I looked up at the large greenhouse. “Who’s going to grow the stuff?” I asked. My Uncle had been showing me the Governor’s manor that we were going to live in and telling me how each house, even our house, was equipped with a garden to help feed the Colony.
“We are!” Uncle Kevin laughed
“But we don’t know anything about gardening.”
“We’ll learn, the same as all the other Colonists. It’s important not to think that we’re better than anyone else here.”
“Yeah, we jut rule them,” I laughed.
“Govern them,” Uncle Kevin said, serious.
“Sorry Uncle Kevin, I was just kidding. You’re probably right, we’ll learn. I mean, how hard can it be?”
“Now there’s the positive attitude I’ve always admired!”
He gave me a playful punch in the arm, and then said, “Now why don’t you go take off and explore the colony – meet the other kids!”
“Sure Uncle Kevin. Be back later.”
I explored the colony for a good hour on my own. It was well designed I had to admit. It was done up to look like how earth society had been before WWIII. The houses were all clean and white with gardens and fences, and the stores looked so fresh. There were no broken windows or garbage or graffiti or anything. I was in a good frame of mind when I stepped into the bowling alley hoping to meet some other young ones my age. A girl a few years older than me spotted me right away.
“You’re the Governor’s kid,” she said, coming forward, “I recognize you from a newspaper photo.”
“Yeah I am. I’m Wolf.” I held out my hand.
She ignored it and glared at me. “The colony won’t work, you know,” She said, making it sound as if it was all my fault, “It’s a stupid idea. People aren’t equal. It’s not natural.” She advanced towards me. I stepped back, not knowing how to respond. “It’s a stupid idea!” She shouted at me, “Stupid! Utopia is a nothing dream – the garden of Eden is dead!”
Another teen came over then and I looked at him, hoping he would come to my defence. Instead, he sided with her. “She’s right you know,“ he said, “We were taken from good homes, and for what? For nothing! It’s all going to fall apart.”
I decided I needed to speak up. I took a breath and started to speak but the boy just looked away and stuck his fingers in his ears, “Don’t want to hear it kid! Go back with your other royalty brats!”
I didn’t know what to say so I just turned and ran out of the building. I walked back home, shaken. I hadn’t expected anyone to *not* want to live in the colony. I opened the door to my home with relief and started for my room.
“You’re home early pal,” Uncle Kevin called, “Everything okay?”
I hesitated a second, debating whether to tell him what happened. No, I decided, I wouldn’t. This was my problem, not my Uncle’s. It was only the kids who didn’t want to be here, not the adults. “I’m fine,” I said, “I’m just tired.” I continued to my room and lay down on my bed. I suddenly very much looked forward to Anna coming. Form the looks of it, I would need an ally. I just hoped she would be one.
Poor Wolf. He sure didn’t meet the right kids his first time out. I hope he’s right and his cousin will be his ally and not get with the bad kids and cause problems.