I. The Ladder
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As we move toward the exit of the Dormitory, the children's clamor starts quieting down little by little, and the commotion gives way to a slender line of pairs of children dressed in their strict blue uniforms. Mother's hologram urges us to sing a song that we've been singing since first grade. Our shoes thump on the Dormitory’s metal floor, following the rhythm of the song. The deafening "thump-thump-thump" makes us all feel safe amidst the crowd; a thousand children sing and march toward the exit in sync. That is my family.
The line stops for a few seconds, waiting for the armored door to open. The huge hydraulic levers on each side raise the heavy gate, and the gate slides up with a piercing hiss. Through the widening gap under the door, we glimpse the greenery of our city. The view is amazing – there are two imposing trees in front of the entrance to the dormitory, and their crowns intertwine, forming a huge arch. We step outside to the accompaniment of the song, and the rhythmic marching sounds that echoed on the metal floor are replaced by an energetic, synchronized step on the concrete-covered alley.
As we walk, I look up at the clear sky, glittering in blinding white under the rays of the two suns. The day is beautiful, and there is not a single cloud in sight. I can make out the outlines of the rest of the dormitories—metal buildings just like ours, their domes sparkling in the sunlight. Each of them is located on the top of a green hill, from which a path descends to the city. Mother calls them "self-sufficient life-sustaining structures" and assures us that one day we will find out what meaning lies hidden behind that strange name.
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