Watcher of the Gate

When I was younger, barely old enough to read and write, I was chosen to man the gears that turned the gears of our cities gates. It was quite the privilege to do this important work, my parents were quite glad that one of their own had been selected. So from that point I would spend the next 10 years learning how it all worked, the importance of my job and how essential it was to everyone surviving. I learned how every gear and knob spun so when the time had come I'd be ready to keep the city safe and we could prosper as a people. When my name was called, and I was sent to take care of the entrance to our city, I readily stepped into my designated spot.

As I was being led into the gate I saw a body of dead man, scarcely older than my memory of my father, being dragged from the gate. I was in shock, he should be fine... he's too young to have died I thought to myself. What had happened, how did he die, did he do his job well, what is it that he left me to do? Question after question rose in my mind like the waters of a flood all the way to my site.

I was led into a room in a part of the gate I was too maintain. Day and night I was to man my section and do my part to keep everyone safe. So week after week, month after month I carried on as I was told, in complete isolation and my only time to see a light other than my own was when food was tossed through the bottom of my door but I was glad to do this for the betterment of the city around me. My only form of entertainment were books, ones telling of how great it is to part of this people, this town. They encouraged me to work harder and harder so we could continue living our city that was incomparable in all the world.

I did this for a few years until one day I was slipped a note with my food, the tiniest piece of paper with a meal. The piece of paper said a phrase that I had never seen before " There's something more..." What did this mean? Something more? I have all I need in here, I'm doing something bigger than myself, I'm helping others, doing what is right there can't be something more, there just can't be.

I chewed on the 3 words for the next few days, there's something more had my head racing. Never have I ever experienced this before. There's something more? My thoughts started to change to questions, why did I get this? Is it true? What am I supposed to do? Is there more on the outside of the gate? Is there more on the outside of the gate...  I would soon find out that the danger wasn't outside but inside.