#2badpagesaday (11) Her old bones creaked. Mornings were definitely slower these days. But precious. She loved the mornings, particularly these late Summer days. Reminding her of her youth. Student days. Lying on lawns surrounded by books. The giddy excitement of discovery. Seeking shade. …

#2badpagesaday (10) The paper crackled as he unfolded it. He took his time. Overwhelmed by curiosity, tempered with caution. Safe in Apartment 13/113. Safe? Unobserved, apparently. That was the promise. But those words echo in his ears. “We’re watching you, Tide”. A prickle of tension. A rustling as fear flows…

#2badpagesaday (9) The Reports were worrying. On their own, each one was relatively insignificant. Aggregated — and that was his job — it was clear that patterns were forming. Patterns. Disruptive patterns. The Committee did not tolerate disruption. Reports of missed targets in the Zone 5 production facilities. Damaged crops…

#2badpagesaday (8) The alley narrowed. Ahead, a sliver of light cut through the claustrophobic darkness, a reminder of the powerful street lighting on the Boulevard. The evening had turned cooler. His heart beat faster as the figure ahead stopped. Tide stopped, a few yards behind, his eyes straining to see…

#2badpagesaday (7) The 7 members of the Committee arrived separately. They take their places at the High Table, their every move captured on camera, the microphones discreetly placed to pick up every pronouncement. Looking up from the Auditorium — had there been an audience for this showpiece gathering — you…

#2badpagesaday (6) It was playing on his mind. The Autotube. Coach A. Seat 27. Why? Why would you make yourself stand out like that? Why draw attention to yourself? Why put yourself in the hands of those Enforcers, always a little free with the Stunners, a little too casual with the…

#2badpagesaday (5) Bored, bored, bored, BORED Man alive. This is dull. Four hours on, one hour off. Four hours of watching. Watching precisely nothing. Keeping an eye out for … nothing. And no-one. Bored. Bored. Bored. Bored guard. Border guard. BORED’EST guard. This uniform is so damn heavy too. Black…

#2badpagesaday (4) The Warning Siren was early. Curfew advanced by an hour. It was getting to be normal out here in the hinterland. Hundreds of miles from the Central Zone but every Citizen felt the influence of the decisions as if they had been taken here in Zone 7. One…

#2badpagesaday (3) He woke with a start. He should not have been asleep. Waking up was not a scheduled part of a workday. And every day was a workday until the targets were met. The targets were never met. That’s just the way it was. Targets … tantilisingly out of reach. The tangible disappointment of the Committee passed on through the…