Rebel´s rose (standard:science fiction, 1001 words)
Author: Naydeen	Added: Jul 22 2003	Views/Reads: 3292/1	Story vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
Imagine a future where humans are living ind "domes", without anything natural around. The "first Citizen" is in control of every part of everyones lives. A small group of rebels wants people to return to a more natural state.

Naydeen, loyal citizen of Los Angeles Dome walked through the park. She
looked around, wondering why all these citizens seemed so happy. She 
wouldn´t visit this place if she had a choice. To her annoyance the 
First Citizen had decided to make it law that every citizen, young or 
old, must visit the parks once a week. She understood that instable 
personalities needed to go to this place of aritificial green to calm 
down. This was what the parks had been built for. It had given the 
workers so much effort to construct these, almost natural looking ,-she 
pulled a face at this thought- plants, and, of course it had cost a lot 
of money. All that for a few lunatics... Yes, she could understand that 
something had to be done after the last attempt on the First Citizen´s 
life, but why would they force good, stable citizens like her make such 
a disgusting experience every week? She looked down on her chrono. Five 
more units and she´d be done. Suddenly she remembered the First 
Citizen´s newest act: everyone had to keep at least one bunch of 
flowers in their house. This, she was convinced, was not necessary. It 
would not help the poor misguided citizens who wished to live with 
nature, of all things,-again, she grimaced- and it would anger every 
normal citizen. As she didn´t have a choice she decided to drop by the 
shop to buy some flowers. She absolutely didn´t like the idea, now that 
the dome -she looked up at that wonderful work of art- was protecting 
them of the dangers of Outside they shouldn´t rebuild it Within. 
Thinking about how unfair it was, she walked into a little shop, a grim 
look on her face. The salesclerk rushed over to her immediately, asking 
"How can I help you, Citizen?". Trying to look a bit more friendly she 
replied "I need some flowers". Despite her effort she  looked extremely 
disgusted, as she was forced to say ´flower´. The salesman smiled at 
her, seemingly unaware of her bad mood. He walked over to the shelves, 
took out  some flowers with white blossoms. To make the bunch complete 
he took a larger flower with a great, red blossom out of a hidden 
drawer. He bound them together, the red in the middle, and gave the 
whole bunch to her, saying "Here you are, Citizen!". Feeling disturbed 
by his unnerving smile she  grumbled "How much?". To her great surprise 
he smiled even broader, answering "Nothing, Citizen! I just hope you 
are happy with my procucts". Now THIS WAS TOO MUCH! She rushed out of 
the shop, taking the flowers with her. When she returned home, she 
noticed that she didn´t have anything to put the flowers into. Maybe 
she should go back...? No, she was not going to visit this shop ever 
again...HAPPY with flowers, she thought again, angry -how could that 
man SAY such a thing?! She should reprt him. But that would mean she´d 
have to tell citizens that she had gotten the flowers without paying... 
no, she´d just forget the whole thing. Now what? Put the flowers into a 
glass, she decided. She took one out, put the flowers in, and placed 
the whole thing on the table. Then she sat down, closing her eyes so 
she wouldn´t have to see the disgusting view of FLOWERS  in her 
livingroom. After a while she noticed smething - strange - she´d never 
felt that before! She tried to find out what it was, but she knwe 
nothing but one: She felt so WONDERFUL, she had never felt so 
comfortable. It was like - she wondered- what was it like? Maybe her 
youth, her early childhood when her mother --NO! That was disgusting! 
That was NATURAL! But yet it felt wonderful, comfortable,... She stood 
up. She was a good citizen, and she´d not give in to this, whatever it 
was! She´d report herself just now-her look fell on the flowers that 
were yet standing on the table. Maybe that was it? Was there something 
wrong with the flowers? Taking them out of the glass again she looked 
at them closely. Yes, they gave her this- what was that?! This flower 
had pricked her finger! She examined the large red flower in the middle 
more closely. Yes, that was it, it had thorns! That was enough, she´d 
go to the Controllers and report that shopkeeper. To sell a flower with 
thorns! And probably the whole bunch was drugged... Yes, it was the 
right thing. Go to the Controllers and report that man. He was a 
criminal, he had to be removed. But she couldn´t. She wanted but she 
just couldn´t. She bent over the flower again. Oh how great this felt! 
She took the flower and left her house. 

Naydeen entered the small shop again, and as before the salesclerk
greeted her with his "How can I help you, citizen?" This time, Naydeen 
smiled back. She took the flower out of her bag, showed it to him and 
asked "What is this, citizen?". She had expected him to show fear now, 
at least to be a bit nervous, but he wasn´t. He just said "A rose, 
why?", yet smiling. She frowned a bit, then asked "A NATURAL rose?", 
and now, for the first time ever, she said the word `nature` without 
grimacing. Instead, she calmly waited for the shopkeeper to reply. He 
fulfilled her expectaitions with his next words "A NATURAL rose, 
right.". "I could report you!", she warned him. He didn´t seem to get 
nervous, not a bit. He just said "you won´t" , with absolutely no doubt 
in his voice. No, she wouldn´t, she knew that. She had made her 
decision. "You´re an Eko, right?", he nodded, his smile broadening. 
"You need help?", he nodded again and pointed over to a small door in 
the back part of his shop. An hour later, Naydeen, the Rebel, left the 
shop. In her hands she held a beautiful, red rose. 


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