Date: Wed, 9 Jun 2010 19:29:49 -0500
From: PAL author <pal.author@hotmail.com>
Subject: Dystopian Romance - Chapter 1

This story is the sole property of the author, M. A. McIntosh

This story is written for people 18+ years of age and contains mature
content, if you are under 18 or it is not legal to read stories of this
nature where you live, please leave now. If you have any comments or
suggestions you can send them to me at PAL.author@hotmail.com. Enjoy!

This story takes place a few years after the events of the story "Post-Apoc
Love" in which a devastating nuclear war has reduced most of the world to
cinders. The story will focus on the experiences of a teenage boy living a
sheltered life in one of the few remaining bastions of human civilization
left in the world.

It was a cold autumn day outside when the boy awoke to a familiar buzzing
sound next to his bed. Pale streams of sunlight entered the room through
the tiny grated window. Cold, musty air caused the boy to reach out for a
warmth, but he found none, and a strange feeling of emptiness filled his
chest. Finally, returning from the half-awareness of sleep, the boy rubbed
his eyes and lifted himself from the dull grey sheets. He stumbled into the
utilitarian designed bathroom, with its plain white walls, a single square
mirror, and basic amenities. He slipped off the shorts that he was required
to wear to bed each night, and examined his naked form in the small
mirror. He was of average height, short brown hair, and retained an
athletic body from years of state-enforced labour. He jumped into the
cramped shower and shivered as the cold water cascaded down his young body.

When he was clean he dressed in his white state-issued uniform and exited
the small apartment that was his home. The hall outside his apartment was
long and designed with the same utilitarian style. White bands of light
illuminated the shiny metal walls and floor. Others were beginning to join
him in the hallway, dressed in the same white uniform. The look on their
faces was blank, but they hurried to get to their work stations, the
punishment for lateness was severe. He made his way down the long hallway
until he reached the lift that would take him to the ground floor. Some of
the other citizens had followed him into the lift, but they did not talk to
each other, unnecessary communication was forbidden by the government. The
lift descended quickly and opened with a hiss. As the passengers
disembarked, the boy continued on his way through the large glass and
marble entrance hall. Buzzing cameras with polished lenses scrutinized the
crowd from high places around the hall. Guards in black riot vests shouted
orders at each other, menacing supression rifles in hand. After a short
walk down more of the identical hallways the boy arrived at his workstation
at last. The guard at the entrance handed each of the workers two white
pills. The pills were taken each day, but the boy had never cared to ask
what they were for, questions were almost allways met with the sharp crack
of a guard's police baton. He gulped nervously as his turn to recieve the
pills, the guard extended a gloved fist and dropped the pills into the
boy's extended hand. Then the strangest thing occured. The boy froze as he
looked up into the guard's face. The man was an absolute giant, almost
seven feet tall with a muscular body packed into his black uniform.  He had
a strong jaw, piercing blue eyes, and very light blonde hair that was
shaven short. Before the great atomic war, people would have described his
features as scandinavian. The guard met the boy's eyes, and the boy was
overcome with a feeling so unbelievably alien to him that a shiver traveled
up his body. The guard nodded his head, and the boy dropped the pill
capsules into his mouth and swallowed. Almost instantly the strange feeling
dissapeared, and the boy returned to his familiar mechanical stupor. As he
walked past the guard he looked back, the guard was still watching him with
a curious interest.

The boy spent the rest of the morning sitting in a room filled with
hundreds of other people at identical tables assembling small mechanical
components under the watchful eye of the buzzing security cameras. The
boy's hands were sore from the hours of repetative work, which were only
interrupted for brief meals of bland food laced with more emotion
suppressing drugs. After ten hours of work the boy was allowed to leave for
a short break. He wandered out into the city streets, a metropolis of metal
and concrete towers surrounded him. People wandered about their daily
activities, unthinking and unfeeling, around him.  He couldnt get the image
of the guard's face out of his head, he replayed the events of the morning
over and over again. His thoughts were interrupted by a man in a black suit
making announcements through the giant broadcast screens throughout the
city.

