Disease Control [AFWC]

The mayor shared the stage with the town elders, and the little girl's tearful mother. The young girl herself was excluded from the meeting, to spare that child any further trauma. In her place was a large color poster, showing radiant innocence and beauty that only children can ever possess.

"Many of you have heard of the Zeta-X infection. For those who are unaware, let me briefly explain."

"The disease is rare. It has not occurred in more than a hundred years. It is not contagious. Nobody in town, except for this poor child is at risk. But the risk she faces is horrific. The Zeta-X infection causes blindness, paralysis, the decay of living flesh, and slow torturous death. I will spare you further gruesome details, except to say that it hovers over this child like some demon who returns every century to feast upon a new innocent!"

The mayor paused, and turned to the poster, while the crowd contemplated his words.

"I have called the town together today to announce a miracle! We can turn away this evil. Modern science has discovered a treatment! Our scientists have found a method of extracting elements of a healthy person's blood – an antitoxin – that will permanently stave off the symptoms of Zeta-X!

"We can help this child, but we must all participate. Vast amounts of blood are will be required. One dosage of antidote requires a thousand pints of blood to be distilled. And the child must take a dose each week, for the rest of her life. We have calculated carefully what is needed, and are numbers our enough! Together, our blood will save her.

"All that is necessary from each of us is a single pint of blood, every month, and no more."

The Mayor's voice rose, resonating in the hall. "We will marshal our wills, and turn back malicious chance!" He gestured to the poster; the vulnerable eyes depicted there suddenly seemed both haunted and hopeful.

"My neighbors, we will cooperate, and together we will save the life of this guiltless child!"

A single hand was raised cautiously. The mayor nodded towards it, and a citizen stood.

"Mr. Mayor, your Honor, and Honored elders, I have heard that, just because someone is infected with Zeta-X does not necessarily mean they will become sick with the disease. Ancient records clearly show that many people with Zeta-X infection lived normal and healthy lives, with no symptoms whatsoever."

The Mayor frowned. "It is well documented within our town almanac that once a symptom appears, there is no remission. That person is doomed to die horribly. Can we possibly take that chance, when we have a verified treatment in hand? I say – obviously no."

Slight murmur of agreement rippled through the audience.

"But Mr. Mayor. What you ask of us is to give our very blood – with no limit – and without any evidence that this child will ever truly benefit from it."

"You make a pint of blood out to be more precious than it actual is, my friend. I promise you, you have ample blood to spare for this merciful mission. All of us do. "

The citizen fidgeted. "But to impose this on the town, on all of us by the thousands, each month..."

Now, the Mayor flared in anger. "You would see the child die horribly? Because of your selfishness? We are asking so little to preserve the priceless life of a child. You would permit her to experience slow and hideous death, to spare yourself a most modest discomfort and inconvenience! Shame! That is not our way!"

A frail woman rose from the crowd. "I will give gladly, but our way is to vote!"

Immediate, the room was pierced by a sob, so filled with despair and tragedy that no one hearing it could possibly remain unmoved. On the stage, the young girl's mother was racked with crying for nearly a full minute before composing herself enough to speak. "What - if – it was – your child?" she wept, adding softly. "You are – monsters!"

The mayor took her hand gently. "Vote? We are your elected officials! And we have voted unanimously. All will participate, to the last person. Those that refuse will be banished from town, to the swamp and quicksands." He stroked the mother's hair softly. "We are good people. Be assured. Your daughter will be saved!"

Epilogue

We followed her maturation from child, to adolescent, to adult, nurtured by our very blood.

Who can forget those many times when, due to the complexity of the distillation process, we were doubly taxed, and had to give two pints in a month. Or those rare times, so dreaded by the town, where we had to each give three times in a single month? How anemic the entire town became! But for such a good cause! Each of her birthdays was a celebration. Every passage into adulthood was a new festival.

The young child became a beautiful adult. Healthy. Vibrant. Beloved. She married. The entire town attended her wedding.

And this month – what a blessing! She surprised us all, giving birth to twins!

We all gave, and will continue to give to her. Yet – the whisper of dissent among us, always present, now grows louder.

What if the rumor is true? How could it possibly be? The doctor refuses to speak to the town, and you can see his distress. There have been closed meetings of the town council, and their mood is uncharacteristically grim.

The twins appear healthy. But what if it is true, and their mother has – as growing evidence darkly suggests – passed the Zeta-X infection to them?

Author's Note

I don't know if this really qualifies as a pure AFWC topic, but it was completely inspired by the "Political Madness" forum (always a good read.)

It is all here: crazy government, liberalism, conservatism, taxes, moral foundation. Plus some H1N1 and health care metaphors for you to decipher.

A person who read this, before I posted, said she first thought this was going to be a story about vampirism.

And, of course, it is precisely that.

[edit on 17-12-2009 by Axial Leader]

reply to post by Axial Leader


I enjoyed your story Axial Leader. For myself I was left wondering how far Humaniy would actually go to save the life of a child even if its at a very high cost. Hope and faith would personally spur me to donate the blood on a constant schedule in the hope that a child might be saved. Unknown plagues and diseases are surely just around the corner........

Good luck in the contest Axial.

Excellent story Axiel! I loved the juxtaposition between the moral drive to save the child against the everpresent threat of having -- over time -- injured the population in general, for a salvation that may not have been needed.

Were the doctors really using all that blood for the child, or was there a darker agenda afoot -- one in which they used the death spectre hovering over the innocent child as a motivator to control the populace? We'll never know (unless you do a prequel or a sequel). You touch upon many social issues of today. Well done!