Genesis Again by Brian Dae

Author:Brian Dae [Dae, Brian]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2019-12-03T22:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER SEVEN

The letter arrived with his pension check; Vandian coat-of-arms emblazoned on each side. Strung in golden twine and sealed within a thick-green envelope—he knew its contents before untying the knot. They changed the packaging. Back when he received his first notice the army presented orders unceremoniously, a simple white envelope with a stamped insignia at the top left corner. Printed and mailed by the thousands. Soldiers went on to storm fortresses and seize territory upon receiving these standard forms thinking nothing of fulfilling their natural duties as citizens. Today he received a letter befitting his rank although one imagined even vain officers might be irked to see these official summons. Tossing aside its outer packaging revealed a twice-folded sheet which read in no uncertain terms that Karkovian War Veterans were to join the war effort as enlisted men, encouraged by military and civilian leadership to share their valuable experiences. How their insights might be solicited appeared vague. If all they were expected to do was to share stories, anyone could find them at the Veteran’s Organization on any given night. And what exactly could military luminaries learn from men who simply took orders anyway, never once did he remember being asked then. Of all the insight he gleaned from experience, the best would be to avoid war altogether if you could.

But conscription demands no purpose, only political will. As their pension plans and personal freedoms remained tied to the state, not a single draftee called to arms could refuse summon unless they were willing to sacrifice everything. With exceptions. In their generosity the government would allow them a short period to settle their affairs and this time began counting down before they finished reading the letter’s contents. Just enough time to purchase additional life insurance and make peace with loved ones. At this moment he wondered what those at the Veteran’s Organization felt—days like these where one might expect everyone to visit or none at all. What frightened him was the question of whether they all received this letter or just him alone. Guessing the method for how these things were decided drove men mad. Ultimately ordinary people’s fates depended almost entirely on luck while well-connected individuals simply waited for things to come together. Arguing over what sequence of events led them to be chosen wasted precious time better spent elsewhere. He chose to stand at his doorway ruminating over the past three years.

Nothing remained of the day he arrived. A feeling abducted his life and carried it away, dragging him away from everything he held dear and left to pick up whatever pieces settle where he awoke. All the little details became fuzzy. Struggling to even remember how he managed to find his current apartment, it shocked him to find his signature written on the lease. An ignoble landlord allowed this despondent person to wander onto his property and live there under the pretense of being Cassidy, leaving the actual person to deal with the imposter’s actions. And in the process becoming someone else no less.

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