IceWave
Veteran Member
Give Me Liberty...
by Stephen Moore
All Rights Reserved.
-----
Chapter 2
Saturday morning. David woke, not to his alarm, but instead of Michelle quietly singing one of her favorite songs. It had been months since he heard her sing. As his mind was processing this bit of information, another one of his senses came live; he smelled bacon frying. David’s eyes popped open and he sat upright, looking out of his bedroom to the woods behind their apartment building. Singing? Bacon? Drapes open? It had to be a dream. They didn’t have ht money for bacon.
David got up and walked out to the kitchen and found Michelle cooking breakfast. When she heard him approach, she turned around with a big smile and walked over to him to give him a hug.
“Good morning David”
“Um, good morning. What’s going on?”
“It’s a surprise! When I went into work yesterday, there was an envelope from the DFL sitting on my desk. At first I was really nervous and afraid to open it, but when I did, I couldn’t believe my eyes. Inside were a bunch of ration coupons for food, utilities, toiletries, and even clothes. There was also a letter inside saying how this was a gift from the DFL for being an exceptional employee and outstanding contributor this past year. I almost fainted when I saw all those ration coupons.”
Michelle quickly turned back to the stove to tend to the aromatic food she was preparing. David glanced over at the stove and saw the bacon, along with eggs, and even pancakes. He was in a state of shock. This had to be a dream, it had to be. His stomach gurgled, and his mouth salivated with the anticipation of eating something besides cold oat meal and processed artificial meat sandwiches. As he walked over to help Michelle with the food, a thought flashed through his mind.
“THERE’S ALWAYS FREE CHEESE IN A MOUSETRAP”
David didn’t pay attention to this thought though as he was too interested in tasting the fresh food. He took two plates from the cupboard and set them on the table along with two glasses and some flatware. When he went to fridge for some of the milk substitute, he received another surprise. Inside were fresh juices, real milk, another half dozen eggs and other foods he hadn’t seen or tasted for almost a year.
“You should have seen the cashier at the grocery store last night. I went after you went to bed last night. Her eyes darted from me to the food, and back. Then an evil smile crossed her face when she thought of the trouble she would bring down on me for trying to use forged DFL ration coupons.
"She rang everything up, and then passed the ration coupons over the scanner, fully expecting them to be rejected, but instead, the computer beeped its acceptance. She figured this had to be a mistake so she called the local DFL office. Her jaw just about hit the floor when the agent told her the coupons were valid and to let me go.”
David was only half listening to her story as he pulled the apple juice from the fridge and went to the table to fill their glasses. He then helped Michelle serve the food and the both ate slowly, savoring each tasty mouthful. Deep down, David knew he shouldn’t be this happy about a simple breakfast, but living the life he did for the past two years, this breakfast felt like a piece of heaven.
As they were eating, there was a knock at the door. They both looked, and after a moment, David rose and answered the door.
“David Alexander?” asked the DFL agent.
“Yes.”
“May I see your passport please?”
“Certainly,” answered David as he reached over to the end table and picked it up for the agent.
“Very good, citizen. This checks out. Here.” And with that the agent shoved the passport and an envelope into David’s hands and then turned to leave.
“Wha…what is….um, thank you….thank you sir”
He closed the door and returned to the table. He sat down slowly while staring at the envelope. The last time he received an envelope from the DFL it was to thank him for his generous contribution. He handed the envelope to Michelle.
“I can’t. Lately your luck seems to be better with these than mine.”
She took the envelope and opened it. Inside were 3 gasoline ration coupons (each good for a full tank of fuel), a travel voucher with both their names, and a Citizens Park pass, again with both their names. She smiled as she handed the items back.
“How did we get so lucky?”
“I don’t know, but right now I want to finish these eggs before they get cold.”
After breakfast, they both showered and dressed for the outdoors as they intended to use the travel voucher and park pass that day.
A few minutes later they were outside sitting in his car. They looked at each other and had to laugh at what they saw. They were both as giddy as school children because they were finally able to go someplace besides the lawn behind their apartment building. David turned the key and the car sprang to life. They headed for the local gas station, gasoline coupons in hand.
Before fueling, David had to present the voucher to the station attendant. The authenticity of the coupon was doubted, just as his wife’s coupons were at the grocer. But another phone call to the DFL office verified that the coupon was valid and David was allowed to take fuel.
A few minutes later the happy couple was on their way down the highway, destination Citizens Park #MI-129. Citizen’s Park #MI-129 was the modern name for the park previously known as Kensington Metropark, though most people just shortened the name to Park 129. The name was also misleading since ordinary people were rarely allowed to the use parks without permission of the regional governor.
An hour and three checkpoints later, they arrived at the entrance to the park. At the entrance they had to show their passports again along with the travel voucher, and park pass. After verification, they were allowed in and told where to park.
They got out of the car and stretched as they looked around at the beautiful scenery. Park 129 looked like paradise. Green, leafy trees all around, green well groomed grass, clean sandy beaches, all surrounding a pristine lake. They both smiled involuntarily as they walked away from the car hand in hand. Neither had any idea how they happened to be so fortunate as to be given all these vouchers but they intended to take full advantage of this rare gift. As they started down the path that circled the lake, a thought popped into David’s head.
“THERE’S ALWAYS FREE CHEESE IN A MOUSETRAP”
This time David paused. Michelle turned and asked if anything was wrong.
“No, nothing’s wrong,” said David as he took Michelle’s hand. ”Let’s go.”
