“Enslavement!?”

“That’s what you call our lives?” The balding man erupted indignantly. His face changed to a reddish-purple and his stomach bulged in the white gown worn by everyone in the community.

“Perhaps you’re too young to remember what life was like before they came. I assure you we have it made now.” Dismissively, he turned his back and began triumphantly marching away before allowing a chance for response or debate.

“I meant no disrespect to him or anyone. I’m just saying this feels like a cage, it feels like a damn prison to me.” 4544 said, throwing his hands up in frustration.

He ran his hands over his bald head, though the room was brightly lit; no reflection of light glistened off anything. The walls and ceilings had a manner of illumination that defied our logic. Everything about their technology was almost magical to us, millennia ahead of anything we could imagine up to that day they allowed us to be aware of them.

It was the 10th of October when all sound stopped at exactly 11:42 a.m. Panic ensued when 8 billion people simultaneously feared they’d gone deaf. After five minutes, one sound filled everyone’s ears and minds. In no language anyone had ever heard before . In these garbled sounds that echoed in the silence, a message was clear. A species like ours that is a threat to themselves is a guaranteed threat to all life. They are now in charge, and we will listen. We have no choice in the matter. Deep down, we all knew they were speaking the truth. Just like in individual lives, the truth hurts. As a collective species, it was a humbling moment. They declared peace on Earth. Of course, not everyone agreed to such an anti-human concept as peace. When the wars and fighting continued despite their decree. Their ship became visible, always keeping itself in the darkness of night. A constant companion to the moon. Such a spectacle in the sky. This craft the size of a city silently hovering in the night. Still, some human grievances continued, fighting and killing didn’t cease in multiple conflicts. In another show of absolute control, our new rulers slowed the time in the conflict zones. Those that didn’t give up the fight are now fighting forever. Time slowed around them so much that they’ll never finish their misdeeds. Everyone fell in line pretty quickly after that. We were forced to live in these contained communities. Towns and cities replaced with individual buildings housing 10,000 people per unit. Our hair is removed daily, and we are fed at designated times. It’s the same food every day. Names no longer exist; we are numbered. Everything we need is given to us. We aren’t allowed outside the “Habitats,” the name given to our home. What happens if we exit the “Habitats”? Nobody has ever found out. The fear instilled in us by our benevolent wardens above has discouraged anyone from thinking of leaving.

“I 4544 can’t take this any longer, i’m leaving it’s been 20 years stuck living like this. I don’t care if they kill me, slow me or burn me. I’m leaving.” He turned around and started walking towards the wall that he remembered entering the building through all those years ago. The fat bald man stopping in his tracks, absolute horror quickly taking root in his soul, his eyes beginning to project the panic his heart was feeling. He begins to run to stop 4544, his short stubby legs unable to keep the momentum of his odd center of gravity as he tumbles to the floor. Becrying a moan of pain and fear. 4544 continued on, calmly walking until he slowly passed through to the unknown world of his ancestors.