My arms began to tire from the stress of the sheets of metal being dropped onto my plate. I dropped my plate onto the stone anvil and began hammering it flat. The white light flickered as each second passed, in perfect sync with the ticking. After a few more hammers the light would buzz green and my next job would appear. Today was a large load of metal sheets which needed refinement. Usually, my job involved piecing together blueprinted machinery parts. That was why my brain knew the hums and purrs of each and every piece of machinery in this city. The walls were thickly lined with heat resistant metals and their intricate designs were rumoured to be created by the Wheel himself. Though I had never personally met the famous inventor his presence was an inspiration to me, his creations belonging to a secret place in my mind. My hand guided the hammer onto the plate, the sound ricocheting across the walls as sparks flew from atop the plate. My thoughts trailed to my last year of working but as my hammer struck once more, I drew a blank. The light blinked into a deep red. This small change in my peaceful routine forced me into a panic. I had not felt this way from as long as I could recall. Units began stepping into my designated space, my count went to thirteen. Their masks were pure white, untainted by grease or the smog. They were personnel of the Chamber. Their voices startled the ticking in my mind making me lose count for the first time.
"280, you have been terminated. Your curfew is now lifted. Thank you for your twelve years of service."