Andy's Shorts to GA Prompts - 6. Prompt #71

I got a promotion six months ago; I joined the Utopia Select Committee. At first I thought it was marvellous as I had more responsibility and more privileges; but now I have just been told the truth about Utopia and I have been chilled to the core.

The job of the Select Committee is to ensure that Utopia is just that; Utopia. We are sort of like the governments of old. There are fifteen members, and anything which requires a vote, must be passed by at least seven members on the initial proposal, and then by a majority of at least nine to six to become law. Being the most junior member I was assigned a senior member as a guide and mentor. My mentor is called Barnabas; I am called Quin. I was called Quin as I am the fifth to be born to my parents (I guess they seriously lack originality).

“Quin, in order for you to become a fully-fledged Committee member you need to learn the law. You will be tested in six months time. If you pass, you will become a full Committee member; if you fail, you will be discharged from the Committee and will not become eligible to become a member again until the next member dies.”

“I understand Barnabas.”

He handed me an electronic pad with “The Canon of Utopia, 25^th edition” on it. “Why is this on an e-pad Barnabas?”

He laughed. “My dear Quin, the printed text of the law currently covers sixty two volumes. I can give you the printed copy if you prefer.”

“No, the e-pad will be fine. I can’t believe that our Canon is that big; I mean I’ve never even heard of a crime being committed here.”

“Just because no one has committed a murder, doesn’t mean we don’t need to have a legal framework to deal with the eventuality if it should ever arise.”

“A sensible policy, I suppose.”

“The only thing to bear in mind is that all though there are currently one hundred six thousand articles of law along with a million or so supplementary guidelines, there is one punishment and one punishment alone. Death.”

“Death! That’s a little harsh, don’t you think? How come this isn’t public knowledge? How come I’ve never about this before?”

“You can only be told that upon becoming a full Committee member I’m afraid.”

Six months later, after so much study, I passed the law assessment and was elevated to the title of Full Committee Member.

“Quin, first my warmest congratulations. Now, six months ago you asked me about our laws and punishments and why they are not in the public domain. We actually have a big problem with crime. There are currently an estimated three hundred thousand crimes per annum committed.”

“That’s impossible Barnabas. There is nothing in ‘The Hall of Records’ or the ‘Records of Judiciary’.”

“That Quin, is because we suppress all knowledge of crimes committed. We have the ability to erase the short term memories of victims, and the long term memories of everyone who knew the perpetrator. That way, there are no questions about any crime or any public outrage about executing a criminal. That’s the way it has always been. The only people who know the complete truth are those of us on the committee, which is why the only way to leave the committee is when you die. Even the lawgivers and the enforcing squads have their memories wiped as well. How else are we to maintain order and happiness in Utopia?”

I began doing some mental calculations. Three hundred thousand crimes a year, meant three hundred thousand executions a year. I am now 24 years old; that means there have been over seven million executions during my lifetime. This has to get out somehow; the people have the right to know the truth. My God, what am I thinking! This can’t ever get out! It would mean the end of Utopia.

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