**6th of June 2055, Dover, Southern Shore of UCN Stronghold 11**
"So, what do you think? Should I go for it?"
"uh... what?"
"My hair. Should I cut it?"
"I really don't care."
Two boys lay head-to-head on grass, gazing at clouds. One has long red hair that runs to his shoulders, green eyes and handsome angular features. He was wearing jeans and a tight white vest to show off his toned physique and he was tossing a pebble into the air and catching it over and over.
The other has dark, fluffy curls burying boxy headphones and the same green eyes. He was shorter, his face softer, holding a vacant look even when in conversation.
They stayed silent for a while.
"Don't you need to cut it for NTC?"
"Huh?... Oh yeah, no. I can tie it up like the girls. "
"What about the Navy, though?"
"I don't know actually, I'll ask Smithers on Monday,"
"mmm..." Dozed the dark-haired boy
The boy with red hair begins to yawn, before shaking his head, sitting up and taking out his phone.
"Going out with some NTC lads tonight. Interested?"
"No thanks, I've got that project to do."
"Come to pres though?"
"I can't drink, need my hands to be steady."
"Just have one then. "
"Maybe next time,"
"Alright, I'm off to Rozza's. See you later."
"In a bit."
The red-haired boy gets to his feet and ties his hair into a messy bun. A loud bang rings out in the distance. The boy looks over his shoulder in the sound's direction.
"Sounds like they got one," he says
Another shot rings out.
The black-haired boy groans and rubs his face in frustration before turning on his headphones.
The red-haired boy speaks again and quickly realises he's being ignored before giving a facetious wave and meandering off to meet his friend.
Casper lay alone, listening to his songs, hoping the cannon fire would be over before he got up. He stretched, removed headphones, and heard birds, wind, and waves in the distance.
As much as he loved the peace and quiet, the deadline for his project was looming and he had procrastinated all morning. With a sigh, he pushed himself up and wandered out of the meadow and into town.
Casper rustled through the treeline and trotted up the dirt path onto a cycle path where he could see the rows of identical new houses built through what had once been an empty green field. The city of Dover had been creeping further and further into the countryside as the navy became more prevalent. Diesel and gunpowder replaced the salty air Casper remembered from his childhood, and the serene washing of waves; always interrupted by shells from massive guns.
Casper kept along the path until it met a road mostly populated by cyclists and the occasional car, if you were lucky. He turned, passing repeating copies of his home until he arrived at his own.
-----
This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.
Johan knocked a tune into his friend's front door. A tall, well-built boy with a heavy jaw answered.
"Alright, lad?", said Johan
"Aye," said Rozza, cocking his head to say that Johan should follow him inside.
Johan obliged, following Rozza to the living room where several other boys huddled around a low coffee table rolling cigarettes.
"Hello boys," Johan said to be met with the cheers of already inebriated friends. Some boys shuffled up the couch to make room for him to sit while Rozza picked up a beer and handed it to Johan.
"Is your brother not coming?" asked one of the boys
"Nah, he's got that thing he's doing for the engineering department. Besides, not really his thing, anyway."
"Fair enough," replied the boy
Another boy piped up, "He's a bit weird, your brother."
"What?" asked Johan
"No, I mean there's nothing wrong with it," the boy quickly corrected. "It's just he doesn't seem all that... social, I guess."
"So what?"
"Well, he only does compulsory NTC. If it weren't for Harrison, he'd be off to the farms or something by now. Like, do you not worry?"
"I think he wants to do some sort of designer thing, you know, like those guys who work with the Navy"
"What? why? If you go with the navy you get paid more and the work is steady. I'm sure he'd do well."
"I've tried to talk him around before, but he hates the drills. Says he can't stand all the noise."
"How's about the trip next week then?"
"What, off to the sea wall? Not a chance. Those cannons already drive him mad when he's just out and about."
"you're coming, though?"
"Yeah obviously"
-----
Casper sits in his dark bedroom. His bed is hastily made and tchotchkes litter the space. soundproofing foam suffocates every available inch of the walls, even his window as he works under a dim yellow desk lamp. He takes a screwdriver to a tightly packed set of gears attached to some wheels. And counts the clicks as he turns the screws. He stops to scribble something in a notebook and repeats the process with a different screw.
After filling several pages of his book with these notes, he takes what looks to be some sort of makeshift toy car from his desk and places it on the ground before pressing a small silver button. The little machine ticks, whirs, and drives forward along capers bedroom floor. Before it can hit the opposite wall, it swerves right and turns back towards Casper. Casper does a little hop in victory as he watches his creation successfully navigate the room and then drive back towards him for another lap. Casper, unaware of his footing, lets the small vehicle bump into his leg, knocking it slightly off course.
"Oh shit"
the clockwork car spins off at an awkward angle and finds itself skimming against the floorboard of Casper's left-hand wall, making some poorly timed turns and finally driving continuously into the corner of the room like a blind tadpole.
Casper takes a deep breath and waits for his machine to peter out before trying again. In his frustration, he made a mistake when programming the course and the car once again clipped something and crashed into a corner.
Casper returns the car to his desk and takes out a variety of small tools from the drawer before partially disassembling his creation.
-----
A pack of young men stumble down the street arm in arm, smelling of cheap beer and smoking cigarettes. Their shouts and laughter echo through the otherwise silent road of the town centre.
One boy sticks out a lolling hand holding a half-smoked cigarette to Johan.
"Take it..." the boy hiccups, while dangling from Rozza's enormous frame.
"Nah mate, you know I don't," replies Johan
"Bo-oring," Burps the boy
Rozza says to Johan, "Listen, pal, I'll catch you later, yeah? I've go' tae take this fuckwit home," in a thick Scottish accent.
Johan gives him a nod and peels off from the group across the street, waving his goodbyes.
Johan made his way into the estate, sleepy from the liquor, and counted the houses before pulling out his keys and opening the door. He marched up the stairs and headed toward his room. Passing Casper's room, Johan pauses and peeks inside.
He sees his brother still bent over his small desk tweaking whatever the hell he was working on.
"Christ, are you still up?"
"Shh! I'm nearly done." Said Casper.
"I thought you were 'nearly done' this morning"
"Yeah... there were a couple of setbacks."
"What's it do, anyway?"
"I'm trying to get it to drive on a set path using stored energy from springs"
"Like those wind-up cars Mum used to get us?" asked Johan.
"Yeah, but it can turn by itself"
"Oh... Why?"
"Because I set timers to pull -"
"No, I mean like, what's it for?" Johan Interrupts.
"It's a weapon," says Casper bluntly
Johan, confused by his brother's remark, "Okay whatever you say. I'm going to bed," he says wearily.
As he leaves, Johan turns and asks his brother, "You coming to the sea wall on Monday?"
"Oh, fuck no" replies Casper
Johan exhales through his nose slightly, rolls his eyes, and goes to bed.
Casper marvelled at his creation. The little car still looked like a palette with wheels, and a mass of watch parts on the back. However, it now had two antenna-like whiskers poking out from the now obvious front.
"Okay," he muttered, "one test before bed."
Sunday Morning Johan was up early. He crept across the landing so as to not wake his mother or brother. He snuck downstairs and opened the fridge, poured himself an orange juice, and scurried back up to his room. His phone buzzed on his dresser. It was a text from Rozza.
Didn't hear from me, but there's gonna be a spot physical next week
when?
idk, just heard my dad talking about it
thx
no worries
Johan went and knocked on his brother's door and then opened it without waiting for a response.
Johan stopped in mid-sentence, saying, "Thought you might—."
Casper had fallen asleep at his desk.