An Opposing Virus.

[C H A P T E R 1]

My consciousness immediately began clawing at my lurking unconscious being, insisting a drastic emergency occurred; as if just sleeping had became a dangerous pursuit that my life depended on. Which, by now, seems a little too accurate for my liking. My heart aggressively threw itself excessively against my rib-cage, and a distant buzzing within my ears began to slow to a soft tango. Only at this moment of time, despite the fact my brain is essentially an inconvenient pancake -and hence inactive for anything other than uncoordinated thinking- that the activities of the dreadful night I had just experienced became a sudden realisation. Recalling how my dream filled state was realistically -much to my dismay- an exploit of turbulent issue gathering which, I deemed as unsolvable as a maze. So the following day, now classed as this day, will most likely proceed as if I am hungover, not for alcoholic reasons as one may presume, but from the nightmares that imperatively demand solutions. My peripheral vision gradually began expanding, invading into unknown territory bravely as I finally was aware of the absolute darkness my bedroom clutched anxiously in an attempt to maintain security. Sluggishly, I began to roll over. Clumsily grasping the small switch that was hiding behind the scaffolding of my small lamp, flicking it gently; ungenerously being greeted with appearance of unquenchable light. The reaction was immediate, my eyes quickly locking together with a secure lock,by thick eye discharge acting as a form of protective lining for my now glassy orbs.

"Telsa! Time to get up" My mother's frequent jubilant tone echoed around the hallway. A small groan escaped the grasps of my lips, my eyes slowly unlocking as the computer chip within my brain began to circuit. Pirouetting boisterously as information began to flood its core. They did it with every citizen, the computer chips I mean. I'm absolutely convinced that it's a form of dictation, but my mother always ushers me to keep my rebellious thoughts to myself. However, no matter how hard she attempts to disguise it, I know she thinks it too, by the glimpse of uncertainty that penetrates her translucent orbs. But opposing the Central, was just ludicrous. They were the foundations (and unfortunately rulers) of the technological dystopia we resided in, and challenging them was simply digging your own grave, well more like computer nowadays. I'm sure, a good few years back, ordinary people, perhaps in such a year of two-thousand and ten; which seems like the olden days by this point (considering it's now year twenty-two thousand and fifty-two) would sit within their houses and ponder what will become of the future. Excited for new technologies, new developments but also scared of what will become humanity. The future, however, only seems to be a world full of containment and restrictions. The now what's addressed as the earth, is separated into sixteen individual segments, referred to as 'components' which collectively, alongside the Central make up 'Centralis', the world you see before you. Trees and plants, or anything that simply is classed as greenery were almost nonexistent within cities now, only technological inventions were to be seen; which surrounded the very human walls you breathe in. Any greenery that attempts to force its way through the abundant metal panels upon the floor, slithering like a snake and carefully pursuing it's way upon the surface, were immediately disregarded of; as if they were criminals threatening our existence feebly. We don't require trees, which release oxygen, a substantial life provision, we have machines to do that with now. Forests only lie between different components, which require excessive journeying and survival skills to combat the greenery lurking within. Aside from the deadly contraceptions generously supplied by the Central of course.

However, the chips are an entirely different story. The chips are implanted inside of your cranium remorselessly at birth -completely disregarding simple human and parental rights of course, no one seems to listen to those anymore-  which manifest data, everything from your own thoughts to memories, and presents them to central officers.  Who monitor them excessively, determining whether your faith is a complete obscurity, as they probably don't have anything better  to do with their trivial lives, which have been sold to the Central, and make sure no one is attempting to secede from petty Centralist beliefs. But the chip, never truly worked upon me. I've always had a peculiar relationship with technology. It's as if it's a part of me, as if we are one. Whenever I come in junction with its arduous cores, which is considerably often, it was as if I could feel the technology reside within me. I could feels joules of energy travelling and conquering my very veins. When I was around four, I discovered my ability to hide y thoughts to the Central. All those years spent hiding my thoughts within an invisible jail cell had been completely annihilated by a simple ability and from there my life only seemed to evolve.

