Relicum City

World Bible by Elizabeth 

Abstract

The year the title is 1962. The global economy is thriving, and the continents are at peace. Technological advancements and scientific discoveries have pushed society forward into a new era of hope and imagination. In the center of this brave new world is Relicum City. This urban is home to advance laboratories and prominent communities dedicated to medical research. Scientists and artists work around the clock to make the future a reality.

However, there are dark corners in this city of dreams. While working-class citizens struggle to survive in the lower parts of the town, the nuclear family resides in gated neighbourhoods upholding traditional values.

Geography and Scope

Five distinct areas define Relicum City: The City Midway, The Centre of Science and Technology (also known as the COST), Old Town, The suburbs, The Citywide Dump.

The City Midway

Downtown Reilcum is the epitome of the city’s scientific advancements. Office buildings and condos stand at twenty stories or higher—they stand side-by-side connected by indoor trains and glass bridges. The monorail’s sleek design allows citizens to arrive from one point to another.

The Centre of Science and Technology

Connected to the City Midway is the Centre of Science and Technology (Tomorrow). Inside the dome building gathers the world’s top inventors and scientists; together, they conjure new ideas and inventions to push the world forward.

Old Town

Northwest of The City Midway is a section of Relicum known as Old Town. In contrast to the romantic cityscape, this area is less technologically advanced and is more polluted. The architecture of small businesses and homes are pre-second World War. Old Town is divided into two sections; the plastic factory, which takes up more than half of the residents, and the working-class neighbourhood. Built during the industrial revolution, the plastic factory is the city’s oldest building. However, the interior and exterior have remained the same since the second world war. The working-class neighbourhood comprises two-bedroom homes, three-story apartments and one eight-room boarding house. Although the homes in this community are more modern than the plastic factory, they have been un-kept since 1940. There is an elementary school at the border of The City Midway, conveniently within walking distance from the working-class neighbourhood.

The Suburbs

The suburbs are located half an hour outside of the City Midway. There is a tall gate at the entrance, and only those with a fob can enter. Most exterior suburban homes consist of well-kept, early 1950’s architecture (With a brick foundation painted grey, surrounded by green grass and a simple white fence). The interior design of these retro homes is the opposite of their outer appearance. Modern with up to date trends (for example, dishwashers that fill themselves, a fridge that makes ice, self-cleaning ovens and robot dogs that mow the lawn)—an elementary school (grades 1-8) located ten minutes outside the gated community.

The Citywide Dump/The Outskirts

The dump is located six and a half miles outside Relicum City. Around the landfill is a sizeable concrete fence about sixty feet tall with barbwire at the top and an electric border around it. The outskirts used to be a farming country until the early fifties. During the Cold War, the military built a testing facility on the land. Due to nuclear testing, crops can not grow in these areas.

Demographics:

People of Old Town

Old Town’s working-class (commonly known as “Blue Collars”) do not go into The City Midway unless it is work-related (Truck and bus drivers, cleaners, garbage men, waitresses, or fry cooks for high-end cafés). Most “blue-collar” citizens do not have access to transit after a particular time of day (for those who work in the city). Trains and other means of public transpiration do not go directly into the Old Town; buses that stop closest to this section of Relicum stop operating at seven PM.

Those who work in the factory are prone to injuries and sicknesses due to poor conditions. Because Old Town is closest to the city border, “Blue Collars” have a higher chance of developing terminal illnesses.

Families live together (in some cases, extended relatives share a roof, children, aunts, uncles, grandparents. More than one family will share a house). Those who do not have families live in boarding homes (up to three people per room). Rooming homes are usually for people who live on their own. Children are not allowed to stay in these homes. There is an orphanage for children with no guardians and a group home for young adults (and runaways). People who live in Old Town don’t own their own homes; they rent. The government owns and maintains housing units in this section of the city. Rent is often high, considering the conditions of the houses.

Residents of the City Midway

Those who live directly in the City Midway often live in high-rise apartments (rented or bought) or condos. Some residents rent apartments who choose to live with roommates (propriety managers assign some). Those who are single live in either one bedroom or studio flats.

