Chapter 1
Dear diary, the year is 2113. I am one of the few people in the universe who had the chance and privilege to live both in 21st century and 22nd. The era that marked the end of the 21st century and the begging of the 22nd was a big milestone in human history. Many changes occurred quickly, completely changing the world structure and the laws. The world in 21st century was breaking down and something needed to be done fast, in order to restore our society back to its former glory. Many believe that system today works much better than one before him. For instance, not there are only three countries in the world. Europe, where I live, consist of all the former European countries which is obvious.
The second one is called America and it is formed of all the countries that were once in United states of America, Canada, all the former countries of the continent America and the north and south pole. Last but not least is the grand Asia, that got all former Asian countries, the continent Africa, Australia and New Zeeland. Europe is the smallest one, but the most diverse and cultural one. Asia is well advance over us and over America, leading in all technological, medicals fields and many more.
America is the land of fun. People there are the most relaxed, most fun, easy going, a lot of the 21st culture still remains there. The number of countries isn`t the only thing that has shrunk. All the countries have the same official language. A lot of debating was done regarding which language would be the best choice. In the end English won because almost everyone already spoke it, it was easy to learn and so making it an obvious choice. Of course people still speak other languages, some out of habit, some to keep the tradition going. Despite the fact that world now only speaks one language on paper, learning ancient languages of the past is now very popular and trendy. Besides language, currency was also made universal and now everyone uses Euros. But these things were merely superficial changes. Laws have changed as well. The most notorious, the most talked about law, the most debated law, the law that separates us from the society of the 21st century, the law that brought the future to us is called the Murder card law, the law of the 22nd century. I feel I must explain it. In the 21st century the population grew and grew up to the point where the Earth was dangerously overpopulated. Supplies were running out faster than they were produced, so officials had to take measures to reduce the population. World leaders of that time met up in secrecy to figure out the best solution for this problem.
Other than them, no one really knows what went on during that meeting all that is known is their final decision. In the year 2050 it was decided to poison the corn. Why corn, was the question many people asked. Because corn is in almost everything we eat, including the meat, it was their best shot to reduce the population. Their attempt was successful. Those immune to the poison survived, few didn’t. But this didn’t go on for so long, not even a whole decade passed when the conspiracy was found. Everyone responsible for the action were forced to step down from their positions. After that the corn was no longer toxic, the world got new leaders and the population recovered. But it recovered to well. In the year 2090 the population numbers were bigger than ever. Coincidently, that was the year I was born. Because the numbers were so big, measures in reducing population had to be taken again. But this time, the authorities went public. They made sure everyone was aware of the problem. That’s when the Murder card law was proposed. Firstly, no one agreed. People thought it was cruel and barbaric. That we would be the same as animals. For some it was a step back not a step forward. It was debated for a whole decade, but eventually the majority of people agreed. On the verge of the 22nd century, January 1st, 2101 it became a real law and therefor legal. During that time, it still had people who were against it, but even they soon realized how good it actually is and how it has helped our society. The population numbers have been going down, the food supply was normal again so people didn’t have to preserve food or be left without it. The Murder card law is also responsible for job growth as the company who sells the cards opened its doors, called EasyWay.
The one and only company authorized to sell the cards. If anyone else tries to do it, they will go to jail and be ordered to pay a fine of 7 million Euros. The company found success quickly with selling those cards. Soon they expanded their offer and sold weapons which you can use for the Murder card. Now the company is expanding even more. Tomorrow is the opening of their first shopping center. Their plan is to be the biggest fish in the world of selling and buying, hence the new mall. There you will be able to purchase everything from groceries to Murder cards. “The right place to meet all your needs”, is their catchy and cheesy slogan. The mall will employ thousands people, and I will be one of them. As I’ve learned the company strives on progress and innovation, so everyone will be shifted at some point, meaning one will change jobs each month, more or less. One month you will work in the grocery department and the next you could be working selling clothing. So far, it is the only company that does so. The feel their workers will learn more, stay fresh and won’t get stale at their job. I guess I’ll see first-hand how this system will work. As I am inexperienced at retail and in words of my boss, just a young and naïve girl, I will start with working in a grocery store.
