It's story time again. Enjoy.....or not. Elaine.
The equivalent of an All Points Bulletin flooded all versions of media and brought us all to a full stop. "What?" people asked. Strangers shook their heads in confusion at each other, then moved slightly sideways.
The rumours of a Killer Madman on the loose were apparently true; citizens should get to their homes and stay there. The rampage was unstoppable so everyone quickly wrestled the clunky, frozen technology into a work and home-school medium. Authorities, as flummoxed as the citizenry, could only counsel low tech Stay Safe methods--be vigilant, stay home, check on your neighbours, lock your doors.
In time, as more information emerged, a picture of The Killer showed him to be ruthless, easily picking off the weak, the elderly, the cavalier young who persisted in large gatherings away from the safety of their isolation. Eventually politicians, not at all equipped to vanquish such a vicious fast-moving threat, approved plans to make new home security systems available to all citizens. Admittedly, it was low tech--and somewhat ugly to be honest.
Since the Internet was working and stay-at-home orders were being observed for the most part, it seemed like the most practical system was to send every adult online to make an appointment to pick up a new Lock and Deadbolt, which was scientifically approved and estimated to be effective against The Killer 60 - 80% of the time. It was the best they could offer.
Up to 85% of citizens dutifully picked up their new defence system; they went back for a second added-on layer of security when it was available.
However....you know where this is going, right?.....the Internet Trolls had been busy sowing the seeds of doubt. Based on their impressive depth of paranoia fuelled by a boundless need to disseminate their skewed theories, the Trolls planted sufficient doubt in enough citizens so that the country never did reach herd immunity from The Killer.
Intensive Care Units filled with The Vulnerable. It became an epidemic of The Unsecured and, also, very apparent that magical thinking was no match for The Killer. Healthcare workers diligently ministered to the victims, fighting through exhaustion, dis-information and, unbelievably, harassment.
And now this. There is news that The Killer's cousin has escaped custody and, worst of all, he may be more lethal than his still-at-large relative.
We may be back at Square One. If Killer Cousin can use his magic credit card and slide around the deadbolts and security we have installed in the last year and a half, authorities will be scrambling--I daresay, are now scrambling frantically--to invent a patch or whole new security system in record time. Again. Alongside this The Trolls are undoubtedly dreaming up outlandish scenarios about patches that turn your neck red (Ummm--maybe too late on that one) or melt your eyeballs or make your poop radioactive. The possibilities are delightful in their own morbid ways.
The real question is whether we have enough distance to learn from the first go-round. Will politicians recognize that no one is really safe until everyone is safe? Think Africa.
And to all a good night.
