Quick Sketch of the Day + Last Story

Hi Guys,

SO here's my QSoD. he's another random character. I've been doing more full body sketches for my QSoDs. I think it's good to mix things up a bit sometimes. These are fairly simple to do. They only take a few minutes.

Last Story:

Okay, so I've been doing a series of stories for my 'Music to Art' experiment. I finally finished the last one. Basically what they are are short stories that explain what's going on in the picture. This one is a dystopia about a boy who was determined to do something about the oppression of his people. I like doing them, they're exciting. I would have loved to do a longer version of this story because it doesn't really explain all that I wanted to explain but I based it solely on the picture so I wrote enough for you to understand it I guess. Maybe sometime in the future I'll write more about it. Enjoy:

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The year was 3592. Technology had advanced ten fold and exceeded limits people set years ago. People had been in almost perfect health for a decade. Humans had progressed in almost everything except for one vital attribute to society: Their humanity.

People are no longer judged on the color of their skin but the rank they earn in the society. Broken down into three different categories are what determines whether your child makes it past a third grade level of education or not: There are the Basken (head of society), Reedmans (the struggling bridge between the Basken and the Kips), then there are the Kips themselves. Life for a Kip is a life as a servant. Nothing comes before it... nothing comes after.

“Recite!”

“We live to feed the Basken. We live to protect the Basken. We live to serve the Basken.” The children all said in unison.

“Recite!”

“We live to feed the Basken. We live to protect the Basken. We live to serve the Basken.”

“Recite!”

None of the children in the orphanage recited the Kip oath a third time. They simply had their heads turned to some foolish distraction at the far end of the room.

“What are you kids...” The Head master caught himself before he said something that actually didn't sound cold. “Erm.. I mean.. What are you good for nothing little rats staring at?! I said recite!”

But as harsh and cruel as the serious tone sounded none of the children turned to look at their slave driver. Their attention was still locked on something – no – someone in the corner of the tiny white room. It was definitely a child. His white and silver outfit sparkled in the sunlight as he shifted around.

What is he doing? The head master thought to himself.

“You there! Boy! What are you doing?”

The boy neither turned to face him nor did he bother answering his question.

The head master's plump red faced turned to a brighter shade of red 

until he was glowing as red as a tomato. “I said-”

“I heard what you said.” The boy stood – still facing the wall – and spoke again, “And if you must know what I'm doing,” The strange boy turned around and revealed himself, eyes full of tears, “I'm grieving.” He was much younger than he looked at the time, only ten years old, but the intensity in his eyes would give him a name that he would carry for the rest of his life: Trouble.

The head master scoffed, “And just what are you 'grieving' about, boy?”

“The death of my parents.”

The head master was quiet for a moment. He knew exactly what that meant. In 3567 the government set a limit on the number of children granted to one Kip family. For a while the law was working and the Basken had the Kip under their thumb. Should a family have three children (one more than they were aloud) the Basken government would simply kill the baby. However, as time went on, people found better places to hide their children (places the Basken could not detect). The Kip population was growing and it would keep growing until, the Basken feared, they would either put their heads together... or their fists. Either way, whatever happened it wouldn't benefit the Basken. So to remedy the situation after having their second child reached the age of five the parents were killed.

“Well then. You know the law boy. Now recite!”

“No.”“Excuse me?” The head master's face grew to an even redder tone.

“I will not recite today. My parents deserve to be grieved over. I shall grieve them.”

“So,” The head master began, “Your brother turned five?”

“My sister.”

“Ah, I see. Well how about as this: You can spend a day in the Chamber for each year your sister is old.” The head master glared at the defiant young boy. His eyes seemed to open wide (maybe with fear or maybe with shock at the length of time). Hmm...Maybe five days is a bit too long for this pathetic scrawny thing, The head master looked the boy up and down Bah! They have to be taught submission one way or another. “There is no time for grieving when you are a Kip boy! The Basken grants you life! You will obey or have that offer stripped from you! Off to the Chamber with him!”

Some of the older children in the room obeyed the head master's order and carried the kicking and screaming boy off to the torturous room.

The boy – Xeno – had seen what happened to some Kip who has been in the Chamber for only a day: They were as good as dead. Nobody really knew what happened to them when they were in there... or when the came out. It was as if their mind has been rewired to become perfect servants for the Basken. Of course, that was only true for the Kips who survived the Chamber. There were countless deaths for those who were kept in the Chamber for to long. However the Kips who did survive it only came out obedient because of fear of the Chamber. No defiant Kip can be swayed by a Basken. So it was at this moment Xeno began to fear for the first time in his life. He began to fear for what would happen to his little sister if he dies in this awful Chamber. He began to fear what would happen if she was left all alone to take care of herself. So it was at that moment Xeno was determined not to die in the Chamber.

