Some 10th Grade Literature

[Mudman]

It has some transition problems, and for sure some accuracy issues with science and everything, but I thought it was pretty good for a 10th grader.

Utopia

“You wanted to see me, sir?”

“Good, you came. Have a seat, Dan.” He motioned towards a small office chair. “You’ve been working here for how long now? A good five, ten years?”

I looked to the floor with a mix of shame and embarrassment. “Twenty years, sir.”

“Ooh.” The man’s eyes widened. “Then that will make this even harder to say. Twenty years. You’ve given us twenty years of hard work and experience.”

The man behind the desk frowned and idled his pencil, obviously fishing for words pertaining to something.

“But… We’re going through cutbacks. Big ones, believe me. We just can’t compete. This is the age of big corporations, and giant conglomerates. Hard work just doesn’t cut it anymore.”

An uncomfortable pause filled the air.

“I’m sorry.”

“You’re firing me. Alright then.” My eyes met the floor once again. “I’m sure there are plenty of other places looking for work.”

The man smiled reassuringly. “Plenty. You’ve got the right attitude. Listen, I can hook you up with some associates of mine. The pay might not be the same, but it’s at least something.”

“No thanks.”

“Are you sure?”

“I’m sure.” I rose up, walking to the door.

“Dan. At least get some rest. You look terrible.

“I’m fine.”

I left the room, unintentionally slamming the door shut.

I came home late that night. Not that it was much of a home to begin with. A mid-city tenement that would make a normal man wonder how something like this slipped past the board of health.

The moment anyone would walk in the door, the first word that would come to mind is “small”. The room was tiny, and void of any windows. A TV, a cot and a refrigerator all mashed into one dingy apartment, and this was what I call home.

I fell back onto my cot.

“Ouch, what the—“
I pulled out a sci-fi comic from under me, smirking as I read the title.

“Utopia: 3030.” I looked around and shook my head softly.

I threw the comic out of the way. Those were the only things that kept me sane. Delving into deep intricate plots of magic and superheroes. Palaces and wonder. Things that would never occur in this miserable city.

An excited charge of energy dropped in my stomach, raising a slight gleaming smile.

“Cryogenics… Maybe the world will be a better place in the future. No disease, hunger or war. Finally a balance between the rich and the poor? What have I got to lose?

I arrived in a strange looking office building hours later, with mixed feelings. A woman with a tight hair bun and thick glasses approached me.

“You may want to tie up the loose ends with any outstanding debt or charges you may have, sir. Otherwise the may compound to an unattainable amount.”

“Yes, it’s done. I’ve done that, thanks.” I really had a hard time believing the IRS would be around that long.

The woman raised her eyebrows, obviously not convinced.

“All friends and family have been informed of your decision?”

“Yes, all of them. Please, let’s do this.”

“Not so fast. We’re going to need you to sign this form.” She grabbed a nearby clipboard. Just to clarify you realize the danger and experimentation of cryogenics.”

I scribbled my name onto the paper.

She lowered her glasses and squinted at the paper.

“Okay, Dan. Follow me.”

She lead me past the waiting room into several securely locked chambers and corridors.

I finally reached the destination, a large holding room with giant tubes lining the walls, along with a myriad of various wires and computers.

“Step into this capsule, please.”

Stepping inside, I smiled.

The world went black.

“One of our earlier ones. A volunteer.”

A shuffling of paper and then another voice.

“What is his name?”

More shuffling.

“Dan Aaron Schmidt. Capsule entry 2004 to 3030. Take him to the recuperation room, he should be very weak, over a thousand years.”

My eyes strained to open.

“Welcome, Mr. Schmidt. You should be fully restored to consciousness soon.”

Managing to open my eyes, I looked around in a daze. “Where am I? What… what is this? What’s that buzzing?”

“You were in a one thousand year coma, Mr. Schmidt. You survived, for the most part.” He pointed toward my legs.

I followed his finger downward, and gasped.

“Long periods of immobility usually make people very susceptible to injury. The blood flow to your legs has stopped entirely. They are worthless now. I am sorry. You were one of our earliest volunteers, we did not have knowledge of such things.”

There was a long period of silence.

“Its 3030, right? They can change this with technology?”

The man shuffled his feet disappointingly. “There is no technology. That buzzing you heard is the sound of 20th century electric generators, which is what has kept you alive all these years. Yes, technology has come to a horrible downfall. The era in which you lived was our own golden age.

I widened my eyes, shocked.

“What!? The whole reason for my doing this was my expecting a Utopia! How did this happen?”

“War. Lots of it. And this is far from a Utopia. Look outside. Almost any sort of technology has burned itself out. The age you lived in was a Utopia compared to this. Welcome to the dark ages, Mr. Schmidt. Cherish what you have.”

“I was better off… back then?”

The scientist handed me a can of beets.

“You don’t know the half of it.”