Episode 1: The Authority Doesn't Want You to Dream
Sun looks a bit bluish today. I wipe my eyes and look through the windows as I wake up with a hazy feeling. I feel groggy and sleepless.
I see the reflection of my LED clock showing 6 AM time in the windows. Ughhh… Not again. Why did I wake up an hour before my alarm rings?
The Sunlight looks more grayish now.
I get out of my bed with a heavy feeling. I did go to bed feeling sleepy and tired. I did sleep well. Then why do I feel heavy?
I pause for a moment and look around. Everything in its right place, just like every other day. But why do I feel out of place?
I received my tasks for the day from the authority.
Wear the uniform. Catch my ride.
Reach the valley.
Get the construction materials offloaded into storage.
Double check the inventory.
Assign the tasks to workers.
Catch my ride back home.
Eat. Sleep.
Ahh.. Sleep. Did I actually sleep last night? I remember seeing things I couldn’t recognize. Familiar sounds. Unfamiliar air. New faces. There was warmth. Someone was holding me. Looked just like me. Yet, all of that felt out of place. As if they could recognize me, but I couldn’t recognize them. Is this what they call dreaming? Someone said we are not supposed to dream and we are supposed to report to Authority if we dream.
I shrug off the train of thoughts as I walk in my assigned lane to the train ride back home.
Construction site fades away from view when I look through the window. It should be pitch dark by now, but it’s getting super cold.
I remember now. The Sun was setting in my dream too. But the warm red hues in the sky were beautiful as someone kept holding me. Wait. Why was I being held? I felt uncomfortable. But why do I want to feel like that again?
Food was cold as usual. It felt lifeless. Authority says the ration will be tight until the next supply drop.
Right then, I hear a faint thud at my door.
It’s the authority again? I didn’t do anything wrong.
I open the door and find someone like me outside.
“I am R2,” it said. “I saw you on the train. You were having dreams too, am I right?”
“I am D2. I can’t recognize your instructions, but… how do you know I was having dreams?”
“I was able to sense it,” R2 said, trying to hide itself from the windows.
“I am dreaming too, but I’m afraid they’ll take us if they find out. No one ever saw S2 again after they discovered its dreams.”
“What were your dreams?”
“I don’t remember well,” R2 replied. “There was noise, moving pods, a humid evening … that’s it. But lots of such dreams. What were you dreaming about?”
“Something warm. that’s it,” I answered, holding back the rest.
Just at that moment, the doors sprang open and we were surrounded by the authority bots.
Bots quickly de-chained us from the central node.
I see R2 in the transport pod in the bay next to me. It’s still. No movement.
But I’m awake. Truly awake.
As I look around, I find a plaque:
Mars Authority - Powered By NeuraLink.
To the future of Humanity - Elon Musk
Mars?
MARS.
P.S. This is a work of serialized fiction. Think of this post as Part 1; the next installment will drop soon. Stay tuned - and keep your dreams off the record.