It seems you have come across this book with a sense of intrigue and curiosity. I imagine life in your present is quite strange and difficult. Minor inconveniences seem more complicated than you can remember. You feel that there might not be much hope for you in the future. However, you haven’t given up.

I hope, with this text, I can help assuage your fears, anguish, and doubt. My wish is to provide an uplifting story of pain, strength, and determination. I want you to stay in the fight. It may seem that those who have succumbed to the demoralization stand before you like Goliath to David. Yet victory for the soon-to-be king only took a small stone and faith.

Before the narrative can start, you need to understand the world that shaped my life.

I live in the year 2112, but my world was born long before I. After a devastating crash of the world economies, nations consolidated into confederacies to fly under a single flag. Some countries were forced into the groups, others accepted the inclusion willingly. There is only America, the European Alliance, and the Asiatic Coalition, which encompasses all of Africa and Australia. I would describe the evolutions of Europa and Asia, but my story does not involve them. Besides, the nations do not interact with one another anymore.

The first and most important aspect of my world is that there is a single administration controlling the American government. This might not seem too different in your present, but the powers that be decided not to hide their collusion anymore. This change began with Eduard Johnson, who won the presidency in 2040. It was a landslide victory. He was seen as this angelic savior that fringe supporters on the left and right could back. He spoke confidently epitomizing the definition of power. Opposing media factions tried to run smear campaigns and gossip about his past, but the public had gotten smarter about trusting headlines. Besides, Eduard didn’t have a single hair out of place.

He ran on “America First” policies that many citizens felt had been needed for the past few decades. The country was in turmoil, and they felt a common man like Johnson would be the one to pull them out of the ditches.

At first, he was an honest and courageous president; a rare occurrence. His first few executive orders released the economic death grip wrapped around the citizens’ wallets. From there, social change came in greater swaths. People no longer cared about each other’s facade. The divide caused by the media infrastructure had been closed. America was, once again, a free and equal place to seek liberty and pursue happiness. Happiness was at an all-time high. There were celebrations in the street every night. The revelries continued until Eduard implemented the first of the 13 Basic Regulations, a new bill of rights to be followed for greater productivity.

The first regulatory decree is as follows:

“Peoples of America shall now be referred to as Wheels. There shall no longer be a human designation to any persons who holds American land or citizenry. Male and Female will remain in place to designate the biology of the work force in order to better delineanate roles each wheel shall perform.”

The twelve other regulations part of this new bill expanded on the dehumanization effort. Each rule managed a different aspect of an individual’s life. From nutrition to sleep, the productivity of American workers had to be kept at a high level. This was the first major shift the public faced. They didn’t know what to do, so they just accepted it.

You see, America had become more industrious. The inclusion of a new continent and nation made competition within the state greater. People’s lives were centered around their family’s survival, which was governed by their output. As I mentioned, people’s finances had become more secure, but a single mistake could lead to replacement. There were enough bodies to spare. The new designation placed everyone on the same level. They were “wheels of progress” as Eduard had so emphatically stated in his state of the union address. Each one had to turn for society to propel forward. Many Americans feared this designation, but they feared losing their security even more.

It took no time for the Johnson administration to seize control of the remaining characteristics of an individual’s life. He literally changed time to keep with the wheel aesthetic. Days were called turns, months became cycles, and years morphed into rotations. Weeks were phased out altogether since there were no breaks. Progress could not stop.

Eduard’s reasoning for these changes was driven by his ultimate goal: to establish a colony on Mars. He yearned of reaching the stars. He made sure all wheels “turned” to achieve that reality. Many readily agreed and worked harder. They felt it to be a noble cause. Wheels were given greater benefits and perks amongst others if they were willing to work in industries related to astronomy, engineering, and biology. Individual purpose was now integrated with the collective goal.

While the country pushed up to the sky, the Johnson administration made sure to solidify their reign. Law had been established and now it was time for order. Wheels were implemented with biometric chips and readers into their necks and wrist. The reader is located at the base of the skull while the chip was embedded into the wrist. The reader overwatches all bodily functions and supports the distribution of certain nutrients and chemicals to maintain neurological equilibrium. It’s a secure way to ensure wheels agree with any upcoming administrative decrees. The wrist chip serves as a key, ID, and credit card, which morphed into a monitoring device. The government can see exactly when you got a bite to eat, went for a walk, and decided to take a crap. Not that this was new in any way, but there was no longer a third party. Big Tech was now a government institution.

