THE Dulwich Despatch Summer 2023
Why had Father wanted to drug him with the drink, he wondered. Adam had never failed a test, yet Father was still angry with him. But Adam was strong. Strong enough to combat Father ’ s onslaught. Physically and mentally, Sol could never do that. He was too weak, too fragile to stand the look on his parents ’ faces when he didn ’ t live up to their expectations. His mother ’ s lowered gaze; his father ’ s scowl. It was the hum of a government - authorized transmitter that woke from him his reverie, a faint beeping, inviting him to creep along the mahogany corridor and into his father ’ s study, where he froze in utter astonishment. The transmitter was still beeping slowly, but on it had appeared a notification which read: ‘ MESSAGE FROM THE PROTECTOR ’. A log - in screen flashed up, with a series of dots encompassing it. His heart sank. He was so drowsy he was nearly collapsing onto the floor.
Mind rushing, head swirling, everything turning, turning, his father shouting, his mother screaming, the figure chasing, and Adam -
Adam. Adam.
He shook his head and wiped away the sweat now streaming down his face. The message was still in the corner of his eyes, beeping, unperturbed. He collapsed into a leather chair and looked at the dots below the message. What could it be? Sol cast his mind back to anything he remembered at Communication class at school. What was the Government passcode? In his head he tried to imagine what the Protector - in the diamond - shaped complex that housed the top - ranking officials in Perpetua – would have invented to be the key to all the government ’ s information.
Hang on.
A diamond.
Breathing heavily now, he slowly drew the distinctive diamond shape with his finger, having been made to trace it out many times before at school. At once, a white flashing alert appeared. ‘ LUCIDA ACTIVE AND ADVANCING IN SECTOR 4’ appeared in large, red letters. Lucida. He had heard of that name before. They were the ones who were rebelling. That was where he needed to go. He stared out of the window and opened it.
CHAPTER 4
Sol forced his leg out of the window , swallowed, and leapt out. His trainer - clad feet softly cushioned his landing. He had barely taken five steps when a blaring alarm hit his ears. The Black - out. It was the silent hour when it was simply unforgiveable to step foot outside. There were rivers of rumours surrounding this dark time, and although nobody wanted to admit it, everybody had heard the screams. Now he could see just one Perpetuan officer marching towards his house. He quickly darted behind a bush between the house and the garage. He could just about see the officer, expressionless and wielding a pistol. Two slow bangs on the door cut into the previously silent night.
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