Deceived

Deceived

By Clayton and Gail Wylie

Simon Baxter stood in the doorway, thoughtfully rubbing the heart shaped locket at his chest as he watched the NHST officers approaching his neighbour’s home. What was going on now? Ever since the nuclear war had swept across the world three years ago, things had grown stranger and stranger. First being isolated in their home for months. Then the computer chips inserted to protect them from the radiation. And now this locket.

He had felt a thrill of satisfaction when the officer congratulated them on how well they had lived up to their civil duty during the last few years and presented he and his wife with the lockets as a sign of their patriotism. He felt exhilarated when the officer had insisted on placing the locket on him, much like a medal of honor. The length of the chain was adjusted so that the heart sat directly against his breastbone. It felt good. Secure. Then they were presented with an identical for their son and advised to put it on him as soon as he got home from school. It was also suggested that they never take them off, as the range of protection they afforded was limited.

As he watched his next door neighour open the door and welcome the officer into her home, he muttered “Is everyone as patriotic as we are?” This thought was interrupted by the shrill of the phone in on the table beside him. He turned and reached for it.

Tony’s voice filled the room. “Did you open it?”

“What?”

“Did you open it?”

“Open what?”

“The locket they gave you?”

“You got one too? They told us it was a sign of patriotism. If you got one too, well, that’s a laugh.”

“I know. Nothing at all patriotic about it. Anyway, I opened mine. It’s a micro computer of some sort. I’ll bring it over and show it to you.”

The phone went dead.

Simon returned to the door and opened it. He looked down the street at the blue door of Tony’s bungalow. It swung open as Tony stepped out onto the front step. A ray of the sunlight glanced off the gold locket, swinging down by his knees.

Suddenly a police cruiser, with sirens screaming, skidded around the corner, coming to a shuddering halt right in front of Tony’s house. Two burly officers jumped out, grabbed Tony’s arms and heaved him into the back seat of the cruiser. Within seconds the vehicle leapt to life again, roaring down the street and out of sight.

Simon stepped quickly back into the house and slammed the door. Shaking, he moved to the window, not quite believing what he had just seen. The street was now quiet. The NHST officer was bidding his neighbours good-bye. It was as if nothing at all had happened.

“Did you see that Sally?” he called out.

“See what?” she asked, as she came through the kitchen door wiping her hands on a tea towel. “I was just cutting up some vegetables for supper.”

“Tony. They took Tony”

“Took Tony? Who took Tony?”

The police. They just drove up and grabbed him and threw him in the cruiser and drove off.”

“Really? Well, you know Tony. He is always lived on the edge.” She smiled and turned to go back into the kitchen. “Anyway, it has nothing to do with us.”

“In a way it does. He was coming here to show me what is in the locket. He got as far as his front step and ”

The sound of the school bus pulling up in front of the house interrupted his sentence. They both turned to look at the door. It swung open and Scotty burst through, like he always did after school.

“Guess what Dad? We had a field trip today. We got to go to the NHST headquarters. You should see all of the computers they have!”

“Wow, that would be an interesting experience.”

Yeah! They told us that all of the information about us in in those computers. That’s how they can keep us safe. What’s that thing around your neck?”

“It’s a locket I just got it. I have one for you too.”

“I don’t want a locket. I’m not a girl”

It’s not a girl’s locket. It’s for everyone. It helps keep us safe.”

“But isn’t the NHST and the computer chip keeping me safe?”

“From the radiation, yes.”

“Well then, what is this keeping me safe from?”

“I don’t know. They didn’t tell us, but I am sure it’s something important.”

“Okay. Can I see it.” Scotty took the locket and looked it over closely as he turned it over in his hand. “Hey Dad, it’s got a number on it. Does yours have the same number?”

“Let’s see. Simon lifted up his locket from his chest and looked at the back. 7857435. Is that on yours too?”

“Nope. Mines 3482769. I guess we each have our own number. That’s kind of neat.”

“Here, I’ll put it on you. They showed me how to do this. It has to rest on your breastbone. Run your finger down your neck to the hard bone in the middle of your chest. That’s your breastbone. There it is. Now I’ll make the chain the right length, so it stays there.“

“I don’t know. It feels pretty heavy.”

“Just leave it on and you will be okay.”

“You say it’s supposed to keep us safe?”

“Yep. That’s what they told me.”

“But they didn’t tell you what from?”

“No, but I’m sure they wouldn’t give it to us if we didn’t need it?”

Scotty walked over to the mirror and stood on his tiptoes to see the locket on his chest. But I don’t want to wear it. It will get in the way when I play ball or swim. And it makes me look like a girl.”

Scotty reached up and began to pull on the locket. “Take it off, Dad. Take it off. I don’t want it. I refuse….”

Suddenly a massive shudder raced throughout his body. He collapsed on the floor.

Sally reappeared in the kitchen door just as Simon reached his son’s side. He gathered him up in his arms and gazed at her in shock.

“What’s going on here? What did you do to him?” she demanded.

“I don’t know. I didn’t do anything. He was telling me he didn’t want to wear the locket. That he wasn’t a girl and he was trying to pull it off. He wanted me to take it off him, but I wouldn’t. He said he didn’t want it. He said I refuse… and then it was like a bolt of lightning hit him, except there was no lightning. He dropped to the floor. And now he’s not breathing and there is no pulse. Oh Sally. He’s gone.”

“Gone?” He can’t be gone. He’s just a little boy.

But he is gone. He’s dead, Sally.

“No, no no!” Sally ran across the room and buried her face into Scotty’s chest. Minutes passed as both parents wept together over the body of their son. Finally Sally drew back and looked deep into Simon’s eyes, tears still streaming down her face.

“It’s the locket Simon. The locket killed him. We have to take them off. We have to get rid of them.” She began tugging at hers.

An icy chill of realization swept through Simon’s body. “No”, he screamed, “don’t touch it. Don’t touch it. It’s listening to us. It listened to him and he said ‘refuse’, ZAP! It killed him. It didn’t matter that he was just a little boy. It killed him. The police had to come for Tony because he wasn’t wearing his. That’s why it has to be on our breastbone. That’s why we can’t take them off. They’re not here to protect us. They’re here to protect them from us.

Sally stared at Simon, her eyes widening in horror as her hand clutched the locket.

“Oh my God, what kind of a world are we living in?”