He said the job would be easy, but from what I heard from employers who work in grocery stores, it is far from being easy. I will know soon. I was actually hoping I would be able to sell the Murder cards, but not yet, I hope someday. These cards are not all the same, they vary depending on the number of people one wishes to kill and in which way. To purchase any of these cards, you must be at least twenty-one years of age. You can purchase maximum of thirty-three cards in your lifetime, but anyone employed at EasyWay, can buy sixty-six of them. To purchase the card, you are required to give the following information about the person you wish to kill. Their first and last name, address, personal identification number and their age. You are also required to give the reason for the purchase, because there are some reasons on why you can`t kill someone. You are not allowed to kill a former lover, partner or anyone you had an intimate relationship with. That rule is considered as your biggest protection. The more people you sleep with, the lesser are your chances of being killed. That’s why women have started getting as many sexual partners as they can, in order to enhance their chances to stay alive.
According to statistics, most buyers of the cards are men, so therefor they try avoid sexual contact. Most men nowadays only sleep with women they feel they can trust. This is the norm today, but according to history books, it used to be opposite. But moving on to the rules of the cards. You are also not allowed to kill anyone for the revenge of crimes of the past, older than thirty years.
For instance, if your family was once enslaved, you aren’t allowed to kill the family that enslaved them, because the current living people had nothing to do with slavery. You are also not allowed to terminate someone who owes you money, who’s sum is larger than one million Euros. Killing business completion is also not allowed. Ending someone who is below the age of fifteen in also not allowed. However, you can also get a discount for your purchase. If damage was done to the buyer, either emotional, psychological, material or psychical. This must be proven in court in order to receive the discount. You are also eligible for discount if the reason for purchase in revenge of murder of a loved one that was caused by the Murder card. For this discount you will need a certification. A buyer who purchases three or more cards of the same rank in one purchase, is entitled to a ten percent discount on each. If a buyer purchases three or more cards of different ranks in one purchase, they are entitled for a three percent discount on each. The last card, the thirty-third is free, regardless of its rank. When purchasing any kind of card, you are entitled to a twenty-five discount on the selected weapon if purchased together.py them, they will be sentenced toaationsks in oy.o kill alive. s andthat meeting a None of the cards include rape, mass murder or murder spree. You must identify every one of your victims and you are not allowed to kill randomly. Anyone found guilty of the mentioned violations will be sentenced to a life in prison. If the guilty one commits suicide after any of these action, their closest five people will be executed in way voted by the public. Any other violations of the cards are also punished with seven years in prison and a fine of seven million Euros. EasyWay is very strict with their punishments and take them very seriously, so if anyone tried to copy them, they will be sentenced to a life in prison and three of their closest people will be executed in a way voted by the public. So far, very very few people broke the agreements of the cards, thinking they would get away, but every single one of them was caught and punished. I should mention but for not briefly, we all have chips that were implanted when we were born. Through this chip, it is possible to monitor persons’ heart rate, blood pressure, basically anything your body does can be monitored. It is also written if the person has been selected for the murder card and when that person is getting killed, their body is being closely monitored to make sure their abuser isn’t violating the terms of agreement. No one has done that in years, in fear of the punishment. So because of that, women now feel safer than ever. They are liberated, not afraid to express themselves. This goes for men as well. Men who use the Murder card, release their frustration and anger and are able to live happier and fuller lives. Some Murder cards aren’t even that expensive.
The cheapest and the most basic card is called The base card. By purchasing this card, you are allowed to terminate the life of one in a quick and painless way. The price for this one is two hundred Euros. For instance, if you wish to kill with a gun, this would be card for you.
The next one is called The base card 2.0. When you buy this card, you are allowed to terminate two lives, still in a quick and painless way. If your target is a pregnant woman, you are obligated to buy this card, as you will also end the life on her unborn baby. The buyer has two days to commit the actions of the card. The price for this one is four hundred Euros.
The card above this one is called The Premium card. If you chose to buy this card, your murder process gets extended up to two hours. With this card, you are not allowed to torture your victim in a brutal way, you can harm them however. The death must occur in the two-hour limit. With this you are allowed to kill one and the price is seven hundred Euros. Here is an example of how some have used this card. They cut their victim with a knife or any other sharp object, depending on your preference. When the two hours are almost up, some people decide to shot their victim. Some simply stab them.
Following, is The deluxe card. This one also extends the murder process, but it extends it to a twelve-hour limit. But not only is the murder process extended, with this card you are also allowed to torture your person. The death can be slow and even painful, but slowest deaths are painful anyways and the death must occur in the twelve-hour limit. The price is one thousand and three hundred Euros and it`s good for murder of one. This card is mostly used as a revenge tool, for those who feel they have been greatly wronged. Techniques here vary.
