Authority Commissioner Atlas Altair of the Enforcement Unit, at six feet and five inches tall, towers over a podium while addressing a crowd of over 2,000 people. He speaks of the rise of insomnia the past few moon cycles and that it's begun to cause irritability in those it affects.
While he’s no doctor or scientist, Commissioner Altair, with the strong timbre in his voice, recommends the use of medication to help alleviate the effects of insomnia.
But what about those unable to afford sleep aids?
A reporter raises his hand to ask that very question. The Commissioner scratches the stubble on his chin and says, “In my personal experience, most insomniacs’ll work themselves up n tire themselves out.”
Chatter among the crowd rumbles out as several hands from the front row rocket into the air immediately.
The noise fades out as the voice of a newscaster rolls in. The view becomes overcome with static for a few seconds. A child sits on the couch in silence, watching his mother hit her fist repeatedly over the top of the television.
She curses. “Pay all this money for this piece a’ junk and for what?”
The child, whose large blue eyes flicker back to the fuzzy screen, asks aloud,
“Does Dad get that way too?”
“Huh?”
“Like that Authority Member said,” he clarifies. “Does he?”
The mother stands upright. “Everyone does,” she answers after a while. “It’s normal to tire yourself out after staying awake for too long.”
Looked up "second" and found something interesting about [redacted]. (But then I had to cut it bc ✨️spoilers✨️) #wipsnips #writesky #writingcommunity #Blackwriter #WayfaringDreams
