Co-operative creative writing.

4:30 A.M. Snooze… Snooze… Snooze... My eyes are open. And my brother’s asleep. Lying on my bed, my arm supporting my head, I stared at the ceiling fan. In the dark of night and in my pajamas, I thought about my life. Whirrl. Whirrl. Whirrl. My birthday is next week. What happens after they properise me? Will it hurt? Why don’t those doctors tell us anything? No, it’s ok. The adults know what they’re doing. I can trust them. I have to. My heart raced and pounded against my chest. My older brother continued snoring quietly. Feeling groggy and sleepy I pull up my blanket and wrap myself in it, hoping to find sleep. But my mind refuses sleep, instead loved to worry. And my mind loved reading too. I used to sneak into my father’s room to find old books I could read from his shelf. He never read books anymore, just newspapers. And he had some really great books from the past. Once I go through this, it’s over. My childhood will be left behind and I will be a true adult. I will have to go to high school after that. I read that in the past, high school didn’t start till you were fourteen. But now, ever since the bloody Properganda, children get mature at an earlier age. And now people can start work professionally at seventeen years old and I’ve even got some friends who work part time already I restaurants and what not. I stare at my pillow for a little longer. My eyes, blurring out of focus, it starts to close. But then… Noises. From downstairs. People talking, adults talking and laughing. I shuffle out of my blanket and get out of my bed. I slowly open the door, careful not to creak it. My feet scuttle as I close the door behind me and followed the echo of the voices. Dad? Two voices were speaking and one of them was my dad. My dad’s voice was slow and hard but he spoke softly in order not to be heard. The other guy though, his speech was slurred, and loud, voice echoing the house like a burst of laughter. He wasn’t really laughing, just giggling and interrupting my dad with sudden remarks. You’re finally back Dad! I descended on the stairs, slouched and tired - slow and careful not to make noise. The lamps were off but there was a dim source of light coming from the living room. Breathing quietly, I crept till I reached the bottom floor, the voices still in conversation. The door to the living room was slightly ajar, I peeked inside and saw my Dad, reading the newspaper in his couch while his friend, I think, was seated on the opposite arm chair. I listened to them talk. “Oh remembar duh the girl I showed you Richard. God, she’s fine isn’t she?” the friend said. “I suppose. But don’t forget that my wife is the finest woman in the world,” laughed my dad. “I’m only joking. But she’s still one of the best things that have happened to me Banner.” I stifled a giggled. Mom was actually plump and chubby, maybe not the most beautiful woman but it was nice that dad loved her all the same. You came home late dad. You said you were going for work and would be back at midnight. Now it’s almost 5 am. I started to turn away and head back into my room but I stopped before I got to three feet when my dad said, “Banner, my son’s becoming a man next week.” Banner’s expression became scrutinized, trying to stay focus and concentrate suddenly. “Yes I know. I don’t have kids of my own. I don’t want to put them through that operation. It’s terrible, once you’re certified adult, and then your life is nothing but work. Government say it’s necessary but –“ “Of course it’s necessary. It’s for the good of everyone and it’s our duty to keep the next generation going. Especially at a time like this. Do you know how bad it is?” “Yes I do Rich. And I play my part very well. But there’s no mistaking that it’s hell. And I don’t want to be responsible for a child to experience that.” “It may be hell. But if anybody skips operation, you know what happens. They become narrow minded and extremely prone to take sides and hate one another. They don’t grow.” “I know. If they take the operation that probability reduces significantly.” Banner’s face was sullen, and he was looking at the floor. He looked up at Dad. “Say, do you remember how it’s done? The operation?” he asked. “Why actually no. I don’t really remember the science of it. And I don’t remember the operation all too well either.” Banner got up from his chair and put on his coat. “Never mind then. Almost no one does, learn it at Uni and then it’s forgotten with life.” He bid my father goodbye and Dad led him outside. I headed back to my room. Curious about the ‘operation’ and its procedures. Maybe they inject drugs into the brain directly. Or just put it straight through the veins. Is it even a drug that does the job? Is it some kind of laser operation or radiation exposure? I don’t know. I could look it up in Dad’s books probably. He has so many, a whole reading room of em. But I was already feeling weary and so sleepy. I slugged upstairs to cuddle up in my bed next to my brother’s. My brother was still sleeping, only now his position had changed. He fell apparently, and he lay on the floor with his arms sprawled out. Burrowed under the covers, I couldn’t get my mind off the operation. School would start again in two days and then I can see Rose again. Or Rosetta, I’m the only one who calls her that. I smiled at the thought of Rosetta. She was one of my best friends. But then I remembered that her birthday was two days apart from my mine. She would no longer be a girl, but a woman, independent and smart. It probably would mean the end of our friendship because I could be transferred to a different school. I shifted under the covers and tried again to sleep. It wasn’t until half an hour later that I finally dozed off.