Little did either person realize just how wrong he had been with his last statement. Something was very wrong and both of them were going to find out very soon.
by Stephen Moore
All Rights Reserved.
-----
Chapter 2
Saturday morning. David woke, not to his alarm, but instead of Michelle quietly singing one of her favorite songs. It had been months since he heard her sing. As his mind was processing this bit of information, another one of his senses came live; he smelled bacon frying. David’s eyes popped open and he sat upright, looking out of his bedroom to the woods behind their apartment building. Singing? Bacon? Drapes open? It had to be a dream. They didn’t have ht money for bacon.
David got up and walked out to the kitchen and found Michelle cooking breakfast. When she heard him approach, she turned around with a big smile and walked over to him to give him a hug.
“Good morning David”
“Um, good morning. What’s going on?”
“It’s a surprise! When I went into work yesterday, there was an envelope from the DFL sitting on my desk. At first I was really nervous and afraid to open it, but when I did, I couldn’t believe my eyes. Inside were a bunch of ration coupons for food, utilities, toiletries, and even clothes. There was also a letter inside saying how this was a gift from the DFL for being an exceptional employee and outstanding contributor this past year. I almost fainted when I saw all those ration coupons.”
Michelle quickly turned back to the stove to tend to the aromatic food she was preparing. David glanced over at the stove and saw the bacon, along with eggs, and even pancakes. He was in a state of shock. This had to be a dream, it had to be. His stomach gurgled, and his mouth salivated with the anticipation of eating something besides cold oat meal and processed artificial meat sandwiches. As he walked over to help Michelle with the food, a thought flashed through his mind.
“THERE’S ALWAYS FREE CHEESE IN A MOUSETRAP”
David didn’t pay attention to this thought though as he was too interested in tasting the fresh food. He took two plates from the cupboard and set them on the table along with two glasses and some flatware. When he went to fridge for some of the milk substitute, he received another surprise. Inside were fresh juices, real milk, another half dozen eggs and other foods he hadn’t seen or tasted for almost a year.
“You should have seen the cashier at the grocery store last night. I went after you went to bed last night. Her eyes darted from me to the food, and back. Then an evil smile crossed her face when she thought of the trouble she would bring down on me for trying to use forged DFL ration coupons.
"She rang everything up, and then passed the ration coupons over the scanner, fully expecting them to be rejected, but instead, the computer beeped its acceptance. She figured this had to be a mistake so she called the local DFL office. Her jaw just about hit the floor when the agent told her the coupons were valid and to let me go.”
David was only half listening to her story as he pulled the apple juice from the fridge and went to the table to fill their glasses. He then helped Michelle serve the food and the both ate slowly, savoring each tasty mouthful. Deep down, David knew he shouldn’t be this happy about a simple breakfast, but living the life he did for the past two years, this breakfast felt like a piece of heaven.
As they were eating, there was a knock at the door. They both looked, and after a moment, David rose and answered the door.
“David Alexander?” asked the DFL agent.
“Yes.”
“May I see your passport please?”
“Certainly,” answered David as he reached over to the end table and picked it up for the agent.
“Very good, citizen. This checks out. Here.” And with that the agent shoved the passport and an envelope into David’s hands and then turned to leave.
“Wha…what is….um, thank you….thank you sir”
He closed the door and returned to the table. He sat down slowly while staring at the envelope. The last time he received an envelope from the DFL it was to thank him for his generous contribution. He handed the envelope to Michelle.
“I can’t. Lately your luck seems to be better with these than mine.”
She took the envelope and opened it. Inside were 3 gasoline ration coupons (each good for a full tank of fuel), a travel voucher with both their names, and a Citizens Park pass, again with both their names. She smiled as she handed the items back.
“How did we get so lucky?”
“I don’t know, but right now I want to finish these eggs before they get cold.”
After breakfast, they both showered and dressed for the outdoors as they intended to use the travel voucher and park pass that day.
A few minutes later they were outside sitting in his car. They looked at each other and had to laugh at what they saw. They were both as giddy as school children because they were finally able to go someplace besides the lawn behind their apartment building. David turned the key and the car sprang to life. They headed for the local gas station, gasoline coupons in hand.
Before fueling, David had to present the voucher to the station attendant. The authenticity of the coupon was doubted, just as his wife’s coupons were at the grocer. But another phone call to the DFL office verified that the coupon was valid and David was allowed to take fuel.
A few minutes later the happy couple was on their way down the highway, destination Citizens Park #MI-129. Citizen’s Park #MI-129 was the modern name for the park previously known as Kensington Metropark, though most people just shortened the name to Park 129. The name was also misleading since ordinary people were rarely allowed to the use parks without permission of the regional governor.
An hour and three checkpoints later, they arrived at the entrance to the park. At the entrance they had to show their passports again along with the travel voucher, and park pass. After verification, they were allowed in and told where to park.
They got out of the car and stretched as they looked around at the beautiful scenery. Park 129 looked like paradise. Green, leafy trees all around, green well groomed grass, clean sandy beaches, all surrounding a pristine lake. They both smiled involuntarily as they walked away from the car hand in hand. Neither had any idea how they happened to be so fortunate as to be given all these vouchers but they intended to take full advantage of this rare gift. As they started down the path that circled the lake, a thought popped into David’s head.
“THERE’S ALWAYS FREE CHEESE IN A MOUSETRAP”
This time David paused. Michelle turned and asked if anything was wrong.
“No, nothing’s wrong,” said David as he took Michelle’s hand. ”Let’s go.”
Little did either person realize just how wrong he had been with his last statement. Something was very wrong and both of them were going to find out very soon.