[ WP ] The population is separated with the rich living above surface and the poor living underground .

I was numb. Numb with uncertainty of the future, disbelief. Dread? No more gusty, cold nights out in the back alleys of that bustling, dreary city I supposed; but quite possibly yes. Yes, that's the summarization of my inner turmoil. Dread. To be honest, that polluted piece of scrap metal dystopia would feel like a cozy couch in an apartment right now. I believe it is safe to say that the entirety of Chinese society expected the announcement of a solution for over-population to be an immoral one. It is not as if the moral state of society was making any headway; as a man under the thumb of the government system, squashed into the cracks of the sidewalks of Macau, take my word for it. It was always bad, but these past few years? Might as well eradicate Tóngqíng from the Chinese language. The Man and I were good ol' pals, you know. The Man who says, `` Why, you've worked so hard for this paycheck! Quite the accomplishment, really. Despite this, you do realize it is for the best of society that a quarter of it is to be used to better the people? Therefor, I shall confiscate it. Good day to you, sl-ah.. Ah hah, *citizen*.'' 
 Poverty too. He keeps my beard long and unkempt and mud caked on my shoes when I'm lucky enough to have a pair. I wonder at times like these why humanity continually scrubs at the floor of the state while fully aware of the dishonesty and unjust use of their hard-earned money by their masters... While within the confines of their palace-facaded prison scrubs laboriously an army, anger buzzing under their skin, a need for power and rebellion, ready to break out into the horrendous rash of civil war... If only they rose up against their master. 
 
 The cold, rude hand of a man in uniform jars me out of my thoughts. The impact on my back forces me into a stumble, wet mud sliding underneath me. Rain-laced and biting, whipping air rushes past my face as I hit the ground. Of course I am furious. Hard-working men of my kind are being pushed and shoved underground like animals to make room for greedy, coated people like these officers, and they ca n't give a guy a break. I do n't want to live like some lesser kind of human being, scared and cold and hungry in an underground mud flat. They treat me like an animal? I'll give them an animal. 
 
 
 *Shit, did n't mean to push the old guy that hard... This line is n't moving fast enough. I need to get home to my family! Am I a father that keeps his word or a father that misses his sons third birthday? I hope Li Jun hasn't- THUD*'' 
 `` Son of a-..'' 
 A cold, rude hand jars me out of my thoughts as it hits my jaw in the form of a fist. A frail, calloused fist. 
 *Dammit, I do n't need this right now! * 
 The line of down-turned, rain slicked faces has slowed somewhat, and they look on in disbelief at such an open display of insurrection. The dark, grey forms of the skyscrapers of the city over the crest of the hill look on in an arbitrarily judging manner. I watched as smog joined forces with the acrid wind, swirling ominously among the buildings. Their ruler has made his decree to his servants, his pets. His little green army soldiers. His inhumane, unethical line drawn in the sand between beings that hold significance and those who are unfortunate enough to not- in the eyes of a pompous little fat man in a palace-facaded prison that is. But do not forget to mention that his little green army soldiers are to stand guard by that line. I watched that line begin to move down into those slimy concrete tunnels again, all hope that had sparked in those sad little eyes draining with the sharply barked command of a fellow officer. Just like that. Just like that, The Man squashes all hope again. The hope of men on both side of the line. See, I'm not really sure which one leeches the life out of you the most. Being under the thumb, or being the one to aid the thumb in squashing. As that fist found it's mark, as that line shot me looks of judgmental hate, as that hope disappeared as quickly as it had came, I firmly reached an opinion. Suddenly, I hated those poor people. Hated them with a passion. I envied them their little revolts, fighting on the side of good. How dare they point the finger of god at me, like I'm the Rulers lap dog. Like we have any choice at all to disobey our Master. Like we are n't humans like they are. 
 Damn them. Damn them all. 
 The old man did n't squawk or peep or yelp when that bludgeon connected with his temple. I'll respect him for that. Shit, he's my only friend here. He held my last bit of hope in that angry fist too.
