Jonas is gone, just like everyone else who is released to Elsewhere. Nobody talks about him in the community. The community members are not even allowed to utter his name ever again. I wonder why the elders are still searching for him desperately. Planes fly Elsewhere in search of Jonas and Gabriel but return empty-handed. What is Jonas up to that the elders are afraid of?
I ride my bicycle towards the House of Old. The clouds are passing by slowly and everything around me is in motion. I hear the noises of kids enjoying themselves in the play area. The community area is crowded with the busy afternoon crew of street cleaners, landscape workers, and food delivery people.
I reach the gates of the House of old and park my bicycle in the port. I recall the times when Jonas and I would spend our voluntary hours bathing the old, cracking jokes, and helping them with their everyday activities. Through the glass doors, I see Ms. Raspberry near the counter, noting something in the record book. Are we releasing someone today? I wonder as I stride in her direction.
"Hi Fiona, today is going to be your first release! Are you excited?," Ms. Raspberry asked, in an excited tone.
"Yes, kind of. I'm anxious" I answer. "Although I have been here during my volunteer hours, they have never allowed us to witness any release..."
"Don't worry it will be fine and you have been shown a demo hence it should not be tough for you," she answers with a smile on her face.
"Okay, but a quick question before beginning," I ask. "Would a person from Elsewhere come to take Mr. Harper with him?"
"We don't know that and it's not essential" she snaps back and asks me to follow her.
Ms. Raspberry and everyone working in the House of Old would never explain what happens to post the release. I am supposed to release Mr. Harper and leave the room. I wonder why would nobody talk about how will he be transferred to such a far away place-Elsewhere? Will he meet Jonas there?
I march through the serene corridors of the house towards the celebration room. Everyone is gathered in the room raising their glasses and enchanting anthems as an appreciation for Mr. Harper. I help him to get up from his chair and wish a final goodbye to all his friends.
"This is my moment of pure happiness. I have done my part of serving as a pilot for the community over most years of my life and I am glad that I could contribute to the betterment of our community. I am grateful for all that this community has given and now I'm all set to be released," Mr. Harper says with a tone of relief, standing near the door of the celebration room. Everyone in the room is smiling and appreciates Mr. Harper in a line or two.
I hold him by his arm and we walk towards the releasing room. Sweat runs down my face as I step into the room for the first time. The room is dimly lit and has a pungent smell. There is a bed in the middle and all the strange materials for release placed at one corner of the room. I first saw those, the last time I came here for the demo. There is a sharp needle- the injection, oil, and the soft cloth- co..cotton as introduced by Ms. Raspberry earlier. However, these materials are only available in the releasing room, which is a bit weird but as releasing is confidential it is understandable that many don't know about it.
I help him remove his tunic and climb up the bed. Nobody else is allowed in the releasing room other than the two of us.
"Don't worry Fiona, just hold the needle tight and put it in," I take a deep breath and remind myself.
As instructed by Ms. Raspberry, I grab the needle with releasing serum in it. My hands shiver as I hold the needle in my hand. If Jonas would have been here with me this would have been easier. He is much braver than me. I can't do this in the right way. Holding myself firm, I gently put the needle in Mr. Harper's scalp.
"And we're done!" I exclaim, looking at Mr. Harper.
He looks at me through his wide eyes and smiles. I grab the cloth from the table and rub my hands against it. When I turn back, Mr. Harper is laying still without his eyelashes blinking even once. This was expected and is an indication that the release is done.
I grab his arm and suddenly there are blinding flashes across my eyes!
Boom!
The needle drops from my hand and my head spins. I slowly push myself against the wall and onto the ground. The room is full of deadly silence. My head is set on reeling and I'm unable to comprehend anything that's happening as the memories establish in front of my eyes. My eyes fill with tears as I utter the word ki..killing? Ending the life of a person fo...for no reason? Uncontrollable tears run down my cheeks. I have killed him. I ended his life! The man who gave all his life for the community's betterment is no longer with us and I'm the one responsible for this loss. How can I be so cruel? Killing him only because he is no longer helpful for the community?
