The Flames of Freedom (standard:science fiction, 0 words)
Author: Jordana	Added: Jun 07 2001	Views/Reads: 3628/2313	Story vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
A man's struggle against a society of conformity not too far in the future. This story does not have over-bearing sci-fi elements (i.e. aliens, spaceships, or an abundance of technical mumbo-jumbo).

Many years later he remembered his first experience with ICE. ICE or
Individuality's Call for Existance was a group of radicals who were 
against nearly everything. Jakob had been sitting in school watching 
his lesson on the television when suddenly the power went out. Jakob 
and his fellow classmates were plunged into darkness for a moment 
before the emergency lighting came on and filled the room with a soft 
orange glow. They blinked as their eyes adjusted. After sitting quietly 
for a few minutes their ears where assaulted with a loud static noise 
coming from the PA system followed by the sound of someone clearing 
their throat. Prior to this the PA had never been used, and the 
students grimaced at the harsh noise as it grated against their 
eardrums. 

"How many of you have read a book," the ancient system screamed, "or
seen a sunrise? Have any of you ever tried to establish yourselves as 
different from the other people you know?" 

Jakob remembered uneasily the scolding he had received this morning from
his supervisor about the new socks he had cut. Socks are meant to be 
worn to your knees, but Jakob always thought they looked ridculous so 
he cut his down. His supervisor fined him two credits for destruction 
of property and six for attempting to mar the Unity of his institution. 
He had no idea what it meant to "mar the Unity of his institution," all 
he knew was that for an instant he wasn't anything like anyone else. 
Jakob was an individual in his generation and he liked it. 

The voice continued to boom from the speaker in front of him, "We,
members of Individuality's Call for Exsistance, believe that we can 
once more bring humanity into the lives of mankind. If you wish to join 
us stand now and report to the main office. We wait here to take you 
from your lives as slaves to the system." 

The voice spoke with a passion that Jakob had never heard before. He
found himself hypnotized by the rising intensity of the speaker, and,  
without really knowing what he was doing, he slid out of his desk, 
slung his bag over his shoulder and walked, very much alone, down the 
hallway. 

That was many years ago, but Jakob still remembers the experience with
fondness. He smiled as he remembered how he paced outside the office 
for a full five minutes before summoning the courage to walk in. As it 
turned out, he got there just in time. ICE shut off the power to 
prevent the Protector's of Unified People (or the PUPs) from realizing 
their break in, but it was only a matter of time before the electronic 
system switched itself back on and so the members of ICE and their new 
recruits had to get out as soon as possible. If Jakob had walked in a 
minute later, he would have missed them. 

Jakob checked his watch and then quickly grabbed his briefcase and
scanned the bookshelf for something to read on the plane. He gave up 
trying to choose between his favourite titles, closed his eyes and 
grabbed at a random book on the shelf which turned out to be The 
Complete Works of William Shakespeare. After a very brisk run to the 
airport, Jakob finally made it, on time. The person who had last 
occupied this seat had left the tele-viewer in front of him on and he 
got a passing glimse of the Pyramids before changing the channel. The 
next channel had a feature show on the University of Chicago, Jakob 
watched for a moment and then turned it off. Soon thereafter lunch was 
served on the plane and Jakob ate his sandwich which had a deliciously 
tangy mustard on it and then chugged down the syrupy sweet soda he had 
been given. As he reached for the napkin he was faced with a conundrum. 


"Why," he thought, "did they give me a spork?" 

Jakob was flying to a community, Freetown, which wad occupied entirely
by ICE members. Society frowned on their family households and their 
library, but as a whole they were seen as harmless lunatics. 

He took a bus to near the edge of Freetown, and walked the remaining
mile. The air smelled charred and a thick smoke brought tears to his 
eyes. He neared the town and he could see what had happened. Some 
people were wandering around as if in a daze, others were sifting 
through the still smoldering ruins that were once homes. In the center 
of the town a blazing inferno still raged and cool sweat poured over 


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