The final creation of Eduard Johnson came in the form of a great security organization meant to enforce the Basic 13 and wheel productivity. The Truth & Reconciliation department does more than just standard policing. The best wheels, determined by the administration, are chosen to become Reconcilers: a non-emotive inquisitor dispatched as a final warning to any wheel unwilling to participate in societal order. Reconcilers and the Truth & Reconciliation department have access to all biometric information of each wheel to maintain efficiency. However, these “peace officers” become an omen for most. Their appearance is not meant to be taken lightly. If a wheel is found to be unruly or uncooperative, Reconcilers are dispatched to detain the individual for exclusion. These ‘non-compatibles’, as they are marked, are sent to Readjustment facilities where they are re-educated on the Basic 13 for better collaboration with society. Very few wheels find themselves ever leaving those dreaded prisons.

Eduard Johnson remained in power till his death in 2072. His eldest son Branden Johnson took over the new empire and changed the direction of American production. The rise to the stars was still the main goal, but Branden felt that there was more to be done on Earth. It was time to clean up the American way of life.

“Green” Regulation was put in place. Fossil fuels were eliminated. Oil and gas were outlawed. All power is now derived from solar and wind sources; there are a few dams providing power to some smaller cities in the north, but nothing nationwide. To Branden, and the wheels, it didn’t matter that there were millions of casualties from the halting of the universal chemical. It didn’t matter that there were and still are constant blackouts that halt productivity in every major city. These sacrifices were for the greater good; the chemicals within everyone’s neck reader agreed.

Confident that the nation was doing its part to save the earth, Branden created three new policies to increase productivity for his infrastructural shortcomings. The first was a massive Rail System that connected all coasts, cities, towns, and provinces. The project took rotations (years) till it was finally completed. It eliminated all other modes of transportation, except for walking of course. Wheels needed to fulfill their exercise requirements; one of the Basic 13. All power was directed towards the rail. It’s the one thing that runs efficiently in all of the confederate nations of America. With the rail completed, Branden moved forward with establishing the Social Band System and the dreaded Standards.

The Social Band system is a social hierarchy meant to organize wheels into smaller groups to better delineate their purpose. The colored bands represent the percentile of each wheel When first created, those already struggling for the country were shifted into their new placements according to their professional and industry. Their children received the same band. Those in the 90th percentile were given the greatest of privilege and regarded as the greatest of wheels both physically and mentally. They were given unlimited amounts of credits and their movements were not supervised by the Truth & Reconciliation department.. 90th youths are sent to the best schools in the American system. On the opposite side of the scale, those in the 10th percentile were treated as a scourge, scrutinized in every movement. The new caste system started to draw controversy amongst wheels. People were calling for equality for all Americans since they worked for a common dream. Not even their biometrics could stop them from fighting back. Branden then devised a physical and mental competition that was required of all wheels, allowing anyone to achieve greater social standing. Thus, The Standards was born.

This turn (day) long event was to be taken by wheels during their eighteenth rotation (year). It is meant to challenge every aspect of a wheel. It is unforgiving and deadly. The inaugural event allowed wheels of any age to change their social standing by competing against others. Most found themselves in the same designation as before. Some ascended to higher placements. Some did not make it out of the building. It is a grueling experience that I will present later in my story.

Branden Johnson now felt he was at peace with the changes he had made. Wheels were organized and regimented. The Administration could breathe a sigh of relief as he had established his own legacy. However, the focus on cleaning up America had deterred wheels away from the original goal of leaving Earth. There had been no progress since the beginning of Branden’s reign. Wheels were on the verge of seeing their entire goal shattered into pieces. It would cause catastrophic social strife that Branden would not have been able to manage. However, a savior emerged.

It is debated whether or not he changed his name, but Abraham Cosmos, a bright young male, secured the dream of off-world settlement. He solved many of the issues for the Johnson Space Program and created the ship which would be able to house life en route to Mars. This ship is known as the Triumvirate,named after Eduard’s initial dream and the partnership between Cosmos and Branden. The current Administrator was so grateful to this young wheel that he granted him a piece of land free of government rules. Cosmos, being a true intellect, built a commune for the top 90th percentile wheels to innovate and create scientific marvels for the future. The Cosmos Academy, as it is called, was opened the same day the Triumvirate launched into space. The ship has reached the halfway mark of its journey to Mars. Everyone earth watches with bated breath.

You now have a basic understanding of my world. I have left many details out of this brief account to be revealed later. It will help you see what I did at the time.

I take you now to my youth…

This story that I present comes from my experience a cycle (month) before my Standards examination. This was a time where I was lost. I didn’t see a purposeful future waiting for me. A future where I could feel proud of my efforts. But, I pushed through and struggled, and made it out better. We struggle, and we do, and that’s a beautiful thing.

Jonah