Behind the Green Door

…

Memories are being disturbed.

It’s been ten years since the death, albeit in rather questionable circumstances, of Michael’s wife Elsie.

Even the circumstances of how they met, dated, and eventually married, if he thought about it long enough, was a mystery.

But…

In the new, well, now not-so-new world order, the matter of marriage is highly regulated. Because they are living in a confined space with a finite number of people, and the possibility that there would eventually be relations marrying, it was a requirement that brides or grooms came from different facilities.

This was a new world made up of a large number of these underground facilities that could house up to 50,000 people, no more, hence a rule called Rule 71. Basically, that meant when people reached the age of 65, they retired and died. It was deemed the age, which, when also births were regulated to match deaths, populations were maintained at manageable levels.

And, after nearly 200 years, people had begun to question Rule 71. Some even tried to avoid it.

It’s an interesting scenario that will undoubtedly play out in many ways as the story is written.

But, the relevance?

Michael’s wife, Elsie, comes from another facility. She came with her mother, who was marrying someone in his facility.

Her impact on everything that happens to Michael, and the eventual ending is immeasurable, even from the grave.

The fact is, no one, except one man, knew what that impact was, and that one man wasn’t her husband.

Intrigued?

So am I…

…

Word written today 2,011, making a total of 5,121 words