Michael is thirty-nine and gay. Like his little niece, Kim, who has a learning disability, he is considered a non-citizen under the draconian Normalcy Laws. Kim’s parents quietly arrange to flee to New Zealand, where the Normalcy Laws haven’t been implemented. As Michael has a good job and has been careful to hide his homosexuality, he doesn’t consider going with them. Instead, he remains behind and goes about his business as normal until one morning when he is confronted by two Black Guards. Hooded, Michael is taken to what he assumes is the Department of Law. Once people are taken there, they never see the light of day again. Elimination is the only punishment in the New World Order. There he is interrogated by The Man, a handsome officer of the Black Guards. In a desperately hopeless situation, is there any hope of surviving elimination? No one ever has in the past, but Michael discovers something about The Man that hints at his situation not being as bleak as it appears. Can he dare to hope there is a way out? Or is he so delusional that his fantasies of freedom have clouded his judgment? Under the oppressive Normalcy Laws, nothing is certain.

Forbidden

Finally the white van began moving, very slowly, down the road.


“What was that about?” asked Rebecca.


Michael shook his head. “Let’s just get out of here.”


They didn’t live far from the park. In fact, they could have walked. But little legs grew tired and so did the arms that had to carry the little bodies those little legs belonged to. It was easier to drive, to bundle every necessary thing into the car and drive.


They had gone no further than two blocks when Rebecca noticed they were being followed.


“What do they want?” Michael asked, anxiously glancing surreptitiously into the side mirror


“Let’s just try and stay calm,” said Rebecca.


“Easier said than done,” Michael mumbled.


Why are they so interested in us?he wondered. A man, a woman and two children coming home from the park?


Chapter 3