Paradise - Lost

John woke up to the sound of birds chirping and sunlight peeking through the windows of his beautiful home. He looked around, taking in the sleek, modern design and the lush greenery outside. But something felt off. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, which made him feel uneasy.

As he got out of bed, he noticed a stranger sitting near the wall, wearing a warm smile.

"Good morning, John!" the stranger said. "Welcome to Paradise!"

John's confusion deepened. "Who are you? And where am I?"

The stranger handed him a small package. "I am one of 'The 8'... Actually, just take this package. This will explain everything. Watch the videos, and you'll understand." After nodding at John, the stranger departs.

John examines the package, which contained a series of virtual tapes labeled "Your New Paradise." John laid the first tape on top of the image player and sat back to watch his 3D adventure.

Tape 1: Welcome to Paradise

The video showed a stunning aerial view of the town, with its gleaming white buildings and vibrant gardens. A soothing voiceover introduced the town as a utopian community where technology and nature coexisted in perfect harmony.

The narrator explained that the town was designed to provide its citizens with the ultimate quality of life, free from conflict, poverty, and suffering. 300 years ago, there were eight founders who decided to fund and develop the city for the sole purpose of perfect unity. At first, it was an experiment to see if people could be harmonious, and when they found the best plan, they each agreed and went all in.

John watched in awe as the video showcased the town's advanced infrastructure, sustainable energy sources, and innovative transportation systems. He saw happy citizens engaging in various activities, from art and music to science and sports. The video ended with a warm welcome message, inviting John to explore and enjoy his new home.

Tape 2: The Price of Utopia

John laid the second tape on top, curious about what it would reveal. The video began with a more somber tone, explaining that the town's unique environment came with a price: the loss of all memories prior to entering the town.

The narrator explained that the town's founders had discovered that memories of the past often carried emotional baggage, leading to conflicts and unhappiness. To ensure the town's harmony, a process was developed to erase all memories, allowing citizens to start anew.

John felt a shiver run down his spine as he realized he had no recollection of his past life. He had no idea who he was, where he came from, or even if John was his real name.

Tape 3: The Consequences

The third tape began with a warning: attempting to recall memories of the past or trying to leave the town would have severe consequences. The narrator explained that the town's advanced technology would sporadically monitor citizens' thoughts and actions. If they were caught in any attempts to defy the rules, it would result in "reeducation" and possible "reassignment."

This time. John felt the feeling of fire running through his nerves as he realized the true nature of his utopian paradise. He started to think he was trapped in a beautiful prison, forced to forget his past and conform to the town's rules.

As the tapes ended, John was left with more questions than answers. Who was he before Paradise? What had he lost? And what lay beyond the town's borders?

With a sense of determination, John decided to explore his new home, searching for breadcrumb clues and the truth about Paradise. Little did he know, his journey would lead him down a dangerous path, where the price of remembering might be higher than he ever imagined, but he had to be careful because they occasionally did watch your thoughts.

***

John's days became a blur of exploration, pretending, and discovery. He wandered through the town's streets, marveling at the architecture and technology. He attended community events, trying to connect with others, but everyone seemed to be hiding behind the mask of joy.

One day, while exploring his basement, John found a small library hidden near the back by the furnace. John wanted to know something, so he began looking through the books. He then stumbled upon an old book with a strange symbol on the cover. As he opened it, a piece of paper slipped out, containing a cryptic message:

"Look for the one who remembers. Seek the truth in the forgotten places."

Intrigued, John decided to investigate further. He began to notice subtle inconsistencies in the town's perfect facade. A faint hum in the walls, a flicker of the lights, and whispers in the wind hinted at a hidden reality. Were they subtle illusions or signals for John's attention?

The Underground

John decided that if those tiny signals were going to call to him, then he would follow—a bell rung to his left, a row of street lights would turn on and off in what looked like code, and faint whistles would be heard down alleyways.

As time passed, John finally discovered a hidden entrance to an underground network of narrow tunnels. He didn't expect the door to be to a church, though. The air underground soon became thick with the smell of old books and dust balls as he found himself in a makeshift library, filled with forbidden knowledge.

A figure emerged from the shadows, introducing himself as Marcus, a former scientist who had helped design the town's memory-erasing energy field technology.

"Ah, you finally made it. I've been waiting for you. The only one from group 696 who showed curiosity; to try and remember who you truly are."

John's heart raced as Marcus beckoned him in with intensity. Marcus showed John ancient artifacts and forbidden texts, revealing the town's history. He learned more about the town's founders, who had sought to create a perfect society, but it was only to restrict real freedoms. John also learned that there was a way. A way to regain every last memory he had lost.

The Rebellion

Marcus introduced John to a group of rebels, each with their own story of lost memories and longing for the truth. A while ago, they formed a group, because they desperately desired to overthrow the town's ruling council and shatter the illusion of paradise. They were tired of being left in the dark, and paraded around like pets.

As they prepared for their rebellion, John stayed on the fence. He didn't know whether the fight would be worth it. That's when he discovered a hidden message in his pocket:

"You are The One. You will lead us to victory."

