The City of Lawrence is ruled by law and order. Golems patrol the streets and weapons are outlawed. Of any criminals, the city is completely empty.

People walk the white cobblestone streets with forward-facing gazes and careless expressions. Any thief or pickpocket would be hard-pressed to touch them, even in the bustling throng. Storefronts greet customers with bright faces and happy welcomes. If utopia exists, it would like like this.

All that must be sacrificed is freedom. The state monopoly on violence is so strong that any recourse outside the realm of law is simply impossible. Revenge, hate, murder, while these are not socially acceptable actions, are still part of human nature. Restricting criminal behavior is also restricting human nature.

Many people would simply nod their heads and move on, willing to accept the loss for safety. However, there are always exceptions to the norm and deviants that do not blend in with society. By the wall of an alleyway, one man was looking at the smiling faces with a frown.

All I can see are puppets.

He frowned at the people all around him. Every single one of them was disgusting to him, fundamentally unpleasant. They were lacking something. Something fundamental to a human.

Their eyes look empty.

What did they give up in return for safety? What exactly did the people of Lawrence leave? The man wasn’t sure what it was, but he knew something was missing.

“Hank, how are you man?”

A familiar voice came from behind him. Hank turned around and recognized the speaker.

“Hello, Dirk.”

The other man, Dirk, looked at Hank with a wry smile. 

“Still the same, I see. Not a bit of interest in old friends.”

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“Friends, huh? I suppose we could be called that. What is it, Dirk?”

“Nothing really, just saw you and figured I’d say hi.”

“And now you have. Happy?”

Dirk shook his head helplessly. Hank was always like this to everyone. If anything, he was actually less harsh with Dirk than others. Not that it meant anything.

“I guess I am. See you around, Hank.”

“Goodbye, Dirk.”

Hank watched as Dirk walked off, still shaking his head. He knew he wasn’t the most sociable, but he couldn’t find it in him to exchange pleasantries with sheep. He understood that it would hurt the few connections he had, but he was indifferent. What did he have in common to discuss with Dirk anyway? Nothing at all.

Hank turned his gaze back to the bustling crowd. Every person wore the same stupid smile, not a single one different from the rest. Just as he was about to give up and leave, he spied a child standing inconspicuously by an alley much like himself. The child didn’t seem to notice Hank’s gaze and kept his attention on the road. Shuffling his feet, Hank thought he saw the boy’s eyes harden before he joined the throng.

Hank moved to follow him, trying to track his small figure. Jumping into the crowd as well, he spotted the boy and stuck to him. Chasing him from street to street, he eventually saw the boy stop behind a stranger. Looking around for a few seconds, he suddenly reached for the man’s pocket. Hank’s eyes widened as he shouted, “Wait, don’t!”

The boy’s fingers crept into the cloth crevice and every golem on the walls swiveled to face him. The boy, unaware of his predicament, grabbed the man’s wallet and dashed off fearfully. Hank just watched the following events in a daze.

The boy ran, trying to protect his plunder when he finally noticed the golems. They were silently running at him, stone arms pumping with every step. His face turned pale and he desperately attempted to escape, dropping the wallet as he did so. The golems ignored the wallet and chased him. It wasn’t long before the mechanical bodies surrounded him.

Helplessly caught, the boy tried to plead his case desperately. The golems just watched his lips move in silence, unmoved by his terrified expression. The boy’s words washed over them like rocks in the tide as they stood silent, completely unaffected. After several seconds of unnatural stillness, their autonomous bodies suddenly moved as one. Their bodies lunged as they stabbed their arms forward simultaneously. After a sickening crunch, the boy’s eyes glazed over as his pleas died in his throat. The golems retracted their arms and the boy's body fell to the ground limply. Their duty complete, they disposed of the corpse and returned to their posts. For all these things, the citizens walked by peacefully. Just another walk to work, their faces still smiling.

The City of Lawrence is ruled by law and order. Golems patrol the streets and weapons are outlawed. Of any criminals, the city is completely empty.