Death was running rampant throughout the nation. Of course, we all understand that death is a natural part of life, but the death toll in our country had grown exponentially compared to previous years, and people had taken notice. Millions of families, lovers, and acquaintances were being ripped away by the cruel claws of death. A sharp increase in school shootings and violence, heart disease, weak immune systems, and cancer were the main killers in America. Not car accidents or terrorist attacks but violence from our own people and diseases cultivated on our own streets. Scientists were perplexed at the causes of these numerous deaths. At a glance, violence and disease seemed to be unrelated, but as the death toll rose, scientists began to investigate the link between all the main causes of death in America. They soon stumbled upon the connection: rejection.
Acceptance is fundamental to the human existence. We as people need to feel like we belong in order to thrive. When acceptance is absent, rejection permeates the body and can be detrimental to its health and well-being. Emotional pain and physical pain are more alike for the human mind than most had realized. A human’s brain reacts in the same way for both kinds of pain; natural painkillers called opioids are released into a receptor system helping to dull pain. But sometimes, exclusion was too sharp of a pain and the opioids were not enough. Constant social rejection had caused many people, especially teens, to be sleep deprived at the minimum and lash out their frustrations on others at the extreme. And the extreme was occurring way too often. No one was safe.
In order to save society, scientists had to take an extreme measure of their own. A group of esteemed scientists and psychologists created a drug that increased the flow of opioids to the point where a person could never feel pain. The drug could be injected and in theory, would alleviate all emotional pain. However, this new procedure was so extreme that only a small group of people were willing to undergo the injection. With their tiny band of patients, the experimenters tried the first injections on human subjects, but the results were less than satisfactory. Because the human brain uses opioids to dull both physical and emotional pain, the injection did away with both. Not being able to feel physical pain was a disconcerting side effect and the scientists returned to their laboratories in hopes of altering the injection to only impact emotional pain.
Through tedious research and lab work, the experimenters were able to improve the injection so that it would only mask emotional pain. They called the new formula Solace Serum, or SS for short. However, the previous failure of the test group made America even more suspicious than before of this dramatic new drug. But time was running out.
In order to test the new injection and its effects, a “socially harmful” environment was set up to test whether the patients who had been injected could be impacted by constant blows of rejection. The second experiment proved to be so successful that even the scientists themselves were stunned at the incredible results. Not a single patient was able to feel emotional pain after the injection and no other senses of the brain had been altered. Experiments with new patients followed, but each time, the scientists received the same amazing results.
The new injection was so successful that the government allowed it to be available for the public, and it spread across the country with rapid speed. Soon it was mandated that all persons over the age of seventy be injected. When these injections appeared to be successful with few side effects, the government started a new program called The Solace Project. The program’s goal was to have every single American injected with the drug in only a matter of years, moving steadily through each generation with a systematic approach. Labs for the injection were set up in almost every hospital, doctor’s office, and school system, and a special force of police was organized to ensure cooperation. Anyone who did not comply would be executed. They started with newborns. Then toddlers and young children. Then preteens. Now teens.
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“All high school juniors, please report to the nurses’ stations set up in the main hall!” The announcement blared over the loudspeakers. No one was surprised; we all knew it was coming. It was our turn.
Everyone rose from their seats and started aimlessly for the door. I stayed where I was.
“Come on Lea,” Haiden grabbed my hand and slowly pulled me up from my seat. “It’ll be alright. We’ve got this.” His eyes held nothing but strong confidence, while mine held nothing but fear. I grabbed his hand as we joined the mass of silent students shuffling towards the main hall. No one spoke.
We stayed towards the back, eventually the last two people. As soon as we spotted the smaller hallway, we dashed away from the group in the opposite direction.
“Do you think the others will be there?” My arms and legs felt shaky, making it hard to sprint.
“Just keep running.” The confidence never left his eyes.
We finally reached the library, and the large glass doors swung open with a whoosh. I maneuvered cautiously through the many bookshelves trying desperately to control my breathing. The door to the back office was always unlocked and I pulled on the handle with ease. A small staircase sat tucked away back in the farthest corner, almost undetectable through piles and piles of dishevelled books, newspapers, and notebooks. My hand brushed the smooth metal of the railing as I hurried up the narrow steps. I reached for the knob on the small door at the top of the stairs but paused hesitantly before tugging.
