Saving The Earth Operation

• Ana Morillo, Grade 8
• Short Story
• 2014

I’m perched on the end of my hard, metallic bed, reading through The Book eagerly. I’m excited because Books are not allowed in the S.E.O. When Eighty-nine-32 smuggled The Book and gave it to me I knew how precious it was. It was one of the few survivors from The Destroying.

My name is Sixty-three-45 and I am a female homosapien in the S.E.O. We ruined the earth, building so many factories and cutting down so many trees that the atmosphere outside of the S.E.O is completely unbreathable. All the species that survived The Destroying were taken to the S.E.O building, the only place on earth where life is possible.

The S.E.O building is mostly living quarters for homosapiens and other species but the rest is where the trees and plants grow. The goal of the S.E.O is to repopulate the earth and they are attempting this by growing plants. I finger my breathing mask, trying for the millionth time to get more oxygen into it. No such luck. The S.E.O controls how much oxygen we breathe.

The morning bell startles me. The chains around my hands unlock themselves and I can finally move around. I dislodge the brick in my small room and place The Book inside the wall. Then I get up and start dressing myself in the compulsory, grey uniform that all homosapiens in the S.E.O are required to wear.

I hurry out of my room, locking the door shut behind me. I look up and see the blue light above my door turn red, informing The Hierarchy that I’m out. The main hall is crowded with homosapiens and abuzz with shouts and chatter. A voice calls my name. It’s Two-thousand-84, a male homosapien whom I’ve befriended. I greet him and reach for a high-five, but a surveillance guard gives me a look. Right, can’t touch the opposite gender.

The security cameras and surveillance guards watch every move you make. You can’t escape them. I cringe, thinking of the time I had thought I was alone and whistled. I had been grabbed from behind and shouted at. “Music is prohibited in the S.E.O!” the surveillance guard had yelled. I had been given a warning. Ten warnings and you’re out. It’s happened before. They chuck you out of the S.E.O building and remove your mask. Soon you are left with no air to breathe. Many watch the punished die, but I’ve always found it revolting.

We make our way to The Briefing Room, where The Boss speaks to us about the day’s activities. First we’ll have the daily injection of nutrients and vitamins. Then we will do our jobs. Some times we feed the other species and other times we water the plants. When we repopulate the earth the homosapiens with the highest number of workdays will be given better shelter, food and wages. I'll admit life in the S.E.O is horrible but the future will be better. It has to be.