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Sleeping Pills - Part 1: Insomnia

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Sleeping Pills - Part 2: Memories

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Sleeping Pills - Part 3: Awakening

Delta 202 takes a deep breath. Cool, fresh air. With the adrenaline from earlier in the night starting to wear off, he can feel his eyelids start to get heavier.

Almost instantaneously, his eyelids shoot open and his heart rate starts climbing again. Wait, he thinks to himself, is that what it feels like to turn into a Howler? He looks all over his exposed forearms. No difference.

Delta 202 had been taught in middle and high school that Howlers are a race of former humans who had stopped taking their sleeping pills. The job of the sleeping pills is twofold: one, to allow each citizen to sleep through the night, recharging themselves for another day of productive work; and two, to act as a biological detoxifier, flushing out the pollutants that the body accumulates over the course of a day.

What caused that pollution, however, is murkier to Delta 202. He doesn’t recall ever being taught about what seems to him like an important part of history, and he also can’t tell that the air is polluted. In his mind, at this time, the pollution must be at its worst. But as he continues to suck in the cool, crisp air, he can’t seem to understand what is supposed to be killing him. Is it radiation? Are there unknown viruses falling from the sky? What about industrial waste?

Eventually, slumped in the corner behind the stairwell, Delta 202 can resist no longer and succumbs to sleep.


The sun is already climbing high in the sky by the time that Delta 202 awakens. It is lucky for him that he is not scheduled to work today. He takes a few deep breaths, trying to collect himself, before he cautiously peers out behind his covered shelter.

There is no one around. What a relief.

Delta clambers out from his hideout and dusts himself off. His clothes are a bit wrinkled, but not enough to betray his lack of pills the night before. He stretches out. He feels remarkably well-rested, better than he had perhaps in his entire life. What an odd feeling.

Delta 202 has always worked better when he had a to-do list planned. Even when he was a child, he would write out things that he had to complete, both long-term and short-term, so that he could feel the satisfaction of checking them off the list.

First on the list: to regain access to his apartment. All things considered, this is remarkably facile. A high-ranking worker like Delta 202 will be in a good stead with the Housing Bureau.

“Welcome to the Sector 1-A location of the Housing Bureau, please take a ticket and we will serve you shortly.” The kiosk at the entrance greets Delta 202 cheerily. He plucks his ticket and looks around the room. There are a good number of people here, which worries Delta. Would he be discovered? He looks at his hands discreetly. There doesn’t seem to be anything different with them, but he still worries that with everyone here, he would quickly get found out.

After what seems like forever, Delta 202 is finally called up to the desk. “Delta 202, do you have your identification to confirm your identity?”

Delta shakes his head. “That’s actually what I came here for, I was robbed the other day and so I lost my wallet and my keys.”

The official behind the desk laughs. “Good one, Delta 202.”

Delta cocks his head in confusion. “So…are you going to help me?”

“Yes, after you show me your identification.”

“But I said that I was robbed.”

The official smiles and shakes his head. “That’s not possible, there is no crime in The City.”

Delta’s brow furrows. “But…huh? That’s can’t be true because I was robbed. I don’t have my identification or my money or my keys.”

Delta can see that the official is slowly starting to scowl. “I don’t understand what you’re trying to do here, but it’s no longer funny. Show me your identification immediately.”

“I told you, I have no identification. It was stolen.” Delta is getting increasingly frustrated.

The official shakes his head. “I’m calling security on you.” He leans over and types something into the computer.

Delta panics. He starts to get up, but the official leaps up and shouts for him to sit back down. “N-“ Delta tries to throw himself over the side of the chair, but he feels two sets of hands clamp down on his arms with a vice-like grip.

“You’re coming with us, sir.”