The Clock Tower.

The day news broke out that Mr. Arkwright was participating in the Ceremony it was raining. The streets were filled with shallow water and colorful umbrellas dotted them like flowers as people scurried towards the city’s prime hall. There, people dressed in their finest, shuffled and murmured to themselves as they walked through the lobby. Long hallways and grand staircases; polished oak doors and tall gothic windows filled with colored glass. Men in top hats and dinner coats adorn with slim chains and leathers held the hands of ladies in long dresses, each one different only in color and the amount of chain and leather twined about them. They sat in metal benches that faced a wooden stage. On the stage were several podiums, each one with a glass lid on top and something inside of them. Nobody looked and nobody ever asked. Behind each podium was a polished, wooden seat where the Judges sat. Nobody asked about the Judges, either. And off to the far corner where no one paid attention were the Guards. Men and women who upheld the law and saw the laws were never broken. They stood stiffly in their uniforms, their metal arm braces gleaming and their arms held loosely at their sides, hands barely grazing their weapons. Noise occupied the luxurious room, getting louder then softer before once more rising. People talked and laughed, commenting idly on who was going where and what might happen to the older Guards. One woman, her blonde hair neatly curled and tucked under a small hat and her dress practically glimmering with small gears, sniffed as she looked around her. Everyone paid more attention to the gossip of whom Mr. Arkwright would choose and whether he would choose again at the next Ceremony that they ignored as a line of men walked across the stage and occupied their seats behind the podiums. The woman frowned as the lights overhead dimmed, casting the room in a cosy, yellow glow before going out completely. Suddenly the glass lids lit up, revealing several boxes within. A loud cough echoed through the room and the talking faded away until the hall was silent. Another cough followed by the creak of the door as another row of people entered. “Thank you one and all for uniting with us today,” a robotic voice said. The crowd cheered and clapped enthusiastically until they were once more silenced by that sharp cough. “Today is a special day-- a glorious day. These amiable men and women have been Chosen to become one with Society, to help improve and farther Society, to give to our Society. Today we give them encouragement and a friendly, guiding hand as they bravely step up to unite us. We thank them for stepping forward and support them, honor and embrace them as they uphold the laws and defend us from the Terror. Please, welcome them as one.” The room was filled with clapping as the men and women bowed. Their faces set in stiff smiles and their posture like that of the Guards.“And for the first time our founding father, Mr. Arkwright, has decided to select a promising participant to share his knowledge with.” This caused even louder clapping that lasted well after the sharp cough sounded. With the silence in place, one of the Judges, a short, thin man with slicked-back hair and suspenders, approached the podiums and cleared his throat. He gestured to the first person and a stocky woman stepped forward. The Judge placed his hands over the woman’s and murmured something too low for anyone to hear. The woman closed her eyes and arms raised and palms facing the glass lids, slowly went around the podiums. She paused at a few but in the end stopped at the second to last, her hands on the lid. The Judge clapped and the woman opened her eyes as he approached. The case glowed bright and clear, the box inside a dull silver with a brass clasp practically illuminated. Everyone watched as the Judge collected the box and handed it to the woman before dismissing her and calling the next person up. On and on it went until all of the podiums were dark and the boxes were all gone. The Judge nervously glanced around before scampering back to his seat, once more a shadowy, faceless figure. “Open your boxes,” the robotic voice intoned. Everyone leaned forward, eyes wide and directed at the row of people. The first one pulled out a crumpled piece of paper while another withdrew three silver buttons. One by one, the people pulled out their objects and stepped off the stage to the dull clapping of the crowd. A square of fabric, a piece of string, a few marbles; one person was even lucky enough to recive a few coins. The crowd watched on with baited breath as the boxes dwindled, waiting to see who would be where and which one was going to be with Mr. Arkwright. As the last box was opened, a shoe, the robotic voice congratulated everyone present on their new positions in Society. The blonde woman huffed, leaning back in her seat. Why announce that the Glorious One was participating if they never witnessed the result. A man several seats away from her coughed, his wild hair stuck out from underneath the top hat he wore. She eyed him as he shifted and fidgeted before finally getting up and heading towards the doors. Some people, she scowled and crossed her arms before deliberately looking at her neighbor. The man wasn’t worth her time, not even close. The Glorious One would be ashamed to know people in Society were like these. Why, leaving before the Ceremony was complete should be against the laws! With that in mind, the woman vowed to contribute to the next council meeting and turned her attention once more to the gossip around her. The wild-haired man ignored the people off the stage and the robotic voice that once more went on about Society. He lowered the brim of his hat until it was near his eyes and hunched his shoulders in as he navigated the halls outside the room. Guards stood at attention around the doors, their faces blank in the yellow light. The man pursed his lips before tugging his hat down farther and fixing his coat. Then he walked casually past the Guards, careful not to draw any unnecessary attention until he was out of sight. Another hall and then he was out onto the street and away from the stares. There were few people out and about, most of them were inside the Main Hall watching the Ceremony. The man glanced around before heading down the street, ducking under awnings to escape the rain as he navigated the twisting streets. Soon he came up to a row of identical gray buildings. The windows were dark and the front door locked, nobody inside as far as he could see. Glancing around at the empty street, he kneeled down and in a matter of seconds was inside the building and making his way towards the door marked ‘stairs.’ He huffed and puffed up three floors, paused to regain his breath then continued on until he was up another four floors and standing at an unremarkable metal door. Red faced and panting, the man doubled over and clutched his chest until he managed to get his breathing back under control. Smoothing his clothes and once more lowering his hat, the man quickly and quietly removed the panel beside the door, revealing a numbered keypad. A few strokes and the door slid open, letting the man in. The single room had simple furnishings and was devoid of any personal touches. The only extravagance was the thin silver pad pushed in the corner, practically pushed under the made bed: a charging pad. The man nodded to himself before striding over to the wooden table. Reaching into his jacket, he withdrew a slim envelope and deposited it in the center before hurrying out, puffing as he went down the several flights to the ground. Back in the street, the man smiled and walked down a ways before turning down an alleyway. If anyone had been watching then they would have been confused and perhaps a bit concerned as the wild-haired man didn’t reappear out the other end. In fact, if one were to look down the narrow gap they would have encountered nothing more than trash bins and several back doors to the surrounding shops. Maybe even a cat or two if they were lucky. Nevertheless, nobody was present and if they were then no one would even recall the man that disappeared from the alley. Too caught up as they were in the news that Mr. Arkwright hadn’t Chosen anyone at the Ceremony. To their knowledge, he hadn’t even been present for the others. The blonde woman brought that issue up at the next council meeting, the man long gone from her mind. She did remember adding something about a new law which stated not leaving the Ceremony before it was complete. The Judges present was thrilled and the Guards there were as stoic as usual, even if their eyes seemed to glimmer a bit at the news. After all, it was their job to uphold the law; to protect Society, make Society thrive. And if they enjoyed the new laws then who would know the difference? It was for the bettering of Society. [1,586w]