Tangled Yarns: Monday's Child

back!"

Terrag kissed his wife tenderly and left the room. He made his way down the stairs to the road and hopped into a passing public transport vehicle. It hummed along, and stopped when Terrag told it to. He got out and walked across to a small building where a friend of his worked.

"Ah, Terrag, good to see you again!"

"Carg, my old friend, and how are you today?"

Carg was a big man, bearded, with large, hairy arms and powerful hands. He would have been a farmer, or a forester, in the 'good old days', before the New Era came along. That was when hydroponics and automated agriculture, and protein synthesis were just beginning. Now they were the only source of vegetables and fruits and other foods, grown continuously in underground halls, and giant factories. Carg was too out-going, to energetic, too adventurous, for the job he had been given.

"So what brings you here, no, let me guess! You've come to request for a transfer, right?"

"Right," said Terrag, smiling.

"Like you came last month, and the month before that, and the month before that. You sure are determined!"

"That's me!" laughed Terrag, "I never quit!"

"Well, much as I admire your tenacity, my old friend, I have to give you the same answer I've always given. No transfers. You know the rules! The only time you'll ever get to another City is if there's a plague!"

Terrag knew the Law. The Day City education system forced all citizens to memorize it, and article seven stated clearly that "No citizen shall move from one Day City to another unless there is a population fluctuation beyond the prescribed limits due to disease or disaster." which was as good as saying Never.

"But what harm could it do?" begged Terrag.

"None at all," said Carg, "You know as well as I do that one or two people switching Cities is as harmless as swatting a moth, but there are too many people like you. There are millions who want to switch Cities. Millions! You understand? If I let you through, I'll have a hundred others, all begging to go too!"

"A visit then? One day! That's all I need. I just want to see my son!"

"I know how you feel," said Carg, "I have a daughter in