Confusion and a mixture of pride formed within John. With a newfound sense of purpose, he joined the rebels in their fight for freedom and the regaining of their memories. The battle for Paradise had begun, and John's journey would lead him to the very edges of his sanity and courage.

The Rebellion Unfolds

The day of the rebellion arrived, and John joined his group of rebels as they marched towards the town's central square. They were met by the town's security forces, armed with strange devices that rotated and sparked with aggressive power.

As the two groups faced off, a figure emerged from the shadows: the leader of the town's ruling council, known only as "Lord." A man who wore white and omitted the same energy as the guns his guards held.

"You fools," Lord sneered. "Did you really think we didn't know about your little group of misfits? You thought we would willingly allow you to just bring down paradise?"

Marcus stepped forward, his voice steady. "Of course we knew you'd know. I was also the one who helped make the device that could read thoughts, feelings, and future actions. I'm surprised you didn't try to stop us."

Lord snickered at Marcus. "You are no threat; you're weak and afraid. Go back home before we decide to end you all here." Not taking the rebels seriously, Lord turns around and tries to walk away. That may have been his biggest mistake.

The rebels launched a fierce attack, but the security forces held their ground. John found himself face-to-face with a familiar stranger—the man who had given him the "Welcome to Paradise" tapes.

"You should have stayed in that perfect little bubble we created for you, John," the man sneered as he raised his device.

John dodged the beam, but it hit a nearby rebel, disintegrating them into dust in an instant. Still, the rebels fought on, but they were outnumbered and outgunned.

Just as all seemed lost, John came up with the perfect idea. He watched as the guns could destroy anything organic within seconds and how Lord stood back but was still present. John wondered what would happen if he killed Lord. Would that cease all fire and throw off the balance?

With a swift kick to the councilman's head, John dropped him quickly and was able to obtain one of the special guns. Of course, he needed a fingerprint from the owner of the weapon, so he used the stranger's finger to shoot the gun directly at Lord. As Lord disintegrated, a strange phenomenon occurred. The hum from the devices began to resonate with the town's energy grid, causing a chain reaction of malfunctions and explosions. The leader was dead, the town shield was shattered, and the guns no longer worked. All of the council and every guard knew they were in trouble.

The Truth Revealed

As the chaos subsided, all the guards hustled to round up the council members and bring them back into the central square building. John ran to follow after them, only barely getting into the building before the giant automatic doors closed. He came inside unnoticed and used that to his advantage. By exploring the leader's building, he knew he would find more information.

John slowly crept around until he found the basement. 'Why are all the secrets in creepy or underground areas?' John wondered. As he closed the door behind him quietly, he began to search. After finding so much overwhelming information, John discovered that paradise was not a utopia. The social experiment, which he already knew about, was much more than that. The founders had sought to create a society full of hardened criminals turned good, funded by the United Nations Government. These methods had been in effect for 300 years, and not one person was able to remember their life outside of Paradise. The experiment worked, and it has continued since then.

Even though John was full of shock, he kept looking around. He found paperwork on the current founders and also found records of his own past. He was able to find out his real name, his family, his life, and his horrific past behaviors. He tried to remember his wife, his twin baby girls, the burning down of small businesses for fun, and the murder of his entire family. He felt the pain in his chest, which forced him to recall all his memories instantly.

With angry tears streaming down his face, John realized that he had been living a lie. But even though Paradise was not a haven, it also wasn't a prison. He did terrible things and still gets to live a good life. Something didn't seem right about that.

That's when he came across the last file in the cabinet he was currently searching in. The real reason this paradise existed was to harbor criminals who did horrible things. After the criminals reached five years in paradise, their memories would return. That's when they are kidnapped and subjected to massive amounts of torture within the confines of the central square building. John was literally next to the room where they would brutalize a criminal for 20 days straight, until their execution day. It was a sort of punishment for all they did before they arrived in this utopia. Now it all made sense.

The Aftermath

The rebellion had succeeded, but at a great cost. The town lay in ruins after the memory shield shattered. Once some people's memories came back, many began to die—some self-inflicted and others from random acts of violence by individuals who were happy to remember who they once were and continued on being their normal evil selves.

John, now armed with the truth of who he truly is, vowed to not only restore the rest of the memories of its citizens but to brutally destroy the memory thieves they all once called leaders.

First, John had to kidnap and execute the leaders, then he had to become the new leader of that council, and of course he finally went by his real name, Ted. He'd be dedicated to creating a true utopia, where freedom was desired and chaos was necessary.

***

As the town began to transform, Ted watched in his newly built tower, marveling at every ounce of immoral behavior going on around him. That's when he received a message from an unknown sender displayed across the window he looked through:

"What have you done, Ted? You made a grave mistake and cost us all the price of Paradise! THEY are coming to terminate every one of us because of you. We will not let you go unpunished before then!"

Ted smiled, knowing that he would never feel bad about his decision. It feels good to be who you were always meant to be, and some coward's words won't ever change that!