The Fruit of Wisdom

Nico’s pounding heart became the rhythmic background music for his mission. He had done this a thousand times before, but only ever on his favorite video game, Metal Gear Solid. However, this time was real. Scenes from the game played over and over in his mind as he crept through the rows of chickpeas that hid him from the farmers as they performed their daily crop audit. Nico had come to the Farm hoping to lift some food that might lift his spirits. He ran out of Condensed Food Packet two days ago and the beasts in his belly were becoming ravenous.
On his hands and knees, he channeled his inner Solid Snake as he peered around the corner. No one was coming, so he did an unnecessary somersault into the apple orchard. He took cover behind some granny smiths and dove past a scientist inspecting some Macintosh trees. The deeper he wove himself into the orchard, the safer he felt that no one was watching. It was in the center of the orchard he discovered a tree ripe with red delicious apples, his favorite. He climbed up a few branches and opened his backpack. His fingers wrapped around the plumpest apple he could find when a voice shattered his concentration on the mission.
“WHAT are you doing?!” Nico fell a few feet to the ground, still gripping his mission objective in his hand. A man in a white lab coat stood over him, hands on hips in a condescending pose. The nametag on the lab coat read “Jarod Wright.” The scientist swiped the apple out of Nico’s hand, still waiting for a response.
“I… uh… I…” Nico stammered as he sat up. He had been so engrossed in his mission, he hadn’t noticed that all of his “stealthy” actions were being observed by Jarod, who had been taking his lunch break with a stroll through the orchard. Unfortunately for Nico, he realized that there was no restarting his mission from the beginning in real life.
He looked up at Jarod, who was still waiting for an answer. “I, uh, was going to do some quality control. Yeah! The, uh, I heard a rumor that there were worms in the apples.”
Nico’s lie bounced right off of Jarod, who’s stoic expression told Nico that he should try again.
“Uh… I…”
Jarod interrupted, “Aren’t you that boy who went missing last week?”
Nico knew there was no way to talk himself out of this one. “Yeah,” he sighed turning his head down in defeat.
Jarod’s face softened, as he sat down next to Nico. “Your parents have been worried sick since you disappeared, you know.” He handed the apple back to Nico. Nico froze. “Go on. You must be hungry.”
He took a bite out of the apple, but the pangs in his stomach had shifted from hunger to guilt.
“I just… can’t deal with their pressure to decide right now how the rest of my life will go. I just want to chill and hang with my friends.”
“Your friends will also be in the same boat soon enough. Once they turn 16, they’ll have to sign up for shifts as well. Then what will you do while they’re working?” Jarod had a point. “Besides, your parents only want the best for you. Their concerns come from their love for you.”
“Oh yeah?” Nico sneered.
“Look, you see all these crops around you? How do you think that apple managed to find its way into your stomach?”
“I bit into it,” Nico shrugged.
“Hundreds of scientist and farmers working together to ensure the security of our ship’s food supply. Without people planting it, monitoring its growth, harvesting it, and preparing it for you, there wouldn’t be food for you or anyone else on this ship. If you don’t contribute, you won’t be given your rations. Your parents want to ensure that you’ll be able to live without them. You’re lucky that you even have parent’s that love you so much. Parents that you can turn to, even after you move out.”
“Oh?” Nico hadn’t thought about that.
Jarod sighed, “When we left earth. I hadn’t spoken to my parents in years. They didn’t want anything to do with me or my partner.” Nico remembered why Jarod had seemed vaguely familiar. Him and his husband had been on the news last year after their living quarters had been destroyed. Jarod continued, “When we left, I sent them one final letter, letting them know where I was headed. I don’t know if they even opened it. I’d like to think that they regretted cutting me off. But for all I know, they were happy they no longer had to deal with their disgraceful son. I will never get to see my parents again. Yours are a short walk away, and they’re worried sick about you.”
Nico thought about his parents, and began to think about the prospects of never seeing them again. The loneliness that set into his heart pumped tears into his eyes.
“Come on, I’ll take you to your parents.” Jarod grabbed Nico’s elbow and helped him to his feet. They headed towards the central elevator as Nico prepared to face his future. At least he finally knew what he wanted to do with his life. When he got back to his family, he would tell them about his future in the Farm.