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

“Hurry,” said Bevan, walking quickly towards the door. “Black Guards always travel in pairs.” Peering out through a gap in the door, he beckoned Michael to follow. “Say nothing,” he whispered. “The corridors have cameras.”


Michael’s heart was in his throat. If he tried to swallow, he probably wouldn’t be able to. Unfortunately, or fortunately as the case may be, his mouth was bone dry.


For the length of the corridor they didn’t see a single soul. They took the elevator up to the next floor and were confronted by another, much longer corridor. Michael remembered it from the morning he was brought in. They hadn’t gone ten meters when a pair of Black Guards appeared from what must have been a side door. As they walked towards each other, Michael was just able to hear Bevan tell him to ‘keep calm’.


Chapter 18