“Haiden what if…”
“Just open the door, Lea.”
A small creak echoed off the concrete walls of the office as the trap door opened.
“Took you guys long enough!” The breath I had been holding escaped in one ginormous sigh.
“Gage! You made it!
“Of course I did. We all agreed that our special spot would be the best place to hide from the injection police. Jade made it, too.”
My eyes widened as I tried to adjust to the darkness. I could soon made out the rigid, familiar forms of bookshelves lining the walls of the small, dark room. A musty odor filled the air. Layers of dust lay across every old textbook and unused novel filling the shelves. A single unlit light bulb hung from the ceiling with a long cord attached to it, and a large worn area rug covered almost the entire floor of the room. Jade sat in a corner, her shoulders shaking.
“I can’t believe we are actually doing this. You know, we should be grateful to the government for giving us the SS injection, not hiding from them and trying to avoid it.”
“Gage, you can’t be serious!” Haiden’s eyes widened with intense disbelief. “They are trying to destroy part of who we are! They shouldn’t pretend that they have the right to change humans into invincible beings. They are trying to control our lives!”
“Um no! Actually they are trying to save our lives.”
“Oh, of course. And forcing us to get injected with a drug that will take away emotional pain is definitely going to save us.” Sarcasm dripped from every word that escaped Haiden’s mouth.
“You’re an idiot! Do you realize what will happen to you if you refuse to get the injection? You’ll be executed!”
A small whimper came from the corner. I sat beside Jade and put my arm around her, but she shrugged me off.
“I can’t do it, Lea.”
“Jade, what are you talking about?”
“What Haiden says is true.  It’s not right for the government to force us to do this. But what Gage says is true too…I… I can’t stand up to them. I can’t refuse the injection. I...I’m too afraid of them.” Tears streamed down her face and her whole body trembled.
“C’mon, Jade. We can’t stay up here forever. Eventually they’ll find us and we’ll get the injection. It’s for our own good anyway.” Gage pulled her up off the floor and tugged her towards the door. Jade followed him reluctantly.
“Are you coming Lea?”
Gage’s accusing question sent my heart racing. I started to panic. I glanced at Haiden, then stared at Gage, then shifted back to Haiden. My chest pounded with the racing thud of my heart, and my hands twisted nervously as sweat drenched my palms.
“I…”
Before I could finish, the heavy tramp of boots could be heard in the office below. Men’s harsh voices shouted at one another. We could hear books and shelves being pushed over and crashing to the floor. Their muffled words rose from the office to meet our ears.
“Did you find anyone?”
“Not yet.”
“Well keep looking! There’s still four kids that haven’t been registered yet to have the injection.”
“It’s the police!” Gage hissed. Haiden’s eyes pleaded with Gage to stay silent. We all stood, tense, waiting for Gage’s response. He arrogantly shook his head.
“We’re here!” Gage called out, slammed the trap door open, and ran down the stairs pulling Jade with him.
“No!” Haiden shouted for Gage to stop, but it was too late. Haiden yanked me into a dark corner and smothered my mouth with his hand. I reached for his other hand and squeezed it tightly. He quickly uncovered my mouth. The trap door still hung agape and we could hear the officer’s question clearly.
“Is there anyone else up there?” I couldn’t breathe.
“Yeah, a boy and girl are still in the room and they’re refusing to get the injection.”
My heart stopped and I sank to the floor in anguish. The heavy boots clambered up the metal stairs and rough hands forced me out of the small room down the steps. Light from the office burned my eyes. Two officers held both my shoulders firmly and two more gripped the struggling Haiden. He thrashed around trying to break free, and only paused to meet my eyes.
“Don’t do it, Lea! No matter what they tell you, never get the injection!”
The officers shoved my body towards the door, but I turned back right before I was forced out of the office.
I saw Haiden, my best friend, still struggling, fighting for what he believed was right.
That was the last time I saw him alive.