Ascension Day

Welcome, everyone, to our coverage of one of the most important days in our calendar. Ascension Day.

Stay tuned for a brief history lesson into when and why Ascension Day became so important, interviews with members of The Ascended, and all you could ever want to know about the Intake of 2086. We will speak to the individuals shaping our future and the families they will be assigned to life with.

Before we continue, here is a word from our sponsors.

(A black background with white writing and a warm and friendly but rehearsed female voice)

"At McMillan Heritage we are proud to be financial and administrative support for the Ascension Day initiative. Working directly with our faithful and humble leader, Prime Minister Engleton, to secure a brighter future for our civilisation has been an honour."

(Screen cuts back to Trina Herrow, the television personality and lead face of Good Morning, Society, sat across from the beautiful, if serious but trusted leader Madame Engleton.)

"Madame Engleton, it's an honour to have you as a guest as we celebrate Ascension Day, a project that you spearheaded in the beginning before you served as our leader. You must be proud of your achievement and the impact it has had on our society in just forty years."

"Well, Trina, I've been a longtime fan of your work, so I was delighted to celebrate this special Ascension Day in your company. I am very proud not of my own input, for I am just one person who did her duty to serve the people she loves. I am proud of the loyalists who have showed up in their hundreds of thousands to support the initiative. It's been decades of highs and lows, but we are here today to celebrate the anniversary of the first Ascension Day."

"I can't wait to continue our conversation, but for now we have a special video presentation. It charts the history of Ascension Day from the inception of the idea and the pushback it received in its formative days through to when it was adopted as state law and all that it has achieved right down to the present day."

(Video starts with a warm sepia tone which feels outdated but gives it a nostalgic flair. A young Engleton is seen debating as a voiceover tells the story of how Ascension Day came to be.)

*"In the early days, while Ascension Day was nothing more than a sociopolitical idea, a dream of a young and fearless Saria Engleton, the world faced many perils. Political upheaval, wars, a clear divide between the richest and the poorest. Industries collapsed because there were not enough fresh-faced and young experts to take up the mantle of the older generations. Lawlessness was unprecedented, largely due to governmental and institutional failings.

Whether it was her gender or age, many did not take Madame Engleton seriously. Although many questioned the morality, there were early supporters to the radical approach to safeguarding our future. They saw Engleton as the visionary the moral good have come to love, as we've seen the benefits of Ascension Day first-hand."*

Engleton voiceover:

"I understand people's reservations. When anything involves children, it raises suspicions. But the idea was to not go gently into that good night, and it required that we took affirmative action. Ascension Day provides a non-lethal solution to many of our society's problems — problems that were only going to worsen as time marches on. It gave the children of the future, especially those from underprivileged backgrounds, the chance to achieve greatness and, crucially, become cogs in the revolution our world needed."

(Presentation cuts to interview with Tommy and Barbara, two of the poster children of that first Ascension Day who are held in the highest of esteem.)

Tommy: "There was a lot of tension and fears."

Barbara: "And tears." (laughs embarrassed)

Tommy: "Don't remind me. I was a mess — only because I didn’t see then what I see now, and in fact after my first year with my new family, the Gordons."

Barbara: "I had a similar experience. The Taylors gave me the best start in life, and while it wasn't always sunshine and roses, I was away from the poverty and misery that my mother and father were so accustomed to."

Tommy: "I had had nothing but hand-me-downs and wasn't expected to be anything more than an underpaid labourer before I was accepted as one of the children on that first Ascension Day."

Barbara: "I loved my mummy and daddy, but David Taylor really took me under his wing and cultivated in me a desire for something better. He showed me my worth and helped shape me into the member of society I came to be. He was a stern man. But nothing he did was beyond what I needed. I miss him greatly. Maeve, his wife, and I meet up regularly to share memories. We wear his favourite sweaters that still have his scent and cry."

Tommy: "As well as training me to be a man, my folks also taught me the value of hard work and due diligence — about initiative and not expecting an easy ride in life. They were firm, but I don't think it was excessive. Others may disagree, especially those Ascension Day deniers."

Barbara: "They suggested that I was some kind of tool and that David and Maeve were abusive. The deniers were always trying to incite violence. The only time David raised so much as a fist to me was when I needed to be corrected. I was rebellious at times."

Tommy: "Same here, but look at us both. Married — and while Barb is a legal secretary, I run a bookstore and host Ascension Day orientation and preparation workshops. My way of giving back."

