Project Pandora

GARDEN OF EVE

Yuri and I finally decided to go out of our room that resembles the shape of a ball cut into half which happened to be Room 89. There are about ten metal beds that are horizontally aligned inside the room. Each bed has a designated pull-in drawer to accommodate our clothes. These rooms that we have here are found inside an enormous metal building that somehow similar to the structure of a barracks, however, it does not have a second floor. There are approximately 200 rooms here that are adjacent to each other. As we walk along the long hallway, all that we could perceive are the metal doors of each room; they do not have any doorknobs, they are nothing but scrap of metals with a dull gleam on them. On the left side are the rooms for girls while the left side is dedicated to males. I noticed some people who are also scurrying out of here like us, it seems like we are not the only ones who are in danger of being late in our tasks.

The narrow hallway is only more or less than a meter wide which is only enough to accommodate two people. There are a total of four hallways in this place which lead to two different destinations: The Gathering Hall in the south and the Washing Area in the northern part. I can say that this hallway where we are currently walking is a bit blessed with brightness since I can already see the evident stains of rusts that slowly devour the metal floor. However, I really despise these white bulbs because they only worsen my pain every time I have headache episodes. Its visually irritating iridescence amplifies the brightness here which somehow triggers the pounding ache in my head.

Yuri and I walk to the rightmost part of the hallway, away from the sleeping chambers. On the left side is where our sole comfort room here in Balwarte.

The spacious and empty metal floor greeted our sights. This is the Gathering Hall; this space is where we gather every time the government has an announcement to make, and this is also the place where the Screening happens every year.

It is much colder here on the outside compare to our crowded rooms. Moreover, it is also apparent how this place is more spacious which gives us a chance to inhale the somehow cold air coming from the dispensers from the four corners of these walls.

There are only two things that are found here in the Gathering Hall: the Gate that will lead you to the Center of the Balwarte; and the Portal Station that is connected to the other three divisions of The Box. Aside from those, nothing is interesting about her anymore. This place is just plainly comprised of metal walls, metal floors, and metal ceilings.

The enormous gate, like what I have mentioned, leads to the Center of the four stations where we work. So Yuri and I immediately stride our way towards it.

The gate has a single mechanical door for the exit and two doors for the entrance. It has an approximate height and width of 10 meters and 15 meters, respectively. These three doors can only be open through the access cards that only the soldiers have.

Meanwhile, the elevator is somehow almost double the size compared to the Gate beside it. It also has a mechanical door that is capable of moving upward and downward and also with a capacity to host at least 100 people.

This is where Yuri and I decided to run since we notice that there are only a few people in the line and the last thing we want is to be the last one to enter the gate because if that happens, it will serve as a warning for us. In this place, one only needs three warnings before a death sentence.

As we run, we notice an estimate of 100 soldiers who are positioned in front of the Gate. They are scattered to keep an eye on each one of us. The black helmet that they wear which cover their foreheads and ears made them look intimidating and superior. It also brings a sinister sense of complimentary to their black pants, bulletproof jacket, and brown boots that are made with a cow’s skin. This uniform ensures their protection if someone suddenly develops the guts to hurt or assault them in any way. However, that possibility may prove slim considering the guns that they have with them; a threatening accessory that silently expresses their authority over us. The huge rifle in their arms is also enough to make a person kneel in fear. What’s more, the thick and sharp belts of ammunitions that hang ominously on their shoulders seem to whisper some quiet warnings to anyone who would dare to defy them; one shot is enough to cease a person’s existence. Throughout the years, I have witnessed multiple bloody deaths at the hands of these men and if I ever did, I certainly wish that this would not be the reason why.

We immediately walk towards the gate and the soldiers examined our body to check for the sake of security. We were about to go inside after that, but a soldier—a bit older than me—suddenly stopped our tracks.  His eyes were fixed on the record book he was holding before he turned his eyes on me.

“Name?” he asked with a serious face.

“OB-825,” I replied in equal seriousness.

He once again glances at the record book he was holding and wrote something on it—which I have no idea what that was.

“Name?” He asked again, this time the question is meant for Yuri.

“AR-766,” Yuri replied.

After that, the guard handed each of us a token which will serve as a way for us to get our food. I briefly glanced at the silver token I was holding, it is almost the same size as my eyes. I traced the engraving of the triangular design of the token, inside the triangle is a tiny circle that resembles an eye. We have neither did any violations nor receive any warnings that are why we are rewarded with this. After a few seconds, we were finally allowed to enter.

The moment we went inside the Center’s gate, flocks of people immediately caught my eye. Before us is the G-12, a feeding ground where we get our food supplies. This is where our life as laborers, starts. It quite resembles a canteen with a metal table where you can put your food, however, there are no chairs here. In the front, lies the distribution area where we give our tokens in exchange for food and water. Most of us here are eager to get our food here because we are always extremely exhausted from the rigorous workloads that we have.

This place is somehow spacious since I can clearly see my fellow workers enjoying their food—which is one of the few instances that I can sense the remaining thread of humanity left for us; humane characteristics that drive us to pursue living.

There are also some situations where we can still happily chat with each other while eating on this metal table without a chair. But most of the time, we just do not have enough energy left in us to even speak.

 The majority of people that I can see here are under the age of twenty. Many have some disabilities but are still capable to work. Some even have tumors growing in different parts of their body. Nevertheless, these people are still here for one reason alone: it is because they are still capable of dirtying their hands for the tasks which benefit the government. This fact is our sole privilege; to be able to live as long as we have the capacity to serve them and to follow their demands.

