We walk towards where we will cut lumber all day. We are low-threat, unlikely to rebel, and as such we are trusted with axes. However, we are not trusted completely — guards with PPD-40 submachine guns follow behind us, in front of us, to our side, and if we make moves that are a bit too sudden, a bit too threatening, it's rat-a-tat-tat and away we go. None of us here have the constitution to withstand a spray of bullets.

Yes, I am one of them now, serving my time at a correctional labor camp. In ten years — or perhaps less, if I show myself to be loyal — my errors shall be scrubbed away, and I will be able to reenter society reeducated, corrected, clean.

I shudder with horror at what would have happened if they hadn't caught my error. I would still be spreading anti-Soviet propaganda, destroying any chance of reaching our dreamed-of end-state of perfect Communism. I laugh at my train of thought — the goal of Communism is to end the state, so the end-state... I know exactly which of my students would laugh with me if I told that joke.

Surely there could be some other way to correct my thoughts than tearing me away from the classroom... and yet, as I think it I realize that this thought also needs to be corrected. Perhaps I will need the entire ten years to truly become the ideal proletariat that I had thought I was.

My thoughts are interrupted by a punch on the arm. Light, light enough that it doesn't trigger even my low-level Resist Impact, but still a punch.

"What'd you do that for?"

The man shrugs good-naturedly. "All the cool kids are punching you. I didn't want to get left out."

I don't want to like this man, but it's hard not to. I growl. "Didn't you see that I punch back?"

Then he laughs. "I watched the entire fight and I didn't see you punch back once. You went down like a martyr. Old Pete, he was a lion, and you just walked into his den like Daniel. Except you got eaten, because unlike Daniel, God hates you."

I really don't want to like this man. He insults me, strikes me, and even compares me unfavorably to a superstitious idiot, but I still like him.

I Inspect.

Name: Luka Shuysky

Age: 42

Level: 39

Occupation: Factory Worker

Ideological Alignments: Communitarian, Christian (unspecified denomination)

Stats

Strength: 29

Constitution: 38

Dexterity: 27

Intelligence: 19

Wisdom: 40

Charisma: 77

Top skills

Raise Spirits: 91

Persuasion: 64

Mechanics: 55

Discernment: 54

Resist Influence: 53

A Charisma score of 77? That is insane. And Raise Spirits... I've never seen a skill in the 90's with my own eyes. You have to spend a lifetime devoted to a skill to get to level 99.

"You paused," he says. "That means you're inspecting my stats, aren't you."

"No," I say with a curse. Then, as he looks at me questioningly, I relent. "Yes."

"It's okay. Many people wonder. If my Charisma is so high, why not hide my religious affiliation? Why not pretend to be a Communist? Why not dress up as Joseph Stalin, steal a Mecha, and rule a small town?"

"I was thinking more along the lines of: why aren't you an actual Communist? Your Discernment is high, and you've seen the wonders of our state."

"Yes, I have... but I've seen wonders far greater than any state."

"This is treasonous talk, you know."

"Oh yes," he says, "and I know you're a stool pigeon too. You could have me serving in solitary confinement by this evening, or on half rations, or even under the torturer's screw. And yet I know you won't. Do you know why?"

"Because you have a Charisma stat far higher than anyone at your age should?"

"Well, that is part of it. But the bigger reason is because you are a good person, deep down, below those layers of brainwashing and sin. God has plans for you."

"What if I do turn you in?" I ask. I know I won't.

He lifts up his shirt, no mean feat in this weather. His flesh is covered in scars. "Then I will accept God's will."

I should yell at him, tell him he is being stupid to put his trust in this far-away God, but there is something about him that makes me not want do so. When he shows me the scars he radiates peace. Who am I to ruin that?

Yet, habit is engrained deeply. I am ever the teacher. "Would God have willed something horrible upon someone He loved? Would he let his children be killed?"

"You worship Mecha Stalin, do you not?"

"No! I simply revere him, wish to serve him, and stand in awe of his perfect plan." Okay, that sounded a little bit like a god. "Stalin deserves the praise. He's real. Have you ever seen your God?"

Luka nods. Like an idiot.

"Then where was he when you were being tortured by the agents of Mecha Stalin?"

I can't believe it. I'm arguing "my god can beat up your god" with an uneducated, traitorous factory worker. I've instructed students in how to stamp out superstitious nonsense, and yet this stupid idiot doesn't even flinch!

"He was with me," says Luka. "He was with me the whole time."

I stop in my tracks, long enough that a guard yells at me to keep walking. I comply. Mecha Stalin must be served.

"You'll see," says Luka. "You'll understand."

"Yea, I'm sure your Persuasion skill will see to that."

Luka smiles gently. "You'll know soon enough that I haven't used that. Keep waiting for the EXP and it will never come. I have used Raise Spirits, that is true, and your resistance to it will no doubt raise your Resist Influence... but your Discernment levels will not rise, for I have not lied to you or attempted to Persuade."

"I don't believe you. How did your Persuasion get so high?"

He caresses his shirt. I remember the line he traces — it's where one of the larger scars resides. "God works in ways we can't imagine, giving us the strengths that we need."

Then he walks off to another part of the line, leaving me with a barrage of EXP notifications.

You have gained 9,183 EXP in Resist Influence, Wisdom

You have gained 9,183 EXP in Resist Influence, Wisdom

Your Resist Influence skill level is now 39

You have gained 9,183 EXP in Resist Influence, Wisdom

You have gained 9,183 EXP in Resist Influence, Wisdom

You have gained 9,183 EXP in Resist Influence, Wisdom

You have gained 9,183 EXP in Resist Influence, Wisdom

You have gained 9,183 EXP in Resist Influence, Wisdom

Your Resist Influence skill level is now 40

You have gained 9,183 EXP in Resist Influence, Wisdom

They're all Resist Influence, just like he said. I check every single one.

No Discernment.

Fuck him.