"Telsa, I've got your favourite on the table!"

Releasing one last groan into the safety of my precious pillow, I began to escape the grasps of my delicate bedsheets. Releasing a uncontrollable groan as light began to penetrate my very being from all directions.

"I'm coming Mother!" I quickly rasped, resisting the urge to cough aggressively before pushing myself further. Collapsing just outside the boundaries of my bed in a colossal shipwreck.

Releasing a huge sigh of relief, I quickly scrambled to my feet. Wandering to the mirror in an attempt to tame my fierce jet-black locks, which stood up stubbornly in platoons, before gently shaking my head in dismissal at its resistance. Quickly dragging my gaze away from the exposed mirror, I began to make my way out of the room; releasing a yawn, one like a lion who has just awakened from a deep slumber before swiping the door open. The groans emitting from the rusted hinges echoing around the small house. It was an ocean of sounds pirouetting through the air gracefully.

"Telsa, I'll eat your pancakes myself soon" my Mother warned teasingly, causing a small smile to creep up upon my lips.

"You wouldn't!"

"I would" she responded simply, the sounds of clunking and clattering replacing her seemingly joyful but exhausted tone.

I giggled, a sound that was rare when living with the constructions of the Central, and began racing down the stairs as if I was being chased by a horde of uncontrollable cattle. The sounds of groaning and frustrated wood absorbing the atmosphere, quickly darting towards the kitchen. Upon arrival, I began carefully scanning the room for the pancakes I was so dearly promised; spotting my Mother making two cup of tea. Her long, pure, blonde curls cascaded down her back and neck, framing her face elegantly; as if she was a picture they couldn't bare to loose. Everything about her was picturesque. From her glistening crystal blue orbs that light up the room, or her pale skin almost as pure as snow. I often wish I had inherited her flawless features, but I rather inherited her personality with my fathers external features. Long midnight blue locks, which often formed rough spikes that surrounded my head as if it was an armed fortress, with deep onyx eyes. Except, one eye, I keep locked away beneath the bindings of a white eye patch. My right eye, ever since I was born, was manifested with aqua blue roots. The embedded themselves within my eye, a deformity of some kind, I keep locked away ironically from anyone's sight.

"Well, doesn't someone have a bedhead?" Mother laughed, finishing off pouring warm warm liquid, presumably water, into two individual cups possessing two tea-bags.

"Ugghh... Don't remind me" I mutter, slumping down in my chair defeatedly. A small smile quickly spread, much like a viral infection, across my lips in contentment. Gleefully locating the small bottle of chocolate sauce near the centre of the table, before quickly squirting some of it's contents upon the pancake-delight breakfast.

"I can never get enough of them, where'd you find the credits for them?" That's another thing that's changed in the future apparently; we use electronic credits as a currency, rather than the physical term those years ago referred to as 'money.' Generally speaking, we're a considerably average family. Ever since the passing of my Father all them years ago, a rather touchy subject, we've been low on credits altogether. My Father held a role in the Central, one I was never truly told about, my Mother insisting I maintained my positive image regarding him, and he held a large income. After his sudden death, which hit me and Mother like a fully-fledged atomic bomb; not only did we loose a Father, a husband, but all finical support and protection. My Mother worked vigorously, and slowly raised us again on a stable platform. But we both know it's not impenetrable, nothing is, and we try not to over spend; so you can imagine the pancakes in front of me was as if Christmas day had suddenly arrived) especially with chocolate sauce).

"...I thought, a treat was in order" Mother sighed sadly. My gaze immediately lifted to her shrunken form, confusion radiating off me in waves.

"A...Treat? Why?" I question steadily, my tone engulfed by stability; but my emotions seemed to be balancing upon a type-wire.

She only smiled sadly, sending me a glance filled to the brim with love.

"Because not everything lasts forever, Telsa."

"Just...Promise me something" Mother whispers, so gently as if she was worried her words would slip away in a calm breeze.

"Whatever you do next...Make sure it's right."