The Tyranny of Now...

(The year is 2430 in the Great Central Government Territory.)

Nancy Sandusky opened her medicine cabinet and sighed. There were the eight colored containers of pills supplied by the GCG.

A number of years back, the GCG's chemists had discovered the links between the ingestion of specific chemicals and dreams. The GCG-supplied pills enabled each citizen to select among permitted categories of dreams. Vacation dreams were one such approved category and usually involved trips to the GCG parks in the southern regions.

One could choose to dream about the arts, which was a benefit as live music and dramatic performances were currently banned. And loyal citizens were always encouraged to dream about the bountiful services provided by the GCG.

Nancy thought about the GCG agents who came out each month to determine which dream pills had been used, and to verify that one had been used each evening. The pills, of course, also prevented citizens from having the types of dreams that were not approved (the special chemicals both opened dream doors and closed them).

Nancy's head almost hurt with the desire to dream either about the future - a category whose details had not yet been charted by the GCG - or about the past. The past was quite sensitive, as citizens were not permitted to discuss or read about the Relocation of the Enemies era. Nor was it advisable for citizens to consider what life was like prior to the commencement of the GCG's command.

Nancy had, of course, heard about the underground hotels - places where one could dream without the GCG's pills. But the consequences of being caught at one of these facilities were far, far, too great... (To be continued...?)

Note: This content has not been approved by the GCG.


Photo: flickr (hiatus)