The Dissenter: A Short Story

I recomposed myself as the elevator flew to the level below. It was crucial to give the impression of normalcy. The slight smile as you saluted and the proud face as you walked kept those who spied at bay. The fake façade had been working. At least up to this point. I picked up my anatomy books and nursing manual. My hands shook the whole time. Those guards could have easily dragged me away if Charles hadn’t been there to cover my emotions. He saw my face with the dissenter call. I was looking straight at him and my face read guilty all over it. Anyone nearby could have witnessed my reaction. I hoped to God they didn’t. Even a guilty face could get you terminated, because when the guards came to arrest a dissenter, they grabbed five others
Where there was one, there was usually many more nearby. Which I think gave us too much credit. Dissenters didn’t care about other dissenters unless one was caught, and then dissenters retaliated in their own individual ways. But dissenters didn’t help each other. They never prevent the calls or lead daring rescues to save other dissenters. You took your revenge in silence and then lived the rest of your horrid life.
Nonetheless, purging the population of these roaches had become a main priority for Mother Country, with Detonate at the top of their most wanted list. They saw us as a bigger threat than the country they were currently nuking. That was why Charles threw me in the elevator, because my guilty face could have exposed so much to those guards. I had no idea what to think.
Charles had always been cross with me. A mutual disliking we both felt since our matching. And I was still asking myself the same question rattling my mind all morning. Why would he save
My thoughts on Charles would have to wait until later. Right now, I had to evoke my pretend mode. A ding from the elevator and opened doors revealed several people walking by; I strolled out, using my skill to keep a pretty smile and friendly eyes. Acting as if I didn’t even see the uproar on the floor above me, and if I did, I didn’t care about it, because the only thing on my mind was making the Mother Country proud. I saluted those I passed perfectly. They couldn’t see the grief for Ella. Yesterday, she was laughing with me in the elevator, and now, well, I would never see her again. Unless she was sentenced with a public hanging. Sometimes they did