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

“Because now I don’t just have a partner in crime. I’ve got myself a boyfriend.” He threw his arms out. “A boyfriend.”


“We don’t have any of those, love,” said the bony, middle-aged waitress as she walked by their table.


Michael and Bevan looked at each other, laughing.


The waitress glanced back over her shoulder and winked at them.


Three days later they returned to the café, half expecting Al not to show up.


“Why wouldn’t he? He’s got another three thousand credits coming to him,” said Michael.


“Because he’s already got three thousand credits from us, which is three thousand more than he had before he met us.”


They waited for fifteen minutes. Bevan was growing more and more agitated. Michael was calmer, but then again they weren’t his credits Al had taken.


“I’m going to wait here all afternoon if I have to,” said Bevan.


“He’ll be here,” said Michael, reassuringly.


Almost as if on cue, Al walked into the café. He took a seat opposite Michael and Bevan.


Chapter 36