Dimension Of Perfection (And Its Flaws)

Chapter 8 - Always A Wrong Answer

I look upon the contents page, and skim through the extensive list of rules.

I decide to go to page ten, and flick through the previous pages to arrive at rule one:

'All Crime is Banned'.

I don't think that's how it works, but what do I know?

Following along down to another text box, I continue reading.

'All crimes are punishable by death, or worse. There are no exceptions, thankfully. Our gracious leader knew much better than to let the scum of our planet escape.'

'As a first rule, this would obviously be an important one.'

I look at the picture featured on the right side, and it's a clipart picture of a court hearing, with the defendant being sentenced to death by the judge.
A little dark for what I think is a children's book, but whatever.

I look beneath the picture and a substantial list of words appears below the heading 'Crimes to Avoid (Abridged).'

I slide my finger down the catalogue, reading the entries as I go.

'Petty Theft, Tax Evasion, Bribery, Public Indecency, Imitating an Authority figure, Disobeying Authority.'

They all seem pretty normal right now; we'll see how long that lasts.

I turn the page once again and arrive at the heading: 'All royalty and existing titles are to be dissolved.'

Okay, that long.

'After the heroic siege of Sciend, our wonderful leader declared it illegal to seek a position of power in a monarchy, democracy, dictatorship and all other alternative societal structures.'

'Undesirable code 7, was one of these. It died in the Liberation.'

The picture next to this text box seems to be a family photo of the Gardt family, the ones who sit on big fancy chairs and talk about animal shaped biscuits all day.

The caption beneath it says: 'Undesirable 7 and Undesirable 8 in 2009 BR.'

I look down to another text box after scratching my snout, and resume reading.

'Titles from the previous '8 Powers' are also illegal and punishable with death. Members from the past system are all dead, and no trace of them has been found in our land.'

There are yet more pictures of various figures that I somewhat recognise.

Some I know from blurry glances at newspapers, or news articles that I scroll past ignorantly, but there's one figure I remember well.

By a wanted sign above it, the caption says:

'Wanted portrait of Undesirable 2, pictured in 2011 BR, Once 'president', and now forgotten scum.'

Staring at the picture, I can't believe who it is.

Don Doubtworthy.

I hover over the picture, ignoring everything else, and just let it sink in.

He's dead, isn't he?

I don't think they'd use 'forgotten scum' lightly.

Still in a little shock, I brush past the other pictures of the former leaders and turn to the next page as my mouth hangs open.

This next page is titled 'Traitorous Actions'.

'Endorsement of Undesirable actions or resentment of AniaN is illegal with extreme consequences. Any and all ridicule of the organisations of government is illegal, extending to those who choose in stupidity to protest against this rule. Undesirables are the work of the fiendish and gruesome Negativitron and must not be sided with under any possible circumstance.'