The Ego Death of Egoimane

It was the year 4000 in the land of Egoimane. The sun had not shined there as the murky, gray clouds covered the sky and dimmed the entire city. The city was a dark place where the weather always seemed as if it was awaiting a storm. Although the storm never came, it left everyone tired and in a monotonous routine. No birds were singing to greet the morning. All the livestock had died off and left them with the grim remains of what used to be. The people hardly ever knew the difference between night and day or seasons for the matter. It smelled of filth and radioactive goo throughout the city. In the center were a wasteland and an unearthly scientific laboratory that polluted the air of harsh chemicals and disposed of toxic waste. As Cindy 543 went to grab her jumpsuit to prepare to accept her assignment for the day, she had a nostalgic feeling overcome her. She had remembered a dream from the night before while she was awake. She saw colors that were beautiful and vibrant. It was a community with parents and their children existing in bliss. They were singing and holding hands with each other. It had to be another world that was far away from this one. Music was forbidden in the land of Egoimane by its government. The higher-ups claimed that music was an evil sound that took over your mind. Cindy had always been afraid to hear such a thing. So, when she heard it in her dream, she was confused because it made her smile and feel safe. She wondered if this happened before and if it would happen again. What could such an encounter mean? Cindy began to think harder about what she saw. Before she could finish analyzing what she had experienced the previous night, she heard a knock at her door. The voice yelled, "OPEN UP!" Cindy rushed to open her door and quickly realized that it was her friend David333. She seemed frightened by the knock, which was unlike her. He laughed but then quickly noticed that something was bothering Cindy.

David was seen as weird by the other children. The wanderers in Egoimane believed that he was a mentally ill child. He was said to be unable to understand the way of living that Egoimane had encouraged its society to behave. David came from an extensive line of people who recollected living in another land before the apocalypse. When David spoke about this, people assumed that he is delusional. The others had no memory of land before the apocalypse. Anyone who had lived outside of Egoimane before the apocalypse went to the laboratory. There was no one willing to approve or refute any of the stories about pre-apocalypse life. Hence, he was considered an outcast and a menace to society. He was only able to participate in necessary gatherings such as town hall meetings and feedings. He was only to socialize with the people who lived nearest to the wasteland, where the chemicals could have driven any person crazy enough to believe that anything or anyone different was inherently wrong. They both ended up at an uncanny orphanage and decided to become friends, as they both had no family of their own. The numbers behind each of their names stood for their number placement from the intake into the orphanage. Everyone was encouraged to use their numbers instead of their names. It reminded them that none of them was a free individual. They were reduced to a number and expected to follow the rules and assignments given to them, especially since they were not allowed to attend any school.

Cindy was still standing there as she looks so confused about opening up to David. She was unsure if she should tell him about the dream. He began to look concerned. She invited him into the room and closed the door behind them. She looked at him and then off into space. The two must have sat there in silence for two minutes until David spoke. Cindy began to talk while staring off again. "I know you may think what I am saying is crazy.... but I saw a picture in my head.” She muttered her words in an uncertain tone. She was not sure if what she had experienced was real. Therefore, she did not know if it is something to share with another person. David looked at her unphased. Cindy was not sure why David was so calm after hearing her experience. David studied her body language before responding. He knew that what he was about to tell Cindy would change their relationship forever, depending on how she responded to him. He explained to Cindy that the experience is called a dream, and we have them every night when we sleep. Only a few can remember them when they awake or recall them vividly. David told her that it was not a dream, but it was a message or a deeply stored memory. Cindy looked extremely confused at what David revealed to her. Cindy looked suspicious and awaited a deeper explanation. He began to tell her his story about life before he became an orphan. My grandmother told me all about the stories of the pre-apocalyptic world that her grandmother told her and the powers we have. She told me all the stories about what this place was and how beautiful it looked. She shared stories like this with others. One day, the higher-ups took my grandmother to the laboratory. No one believed her when she said that there was a beautiful world beyond this one and that the higher-ups caused the apocalypse. I knew in my heart that she was telling the truth. Before she left, she even gave me her heart-shaped locket. She then told David about the lady in the dream holding a heart-shaped locket. The woman began to hand over the locket to Cindy before she awoke. David was in shock. He reminisced about his grandmother and continued to tell her story. He said that no matter what the higherups do, you will still know the truth in your heart. No one knew what happens when they take your family away to the laboratory. Some say they are gone forever, and others say they are being stripped of their memories so that they can not disrupt society anymore. David tried his best to console Cindy after revealing this to her. She was almost in tears. He told her that the answers always find you at the right moment. Until then, you must help others who are like you. Do not be afraid to speak your truth. He said this with exuding confidence. Cindy told him that she was terrified of going to the science center. David replied that he would rather die to live in such a depressing world. Cindy knew what this moment meant for them both. She knew that she had to learn more about the pre-apocalyptic world and that doing so would potentially get her sent away forever. There was nothing that could stand in her way. Cindy wanted to know what information was so prime that their families risked their lives. Nothing was ever the same from that day forward. She and David swore to uncover their truth. They told as many people as they could about life before the apocalypse. Cindy shared her dreams of bliss and peace. They understood this meant risking their freedom. It was up to them to build a new world and spread hope to those around them.