The Little Red Book

Submitted into Contest #76 in response to: Write a story told exclusively through dialogue.... view prompt

13 comments

Christian Science Fiction Urban Fantasy

“Hello? Adam?”

“Yes, this is Adam…William?”

“Yeah…good, I’m glad you answered. I had to talk to someone I trust.”

“How come you’re using voice only…and not streaming video? I’d like to see your face.”

“Well…well, I’ve been suspended from all my social media accounts.”

“Why?”

“…”

“Willy…did you hear me? I asked you why?”

“…I heard you, Adam…I just…I’m not sure how to answer you.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well…I was told in a notification why, but I don’t agree with it.”

“What did the message say?”

“It just said, my accounts have been suspended for violation of the terms of service.”

“They must’ve told you what you can do to get your access back, kid. Don’t worry too much about it. I’ve had to delete some stream, or post, or comment before…you’ll get your access back in a day or so.”

“…”

“Did you hear me, William? Don’t worry about it.”

“…yes, brother, I heard you…the thing is…I don’t really care if I get my access back.”

“What? What do you mean you don’t care?”

“I don’t care. They’ll delete whatever they want anyway. I’m not going to stoop to doing it for them.”

“Stoop? Whatever…just delete it.”

“No.”

“But Willy, that’s just stupid. What in the world did you post?”

“…”

“Kid…what did you post that was so egregious?”

“I don’t want to get into details on this call…cuz I don’t want it to impact your life, bro.”

“What do you mean, kid? Why did you call me then?”

“I wanted to see if you’d talk to me in person.”

“In person? Seriously?”

“Yes…I’m serious.”

“You know we’re on lockdown orders, right?”

“Lockdown? We’ve all been under movement restrictions since about a month after you moved out.”

“Exactly! How in the name of the Universal Spirit could I even travel that far to meet you face-to-face…even if I wanted to?”

“…”

“Willy?”

“…”

“Willy?”

“Meet me at the public park two streets uptown and one street east of your building.”

“What? You’re in New Omaha? No way! Just tell me what’s up, and if I must, I’ll come down and find you.”

“…alright bro, you asked for it. Well, I was at the rally, and…”

“Rally? You mean the riot?”

“Whatever. I wasn’t there to participate…just observe. I was curious. While there, I got to talking with one of the participants. He was waving a yellow flag with a rattlesnake on it. Anyway, he claimed that his flag was the flag of some nation that existed when there still were nations…you know, before the GGG.”

“Willy, you know full well that the Global Governance Group is the only world authority…and it has been since before you were born.”

“I know, bro, but listen…he said that snake-flag nation’s government was founded upon a document called the Consti-<BLEEEEEEEP>.”

 “Willy? Did you hear that? They just censored you…is that what you posted on the Global Data Network?”

“Yup, basically…I streamed my discussion with that guy on the GDN. I’ll try not to use any of the words he used. That bleep was automatic…I don’t think they’re monitoring our call yet. Should I continue?”

“…”

“Adam? Should I continue, or do you want to meet me in the park?”

“Just go on…let’s both try not to say anything we think might be on their list.”

“Okay, fine, this document was basically a list of things the powers that be, could, and could not, do.”

“But there’s literally nothing, Willy…I mean, there’s nothing they can’t do.”

“I know…but before…BEFORE there WERE limits. He told me specifically about the right to due process…and privacy…and the First and Second Amend-<BLEEEEEEEP>.”

“…”

“…Adam?”

“…William? That’s the second bleep. We’re on thin ice now. ”

“Sorry, Adam, I’ll try and be more careful.”

“Whatever, kid. What’s your point? There’s nothing we can do anyway…and why is this even that important?”

“Don’t you see bro? We’re living in tyranny! We’re slaves to the state! That guy opened my eyes, Adam…but the history that he revealed is nothing compared to what he told me next.”

“Come on, William, you’re starting to freak me out.”

“Adam, he told me about a book…a banned book…a book nobody even knows about.”

“Ha…what book is that, Willy?”

“I can’t say…but I can show you. You see, after that conversation on the street and after my media lockout, I scoured the public library databases for that document he told me about…as well as the book. I doubted I would find them, but I tried anyway. I didn’t even find a single reference to either of them…anywhere!”

“So…you said you can show me…how, Willy? How can you show me?”

“Just listen, Adam. After that, I started digging through antique stores and collectable shops. There were some books available, but even so, I suspected I’d never find what I was looking for.”

“You went out physically shopping during the ongoing lockdown? I can’t believe it.”

“Well, not at first…I did most of my browsing on the GDN, but eventually I found a place I wanted to visit that had a bunch of real books. The owner was closing when I arrived, but he locked the door behind me and let me peruse his library in peace while he closed down his shop. Anyway, after almost an hour I found a pocket-sized book with a red leather cover. The title on the cover was Das Kapital by Karl Marx.”

