Conformity

“This won’t hurt a bit,” the doctor said to the young girl strapped to the table. He held up a needle three inches long and stuck it into her arm. A tube attached to the needle connected to a small vial

The girl winced. It didn’t hurt too much but it was nauseating to watch her blood, such a dark maroon it was nearly black, flow through from her arm to the tube to vial.

“There we are,” the doctor smiled. “Now, Lara, just relax while I run a quick blood test.”

Lara took a deep breath and stared at the ceiling. She was strapped down for her own protection. The loss of blood made her feel lightheaded. She didn’t know what the blood tests were for but at age fifteen, everyone had to have one. The Director signed the law and those who protested were never heard from again.

The metal doors clanged open. The doctor came in with a small purple bottle.

“All right, my dear,” he smiled at her. “You have mild anemia but nothing to worry about. You just need some more iron.”

He handed her the purple bottle. “Take one of these pills three times a day for two weeks. Eat more fish and you will be fine.”

He unstrapped her and helped her up. She thanked him and left.

He watched the girl leave and smiled sadly. The girl’s blood tested positive for several mental disorders, most prominently bipolar. While these diseases were very treatable, they were also hereditary. There was a high probability that they would be passed on to the girl’s children and that couldn’t be allowed to happen.

Her bipolar would be diagnosed and treated but a child would never be exposed. The pills he gave her were not iron. They were cadmium, lead and several other heavy metals that would caused sterility.

The Director was adamant: there could be no mental issues or disease to infect this perfect world. She could not abide for her perfect world to be contaminated. She often said it was a necessary evil for the greater good of society.