A new virus is sweeping the Deregger empire! The deregger leadership is forcing people to wear masks, making, 'gasp', REGULATIONS to wear them! The leadership is running terrified, anyone found to be infected is immediately imprisoned. They even consider begging the CRC for help as it mutates each time a vaccine is found and will not combine with the immunoflu! The virus has a dangerous side effect. So dangerous it could rip their empire to SHREDS! CEO's and other leaders are locking themselves in fortresses hoping to avoid infection! Though the virus has not killed a single being, it does FAR worse! It alters the mind! Those who get infected become completely, and incurably........ incapable of uttering, or writing, even one single lie. -- DaniAndShali
They called it POF-32, and every time it was almost under control, a new variant would emerge. Usually from the people protesting the laws and rules put in place to prevent its spread. It wasn't remotely lethal, not at all, but it did alter the brain.
That was the one talking point that the media attempted to create terror about. They tried to make people scared. They tried to make it sound like it would melt people's brains. They even tried to make it sound immoral.
It was an effort doomed to failure.
POF-32 in all its wide array of variants was everywhere. Newscasters in the middle of their timeslots would come down with it, ignore their teleprompter, and tell the truth.
"This virus is completely non-lethal and only targets the small cluster of neurons responsible for the ability to lie. Whilst devastating to those who create fiction for a living, it has no other impact on human physiology," said Muddok Jan. "In further news, all reports saying that I choose my wardrobe for broadcasts are false. I have to wear what they tell me is sexy or they will literally kill me. My career would be over the instant I hit thirty-five, and it's definitely over now because I caught POF-32."
As they dragged her away, replacing her with a younger understudy, she yelled, "The initials stand for 'Pants On Fire'! As in 'liar liar'! They don't want to catch it because they never want to tell you the truth!"
"That was unwanted," smiled the New Jan[1]. "Let's go to the weather..."
They tried, but it was too late. Everyone in that Deregger polity was catching POF-32. The CEO's deep in their bunkers with their Executive Food Printers and telepresence technology had no other option.
They called the Cogniscent Rights Committee for help.
"Please," they begged. "We want to be able to play golf again. To pick a new wife again. We want to have charity dinners[2] together again. Help us stop this plague on our world!"
The CRC smiled like a snake and said, "Who do you think gave you that virus?"
[1] Female hosts on Deregger news media only have to be sexy. Names are irrelevant and it costs money to change the thing at the bottom of the screen that tells viewers who she is.
[2] Where the charity is to raise money for the next charity dinner.
[Image (c) Can Stock Photo / krsmanovic]
If you like my stories, please Check out my blog and Follow me. Or share them with your friends!
[53 remaining prompts] Please don't send any more prompts for now. Thank you.