When she woke up in her small bedroom, she knew immediately that something was wrong. What had happened? What had changed? An ordinary day would have been waking up to a burst of short peppy music from the loud speakers on every corner. Then the molecular-reassember ray would cover her body, changing the night cloths to the more durable day ones, then the food would come out of the food slot, then she would go out to the work building, where the work would be the same as that of the day before. But this time, there was no music. She was still dressed in the thinner night gown, which meant the ray had not yet been turned on. Could she have woken up too early? No, for as she looked out the window, she noticed that the sun, which she had never noticed before consciously, seemed to be higher in the sky than usual. Come to think of it, the sky was a light blue, different from the pinks that usually tinted it. She stood at the window and waited. She looked down at the wide gray street, lined on both sides by the long, tall buildings with identical windows every few feet. The temperature was slightly cooler than usual. She questioned this feeling of being cold, and decided she did not like it. Her body, as a reflex, shivered. She decided she did not like that either.
She continued to wait. Soon, she discovered another feeling she had never experienced- hunger. At first, she did not know what to do with it. The, she realized her body wanted her to put food in her mouth. She turned to the food slot, but there was nothing there. She turned back to the window, and saw that there was a lone person in the street. Maybe, she thought, I’m supposed to be there too. She turned toward the door, but it was closed. So she waited, and turned back towards the window. The man in the street, she noticed, had a large box. She waited longer. The man placed the box on the ground and continued to stand in the street. Then he began to make a beckoning motion toward another window, then another, and another. She waited, figuring if she was not summoned, then there was no need to come. People started coming into the streets. The man still waved, but always, it seemed to her, to another window. Finally, after what seemed like hours and may have been so, he motioned to her window. She felt the call to come, as all the ones in the street already had. She looked towards the door, and saw it was still closed. But the man was calling, so she must go. She went over to the door. How would she get through it? She noticed a knob on the door. She touched it. Nothing happened. She tried pushed it. Nothing happened. She pulled it. Nothing happened. She was puzzled. How was she supposed to get through? But she had to get through, because the man had called. She tried different methods, and, finally, she turned the knob. The door opened. She exited through the door, and taking the same way down to the street as she went to work, she entered into the street. She stopped there, seeing the man. He was still beckoning others. She waited.
Eventually, the street was full. The man stopped gesturing and stood on the box. Some in the crowd seemed to be talking to him. She noticed this, and, although she never had paid any attentions to others actions before, thought it was strange for them to speak without being asked first. Then, stopping the conversation, he looked up to address the crowd. As with all commands that were given, he started by naming the people to whom they applied. “443A, 443B, 443C, 443D…” and on and on and on. “…564Y, 564Z, 565A, 565B, 565C…” There was her name! 565B! She was happy, and she waited for the rest of the names to be called. After an hour more of naming the man stopped. He took a big breath, and began to speak. “Citizens… today is your first day of liberty. Today is the day we have turned off the machines that control your life and your world. We will soon destroy them. You now live! You now feel the breeze, you can now feel, now think! Many of you may feel hungry, and you will now work for your food. Think of it! Productive work for earned food! The loveliness of a life you should have known! And…”
She had not heard most of the words. She had eagerly awaited instruction, and not hearing it, had only heard the few words she understood, namely, work and food. Why was this man taking so long and not getting to the point? Her eyes began to wander. She noticed that the people who had talked to the man were not present any longer. Wait, there they were, coming out of a doorway… and they were dragging behind them carts of grayish blobs. The man was finishing his speech, still not giving instruction. She was not listening to him at all. She was listening to her stomach, which recognized the grayish blobs as food- the food she should have gotten in the morning. The man gave the last sentence of his speech. “And, in honor of this day, free food for all!” But she did not hear it. She did not hear the applause of those who were holding the food carts. She did not hear the silence of the crowd around her. She only heard her own silence – a silence caused by anger. It was a new feeling, anger, and she welcomed it. Who was this man not to give instructions after a summons? And, more importantly, who were these men and women who took her food and now had it with them? It was hers and she should already have it.
Someone shot past her. He hit the man on the box. The food cart holders looked shocked and aghast. But, thought she, who were they to look upset? They were the ones who took her food they had her food. These people and the man on the box had it, and therefore deserved punishment. It was not theirs, but hers. They deserved to be punished, and by more than just one hit. She rushed towards one, wanting to make this man give back food. A woman pasted her up, and hit the man first. She hit the man as well. She felt good as he hit the floor. Then, she saw a man holding some food. She recognized him as the man who hit the man on the box. But what was he doing with her food? It was not his food either. She went towards him, and grabbed the food he was holding. He did not let go. She tugged, and he did the same. Then, with her legs, she began to push from him, trying all the while to wrench the food from his grasp. He was still holding on and fought back. While they were grappling, someone else hit her on the head from behind, and she fell. The last thing she remembered was disbelief and anger as she felt her fingers releasing the food.
565B woke up to the sound of a short clip of peppy music. The clothing on 565B was changed from the flimsy night stuff to clothing slightly more durable, but just as drab. 565B ate the gray blobs that had come out of the food slot, and left to go to work through the pre-opened door. If 565B had thought about it, 565B would have described this day as perfect. But 565B had no reason to think, and therefore, did not. And this was what made the day truly perfect.