Karma

It was hard to imagine a time where books were readily available to everyone. They had banned them about the same time the personal AI had been assigned to every citizen. It was considered a crime to read and was punishable by banishment to the outlands. The patrol did regular sweeps to make sure everyone was adhering to the law. Karma watched as they tore through her room to find even a scrap of paper. They wouldnt find anything, she knew better since she'd seen her parents banished. She just fidgeted with her necklace and watched on. Once they had sufficiently scoured her pod, they nodded and shoved by her to pick their next victim.

She sighed and looked around the room as she began the arduous chore of picking up the remaining pieces once again. "What was the harm with reading, and learning?" She posed to herself as she put the padding back on her cot. She remembered when she had asked her Gamma that question. "Hush now child." Was the only reply she had ever recieved. She thought about Gamma's stories about what how there where tales of huge buildings that had been full of books and everyone was allowed to read. Her sigh reverberated through the whole room. 'If only i had been alive then,' She mused to herself, 'I could have been one of the educated and wouldn't be stuck here.' She looked around the small pod. There had to be more to life than this.

This was it. It was time to make a move. She pulled the leather satchel from the small shelf in the corner and began placing items in one by one. Most of her things would be left behind, not that it mattered. The most important thing to her was the small heart shaped locket she never took off. The best time to leave was early in the morning. There were fewer patrols because no one would dare break the curfew. With all of her stuff packed away tightly in her bag, she laid down to try to sleep a few hours before her grand adventure.

When she woke up it was still dark outside. She had no idea what time it was but hoped she still had enough time to get away before anyone would notice her absense. She pulled her jacket on and zipped it up concealing her bag underneath before taking one final look around the pod she had called home for the last four years. It wasn't really home, it hadnt been in a long time. She shook her head, knowing time was of the essence. Pulling the door open she crept out and didnt even bother to lock the door behind her. Either way it went, she wouldnt be coming back here again.

Karma had spent many nights out after curfew. It always seemed so much more serene to her without all the people hussling around and the Monitors hovering over everyone. She had learned to keep to the shadows as much as possible and how to avoid the patrols. Being silent and barely noticeable had become a gift rather than the curse she originally believed it to be. She smiled to herself as she crouched behind a dumpster and waited for the patrol that was scheduled any minute now. She heard their footsteps approaching and held her breath until they passed. Once their steps were no longer heard she pulled her coat tighter around herself and crossed the street.

Second allyway, third door on the right she repeated to herself silently. She approached the door at almost a snails pace. She listened for any sign that she would get caught before knocking her secret knock as quietly as she could. 'Tap, Tap... tap, tap, tap... tap.' Waiting seemed to take forever. She could feel the adrenaline building up and swore she heard footsteps behind her. Just before turning around the door creaked open slowly and she saw those familiar blue eyes surrounded by wrinkles staring out at her. "Karma, I wasnt expecting you. Get in here, quickly before you get caught." The door was closed almost as quietly as it was opened. Only once the lock was engaged did Gamma turn and face Karma.

"What were you thinking child? Dont you realize how dangerous it is out there, after all that happened with your parents even..." She trailed off and put her ear to the door to make sure again that Karma wasn't followed. Karma sighed. "I can't keep doing this. This is no way to live, even if i am invisible. I need to find a place where i fit in." Gamma ushered Karma to a chair at the small table opposite the door. "Child, we done talked about this. The safest thing to do is go back to your pod and forget all this nonsense. I never shoulda told you them stories like i did." Karma took the old womans hand in hers as she sat across from her at the worn table. "No. I love those stories. The stories and hope of more is what kept me going all this time." Gamma shook her head. "Still, had i not told you, you wouldnt be out in the dead of night facing banishment for not following the laws." She sighed. "They'll have your head if you get caught." Karma smiled. "Then help me not get caught cuz i'm doing it no matter what. Its time, past time. YOu know i'm right." Gamma shook her head. "Child you are your momma through and through."

