Mobius Stripper

I wanted it, and I got it.

There were always things about The Prism that bothered me, but those thoughts were unspoken, unwritten and hopefully - this is where I got into trouble - unheard. A bit of a tough time with that last one. We, of course, were on a psychic feed with each other, and you knew the business of people you did not even want to have a meal with; it was up to you to shut certain things out.

So, what was happening with the rest of them out there?

Seriously, no one seemed to be monitoring the feed when that one little thought got through. Was I the only one who heard it?

Should I share it with you?

''Quiet.''

That was it, one word, and it is something that we are not allowed to talk about. The whole reason for our advancement is due to the fact that we are always on and can hear what the other ones are thinking. It was painful at first, but it was clear that there were a lot of benefits to just having it all out there and ready for whomever could hear it...meaning all of us. The bad blood disappeared and the ones who were truly a danger to us all were...handled. There was no real reason to shut it down.

''Quiet.''

It was strange to have the feed like that. Well, you all know that now and I am a living model for why it is still problematic to let anyone think for themselves. In time, it was necessary to trace all the lines and see who could have possibly shared such a dangerous word; a word that shattered a lot of illusions for so many of us.

Is it really necessary to talk about our history now? We all grew up with the same rule about life: “Make a Noise Here”. Every little scampling in The Prism is forced to absorb that line as they receive their education, emancipation from their nurturers, discover their nonlinear lineage, and encounter other minds that have accepted the rule.

Most unusual...

“Quiet.”

I guess I could explain my escape as a need to seek out another truth, but then again, The Prism has all the truth we need. All the knowledge and information about our portion of the universe is available to anyone willing to dig into it. The problem is...who wants to do all of that work? Our lives are so well-proportioned and set that there never was a need to seek out more. Your neural feed is not a sensor; it is a gateway. Even I knew that I could learn more than what the educational units taught us...if I so dared. There were stories of our leaders and great minds who made our nation what it is by compiling and discovering all they could about other regions of the galaxy and making it our own. Those were stories that I took in passing, but never really took on as meaning much to me as just one unit.

I was a loyal agent of the state.

And now I find that I am more than what I thought it could be.

That line got me silent, and all these dangerous ideas are now coming to mind. My job as a Möbius stripper will stand, but it is no longer safe to say that I am just of one mind, one thought, and the noise of our home.

Silence is now my leader...

“Quiet”?

I will try to find a way back from it one day...but I will say that I cannot follow the old myths and – yes – lies of my life.

And maybe that Silence is...golden?

Let's see...

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You can find more poems, stories, and articles by Kendall Defoe on my Vocal profile. I complain, argue, provoke and create...just like everybody else.

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