Ten years past. 3602. Lexan was out in the mines while her brother – Xeno – was inside picking through the rocks and rubble sorting out the valuable metals from the useless minerals. He scoffed, just like the Kips and the Baskens I guess.“Xeno! Xeno come quick! There's something wrong at the mines!” One of the smaller children still living at the orphanage called out to the young man.
“What? Which one?” Xeno threw the rocks back on the table and sprinted towards to boy.
“The one where Lexan was assigned to work today! I think it's collapsing!”

Xeno's heart beat and the beat of his feet on the rugged dirt road fell into perfect sync. He hoped what the boy told him wasn't true. He hoped he hadn't avoided an exit from this unfair world for nothing. He hoped the Basken hadn't caused something horrific to happen to his sister... he hoped his sister hadn't died. By the time Xeno got to the mines five minutes had past. For a house on fire that might have been enough time to help Lexan. For a broken leg he could have gotten her to a Kip medic in no time. But for a collapsing mine... there really wasn't much Xeno could do but hope it wasn't true. But alas it was and by the looks of the settling dirt it seemed the mine had collapsed nearly ten minutes ago. There in the corner of his eye Xeno could see a few air crafts lowering to the mine. Most of the men on board were Basken (save for the few Kip they brought along no doubt to help move the rocks). There were machines for that type of thing but the Basken saw it as the perfect opportunity to 

exercise their power. One Basken supervisor marched over to Xeno.

“You there! You Kip!” The supervisor barked at the shell shocked Xeno. He didn't respond, only stared at the approaching supervisor. “Kip! What happened?!”

“The mine collapsed...” Xeno was looking past the supervisor to the 

mine. It looked like the Kip slaves had managed to remove the 

boulders blocking the entrance and were venturing into it. 

“I can see that, Kip! How did it happen?” The supervisor was 

growing ever impatient as he folded his arms and began to tap his foot.

“I don't know. I wasn't here.” Xeno finally met the supervisor's eyes 

but saw no sort of regret at the possible deaths in that mine. Only curiosity on how it all collapsed (most likely to use it as an example for the other Kip miners).

“Then why were you here...” The supervisor took another step 

towards Xeno waiting for an answer.

“My sister was- Wait no! Why are they only taking out the metal?! What about the people still in there?! They might still be alive!” Xeno started racing to the mouth of the cave when the supervisor yanked him back down on the ground.

“You get back to work now Kip!” The supervisor began trotting away when Xeno grabbed his arm. An action punishable by death if not serving as a protection for the Basken. 

“Why you filthy Kip!” The supervisor spat in Xeno's face but he simply held on tighter. The supervisor wasn't a a rather buff man. Instead he was shorter and scrawnier than Xeno. He had to be at least fifty while Xeno was only twenty years old. Xeno had an advantage.

“Listen you Basken scum! My sister is in there along with countless other human creatures!” Xeno unsheathed a blade he had concealed in this pant's pocket. It extended into a full size sword upon the touch of a button. Holding it up to the supervisor's neck he continued, “I refuse to sit back and ignore your cruel selfishness any longer! If my sister is dead inside that mine I will not let her death be in vain! You have oppressed us and kept us under your shoe for too long! Everyday something like this happens yet you choose to ignore it. Had this been a mine with Basken would you be out here arguing with me? No. You'd be on your hands and knees searching for your kind all day if you had to! I have seen too many things happen to too many people that were too poor or not ranked high enough to be noticed by you! I can't stop you from killing my people... but I can stop you from killing the memory of my sister.” Xeno raised the sword above his own head ready to bring it down on the trembling man. Xeno sneered and thought to himself, Only from the safety of their leather chairs and gold plated doors can they oppress us... Xeno let the sword drop to the dirt ground.

“You will be executed by sunrise you do realize?” The supervisor punched Xeno when he finally let go of his shirt.

“Then by sunrise I would have made my name known.” Xeno pocketed his blade then made his way back to the city.

Xeno went into hiding for twelve more years (reuniting with his sister who survived after six months). He formed and allegiance with all the Kip he could gather and a few Reedmans. He might not have made his name known on the day of the collapse but twelve years later he made it known when he took back his entire country in the name of the Kips. Seeing his sister face death because of a social rank made Xeno realize if he was to start new he would have to rewrite what the world once new as 'the way'.

“Recite!”

The children of the school spoke in unison: “We live to love each other! We live to help each other! We live for each other.”

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That's all! I hope you enjoyed my series of short stories!

By the way, sorry about all the italicized letters turning huge. i don't know why it did that... O_O 

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~Kassie