Meanwhile, the G-12 does not have any visible walls but it is surrounded by different stations that are connected to our designated areas where we are assigned to work. Furthermore, there are four primary stations here in Balwarte and each one has its own gates which we cannot freely enter unless we are assigned to that place.

Now, every one of us is currently lining up towards the distribution area in the Feeding Ground so we can get our food. It is evident how there are no workers here that are above thirty years old because they are all dead. As a citizen of Balwarte, we do not have the luxury to live a long life since The Box is just small and the space in this division is even smaller for someone like me. Hence, this is the main reason behind the nature of the Screening. The population inside The Box must maintain its balance. Thus, the scientists in Bughaw are constantly creating infants that are possible to be variants. However, the possibility of a variant being born is very low and they still have no idea how to amplify its probability rate. As a result, non-variant infants that are considered worthless are being sent here to Balwarte.

The number of infants that are being sent here is also equal to the amount of older citizens that are being killed here. This brutal cycle is for the sake of maintaining the balance of our population.

The Screening is done every year and that is the reason why Yuri has been anxious earlier.

Those thoughts inside my head dissipate as I and Yuri also lined up to get our share of food and water. The line is a bit long but it progresses faster because there is only one choice of food, anyway.

The truth is, I do not have the appetite to eat despite feeling the almost tangible hunger in my stomach. It is quite tiring to do this every day just for the sake of surviving. I have been eating this food for eight years, it is called Manna. A type of synthetic food that boosts our energy to efficiently do our tasks the whole day. This food is made by the scientists in Hiraya, The Box’s second division. What we do is to eat this two times a day; once in the morning as we wake up, and one before we sleep at night. The Manna tastes a bit salty and sour, probably because of the artificial nutrients and chemicals that are blended in it. However, for us here in Balwarte who eat this type of unnatural food, it does not matter anymore. What matters for us is that we can still survive through eating Manna to accomplish our workloads.

But what is really challenging here is the amount of water that we are allowed to drink. Because it will all depend on our efficiency as a laborer. We can drink a glass of water in the morning; then the second glass will come once we finish our quota, and we can finally drink the third glass before we sleep at night. But if we fail to accomplish our tasks at the right time and also fail to come early for our work, the first glass that we drank in the morning would also be the final glass that we can have for the whole day. It will also serve as a warning to us which will be then added to the maximum of three warnings that we are tolerated before they sign our death warrant.

Every single soldier is guarding ten of us, they are responsible for monitoring our actions that are listed down on our working records.

“I’m starving,” Yuri groaned while staring at the Manna that our fellow workers are already eating.

When we finally reach our turn in the distribution area, I immediately handed out my token to the female soldier that was in charge. Then, the other soldier gave me a glass of water and a Manna which I quietly took.

I drank the glass of water at once before giving the Manna to Yuri.

His expression instantaneously brightened in pure joy and eagerness when he realized that I am giving him my food. But it did not hide the evident anxiety that he felt for me.

“Are you serious?” he asked, still bewildered.

“Do I look like I’m joking? I’m not hungry,” I answered before turning my back.

“Thank you!” He exclaimed in complete happiness.

That is where both of us parted ways. I went straight to my assigned station, meanwhile, he devoured the two pieces of Manna as fast as he could so he can also go to G-35. That is the area in the Feeding Ground where there are cattle animals and there are only two types of animals that we have here in The Box: the pigs and cows.

Their primary job is to s*******r the cattle animals that are already eligible enough. I personally dislike that place due to its stinky smell. The foul stench of animal manure and blood are just combining in the air and it feels unbearable. But on the other hand, that is also where one will realize that there are other living creatures aside from us, humans. It is a bit hard that we will also be the ones to end their lives and they cannot do anything about it just as how we, people here in Balwarte, are also unable to do anything against the government.

I always feel a sense of guilt every time I have to kill the animals there. It made me think if those soldiers can also feel remorse every time they have to kill us too the moment we lost the ability to finish our tasks.

Meanwhile, I headed for my assigned station for today, the G-18 or also known as the Garden of Eve that is located in the right direction of the Distribution Area. It is a few meters away from G-12 so I can immediately go here without being late.

There is a huge metal wall here in G-18 and it has a single door that acts as the sole entrance and exit. Everyone in the labor force of this station, including me, is already lining up. The only thing that we need to do here is to harvest several fruits like oranges, bananas, and mushrooms. Other types of crops and plants are also located there and are transported to Hiraya and Bughaw to be consumed by the citizens there. In our part, we can never attempt to eat or even have a taste from any of these, or else we will definitely face death as a consequence. There are a lot of people in the past who dare to defy this rule and that ultimately caused them their lives.

Once you break the rules here, they will kill you and that’s it.

Hence, breaking the rules is the last thing that we should do. In retrospect, I think that fear has some benefits too-if you’ll think about it. My fear acts as a fuel that reinforces my desire to live; it is the reason why I strive for survival. Because I am not ready yet, I am afraid. However, I also cannot deny the fact that sometimes I am tempted to defy the rules by plucking and eating these fruits because I am already tired of this life that I have. Despite my fear, I sometimes think that I would be better off dead and if I would die, at least I have stuffed my growling stomach with this delicious food. Because we will all die one day anyway. I have actually done it once and I still plan on doing again but not today—because I still have some more important thing to do now.