This is a fictional world that, while close in some way to our own sad reality, is different in others. It is far beyond our world, where men can compete as women and the apparently clueless woke demand that we give up our own rights and principles to make them happy. Where stop oil demands, we give it all up without having a clue what we replace oil products with. A world where my son had to write a letter of apology to a wall, because he threw a clod of dirt at it. A world where students beat up teachers because there is no means to discipline misbehaving children anymore.
I wondered what would happen if innocent actions were considered crimes and how guilty people would be punished if prisons were seen as unfair. There is sex, but the story is more about trying to find a new place in a world that's gone utterly insane. Any real-life individuals are used in a purely fictional sense.
If you don't like, don't comment, if you're woke, definitely don't comment, but if you enjoy it, feel free to comment and if you want to use the concept or the world for other stories, feel free.
Note: Italics are used for internal thoughts.
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Chapter 1
"Chairperson, have you reached a verdict?"
The judge already had her opinion, you could see it on her hagridden features.
"We have your honour."
Was that a smile?
"In the case of the People vs Charles Carmichael, how do you find the defendant?"
Yes, it was a smile. Man, I was absolutely fucked.
"Count 1, on the charge of intentional disregard of a person's identity, we find the defendant guilty.
Count 2, on the charge of refusing to acknowledge a person's identity, we find the defendant guilty.
Count 3, on the charge of wilful interference with a person's right to protest, we find the defendant guilty." You'd have thought the judge has won the lottery as she smiled at the jury.
"Thank you, members of the jury, for your service. You are dismissed." Then she turned on me.
This wasn't going to be pleasant
. Mr Carmichael, it is the opinion of the Court that you show no remorse for your heinous crimes. Therefore, I have no choice but to sentence you under the full extent of the law.
Mr Charles Carmichael. You are sentenced to exile. You will be taken from this court to recidivist colony in Alaska and may the being who identifies as God have mercy on your identity."
Exile, new America's idea of punishment. They were too afraid to punish anyone for fear they'd take offence, so they had fenced off Alaska and just chucked us all in there. The Supreme Court had ruled that identity was a matter of perception, not biology, and now we had dropped of the cliffs of insanity.
*****
I was driving home from work when the stop oil protesters had blocked the road. Politely asking the three women to move hadn't worked because one, despite her enormous breasts identified as a man and she took offence. So I apologised and asked him if he could move, but he took offence that I was trying to impose my identity on him.
So I got back in my truck drove up on to the shoulder and around the protesters. Apparently, this too was against the law, because I didn't sit there and let them protest. I'd just called them nuts when six police officers in their new rainbow coloured inclusive uniforms tackled me to the ground.
*****
My wife deigned to give me fifteen minutes of her time, to tell me that she thought I was a monster and she was taking everything in the divorce, including my parent's house. Where she'd be living with her new lesbian lover. My daughter, who was graduating next year, sobbed quietly. As they left, she mounted silently. "I love you Daddy."
Of course I was gagged and couldn't speak, exiles were forbidden to, Incas they offended someone else.
*****
Juno, Alaska. Day 10.
It was going to be my last trip. The truck would run out of gas by the time I made it back to my new home. Fourteen trips, loaded to the Max with unwanted pallets. By my count, I'd shipped five thousand pallets up to my claim since my exile. I had a full range of borrowed hand tools I'd retrieved from an abandoned hardware shop and even some from a museum. Like the pedal powered large, drill press and table saw.
Unlike other exiles, I had skills and planned to build my own cottage. Pallet wood was a good source of treated wood.
*****
Day 200.
I'd nailed the last shingle on the tool-shed when I heard the voice.
"Hello."
Female
. I hadn't seen or heard any since my arrival. Only a few bitter and twisted men.
"Hi." She was gorgeous and familiar, but I couldn't place her.
"Um... I don't mean to be rude, but could you help me?"
A woman asking for help. How original.
"Depends." Her smile faded a bit.
"On what?" She was hesitant. I couldn't blame her. She was alone with a big bearded six foot five stranger, who was laying down conditions.
"Whether you're actually a woman?" She relaxed, actually serving relieved.
"I am a biological female." She stated proudly, as if it was important somehow.
"I assume you're an exile?" She nodded. I pushed open the door as collected my tools. "Kettles on... Mam, names Chuck." She stepped on to my deck.
"Maggie St Clair."
My God. Maggie St Clair.
Actress, model, bodybuilder and singer. 23 years old and she'd dethroned Gal Gadot as the most beautiful woman in Hollywood, well, at least in my opinion. Six foot two, White-blond, baby blues you could get lost in and muscles. She wore a plaid shirt, moleskins and a heavy jacket against the coming Autumnal nights. And I happily followed that callipygian ass through the door, locking it down for the night.