The punitive drug lasted only five minutes, but Havaj felt like he was waking up from a century-long slumber. He must have fallen unconscious as soon as it had worn off. As he stretched his limbs, he felt a residual ache that would make getting up very unpleasant. Opening one eye slightly, he scanned his surroundings. They looked unfamiliar; he was probably still at the Station. When he managed to get both eyes open, he found himself to be in a small infirmary, dimly lit and containing ten beds. The bed next to his was occupied by a middle-aged man, asleep in a crumpled position with a painful expression on his face. On the bed across from his, Symon was sitting with his head in his hands. Taking a deep breath, Havaj forced himself into an upright position.
"Hey... Symon," he said. Symon did not respond. "Symon, I'm sorry I yelled at you." For a few seconds, Symon did not move. Then, he lowered his hands and met Havaj's eyes with his own gaze. He looked exhausted, weakened.
"No, dude. I'm the one who should be sorry," he said softly.
"What?"
"I didn't take you seriously. I didn't understand why you hate Eumenfield so much." He rubbed his forehead, exhaling through his teeth. "Now I understand."
Havaj smiled weakly. "So, you're on my side now." He said.
Symon shook his head slowly. "No. I just don't... I mean, they..." He stood upright, raising his voice to a normal volume. "There's no point in trying to be a rebel, Havaj. We're trapped. Government controls the healthcare system; the healthcare system controls us. I mean, how can we even fight back? Paint over some more billboards? Like hell if that's gonna make a difference." He sat back down. "If I had known how much that punishment would hurt, I'd never have pulled all those stupid stunts just to act cool. Maybe Mikane is right. We just stay outta trouble and try to live a normal life, and things will get better."
Havaj closed his eyes tightly. He wanted to shout at the top of his lungs; he wanted to rage at the world. Instead, he just continued to speak in a quiet voice. "Yeah, we could just give in and follow their rules, and things might seem okay. But I don't want to live that way. We should be able to choose what goes into our body. I just wish there was something we could do to make a change."
Symon shrugged. "Hey, we'll be old enough to vote by the next election."
"I hope you're kidding. I've never heard of a candidate who wants to reform the healthcare system. They're all pretty much the same."
"Well, I'm out of ideas then. It's the straight and narrow for me from now on. But hey, if you come up with some brilliant plan to bring down the government, count me in I guess."
Symon was one of the most unruly and mischievous kids Havaj had ever met. This sudden change in Symon's paradigm was downright shocking. Havaj now understood why his older brother was so intent on staying out of trouble; he had likely had the same experience as them.
The middle-aged man in the adjacent bed began to stir and make noises. "Come on," Havaj said, shuffling over to the door. "Let's get out of this terrible place." Symon did not hesitate to follow.
The two meandered their way through the station, following the signs back to the lobby. Havaj glanced at a clock on the wall; it was 7:43 am. Upon finding the lobby, Havaj was not surprised to see Mikane waiting there, reading a newspaper. Symon always used to sneak up behind Mikane when he was reading something and surprise him. This time, he didn't. As they approached him, he greeted them with his usual grin. "So, how was your beauty sleep?" He asked.
"Ugly," Havaj replied.
"Hey, you two. No need to look so glum. It's over now, and you can move on with your lives. Hopefully you've learned something from the experience?" Havaj simply nodded. He wanted to say 'Yes, I learned that I hate Eumenfield more than ever now' but he didn' t think that would sit very well with Mikane.
"Any good stories in there?" Symon asked, poking Mikane's paper.
"Here's one," Mikane said. "'Obsidian University researchers find cure for yet another cancer'. Amazing what goes on in that place."
Havaj shook his head as he started towards the exit. "See you later guys," he said. "I'm going for a walk."
"Hey... Symon," he said. Symon did not respond. "Symon, I'm sorry I yelled at you." For a few seconds, Symon did not move. Then, he lowered his hands and met Havaj's eyes with his own gaze. He looked exhausted, weakened.
"No, dude. I'm the one who should be sorry," he said softly.
"What?"
"I didn't take you seriously. I didn't understand why you hate Eumenfield so much." He rubbed his forehead, exhaling through his teeth. "Now I understand."
Havaj smiled weakly. "So, you're on my side now." He said.
Symon shook his head slowly. "No. I just don't... I mean, they..." He stood upright, raising his voice to a normal volume. "There's no point in trying to be a rebel, Havaj. We're trapped. Government controls the healthcare system; the healthcare system controls us. I mean, how can we even fight back? Paint over some more billboards? Like hell if that's gonna make a difference." He sat back down. "If I had known how much that punishment would hurt, I'd never have pulled all those stupid stunts just to act cool. Maybe Mikane is right. We just stay outta trouble and try to live a normal life, and things will get better."
Havaj closed his eyes tightly. He wanted to shout at the top of his lungs; he wanted to rage at the world. Instead, he just continued to speak in a quiet voice. "Yeah, we could just give in and follow their rules, and things might seem okay. But I don't want to live that way. We should be able to choose what goes into our body. I just wish there was something we could do to make a change."
Symon shrugged. "Hey, we'll be old enough to vote by the next election."
"I hope you're kidding. I've never heard of a candidate who wants to reform the healthcare system. They're all pretty much the same."
"Well, I'm out of ideas then. It's the straight and narrow for me from now on. But hey, if you come up with some brilliant plan to bring down the government, count me in I guess."
Symon was one of the most unruly and mischievous kids Havaj had ever met. This sudden change in Symon's paradigm was downright shocking. Havaj now understood why his older brother was so intent on staying out of trouble; he had likely had the same experience as them.
The middle-aged man in the adjacent bed began to stir and make noises. "Come on," Havaj said, shuffling over to the door. "Let's get out of this terrible place." Symon did not hesitate to follow.
The two meandered their way through the station, following the signs back to the lobby. Havaj glanced at a clock on the wall; it was 7:43 am. Upon finding the lobby, Havaj was not surprised to see Mikane waiting there, reading a newspaper. Symon always used to sneak up behind Mikane when he was reading something and surprise him. This time, he didn't. As they approached him, he greeted them with his usual grin. "So, how was your beauty sleep?" He asked.
"Ugly," Havaj replied.
"Hey, you two. No need to look so glum. It's over now, and you can move on with your lives. Hopefully you've learned something from the experience?" Havaj simply nodded. He wanted to say 'Yes, I learned that I hate Eumenfield more than ever now' but he didn' t think that would sit very well with Mikane.
"Any good stories in there?" Symon asked, poking Mikane's paper.
"Here's one," Mikane said. "'Obsidian University researchers find cure for yet another cancer'. Amazing what goes on in that place."
Havaj shook his head as he started towards the exit. "See you later guys," he said. "I'm going for a walk."
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