Two Short Stories: The City of Steel and Once Upon A City

by Tayo Adele · Published December 10, 2022 · Updated December 10, 2022

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In Bak, the city of steel, the sky was always gray and the air was filled with the sound of clanging metal and the hiss of steam. The streets were crowded with workers rushing to and fro, their faces grimy and tired from a long day of labor.

At the heart of the city stood a massive factory, its towering smokestacks belching out thick black smoke that stained the sky even further. Inside, rows upon rows of machines hummed and whirred, manned by workers who toiled tirelessly to produce the city’s most prized export: steel.

But despite the city’s reliance on the factory, not all was well in the city of steel. The workers were overworked and underpaid, their living conditions cramped and miserable. Many dreamed of leaving the city and starting a new life elsewhere, but few had the means to do so.

One such worker was a young man named Jack. He had grown up in the city and had known nothing else, but he had always longed for something more. He dreamed of a life where he didn’t have to spend his days locked in a factory, of a world where the sky wasn’t always gray and the air wasn’t filled with pollution.

One day, Jack heard rumors of a rebellion brewing among the workers. They were planning to rise up against their oppressors and demand better working conditions and fair wages. Jack was hesitant at first, but the more he thought about it, the more he realized that this was his chance to escape the city of steel and make a better life for himself.

He joined the rebellion and soon found himself at the forefront of the fight. The workers clashed with the factory owners and their hired thugs, and the streets of the city ran red with blood. But in the end, the workers emerged victorious.

The factory was shut down and the workers were given better wages and conditions. The city of steel was transformed, and the sky began to clear as the pollution dissipated. Jack was finally able to leave the city and start a new life, grateful for the rebellion that had given him his freedom.

Once Upon A City

The city was bustling with activity, as it always was. The streets were packed with people, cars, and buses, all jostling for space. The air was thick with pollution and the constant din of honking horns and chatter was almost deafening.

Lena had lived in the city all her life and had grown accustomed to the noise and the crowds. She worked as a receptionist at a busy law firm and her days were spent answering phones and dealing with a never-ending stream of clients and paperwork.

But despite the chaos that surrounded her, Lena had always found solace in the small green park near her apartment. It was a quiet oasis in the midst of the concrete jungle, a place where she could sit and read a book or simply watch the birds and the squirrels.

But even the park was beginning to feel the effects of the city’s overpopulation. The once-pristine lawns were now patchy and worn, and the trees were drooping from the weight of the pollution. And the noise, even in the park, was constant.

Lena longed for a change, for a chance to escape the crowded, noisy city and live in a place where she could breathe fresh air and enjoy the silence. But she knew it was impossible. She was trapped in the city, just like everyone else.

One day, as Lena was walking home from work, she stumbled upon a small shop that she had never noticed before. It was nestled between a grocery store and a fast-food restaurant, and its windows were covered in dust and grime.

Curious, Lena pushed open the door and stepped inside. The shop was dimly lit and filled with all manner of strange and wonderful objects: old clocks, dusty books, and intricate carvings. And at the back of the shop, sitting behind a desk covered in papers, was an old man with a bushy white beard.

“Can I help you?” the old man asked, looking up at Lena.

“I was just curious,” Lena said, looking around the shop. “I’ve never seen this place before.”

“I’ve been here for years,” the old man said with a smile. “But I suppose most people are too busy rushing about to notice a small shop like this. They have no time for the little things in life, the things that truly matter.”

Lena nodded, understanding what the old man meant. She too often felt like she was rushing from one thing to the next, with no time to stop and appreciate the beauty in the world.

“Would you like to see something special?” the old man asked, beckoning Lena to come closer.

Curious, Lena walked over to the old man’s desk and peered at the papers scattered across its surface. They were all maps, but not like any maps Lena had seen before. These maps showed the city, but not as it was now. They showed the city as it once was, before it was overpopulated and polluted.

“These are old maps of the city,” the old man explained. “They show what the city used to be like, before it was ruined by too many people and too much noise.”

Lena looked at the maps in amazement. She could see the park in its full glory, with lush green trees and a sparkling pond. She could see the streets, wide and open, with room for people to walk and ride their bikes. And she could see the air, clear and clean, with not a speck of pollution in sight.

“It’s beautiful,” Lena said, her voice filled with wonder.