"Shaping The Future" drabbles by Christopher

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Shaping The Future (5/5)

Shaping The Future #5

The young Harrison would not become a concert pianist, and the young Rockford would not spend his life in the slums of Rag Town. Harrison would have an illegal procedure to have his DNA reverted back to normal, and would lead a revolution that ultimately overthrew the State. He would become the new leader of the State, and then integrate Rag Town into Pristine City and begin to clean it up and educate its residents. The people of Rag Town were skeptical, but were convinced it was a good idea by a revolutionary of their own...

The young Mr. Rockford.

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Shaping The Future (4/5)

Shaping The Future #4

The doctor smiled, "That's it, Mr. Harrison. Look on the bright side."

Meanwhile in Rag Town, a healthy baby boy was being born in a dirty little hospital, an antiquated and dilapidated facility.

Mr. and Mrs. Rockford looked down at their son, who was snuggled in a blanket in his mother's arms and blissfully unaware of the uphill battle that would be his life.

Mrs. Rockford frowned, "If we only lived in Pristine City, he would have a chance of a real life."

Mr. Rockford admonished her, "Yeah, and would have his whole life planned for him by the State."

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Shaping The Future (3/5)

Shaping The Future #3

The doctor continued. "Pristine City can only continue to thrive when we leave nothing to chance. Look at Rag Town. Is that where you would rather be?"

Mr. and Mrs. Harrison both shuddered at the thought. The Proletariat section of the city, nicknamed "Rag Town," was where the so-called dregs of society lived. The State didn't even bother with those people. They were in control of their own destiny. Unfortunately, all you could hope for in Rag Town was hopelessness. As well as poverty, disease, crime.

Mr. Harrison said, "Well, a concert pianist is a good profession to have."

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Shaping The Future (2/5)

Shaping The Future #2

Mr. Harrison looked at his wife and then at the doctor, "We...kind of...wanted our son to be in charge of...his own...destiny."

The doctor nodded, "I understand, but rules are rules, Mr. Harrison. We ran the Future Probability Test and the results are that we will have a shortage of concert pianists around the time your child comes of age. So, that's what we will program your child's DNA with."

"What if he doesn't want to be a concert pianist?" Mrs. Harrison asked.

"What the individual wants and what's best for the State is often two different things," the doctor said.

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Shaping The Future (1/5)

Shaping The Future #1

The Harrisons had it all. They lived in the Cultural Zone that was Pristine City. They were affluent and influential. And now they were expecting their first child.

Recent scans of the growing fetus showed cause for concern. They were sent to Dr. Sanders, the city's leading expert in genetic resequencing.

"It looks like," the doctor said ominously, "that there is a 90% probability that your baby will not be successful."

The Harrisons clutched each other's hands in terror. They knew what this meant.

"Anything over 60% is mandatory DNA resequencing," the doctor said, looking down at the test results...