Glimpse

** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only **

2056

         The meeting was somber by nature. Seven men sat about the table. They all had war-torn looks. Theirs was a war-torn country. What had once proudly answered to the name of the United States of America had been torn apart by rebellions. Now, it was time for a clean slate.

         “We agree?” the scientist asked.

         “Yes,” said the psychologist, “the past must be erased, but remembered. A myth. A story that may or may not be true, but holds a good moral value.”

         The other men nodded in agreement. The leader turned to the scientist. “Is the program ready?” The scientist nodded.

         The leader turned to the book-printer. “Have the mythology videos been produced and the books burned?” The book-printer nodded.

         The leader faced the psychologist. “You are sure that the program will simply erase the past memory and replace it with the myth memory?” The psychologist nodded.

         The leader finally eyed the builder. “The program will reconstruct everything, correct?” The builder nodded.

         The leader sighed. “Mr. President, are you at peace with the new government and the termination of your occupation?” asked the psychologist.

         The leader nodded.

         “Run the program.”

***

2082

         It was a Tuesday. Mike’s schedule was rather aggravating on Tuesdays. It started with Mythology. Mythology was the worst subject in school. There was just something so wrong about it. Mike had no idea what, but there was a whisper of a doubt in his mind. Something was incorrect.

         Mike walked through the drab hallways of Hickner’s Boarding School for Boys. An orphan, this school was sadly the best thing that had ever happened to him. Make no mistake, the school was only slightly better than the streets. Austere hall monitors lined the hall and charged misdemeanors with severe punishments. Mike had once been beaten for walking above 3.3 miles per hour.

         Somehow, John evaded the system. He got away with whatever he wanted, and he had his heart set on making Mike miserable. Mike made it to Mythology before John and the rest of the guys did. That meant he got first pick in seats. He chose his favorite spot. It was right under a window that opened to a bright, sunny sky. Mike loved to feel the rays of fresh sun falling on his back.

         Mike had just settled in when John entered with his gang. John immediately went over to Mike’s desk.

         “Get out of my seat, Black Boy.”

         Mike closed his eyes at the harsh, racist name. “No, John. I got here first.”

         “What was that, Black Boy?” John’s face was inches from Mike’s. Mike did not look John in the eye.

         “It’s mine.”

         John glared at Mike. Mike cringed for whatever John was about to do to him. What he did, though, was unexpected.

         John grabbed Mike’s desk and picked it up, with Mike still in it. He moved it over to the dark corner of the room, and slid another desk under the skylight. Mike did not protest for fear of bodily harm.

         The rest of the students entered and the bell rang. At the sound of the bell, the teacher entered from her dorm. She had pale skin and hair that was a disgusting light-brown-turning-gray. She always reminded Mike of a ghost.

         “Good morning, class. Today, our Mythology video will be on the American Civil War. Please sit back and turn on your info-recorders.”

         Mike reached up to his ear and switched on the small device. It worked like a hearing aid, but was based on the myth of taking notes. In accordance with the “taking notes” myth, important facts were recorded for Mike to play back and memorize later.

         With a flicker, the video began. The blank screen stared at Mike with expressionless anti-presence. It gave the impression that it wasn’t actually there. The voice began.

         “The American Civil War was fought mainly over two things: the right of people being able to leave their own country and create a new one, and the decision of whether or not captives from Africa were to be used as slaves. Many battles were fought, and the legendary Abraham Lincoln led the country through it all. On the side of the slaves, he eventually issued the Emancipation Proclamation. It freed the slaves. Lincoln won the war but lost his life. Though this is quite a wonderful story, it never actually happened. The United States would never split itself, and if it did, quite obviously the anti-slave freedom group would have won because they had so many work forces to fight for them in the slaves. But we can learn that all people are equal.”

         The film died away. Mike stared at the screen. Something about this new myth conveyed a sense of hopelessness to him. The myths of the Revolutionary War, the Constitution, and the Mayflower had not affected him as such. The teacher began to play more videos, more myths on black history. Mike left the classroom that day feeling hopeless.

         Mike’s next class was Gym. He entered the locker room to a punch in the neck. “That’s what you get, Black Boy! That’ll teach you to take my seat in Mythology!”

         Mike’s voice felt scratchy. It sounded scratchy. “Remember the lessons of Mythology today?” he croaked.

         John’s answered by punching him in the gut. “Myths. Aren’t. Real.”

         John finished with a punch in the eye. Then he went off to change. Mike collapsed to the ground in pain. He lay there for a few minutes, then shook the pain off and got up. Maybe it would be better tomorrow.