Chapter Twelve
Jay and Aimee had been talking for hourse, much longer than they usually did. Jay felt that there was a special bond being created between him and Aimee as they sat there talking. Something that he hadn’t experienced with anyone else before. And it was something he just knew was important for him to follow. Something had changed recently, something vital. And he didn’t want to go back to his old self. And although he was tired, he wanted to continue talking. Aimee felt the same way.
‘So, tell me about the “ex-insiders”. You told me that you knew that some of them live on the streets?’ asked Jay
‘Not for long, but it is true.’
‘Well, how come the City Guard doesn’t pick them up, using the signal from their smart chip?’
‘They do, Jay. That’s usually what happens, but it takes them time, especially now. I don’t know why, but there seems to be more and more ex-insiders. I suppose there arn’t enough City Guard to act quickly enough. In the past, I know that the City Guard would arrive almost immediately after someone had been evicted from their flat, and take that person away.’
‘So, what would happen then?’
‘Well, they’d be given an option. Some of them would be offered a place in the favours project. I don’t want to talk about that, but it’s basically a programme where people are offered accommodation and food in return for taking part in scientific research. They act as human guinea pigs really.’
‘Well, now that there are no guinea pigs left...’
‘Yes, but one thing is to be a volunteer for these projects, and another is to be almost forced into them.’
‘I see your point.’
‘Well, there’s that, or the other option is that...if they refuse the favours project, then their chip is removed and they become an “outsider”’
‘An “outsider”? You mean they’re forced out of the city?’
‘That’s right. They are taken to the gates of the city and thrown outside.’
‘And what happens to them, do you think? I suppose they could go to another city.’
‘They wouldn’t get in without a smartchip Jay. No, they probably die after a short while, although I have heard rumours of some outsider colonies existing. In fact, I’ve heard a rumour that it’s not so bad out there as we’ve been told, but I can’t tell you my source is one hundred per cent reliable.’
‘Who’s your source?’
‘It’s one of my patients. He’s quite old, and he tells the most wonderul stories. He even claims that he lived in one of the colonies for a time. He told me he loved it there.’
‘Why did he come back then, if it was so good?’
‘I must admit, I didn’t pay much attention to him at the time, because I thought he was making it up. The next time I see him, I’ll ask him.’
488 words this chapter
8363 words in total
‘So, tell me about the “ex-insiders”. You told me that you knew that some of them live on the streets?’ asked Jay
‘Not for long, but it is true.’
‘Well, how come the City Guard doesn’t pick them up, using the signal from their smart chip?’
‘They do, Jay. That’s usually what happens, but it takes them time, especially now. I don’t know why, but there seems to be more and more ex-insiders. I suppose there arn’t enough City Guard to act quickly enough. In the past, I know that the City Guard would arrive almost immediately after someone had been evicted from their flat, and take that person away.’
‘So, what would happen then?’
‘Well, they’d be given an option. Some of them would be offered a place in the favours project. I don’t want to talk about that, but it’s basically a programme where people are offered accommodation and food in return for taking part in scientific research. They act as human guinea pigs really.’
‘Well, now that there are no guinea pigs left...’
‘Yes, but one thing is to be a volunteer for these projects, and another is to be almost forced into them.’
‘I see your point.’
‘Well, there’s that, or the other option is that...if they refuse the favours project, then their chip is removed and they become an “outsider”’
‘An “outsider”? You mean they’re forced out of the city?’
‘That’s right. They are taken to the gates of the city and thrown outside.’
‘And what happens to them, do you think? I suppose they could go to another city.’
‘They wouldn’t get in without a smartchip Jay. No, they probably die after a short while, although I have heard rumours of some outsider colonies existing. In fact, I’ve heard a rumour that it’s not so bad out there as we’ve been told, but I can’t tell you my source is one hundred per cent reliable.’
‘Who’s your source?’
‘It’s one of my patients. He’s quite old, and he tells the most wonderul stories. He even claims that he lived in one of the colonies for a time. He told me he loved it there.’
‘Why did he come back then, if it was so good?’
‘I must admit, I didn’t pay much attention to him at the time, because I thought he was making it up. The next time I see him, I’ll ask him.’
488 words this chapter
8363 words in total
posted by blog-efl at 12.11.04
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