As I opened the gate, I looked back and took one long, last glance at the place I once called home. Glimmering in the distance, the bright orange sun began to rise, casting its glow on the entire city. Fragments of memories from a life before – the sound of mirth and laughter, the faces of my family members, the familiar look of the place I once thought I had belonged to surfaced in my mind. With growing hesitation, I took an unwilling step forward, reminding myself that it was for the better. Having newfound knowledge about all the horrible things they did to the ‘undesirables’ of our society, I knew I needed to find a way out. My mind replayed all the eventful episodes that had occurred over the past few days, especially the incident. The one that sparked this unpredictable turn of events.
It was just like any other day after school. Having completed piles of homework mounted on my desk, I was growing increasingly exasperated. In the distance, the giant, dark, secret facility stood there creepily, looming over the entire city. Chills sent down my spine as I shuddered at the thought of that alien setting. It was nested in such a secretive location; people had seen truckloads of goods and equipment enter the place, but not a single living soul was ever seen coming out. The ominous aura it exuded probably deterred most – including me – from exploring the restricted facility.
However, boredom nibbled into my heart as curiosity began to fill up within me. A smile creeped across my face; an idea flashed through my mind. I was going to witness for myself what was housed in that facility.
Before I knew it, I had reached the secret facility. Parking my bike into a corner, I could not help but notice the extent of the sprawling behemoth. Its white paint was beginning to peel off and the building’s appendages looked like they could not hold up any longer . It was in stark contrast to the shining skyscrapers that graced our city. We were flushed with opulence and affluence and poverty was unheard of as long as I could remember. Money was the least of our concerns. We lived well, in the lap of luxury secured by absolute law and order. Yet, we had this facility that stood right in front of me – unfamiliar, lifeless and intimidating. It was undoubtedly the biggest building I had ever seen. Garbed in all black without any sign of a window, – it was as if it had a dirty secret it was doing its best to hide.
Tiptoeing quietly through the small hole in the door, I muttered a silent prayer of thanks for my small and agile frame. I had now entered the facility, shocked. However, what was awaiting me in the next few minutes would be even more shocking. A putrid smell wafted into my sensitive nostrils, choking me instantly. The wallpaper dangled off the walls and crimson red stained the floor carpet. A lone fireplace stood at the opposite end of the room. This was no secret facility: it was an old manor abandoned by its former owner.
Suddenly, a loud bang reverberated through the entire manor. I jumped, fear coursing through my veins. Have I been discovered? Gunshots. I was almost certain they were gunshots. Reality dawned upon me, as I treaded lightly through the house, following the sound of the many successive gunshots that followed.
Heading nearer towards the gunshot sounds, I heard screaming. Lots of screaming. Once the gunshots ended, all that was left was a deafening silence that hung gloomily in the air. Peering through a hole in the door, I saw soldiers dragging the lifeless, bloodied bodies of individuals through the rooms. I clasped a hand over my mouth, shock still a fresh wound within me. This was where all the old and poor were being taken to. I used to wholeheartedly believe the government had brought these people to a better place where they would lead normal lives like the rest of us, but no. Their lives were brutally ended, just because they were less fortunate. Tears cascaded down my face as I stood rooted to the ground, unable to rationally comprehend the situation.
Running back to my bike, a sour mix of emotions stirred within me. Confusion, sadness and pure anger bubbled on the inside as I furiously peddled my bicycle home. Strong winds slashed at my face and clothing, allowing the cold to seep through, but all I felt was rage. This was the harsh reality of the society I lived in.
That night, I made preparations to leave this place. No longer able to bring myself to stay in the once utopian society I once innocently thought I lived in, I wanted to get out – desperately.
At 3am dead in the night, I packed up my bags and left the house, without a second thought about my family or the people I cared about. My gut was telling me I needed to leave this place, and my gut feeling was never wrong.
Charging towards the gate that was parked at the edge of the city, I grew anxious about the success of my escape. I glanced back, looking around furtively. It had already become second nature to me – observing my immediate surroundings, making sure I was not being followed. Looking behind inconspicuously, I noticed two secret police following my every turn. My suspicions were confirmed when they were still behind me after an excruciatingly long hour. I was now only a good kilometre away from the gate.
Breaking into a run, I charged forward, channelling my fullest concentration into getting to the gate. I knew they were now hot on my heels.
“Stop!” I heard the secret police scream, as they too, began to catch up to me.
At this point of recollection, I was rudely shaken back into reality. My body jolted into action as I slammed the gate close immediately, the satisfying clang resonating through the air. Behind me, the secret police rattled the gate, expressing their frustration at their inability to unlock it. In front of me, an eerily calming blankness enveloped the scenery. Yet, despite my fear of the unknown, I was unfazed. I felt at ease, knowing that a second life, away from all the chaos and destruction of a deceivingly utopian society, was awaiting me.
Taking a leap of faith, I ran, without the faintest idea of where I was going. It was now or never.
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