July 08, 2014

Utopia? by Carol Ferguson

 

 

 

We are pleased to have Carol Ferguson, author and InScribe member, join us as our Guest Blogger today.






I was challenged recently to write in a new genre. Here’s my attempt at Sci Fi set in the year 2065.


STEPPING UP to the security check at the airport, Jan placed her chin on the Eye-dentity scanner bar, then lifted two-year-old, Livvy, until her chin rested on the bar for the two-second scan. The iris had proved to be the most basic source of identity and unalterable. They had not even been allowed to leave the hospital after Livvy’s birth until a tiny DNA chip was imbedded between her wee eyebrows. It was the equivalent of the old fashioned birth certificate. Every person on earth had one and it eliminated all need for tangible identification. Jan was pleased with the advances in society. She didn’t have to carry an old fashioned purse like her great grandma did.

Jan remembered hearing horror stories about the number 666; Satan’s number, being tattooed on people’s foreheads and Jews with identity numbers tattooed on their arms. Those stories died off after that generation died and now no parent questioned the chip. If your child went missing a satellite would pick up their exact location in seconds.

When Eye-dentity scanned Jan’s eyes it also scanned her ID chip and gave her an update. Great grandma had laughed too about a cashless society when coins in Canada were phased out and paper currency replaced with polymer bills. Now all finances were only recorded on a person’s chip, Livvy’s too. After the World Monetary Fund took control, finances worldwide, had slowly been equally distributed and no one could access another’s finances. With everyone on an equal economic basis, crime had been virtually wiped out. Great Grandma would be amazed.

Free universal health care became available when the World Health Organization took total charge and quickly eliminated all infectious diseases and eliminated huge pharmaceutical companies that once used health to create personal wealth.

The Bible was used to finally get a handle on world overpopulation and, at the time, it seemed so logical. God promised man three score years and ten, so now, on a person’s seventieth birthday, they celebrate their life and are put to ‘sleep’ and no one grieved about the process. It was now an accepted concept.

No one on earth went hungry since The World Food Bank took control the world's food supply. Everyone on earth works the same amount of time, has the same amount of vacation and everything needed for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness is free, shared worldwide.

Pollution and energy problems disappeared with the total switch to solar and wind power. Stored solar power is used to start a vehicle and once it is moving a small wind turbine under the hood recharges the battery.

Jan breathed a satisfied sigh. She finally understands Utopia. Only once in a great while does she recall hearing a voice from the past asking, “When He returns will He find faith on the earth?” Who is returning and from where?



5 comments:

  1. Carol,

    I'm so glad you made this attempt at Sci Fi. I enjoyed your story with that soul searching ending.

    Thanks so much for being our guest blogger this month.

    Brenda


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  2. You picked a great way to warn of future dangers by exulting in them!
    Really worth a try!

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  3. You have such an active imagination, Carol! I loved reading this! I think you should explore this some more
    Pam

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  4. Okay, now I am scared. You had me at Eye-dentity! Wow, I have heard mention of issues such as these - except maybe the 'putting to sleep at three score and ten.' Yikes! When you present it like this it makes me want to consider the lilies a thousand fold. (I'm actually not scared - 'cause I know about the King of the real heavenly 'Utopia'.) Great job, Carol.

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  5. Carol, it seems like you've been writing sci fi for a long time--quite suspenseful!

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