By: Lisa Anne Hetu
Disclaimer: Everything and everyone in this story is mine. Any similarities
are purely coincidental.
In the 24th century, modern life had changed somewhat. There were still distinctions
between low-income and high-income families, which was one of the few things that
remained. Wealthy families lived in big luxurious houses that were so full of things to
do that no one ever had to leave their house. Each house even had electronic
medical facilities, so no one ever needed doctors. This was one less job to fill, but it
wasn't a big deal anyway, since most jobs were already being done by computers.
Poor people didn't own computers, or even a house for that matter. Poor people
couldn't afford to own a big house. There was no in between now-a-days, no middle-
class families.
Computers basically ran the United States. Actually, computers were so
dominant that they had almost completely wiped out the eco-system. They caused so
much pollution that the only people who were really safe were the rich people. Poor
people who were forced to live outside in a deteriorated environment ended up sick,
dead, or were born with an abnormality, classing them as mutants and freaks.
The biggest and most popular model computer these days was a giant
machine called MEL (the Multi-Efficient Luxury). MEL was the latest model, but he'd
been around for quite some time. MEL was the smartest computer ever built
because he even had a brain of his own. MEL pretty much ran himself, and the only
company he had was two security guards who lived with their families on the top
floors of the building where MEL was located. Over the years, MEL had become the
brain of the United States and every home had a smaller version of MEL, called the
mini-MEL, which were all connected to MEL in a complex web of fibre-optic cables.
Only the rich could afford a mini-MEL because they were the ones with houses. The
poor, who didn't have homes, therefore owned no mini-MEL. These people were
classed, in MEL's memory, as expendable. MEL's ultimate plan was to terminate the
lives of the poor, who, over the years, had lost their dependence on the rich to survive.
MEL completely dominated the human spirit. MEL had a brain, but because he had
no feelings, he was a ruthless beast intent on ruling the United States, and eventually
the world.
The poor people despised MEL for taking away a once beautiful eco-system
thus making their lives harder than before and ten times as miserable. The poor were
not only deprived of homes to live in, they had to eat unhealthy food, and they had no
way of getting medical treatment when they need it, let alone other facilities or basic
necessities of life. Adding to the intense pollution, the poor people had nowhere (or
way) to bury their dead. The sick eventually died. They became the most helpless
and most bitter of the poor. The only healthy poor people were the mutants who,
because of their deformities, weren't affected by the pollution. They were the ones
who wished death upon themselves, rather than have to live in such conditions, and
decided among themselves that they were the ones who had to shut MEL down, one
way or another.
The mutant poor people knew that MEL was brainwashing the rich into
becoming completely dependent on him so that they'd never be able to shut him
down. The poor people also knew that if they succeeded quickly enough, the rich
would still be able to learn independence once more. So a group of mutants made
their way to the building where MEL was and thought long and hard about how to
distract the security MEL was surrounded with.
"Check-mate, I win again" MEL said, in his electronic voice.
"You couldn't possibly just let me win, eh ?" the security guard said.
"That would be cheating, and I do not cheat because I am perfect" MEL
reminded the guard.
"Yes, I know" said the guard.
The mutants made their way inside the building, knowing that MEL would
detect them, and he did. As the mutants had planned, all the guards on duty came
after them, leaving MEL unguarded. Now the advantage to the mutants was their
reserve group who slowly made their way to MEL. Unfortunately, MEL detected them
as well and sent a message to all the rich through the mini-MELs to come and protect
him. Some lived in MEL's building (the families of all the guards) and they were
enough to slow down the mutant operation "MEL shut-down". A small fight began in
front of MEL, rich and poor all in the same room, and MEL could do nothing about it.
Eventually, the mutants were defeated, but in the process one of the rich was
thrown against MEL knocking a wire loose. MEL's giant-sized screen suddenly
turned black causing all the mini-MELs around the United States to do likewise. In
the end, the poor actually won, and MEL was shut down. After that, the rich were
forced to be independent, although this took a few years, and they finally managed
after a while. The poor people even benefited from the outcome because they were
eventually given houses to live in. Perhaps the reconstruction of human nature took a
long time, but during the next century or so, human life returned to basically what it is
now.
THE END
