1 Stephen and Level 199

Stephen was sad, which is odd since most people like himself were rarely ever sad. After all, he was nearly perfect. Who else, besides the two other people with him at the moment, could claim to be on his level? Not some seven million people on the planet that's for sure! Nonetheless, Stephen was sad.

It started like this. It was his 57th birthday and Stephen was, of course, enjoying his normal birthday celebration. He woke up, smiled at the perfect weather (always kept to the optimal level of comfort in his special Division), and began the day with tea and a light breakfast on his porch overlooking the sloping hill to the rest of the division. Being that he was the oldest member in his section he had first choice of houses and he liked being able to see the entire Division from the one hilltop.

This birthday, however, a thought came into his head. He was curious for the first time of what the other Divisions looked like. He didn't know why, but this thought would not go away and so around noon he put in a request to visit the lower levels. Since it was his birthday and because of his high status his request was granted immediately and plans were put underway to tour five of the lower levels of his choice.

So around one o'clock (the staff for the tours was very efficient), he punched his card into a private car on the Bullet Train and off he went to his first tour on another level.

He decided to start small and only went down nineteen levels to Division 180. He walked out of the Bullet Train, met his escort and started strolling through, what was to Stephen, a massive city. It was nice, but rather disappointing. Everyone was nice, but in the kind of annoying way, like how everyone thinks they're the best so they're nice...but always just a twinge condescending.

Stephen left after an hour and decided to get more adventurous and punched the number for Division 150. The Bullet Train sped down the track to the beat of "Everybody Wants To Rule The World" by Tears for Fears. Six hours and three trips later He was back in the Bullet Train to go to his last visit before heading back to his home of near perfection. He was currently in Division 90 and so far everything had gone fairly smoothly. He had seen how the lower levels lived and felt quite good about himself. His Division had none of the problems these others had.

He smiled to himself. This was silly, it was nice to indulge this curiosity but really what had happened? Nothing of note. He was still certain that life was as it should be as he was 56 years ago.

"Sir, which level would you like to visit last?"

Stephen looked up in surprise. The conductor hadn't talked once this whole trip.

"Um….well...which Division are you from?" The question just came out, to the surprise of Stephen.

"Me Sir? I'm a Level 19"

Stephen's eyes widened and his pulse quickened. He was suddenly glad for the partition between them. "Oh?" He said, trying to sound casual. "Is it...nice?" Stephen doubted it was but couldn't think of anything else to say in the situation.

"Oh yes! It's quite lovely this time of year! If you like I can take you there!!"

Without realizing it Stephen felt himself saying that would be good and, in terror, he suddenly felt the train move forward with the same enthusiasm as the conductor. What was happening?! It was his birthday and suddenly this pleasure trip to satisfy his middle age curiosity turned into a death trip. He couldn't go to the Teens! No one visited the Teens that he had heard of! Everyone stopped in the 20's.

The Train stopped.

This was it...his life was over. Ok just calm down, There will be security, I'll be watched the entire time, I'll get off, look around for a few seconds and get back on. 'Done and done' and I'll be back to my tea. Oh, how in the world did I end up here. Stephen's mind kept racing as the doors of the train slide open.

To his surprise, the conductor was on the other side standing next to someone who clearly worked out...a lot.

"I hope you don't mind Sir! I asked Stan here if I could give your tour! It's just that, well, no one really visits and I wanted you to take it all in!"

Stephen stood wide-eyed as the man with the muscles, who he assumed was Stan, motioned him forward.

The conductor chatted away at ninety-miles-a-minute while Stephen trembled his way down the street. He looked around the way a kid does when he is lost in a strange place and slowly started noticing interesting things. The Division of 19 was nothing to write home about, in fact, it was quite horrible. Most of the houses were made of tin and mashed together tightly. The streets were dirty or rather sometimes were just dirt. Despite this, however, the people weren't what he expected. As they walked they got waves and calls of 'hello.'

"And this is my house!" Stephen heard as he pulled up short, almost running into his tour guide in the process.

He looked in front of him to see two little kids running out of the house followed by a woman. Stephen was a little disturbed by the kids. Mainly because, well, they were smiling...and not just little grins but the smiles you get when you get exactly what you want for Christmas.

"DADDY, you're home so early!"

"yes little ones, well not all the way home yet, I'm just showing Mr….Um I'm sorry I never actually got your name" the conductor said with a laugh.

"Stephen" Stephen mumbled softly.

"Mr Stephen our lovely home!"

"Is He living here Daddy?"

"No he's just visiting, He has to go now though, he has to go back to his home."

"Does he live near??"

"No, no little ones, he lives far far away in another Division"

"Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh" The little girl said wide-eyed.

"Daddy will be home soon," The conductor said and stole a kiss from his wife as he turned to head back to Stephen and Stan. "Just have to get Mr. Stephen home!"

Stephen didn't remember much of the rest of the trip. He was replaying what he had seen earlier. He didn't remember the Bullet Train home or shaking the conductor's hand goodbye. He didn't really remember how he ended up on his porch as the moon was perfectly shining on his hillside view. The tea in his hand had long since gone cold and still, Stephen just sat there.

Stephen was nearly perfect, he had everything he needed. It was his birthday for crying out loud. But for the first time in his nearly perfect 57 years, Stephen was sad.