Gamma began rummaging through her cabinets. She pulled out some crackers, a canteen and a she retrieved a small velvet bag from under her lamp. She put them all on the table in front of Karma. "Put them in your bag, your gonna need them. The journey is long." She took the cookie jar from the counter top and pulled a small pocket knife out from inside. "You're gonna need this too." Karma tried to refuse. "You'll take it or i'll turn you in myself." Gamma used that tone that meant she was not taking no for an answer. Karma pulled the zipper down on her jacket and placed the items securely in her bag with her own meager belongings and pulled the zipper back up. Gamma looked at her and smiled as her eyes trailed down to the heart shaped locket Karma wore. "You keep that safe, its the key to your freedom." She said pointing to the necklace before turning back to her bed. "Come help me with this child." She said as she pulled the bed away from the wall. There was a footlocker hidden in the back corner where the bed was previously sitting. Gamma looked to Karma. "You've come so far. Your mama and papa would be proud of the girl you become, heaven knows i am." She shook her head. Karma had tears in her eyes. "No time for that now child. Give Gamma the neckace quick now." Karma closed her fist around the sacred object hanging around her neck. "No, it was mama's. I can't give it to you. I won't!" Gamma got that no nonsense look in her eyes again. "Hush now girl, you'll be heard. I'll return it. Now give it so you can get before the patrol comes through. We ain't got much time." Karma hesitated but pulled the necklace over her head. Slowly she handed it to Gamma and watched as the old woman fumbled with the necklace on the footlocker. After a moment there was a small pop. A lock had sprang loose from the locker and Gamma handed the necklace back to Karma. "Keep it safe. Dont let no one see it." Karma nodded as she slipped the necklace back over her head and tucked it under her shirt and jacket. She pulled the zipper all the way up and tapped her chest to feel the necklace fall across her skin.

"Come on girl, its time to go." Gamma motioned for her to open the footlocker. She pulled on the locker but it didnt move. "It's stuck." She told Gamma. "Hush child." She reached over and turned off the light before handing Karma a small flashlight. "Patrol is here. We dont have time. You have to get it open." Gamma thrust a small butter knife into Karma's hand. "Karma pried on both sides of the lock as Gamma pulled up on the lid. "Help me girl. Its now or never." With a final pull together the lid popped open and Karma saw that it led down a ladder to a small tunnel below. "Go now child, before its too late." Karma understood. "No, wait what about you?" She cried. "Girl I said now. I promised your mama, now git!" She pushed Karma into the box and Karma heard the lid snap back into place and the lock re engage. She heard scraping on the floor abover her head and assumed it was Gamma pushing the bed back into place. Karma heard the door kicked open. "What are you doing old woman? You causing trouble again?" Karma could hear Gamma and she was calm as could be. "I aint done nothing. Why can't you leave an old woman in peace?" A cup broke and banging continued from above. "You aint no sweet old lady. You is trouble, we knows it." A mans voice yelled. There was more shuffling and banging. "Whats this then?" Gamma chuckled. "Its a footlocker young man. I had it since i was a younging in the pods. Be careful with that." Her voice was getting higher pitched. "Whats in it?" The man replied. "Aint nothing in it. Yall been here before. You know." She replied once again. THe banging continued for a few more minutes before the mans voice could be heard again. "I know you got something here. You is trouble. Always been trouble." Karma held her breath. "I dont want no trouble. No sir, not me. I'm just helping Karma along. Thats all i'm doing. Just helping Karma." She repeated. "Whats that supposed to mean?" Gamma chuckled again. "Only what i said. Just helping Karma on her way." Karma smiled. "Lady you are crazy, you know that?" He asked with a final slam of the door. Karma could hear Gamma still chuckling.

"I love you Gamma. Thank you for everything." She whispered. As silently as possible she flipped the flashlight on and descended the stairs. She looked down the tunnel and smiled thinking of she would find a way to change things for the people still stuck here, people like Gamma who had been here all their lives. She would help them all and make the world a better place. She allowed herself a small laugh. To think her salvation was always there in a footlocker, hidden under Gamma's bed and she had worn the key around her neck this entire time. She turned back toward the tunnel in front of her and shined the flashlight forward. She was greeted by nothing but darkness. This darkness was welcoming and she couldnt wait for the light waiting at the end of the tunnel. Her life was her own making, now and forever more. Her name was Karma after all.