“So what, Willy, everyone knows about that book.”

“Yes, Adam, but this copy wasn’t quite your standard copy. The cover, and first chapter or so, were indeed Das Kapital, going on about commodities and such, but then the font and text suddenly changed. The rest of Das Kapital was missing, and in its place was tucked another book’s pages!”

“Finally…was this the book you’re talking about?”

“Yes, Adam. This was the book upon which much of the law in that bleeped historical document was based.”

“But what was the book’s title?”

“I shouldn’t…no…I’ll just say it was a set of mini-books grouped together that started with a bunch of first names, like Matthew and Mark…and…”

“There was no title? Just names?”

“No, Adam, there was a title, but…but…oh hell, it’s about the one true God…and it’s called the New Testament Bib-<BLEEEEEEEP>.”

Warning…this line is now under computer surveillance for the use of prohibited words.

“Did you hear that, Willy? Now you did it!”

“I guess I did…forget trying to meet me. I’ve already shipped the book to you…I just slipped it into a deposit box. Look for it…keep it hidden…and…”

“…and?”

”...”

”...and what?”

“…”

“Willy!”

BUZZZZ…this conversation has been terminated for violation of public decency regulations. Security Services are en route.


AUTHOR’S NOTE: Find out what Adam ends up doing with his “little red book” in The Omega Gambit, by David Alan Brown. Published on LuLu, and available on Amazon Kindle, Barnes & Noble Nook, Apple iTunes, Google Play, and bookstores everywhere…at least for now.

January 10, 2021 23:50

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13 comments

David Brown
18:38 Apr 10, 2022

Get all my short stories with accompanying full color art in print now! Buy Twilit Tales, and blow your mind! https://www.lulu.com/en/us/shop/david-brown/twilit-tales/paperback/product-r76m22.html

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08:23 Jan 29, 2021

I've got to say, you've put me in a bind, David. My TBR is long and I just had to add another book, bumping a few down the list. It's called The Omega Gambit. If it's anything like this conversation, I'll have made the right decision. Great job!

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David Brown
13:16 Jan 29, 2021

Thank you very much! If you have any questions or comments as you read, feel free to email me. God bless.

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Tom .
12:02 Jan 17, 2021

Cool advert for your book. I so wanted the book not to be the Bible. I wanted it to be something like Plato's The Republic. You have spiked my interest though. I am going to delve a little deeper down your rabbit hole. Hey sometimes writing is about changing people's minds. Good Job.

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David Brown
04:50 Jan 19, 2021

Coolness. If you read a sample and want more, eBooks are only a few bucks, or I’d even be willing to send anyone who promises to write a review an eBook or PDF.

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Tom .
04:57 Jan 19, 2021

Send us the link here, I can stretch to a few bucks

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David Brown
05:06 Jan 19, 2021

Various links to purchase from Amazon to Apple to Google are here: https://sites.google.com/site/theomegagambit/buy-my-book Send email to theomegagambit @ gmail.com for any interaction while reading. I love to hear feedback and answer questions and share inspirations.

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Tom .
05:07 Jan 19, 2021

thank you.

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Tom .
05:13 Jan 19, 2021

I live off grid, my internet is a little fragile at the moment (6am in France). I usually boost it at a cafe for downloading no such luck with lockdown here at the moment. I will call at a friends and see what I can do.

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Michael Boquet
05:52 Jan 17, 2021

Very interesting story. Outside of a history lesson on the American revolution, I never imagined I'd read of someone with a "don't tread on me flag" inspiring the anti-establishment hero of a story. My only critique is, I found the main character calling Willy "kid" over and over to be redundant. Just seemed like unnecessary repetition in my opinion. Still, good story. Nice job.

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David Brown
04:59 Jan 19, 2021

First, thanks for the critique. I too was struggling with names on this one. I guess I went overboard the other way. ;( As far as the Gadsen flag, it should inspire everyone to question authority. Libertarians have a bad rap. My inspiration as an author is Robert Heinlein who was a Libertarian’s Libertarian. Read his story titled, “Beyond This Horizon,” and witness his true grasp of freedom. Cheers.

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Bonnie Clarkson
02:33 Jan 17, 2021

Very good and not far from the truth of what is happening today. I wrote a science fiction story based on "fruit of their thoughts" from Jeremiah, "choose their delusion" from Isaiah and new brain mapping technology I heard on TV news. Along with virtual reality, it became a horror story. And I don't like thrillers and horror stories. Keep up the good work. Someone needs to tell people what is coming.

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David Brown
04:51 Jan 17, 2021

I had an interview with an Internet radio guy (The Bearded Black Cowboy) who said that The Omega Gambit was “prophecy folks.” I thank you too for the kind words. I pray that history does not repeat itself, but time and time again I am disappointed.

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