Engleton voiceover continues:

"Of course, with every new way of life comes teething problems. There have been those who would stand against progress, accusing my government of wrongdoing. It is with regret that we had to take the appropriate measures to preserve peace."

(Presentation cuts back to Trina, who is standing with two families, the Willows and the Goghs.)

"It always brings a tear to my eye when I watch presentations like that that show just how much our fearless and warm leader cares for the welfare of her people.

Moving onto the more positive side of today, and the Intake of 2086. We have with us the Willows and the Goghs, both of which have children selected for Ascension today. Let's chat first to the Willows.

Ted and Jackie, it's your son Martin who has been selected, is that right? How do you feel?"

Ted: "Oh, privileged does not even cover it. It's just heartening to know that Martin is going to a better place. We've done all we can for him, but as a miner and Jackie being partially blind, we couldn't give him the prospects his new family could."

Jackie (crying): "I know it's the only way, but it's sad, and I gave too much time to rumours about what Ascended families do with their children. Fearmongering, I guess — but I would love to hear from Madame Engleton. Don't shush me, Ted, he's my boy too. Our son. Going off God knows where."

Ted: "Get a grip, Jackie. It's a sad but happy day. We are securing our son's future, and he will help our society continue to prosper. The anti-Ascension Day movement are not interested in the safety or wellbeing of our children. They are just using dirty political tactics to besmirch our great leader and her initiative. Does she look like the kind of woman who would give the okay to harm children? No. Hug Martin and tell him you love him before Trina speaks to him."

(Static white noise fills the screen and screeching followed by sirens and a low timbre voice.)

"Ascension Day and Madame Engleton are not as progressive as they seem. Child labour, child abuse, child trafficking…"

(Images fill the screen of children sitting on the knees of men with dramatic and sinister music playing and hard focuses on their eyes.)

(Cut back to Trina)

"Are we back on? To our faithful viewers please dismiss that disgusting piece of propaganda. Madame Engleton and the many families have refuted these claims over the years. Isn't that right, Madame?"

"That's right, Trina. They are nothing more than troublemakers looking to incite dissention and destroy what we have worked hard to achieve."

(As the camera pans past Madame Engleton to Trina and then the Willows and Goghs, Ted Willow is seen gazing into a gap in a doorway at the back of the set.)

Trina: "Are you okay, Ted?"

(Looking as pale as a ghost, Ted shifts in his body. Unsure what he saw.)

Ted: "Uhm… yes. It must have been… nevermind."

(Madame Engleton shakes hands with each member of the two families. The Goghs look visibly unenthusiastic and are ushered off screen without reason.)

Trina: "Aw, bless them. Stage fright happens to the best of us."

(Footage distorts again, and a group of four people, head to toe in blackened clothing, stand with baseball bats.)

"We have tolerated this deception long enough" (the terrorist leader's bassy voice is cut short).

Trina: "No one is going to ruin this momentous day."

(Ted still looks shellshocked as strange noises hum just under the broadcast. His face betrays the terror he cannot speak.)

Trina: "Now it's time for the Willows to meet Martin's new family, the Broughtons."

(A tall, grey-haired man and his much younger wife stand next to Trina, looking over Martin with delight. Martin is encouraged to stand with them as Samira Broughton squats and holds Martin's hand.)

Trina: "Mr Broughton, can I call you Gerald?"

Gerald Broughton (reaching out and circling his fingers over Trina's hand, just at the bottom of the screen): "Yeah, of course you can, darling. We're not fans of you."

Trina: "Too kind. Are you excited to take little Martin home?"

Gerald (smiling at Martin with a sense of possessive longing): "Very much so. We have big plans for the little boy."

Martin: "Can I have ice cream?"

(Everyone laughs.)

Gerald and Samira (laughing almost too rehearsed): "If you behave and do exactly what you're told…"

Martin: "I'm nervous…"

Gerald: "Oh, don't worry about nerves. You'll have plenty of fun with our neighbours and your new big sister and big brother."

(As the broadcast cuts, a singular, low whisper echoes in the room.)

Gerald: "It's too late to whine now. Your boy is mine to do with as I please."

Looking back over the broadcast recording, it is hard to reconcile that nothing came of the audio skip. This is the world we have chosen. And yes, it was always a choice.

*

Thanks for reading!