Citizens who live in the city have A.I. assistants that act like butlers.

It is not uncommon for small families to live in the city. Condos in the Midway have up to four bedrooms. However, these professional families most likely have one child.

Suburban Families

Upper-middle-class families live in a gated community outside the City Midway. The suburbs are home to large families (The nuclear family) and uphold a more traditional lifestyle. The wife is often the homemaker, and the husband works in the city (usually in the business sector: advertisement, publishing, accounting, etc.). Families with more children and bigger homes often have A.I. maids and nannies.

Upper-class families have three to five children per household. Because there are universities in the city, most children stay at home until they are married or get a job. Young women who grow up in this environment don’t pursue higher education. They are often married after high school.

Those who choose to retire at fifty-five reside in a section of the Suburbs specifically for retirees. This section is known as “the country” (though the countryside is technically uninhabitable). This community is known as the “Golden State,” located four miles outside the suburbs.

Politics and Governance:

Relicum is a democratic society; there is an election every four years. The person elected holds the chancellor title and can stay in power until a new leader is elected. The current chancellor has been in power since the second world war. Because of the scientific advancements in technology and medicine, the citizens never challenged the chancellor’s leadership.

Resources and Eco:

The people of Relicum use physical money, debit and credit cards to pay for goods and services.

Scientists can create food and medicines in COST laboratories. If there is a global shortage of certain foods or limited supplies, the labs will manufacture enough goods to meet the needs of the people (It is important to note that fresh food is more expensive than manufactured products).

Although there have been great strides in the medical field, health care is not a free service in Relicum. “Blue-collar” occupations (such as working in the plastic factory) do not include health insurance. Residents who are terminally ill or who have preexisting health conditions can qualify for clinical trials at COST. The odds of becoming a test subject is one out of 10,000 (often upper-class citizens or those with connections get picked).

Citizens who live in the Suburbs and The City Midway have easy access to almost every resource that the city offers (especially over-the-counter drugs and fresh food). Families and neighbours usually have homemade remedies to help aid sicknesses and injuries for those who live in Old Town. Not only are there no pharmacies located in that section of the city, but medication is also expensive (prescription and non-prescription). Because most medicines have a high success factor, they are more costly.

Languages:

The dominant language of Relicum is English; however, most educated citizens speak multiple languages. COST often exchanges ideas and concepts with scientists worldwide; it is necessary to understand at least two other languages besides Spanish, French and English to be on the COST research team. Second-class citizens usually speak only one or two languages.

Education:

Everyone who lives in Relicum City has access to education, but those who live in Old Town are most likely to drop out of school before graduating high school. There are no schools located directly in Old Town. The government only funds post-secondary education for students pursuing a career in the science or medical field. A more academically inclined student of Old Town may never surpass high school because their families can not afford higher education.

Mythology:

Some people believe that the current chancellor uses the Citywide Dump to cover up rejected human experiments conducted at COST. Most citizens find it peculiar that one must have military clearance to access the dump.

Notable Scientific Advancements:

The Center of Science and technology has made great strides in technological and medical advancements; some of these advancements include:

• Families who have the means can choose the gender, hair and eye colour of their children.
• Artificial intelligence exists (robots, A.I.’s), and they are at their prime (but not intelligent enough to believe that they are human). A.I.’s are often used to aid city workers to act as personal assistants and tools (for personal and professional use). Some A. I.’s look like humans, and others look more robotic.
• Due to advanced research from COST, most cancer treatments are thriving.

Other Occupations:

Although Relicum City is known for its scientific advancements and discoveries, not everyone works within the scientific community. Every citizen plays an important role. Even seemly mundane jobs push this society forward. Some other notable occupations in The City Midway (and in Old Town) include:

• Factory workers (mangers and floor-men)
• Shop keepers (department and grocery stores)
• Teachers and Special educators
• Writers (newspapers, advertisement authors)
• Accountants
• Museum coordinators
• Dinner and Restaurant workers (cooks, dishwashers and waitresses)

Architecture in The City Midway