Future Perfect?
Flash Fiction, but not from the Vault...
A series of Flash Fiction stories.
Future Perfect?
Daniels stepped through the light and heard traffic.
Sirens wailed beyond Smith-Haven Park. Engines growled along the avenue. Tower blocks crowded the grey horizon.
“Home.” His whisper died as the air kissed his tongue.
Antiseptic, filtered—no smoke, no food, not even rain. A mask of modernity, invisible but visceral.
Emma emerged behind him, followed by Jenkins, Lee, and the remaining emergency crews. Each one paused beneath the same colourless sky.
No riotous crowd argued about speech. Silent citizens crossed the park in neat lines, each wearing a hooded soft-collared grey tunic. They neither slowed nor spoke, neither angry nor sad. Just deliberate.
Fear filled their eyes. Prey in front of predators.
“It’s our uniforms.” Emma tapped his shoulder.
Ahead, a single white pillar rose in the concourse. It trilled, then spoke. “Welcome, citizens. Smith-Haven honours your successful continuity.”
Jenkins stared. “Where are the pods?”
Daniels drew his baton—its screens flashed to life. “It recognises the pyramid as being here. Yet… the park looks pristine.”
Heads turned in one smooth motion as two figures approached. White uniforms covered them from throat to ankle. Empty eyes.
“Captain Elias Daniels.” The label on the taller figure’s jacket read COMPLIANCE SEVEN. “Emergency Peace Division, Cluster Twelve.”
Daniels frowned. “How do you know me?”
“Continuity knows all authorised identities.”
Compliance Nine extended one gloved hand. “Please surrender your tech for realignment.”
Daniels’s fist tightened. “No.”
“It lacks continuity.”
“I refuse to hand over my property.”
“You claim ownership?” Compliance Seven tilted his head. “You express unhappiness. Unhappiness presents a hazard to Continuity.”
“My superiors, who you aren’t, issued me this device. I’m liable for it.”
Emma held up her smart device and zoomed in until fine lines appeared across its screen. “Captain, look at the park. There’s some kind of barrier—almost invisible. Fine wire strung between needle-thin transparent posts. See—the barrier encloses a square.”
The public screen brightened across the road. A caption crossed it: CONTINUITY DAY: SMITH-HAVEN CHOOSES ONE REALITY. “Today marks seventeen years since the Glorious Leader secured the pyramid and ended divergent thought.”
Lee looked from the screen to Daniels. “Seventeen years?”
Jenkins shook his head. “This is another Smith-Haven.”
“It’s ours. Further down the same road.” Daniels shook his head. “I saw this coming. I just didn’t want to believe it. I… didn’t know how I could stop it.”
Compliance Seven inclined his head. “Your recognition marks progress.”
“Our city became this?” Emma asked.
“Your imperfect stage will reach correction,” Compliance Nine said. “All roads lead to the Leader. To Continuity.”
More white uniforms entered the park from every street.
Compliance Seven held out his hand again. “The device, Captain.”
Daniels looked at the dual image on his recorder.
A reflection of their Smith-Haven.
He pressed the central switch.
The device screamed, replaying the sound from when the impossible happened—a stone pyramid piercing the clouds above Smith-Haven, its surface ablaze, resembling a meteor.
White light erupted from the park.
The buried pyramid’s square outline burned through the grass. Fire raced upwards. A second holographic structure rose from below, formed from flame and radiance.
The Compliance Officers lost their smiles.
“Discontinue misnaming reality,” Compliance Nine said.
Daniels faced the opening that formed within the light.
“Dude, give me a break.”
Compliance Seven’s eyes widened. He reached for him.
“Speech violation.”
Daniels discharged his Taser.
Compliance Seven stiffened and fell clear as Daniels gestured towards the others.
“Come on. Let’s get out of here.”
Emma dived through, followed by Lee, Jenkins, and the others. Behind them, polite voices issued soft commands as the portal folded shut.
Darkness carried Daniels between worlds.
He no longer expected home on the other side.
Each use of the key might lead them deeper into Smith-Haven’s corrected future—or into something worse.
Still, choice waited beyond the light.
For now, that proved enough.
“Dude, give me a break" cracked me up. 🤣 Great followup story!
Utopia is very scary!