Long ago, in the days when there were still fish in the oceans and cars on the roads, there lived a woman who was not afraid of governments destroying us. It had nearly happened, she knew that, but that was ages ago. A memory of her parent’s time, when angry men had shouted from a million television screens “Better Dead than Red.” It was not a part of her world. She lived in a world where there was no such danger, she thought.

Surely people knew better, she would tell herself, surely we’re smarter than that. And besides, there are smart people at the helm, they know better than to steer us back towards the edge.

She thought war was the only way it could happen. She thought the statesmen would have to be stupid or evil to kill us all. But to do great evil, you need not be evil, or stupid. Only lazy.

Things got worse, and killings started. But they were far away and done by remote, and the people she trusted to fix things told her “This is normal.” They told her this sort of thing happened all the time, but that it was better this way and only temporary. She didn’t think it was normal, but she was not afraid, because she trusted them.

Why shouldn’t she?

Killings became a frequent thing, a normal thing, and why should you fear the normal?

Things got worse, and the tides came. But they were predictable and started out manageable, and the people in charge told her “This is normal.” They told her this sort of thing happened all the time, over the years it was bound to happen here eventually. She didn’t think it was normal, but she was not afraid, because she trusted them.

Why shouldn’t she?

The tides grew larger and receded back a little less every day, but it became normal, and why should you fear the normal.

Things got worse, and the draft came. But not everyone was called, the fighting was far away, and they very rarely died, and the people in charge told her “This is normal.” They told her this sort of thing had happened many times, and that it would all be over soon. She was sure this wasn’t normal, but she was not afraid, because she trusted them.

Why shouldn’t she?

The war dragged on, and more were drafted every month, but it became normal, and why should you fear the normal?

When the fish were gone, people were worried. But with the new tides, fishing was a dying art anyway, and the people in charge told her “This is normal.” They told her species died out all the time, and that it was all part of a cycle. She knew this wasn’t normal, but how could she be afraid? She trusted them. If they were lying it must be a good reason for it.

In the end, the world without fish became normal.

Then came the time when, once the sun was up, and people couldn’t go outside anymore, but this had been predicted, expected, and the people in charge had told her “This is normal.” They told her the planet did this on its own, and it would surely fix itself in time. She knew this wasn’t normal, and she was afraid.

It was too late.