The Institute Read Online Free Page B

Some neighbouring, smaller countries had already been
decimated of their population, and our government was very worried
that we would follow suit – especially because our population was
so little to begin with; compared to some of the other countries
that had over 200 million residents. The country had the land mass
to support a theoretical high population but the middle of the
country was always uninhabitable desert so most residents lived
along the coastlines. When the epidemic broke out, it spread
quickly and didn’t discriminate.
    After the
epidemic hit, a worldwide travel ban was put in place. A ban that
still exists today because of the fear of another epidemic breaking
out and spreading, ultimately eradicating everyone. This fear of
the uncontrollable illness drove countries to guard their borders
with such extreme ferocity, that the minutest of infringements
often led to wars, which allowed the virus to spread even more. We
were fortunate that we didn't share a land border with another
country. Aside from the occasional boats, border control measures
worked.
    However, the
lack of land borders meant that the country had to learn how to be
self-sufficient. We were lucky enough that our country excelled in
the medical field, a vaccine was created and administered and then
a baby boom ensued. The government was offering incentives for
couples to build big families. To qualify for extra food allowances
and medicines, a minimum of two children was required per family.
The more children you had, the more help you received from the
government.
    Then a peculiar
thing started happening. Some of these children being born were
said to have special abilities. About 1 in 5 000 children born
would have this defect. As the years went on, the population of
these special children grew. By the time these children reached the
teenage years, everything started going wrong. Puberty hit and with
all the raging hormones coursing through their bodies, ‘incidents’
started happening. People were getting hurt, some even getting
killed.
    The government
started removing those with these special abilities from their
families. Some believe it was a side effect from the vaccine, that
it caused a fault, a change of DNA in some people, although this
has never been proven. Other theories include that it was the next
leap in evolutionary change and that soon enough everyone will have
an extra ability of their own. There are many theories out there,
none of which have been substantiated.
    This was just
over forty years ago. There was one major problem with forcibly
removing the Defective though. It made them all go into hiding.
After all, no one is going to offer themselves or their child up
for removal – especially since no one heard from them again, and
the rumour was that they were executed. Of course incidents kept
happening. The government finally learnt their mistake when a boy,
only eleven years old, created a nuclear blast that wiped out the
entire west coast of the country along with all the people in it.
Our population numbers, while on the climb, were still quite low
from a sustainability stand point and then this child easily more
than halved them by losing his temper. At the lowest count, we had
an estimated 700000 residents remaining.
    People started
hunting the Defective and killed them. When this happened, the
government knew they had to come up with a more effective solution.
They came up with a way to control the Defective and ensure that
the population can start rebuilding yet again: the Institute. The
Institute was a way to allow those with defects to live in a safe
environment away from vigilantes and away from the general public
where they have the power to hurt themselves and those around them.
For the Defective, the Institute gave hope.
    Our population
is currently on the rise and the occurrence of incidents is unheard
of. At last census, our population was approximately 2 million and
only rising.”
    This