The Chief Elder lied to us! She kept all of us in the dark and never showed us this side of the world! Why would we celebrate something as terrible as killing another person? Until this moment, I was finding joy and happiness when a newborn or an old was killed? I cannot forgive myself for this horrendous act! Was Jonas aware of this, already? Did he know his father was taking the lives of the innocent kids and soon I would do the same? Instead of stopping me he lied and ran away like...like a cow...coward? Nobody knows! I thought I was giving relief to the olds by injecting the serum, but ….. because of me, Mr. Harper is no longer a part of this community.
I look around and there is something very unusual about this room. And my hair! They a...are different. I blink my eyes and rub them once, twice, and thrice. My hair doesn't look the same. They have a different glow and seem to have a dark re...red texture? How could they change within a few minutes? Why are things different all of a sudden? Are the elders trying some experiment? Is everything changing outside? I get hold of myself and stand up.
As I walk through the corridor Ms. Raspberry is sitting in the corner, crying in agony.
"I gave those commands! I gave those commands! I.." she repeats in a loop.
Her eyes have the same mysterious quality as my hair! They are...are RED! How did things change? I walk out of the door and the surrounding is nothing like my old community. The landscapes, bushes, and board are glowing! They have co..color? I feel the warmth on my skin due to light coming from the sky! It is brighter than the usual lights in the dwelling. However, on the ground, there's a disaster. The bicycles are overturned with their wheels still spinning. On the other side of the river, a plane has crashed, and sparkles coming from its top. Why is no one helping the pilot? Where are the drones reporting this incident to the committee?
People from the elderly committee scream at one other. "Y'all are the ones responsible for this. You always wanted to abide by the rules and see the horrible decisions you have come up with," Elizabeth, screams at others in the group.
In the other direction, a few people lie on the lawns smiling and feeling the warmth from the sky. While on the roads children are scratching and making fun of each other. "Yeah, you are black! We don't talk to people that are of your kind," mocks Erick, the nine of old to his other classmates.
Black? What's that? Why are these kids fighting over that? From the right, I hear the chief elder's voice through the speakers.
"Citizens! Please keep calm and maintain order. I know this is a difficult period for all of us but we can get through this. I…" before she could finish her announcement, Mr. Benjamin throws a tree branch at it.
"Shut up! You lied to us. This cannot be managed now. You cannot take away my pain! Stop making false promises! You can't give us back our real families. I don't know who my parents are, and you are the one responsible for my loss!" he exclaims, grasping his head in pain.
Parents? What does he mean by 'families'? I don't know what to do! Where do I go? Jonas, I need you here with me. I cannot take this anymore. I have murdered an innocent man and there is nobody here to help me! I turn to my left and see Asher curled up on the ground moaning as tears roll down his cheeks. He is clutching his arms and stomach and rolls from side to side. I stride towards him.
"Asher! Asher!" I shout in his direction.
"Fiona?" he questions and looks at me in bewilderment.
"What is happening to you?" I cross-question him.
"Everything is messed up. War is real! People kill each other with some strong metal-like objects called as gu..guns! They find pride and victory in it. We play with it here and make fun of it while hitting each other with branches. This is so not done Fiona, I can't take it! The game is real and people di...die for real. I don't understand this, what do I do?" he continues crying in excruciating pain.
War? Brutally killing each other? I stand still in my place. My legs are fixed. I can't move. Is this the truth? Jonas ran away from here leaving all of us alone to deal with this.
"Asher, the only option that I have right now is to be released," I say in a despairing tone.
When I try to stand up and turn around there's a hand on my shoulder.
"The receiver of memory?" I say in an astonishing voice.
"Fiona, I need you to calm down. Jonas and I have taken this decision because we need to face reality. It's okay I will help you through this! Asher you too, please get up. I know this is tough, but we are strong enough to deal with it. Both of you have the strength to cope up with it. You can't give up" he explains in a serene voice.
"Everything is a lie! This is all false. You can't calm me down. I have taken the life of an innocent man and I need to get punished for that!" I reply to him in grief.
"The community is destroyed! People are not in their state of mind. You can't make this right!" Asher adds on in a blaming tone.
I know the receiver in memory can't make this right! People in the community are burdened by guilt, regret, and loathing for each other. They are crying in pain and hitting one another. I feel betrayed and so do the others. This can't be fixed now. I wish Jonas would have warned me and the entire community about this earlier. Can this be just a nightmare that passes soon and when I wake up Jonas and Asher are by my side to console me.