. I’ve just met the girl of my dreams. She lives in the apartment next to mine. Her window less then a meter from mine. This fact is the only thing that keeps us in contact.

I should probably give more context. Ever since that global perfection bill passed my life changed. They installed microphones everywhere around the apartments. We aren’t even able to take them out as that would lead to immediate “relocation”. We all knew what they really meant. But these microphones would pose a problem for people like me.

They outlawed any non-heterosexual relationship only 30 years prior. I could see up to life in prison just for the suspicion of liking another woman. I’ve been living under the lie saying I’m a widow. Of course I’ve never had a husband I’ve only ever been interested in other women.

I knew that me expressing love for the woman next door would lead to the both of us getting sent away. Yet I couldn’t just forget about it, she already contacted me. She threw a note tied to a pebble into my window plants.

“DON’T READ THIS OUT LOUD” was the first this written on it in big bold letters. I my mind was already rushing knowing that this could be my demise. But my feelings overwhelmed the knowledge of my potential “relocation”.

“I noticed your hair clip the other day. Did you get it from one of the protesters?” Protesters often pass by on our street all wearing the same clip that I’ve owned since I was a child. I knew what it now stood for so I would only ever wear it inside. I’d even keep my due diligence to stay far from the window. Just to prevent anyone from the street seeing. Never thought about my neighbour to be looking over.

Out of excitement I immediately wrote a letter to respond. I didn’t even bother to read over it. Just tied it to a pebble and leaned out the window to throw it. I’m my excitement I didn’t even see that she was already leaning out hers looking out into the streets. We both locked eyes now knowing our thoughts where true.

I went to throw the pebble and note to her. But in my rush I didn’t check to see if anyone was bellow were I to miss and miss I did. We both watched as the pebble parachuted down landing directly in front of an officer. We both recoiled our heads back into our apartments. I already knew that I doomed us.

*****

That’s how I ended up here. The day after the pebble incident police showed up to both our doors. We tried to fight but it was pointless. The most we managed was to hold on to each other for only a brief moment before getting throw into separate police cars. We where hauled off to a “rehabilitation compound” their way of saying execution chambers.

I was locked into a barren cell. Only a sliver of light peeked through the door. But I’d be lying if I said this was everything in the cell. There was also the same hair clip I was wearing sharpened to a razor on the floor. Easy way out was written on the back. I had to assume it was from the last prisoner due to the blood still crusted on the cutting edge.

I can’t go out like this though. I needed to tell my story. I need there to be a possibility even if small for someone to find my story. It took almost an hour of pondering to commit to the frankly psychotic solution I had. I knew that if I scraped it onto the walls they’d just cover it before the next person was put in. But theirs one thing they couldn’t just paint over. Before any of this I needed a titanium plate to be put into my leg to brace it. Guess this is my stone tablet.