"Attention citizens. We, your government, have decided that in return for
your hard work and devotion to the state you will be rewarded with extra
time for rest.  All citizens will now be expected to remain within their
provided living quarters one hour earlier than the previously enforced
curfew. That is all." The broadcast screen faded to black. "How can they
call this a reward?" The boy thought to himself. He glanced up at the black
helicopters on patrol in the sky above, monitoring the streets for
suspicious activity. The boy remembered with a sickening feeling what
happened when he had witnessed one of these helicopters cracking down on
protesting citizens.  The helicopter had opened a hatch on its underbelly
and fired a barrage of tranquilizing supression darts down on the
unsuspecting crowd. The boy recalled with horrific clarity how the people
had fallen over as if dead, roundup crews were dispatched and those people
were never seen again. The boy picked himself up off the concete steps that
surrounded the imposing factory that was his work assignment facility. He
turned his head to watch a man in a black city police "C-Pol" uniform
approaching him. The boy tried to keep his nervousness in check, convinced
himself that he hadn't done anything wrong. As the tall figure got closer
the boy realized that it was the guard who had handed him his pills that
morning at work. The officer had a serious look on his face, and stopped in
front of the sitting teenager. The boy lowered his head and did not make
eye contact with the officer. "What is your name?" asked the officer in a
deep and powerful voice.
	"My uhh.. my name?" responded the boy. Citizens were never supposed
to talk to each other, but when an officer asks you a question you are
expected to answer.
	"That is what I asked." said the guard in a gruff voice, as he
crossed his arms across his broad chest. The boy lifted his head and looked
into the officer's face.
	"My name is Alec."
	"Alec..", said the guard. He allowed the word to roll of his
tongue, and extended his large hand, grasping the boy on the shoulder. He
pulled the boy to a standing position. "Do you remember when you saw me
this afternoon?" he said with a lighter tone of voice. "I had the strangest
feeling come over me while looking at you. Do you have any idea what it
was?"
	"I felt it too. It made me want to...uh nevermind"
	"It made you want to what?", inquired the guard.
	"I uh... well.. I cant explain it, but I wanted to touch you." Alec
turned his head away, expecting the officer to lash out at him, but the
beating didn't come. Instead, the officer relaxed his serious expression
and withdrew a small communicator. Alec expected the guard to arrest him
for his show of emotion, but instead the guard slid the comm unit back into
his riot vest. "Ill see you again soon, Alec." The guard turned away and
made his way down the city street until he dissapeared. Alec noticed how
late it was getting and decided to head back to his apartment.

When Alec awoke in the morning, he undressed and got into the shower. He
turned the faucet, and cold water cascaded down his body, something that he
had gotten used to in his boring daily routine. He arrived at his work
place and got in line to recieve his daily dose of pacification pills. He
waited in line until he was standing in front of the guard who had asked
him his name the other day. Alec extended his hand to take the pills, but
instead of handing them over, the guard tucked them into a pocket of his
vest and motioned for Alec to continue on with a smile. Alec soon
discovered after about three hours of working without the
emotion-supressing capsules he began to feel drastically different. For the
first time in his young life he was beginning to feel emotional responses
to the circumstances that he had been living in for almost 17 years now. He
couldn't believe that the government had been keeping people in such a
colourless and unfeeling state, nor could he discern what motivated them to
think it were necessary to do so. He continued his work for the next seven
hours, thinking about the officer who had now changed his whole view of
life. The more he thought about the officer, the more he wanted to see him
again. Once he had finally finished his work shift for the day, he left the
factory and sat in the same place on the concrete steps outside just as he
had the day before and waited. Time passed so much slower now that the boy
was aware of his emotions. He waited and waited, hoping that the guard
would seek him out again.

After about an hour the guard exited the factory and approached Alec with a
hurried pace. Alec looked up at the guard with a mock-serious expression,
even though he was smiling on the inside. The guard took a seat beside Alec
on the concrete step and turned his face to look the boy in the eyes. It
was only now that he had regained his emotions that Alec could finally
understand what he had been feeling before. The officer was very handsome,
and Alec now felt strong feelings of attraction for the much larger man. "I
thought you wouldn't come.", said Alec with relief.
	"I told you I would, how do you feel?"
	"I feel... much better", Alec replied with a smile.  The guard
returned the smile, but there was an expression of great urgency on his
handsome face, he put a strong hand on the boy's shoulder. "Our government
has done a terrible thing you know.", he said with a sigh. "Our scientists
had wanted to remove human emotion in order to achieve everlasting world
peace."
	"I can see how they may have thought that would work, but now that
I see the truth, how can they take this happiness away?" Alec's smile faded
and was replaced with a look of disgust.
	"When nuclear war ravaged the planet the remaining governments of
the world created this place, to give humanity a chance at starting
again. The removal of emotion was part of a plan to create a society free
of the issues that caused the collapse of the old one."  Alec finally
understood, but felt the beginnings of tears forming in his eyes at the
thought of all the people now living lives divoid of meaning or importance.
	"I want you to come with me.", said the guard as he raised himself
to his feet.
	"Where are we going?"
	"Someplace where we can be alone."

The pair made their way through the busy streets of the city until they
arrived at a residential building similar to the one that Alec lived
in. The guard led Alec to one of the top floors, and once he had made sure
they were not being watched, ushered Alex into one of the spacious
apartments. Alec let out a gasp upon entering the apartment, it was so
unlike his own. The windows were large and covered with clear glass that
allowed for a spectacular view of the city. The living room had comfortable
leather furniture and two doors that lead into the bathroom and bedroom
respectively. Alec's mysterious new companion unbuckled the vest he was
wearing and tucked it into a storage space by the door, leaving him in a
white uniform just like Alec's. The burly guard motioned for Alec to take a
seat, and so Alec sat down and lay back on one of the comfortable leather
couches. The guard smiled and joined Alec on the couch. "My name is Erik,
by the way. You can trust me."
	"How do I know I can trust you?"
	"Because im working with other people who want to make things
better for all of us." Erik leaned over and slid one of his massive arms
around the back of the couch.
	"why did you do all this for me?"
	"Because from the moment I layed eyes on you Alec, I knew you were
special."