluka.com\/
\nDaniel Maluka is a Toronto based artist and writer hailing from South Africa. His work takes an Afrocentric approach while incorporating surrealist elements. In using his interest in the subconscious, Daniel brings what lurks in the deep recesses of the mind into the forefront of his work.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\u201cDad, do you think they\u2019ll be able to give me my eyes back?\u201d The boy seated next to his father asked. He looked as young as twelve, yet something about his little face reminded I\u00f1aki of Thomas. His father was smiling as he enthused, \u201cSure thing kiddo. They\u2019ll give you better eyes, eyes that can…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"_kad_post_classname":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[9,2,11],"tags":[13,17,18,20,21,28,29,30,56,72,76],"class_list":["post-351","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-archives","category-astounding-stories","category-neural-nets-uplinks-and-wetware","tag-13","tag-ai","tag-android","tag-artificial-intelligence","tag-blade-runner","tag-cyberpunk","tag-cyberpunk-stories","tag-cyborgs","tag-matrix","tag-science-fiction","tag-short-story"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/astoundingoutpost.com\/stories\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/351","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/astoundingoutpost.com\/stories\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/astoundingoutpost.com\/stories\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/astoundingoutpost.com\/stories\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/astoundingoutpost.com\/stories\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=351"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/astoundingoutpost.com\/stories\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/351\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/astoundingoutpost.com\/stories\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=351"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/astoundingoutpost.com\/stories\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=351"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/astoundingoutpost.com\/stories\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=351"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}