The gold card is next and allows you to kill four people. It allows for a three-hour murder process for each person. As always, each death must occur within the three-hour limit. The buyer commits he or she will complete their actions in three days, starting from the first death. The price for this one is two thousand and three hundred Euros.
The last card is called The diamond card. This one allows you to kill ten people, five at minimum. Their deaths must be quick. The dying maximum is one hour for each. The card is valid for seven days, starting with the first death. The price for this one is five thousand Euros. This one is the closest to a mass murder, but still, even here, all victims must be identified, which is not an easy task. Someone who is planning on using this card, must gather a lot of information which can take long, but once you have, you can go ahead. If you don’t like any of these card, you can order a custom made card. But even this card follows all the laws. Its price is the highest, starting from the price of The diamond card plus ten percent of this price. Any additional fee is calculated depending on the wish of the buyer. It has been rumored that those who offered enough money to EasyWay were allowed to commit rape using this card, but so far, these rumors haven’t been confirmed and I am not the one to believe everything I hear. My grandma was never a fan of this card, she called the law gruesome and sick. But she was an old soul, forever stuck in 21st century and could not bear changes that 22nd century brought. Even on her death bed she talked about the cards and how humanity will reach its downfall because of them, but that is just old fashioned thinking. Today’s modern man, knows these cards are good and are actually making the world better. People are no longer afraid to express themselves and admit that murder isn’t always bad. Sure it hurts when you lose a close one, it hurt a lot when I lost my fiancée because of this cards, it still hurts but even so, I am still a supporter of the cards. And will always be, because in the long run, they benefit the human race. In fact, everyone thinks so, but when your life is on the line or the life of a loved one, what can you do? Do you just let it happen? Sure, some do that. What if you want to live? Then you have the right to file a complaint. If you have been selected for the murder card, you are informed of that immediately through your chip. After the notification, you have seven days to get your affairs in order and to say goodbye. If you want to file a complaint, you must do so the same day upon receiving the notification. The complaints goes straight to court. Both participants are then called to court of law where each defends their case. The judge decides if the request is either approved or denied. According to statistics, half of the requests get approved. If this happens, the buyer gets their money. Of course they can try to kill you again but only after three months have passed. If the request is denied and the person selected for the card still refuses to participate their three closest will suffer the faith of the card, with no additional charge for the buyer. The person refusing to allow actions of the card to take place will also be stripped of all their material possessions, get fired from their job and will no longer be employable. So then what? What if someone still refuses to participate after all this has happened? Could they run away and live the rest of their lives in hiding? Where would you even go? The government can find your location in seconds, thanks to the chip. So you can’t hide, can’t run away. The chips will let the authorities know where you are and then they will kill you anyways. Tracking down a person isn’t the only thing the chip can do. Besides the function that I have already mentioned, it has many more. It holds all of your information and it is used for payments. All your money is uploaded on it. When the chip expires, that’s when the government knows you have died. If the death isn`t verified with the murder card, the search for the killer begins. So it is crucial for you leave the murder card with the body, just in case computer system breaks down and fails to log in the murder card buy. When you buy a card for more than one person, you get extra chips for each additional human being. The chip also releases a poison through your body if you try to run or turn sixty. No one over the age of sixty is allowed to live, unless that person brings a significance to the world, like scientists or presidents. On your sixtieth birthday, the chip expires and releases the poison so you die, peacefully in your sleep. That law is old, quite older than the Murder card law, dating all the way back to the seventies of the 21st century. That’s when the government could support pensions anymore and the economy was crashing down. Therefor retirement became obsolete and the maximum human age was set. I remember footage from that era, shown in school and it was one of the saddest and most heartbreaking things I have ever seen. Those who were older than sixty, and believe me, it was a lot of them, were taken to die. They were forced to board the trains which took them to their deaths. Most refused and were beaten until they got on or where unconscious. Their families wept, begging officers for mercy but none was shown. Soon all of them were gone and for a while world lived in depression. But today, that is something normal and people no longer object. Some even argue that it is better to know when you will die, because you can live your life fuller and not scared to take a chance. Everyone today is aware how precious life is and that it can be taken away in seconds, mainly because of those Murder cards. They have forced us to take risks in life, be more aware of ourselves, appreciate what we have and appreciate mother nature which gives us life.