Work Text:
It was a cold day in November. I was walking back to my apartment from my work.
I turned the corner, it was loud and annoying as usual.
I hate the people on this street especially the men who spread the ideology of the government.
I continued to walk down the street until I saw my apartment complex and entered the building.
I walked up the stairs to my apartment and accessed it.
I entered my bedroom and tried to fall asleep but the street was too loud so I got up and went to the bar. I sat down on a barstool and ordered some gin.
Few moments later, a man sat down next to me.
“What’s your name? Mine’s Spencer.” He said.
“My name is Sawyer.”
He continued talking to me. After some time, Spencer mentioned the government of course.
I was considering sending him away but I noticed something different about him; he seemed to have less knowledge than the people who believed the government typically did (even if it was untrue or inaccurate).
Was he a foreigner?
I asked Spencer where he was from. He said a country that was completely different from this one.
I should educate him about the truth of our government. I can tell he is just going with the crowd.
I begin explaining what the government is really like.
Spencer seemed genuinely interested in me talking. That was surprising. Most people, even foreigners, don’t listen.
“I didn’t know that.” Spencer said.
“I know.”
“Sawyer?”
“Yes?”
“I know this might be weird but can we meet again some time?”
I nodded and went home and fell asleep successfully this time.
It was the next evening. I headed to the bar and waited for Spencer to arrive. In the meantime, I ordered a gin.
After a while, he arrived. We talked about the government until it was late evening.
We had decided to meet every two weeks at my apartment.
Much time passed since then.
Today was our fifth meeting.
I had managed to obtain a book that the government had banned.
I read it out until I reached part four. I figured we could continue it the next time we met.
Spencer and I ate dinner together. Then we kissed.
Three weeks had passed since that meeting.
I haven’t seen Spencer since then. Not even at the bar.
He was probably killed by the government. I’m likely next.
May as well live my life like normal until they take me away.
The days went the same as they always did.
Until one day, I woke in some place that wasn’t my apartment.
Was this the government jail? It must be considering the bleak and windowless room I’m in.
They must’ve taken me during the night.
The next days were quite uniform: walking up, eating, sleeping, courtyard:
Until one day when I was in the courtyard, doing nothing in particular where I overheard some jail staff talking about a reunification between me and someone I assume to be Spencer as I don’t know anyone else that could possibly facilitate a reunification.
But why? (This is highly unusual in the government jails.)
Three days later, the guard took me out of my cell.
He led me to a room. Spencer was already there.
They must have taken Spencer out of his cell first.
I sat across from Spencer. The guard stood in the back of the room.
Spencer began crying and started rambling about how much he missed me and loved me.
I was surprised at this. His feelings were probably the most intense anyone ever felt for me.
I replied back with love but in a calmer fashion. I subtly redirected Spencer to safer topics. (As the government did not favor homosexuality as people could not reproduce.)
Time passed. The guards and other staff ran off to something that needed to be taken care of. But that didn’t matter.
This was my chance to plan with Spencer on what to do now.
We discussed this and ultimately decided: we were going to escape jail and flee the country.
It was about four in the morning. The staff was out of sight.
I opened my cell with keys I stole off a guard then I found Spencer’s cell and let him out.
We went to the jail fence and climbed over it.
Then we headed to the train station and brought two tickets for a train ride at six.
I went back to my apartment and got my important documents and clothes. Then I went to Spencer’s apartment and helped him find his important items.
Then we headed to the train station and waited for thirty minutes for the train to arrive.
We sat down on some seats in the train.
Spencer fell asleep on my shoulder. I did not mind this.
Because we’re finally out of that country.