The Resistance

by the Secretary General of the Authorities. But the letter was of less interest to Peter than the document with it. He handed the letter to Anna, who read it, her eyes widening as she did so before she handed it back to him. Then, slowly, deliberately, Peter turned to the document itself. Across the top was written: The Declaration . He’d heard so much about the Declaration, blamed it for so much that was wrong with the world. And now, his own was in his hands. Feeling his heart quicken, Peter began to read.
    When in the course of scientific development and progress it became clear that the function and roles of humans had changed fundamentally, that the basic tenets of procreation for survival had been challenged and found wanting, it became compelling for humankind to respond to this development and progress.
    Man has for many thousands of years relied on Nature to increase their numbers and has, at the same time, been in thrall to Nature and Her whims, including disease, pestilence, famine and other plagues that have culled great numbers of humans.
    The cycle of birth, life and death has resulted in other burdens, reducing humankind to the enslaved position of animals, with no control over their future. Indeed, so used to slavery was Man that he created masters to worship and follow, gods who imposed rules and laws that contradict and contravene Man’s true nature.
    It is in science that Man has finally surpassed Nature; through science, Man has developed Longevity ™, the most significant discovery of Man’s time on earth. Longevity ™ enables humankind to live as gods, to live freely, unencumbered by the ravages that Nature imposes on them. Longevity ™, through the process of Renewal ™, has brought about a New Age for Man, an age of comfort, joy, prosperity and learning. An Age of Freedom.
    Freedom, however, brings with it responsibilities: responsibilities to the planet, to our fellow man, and to Nature Herself. Therefore, as a responsible citizen of the United Kingdom, under the governance of the Authorities of the United Kingdom, I, the undersigned, do solemnly Declare, that I will take every measure and precaution to ensure that I will never be responsible for the creation of new human life (forthwith to be referred to as Surplus), accepting any method deemed appropriate by the Authorities and allowing their appointed doctors to insert implants or other methods as appropriate, and that if I should break this Declaration either through intent or by error, or discover that a fellow subject has broken the Declaration on my behalf, that I will contact the appropriate Authorities forthwith and submit myself and any other parties to the action determined by these Authorities, in the full knowledge that the balance of Nature must be maintained, that A Life for a Life is enshrined in law and in everything that is moral and right.
    Accepting this, and confirming that I gratefully accept the indefinite life that Longevity ™ will provide me, I do hereby solemnly swear.
    Signed:                     Witness:                     Date:
    He put it down. A light veil of sweat coated his forehead; his hands were shaking slightly.
    ‘They don’t even mention the Opt Out clause,’ he said. He had intended his voice to appear light, confident, as though receiving his Declaration didn’t faze him in the slightest, but his throat caught, making him sound strangled, tense. ‘So are you going to open yours?’
    Anna shook her head, her lips pursed together. ‘Why should I?’ she said. ‘I’m not interested in the Declaration.’
    Peter frowned. ‘You’re not even curious?’
    ‘No. I’m not signing, so why should I even look at it?’
    ‘Just because I want to read my Declaration doesn’t mean I’m thinking about signing it.’ The words left Peter’s mouth before he’d had time to consider them, to realise how defensive, how aggressive they sounded.
    Anna looked at him incredulously. ‘Of course I know that. Why would you even say that?’
    ‘Pip thinks I might.’ He hadn’t realised how much Pip’s doubt had got to him, how much it had unsettled him.
    ‘He can’t do. Why would he?’ Anna’s eyebrows were raised, a look of utter disbelief on her face. She trusted him completely, Peter realised. It wouldn’t cross her mind that he might be tempted to sign.
    He shrugged. ‘How should I know? Maybe he’s worried about the Pincent blood in my veins.