Whakahapa (Left Behind) Prologue.

Was it John Cleese who said, “And now for something completely different”? This is just a rough draft, posted before it gets lost - there may, and probably will be a lot of changes. Any suggestions/criticisms would be welcome.

Post-apocalyptic stories are always intriguing – to have the whole world and everything in it! Dream on.Here is an attempt at writing an empty-world story. While we're at it, we'll throw in some other interests – boys, of course, families, science-fiction, religion and control.

There is a religious commune not so far away from here. About 400 people live there, almost totally removed from the rest of the world – their lives are similar to how colonists would be establishing themselves on new planets.

They arrived from elsewhere, bought and moved on to a run-down dairy farm, about 20 years ago. They have developed the property, built-up a large herd of top quality dairy cattle and started other successful businesses, including their own airline. They have their own sawmill, fire engine and a brass band. Everyone plays a musical instrument.

Much of their lifestyle is admirable, but there is a cost. They are impressive businessmen, they live in community, safe and separated from the world and they are self-sufficient. Their businesses pay minimal tax because they are a church, but they draw no benefits or pensions of any kind from the state.

Their children are 'home-birthed' and they educate them themselves, from pre-school to university level. And they have got a LOT of children. They do not believe in, or practice, any sort of birth-control and families of 12 to 15 children are not uncommon.

The two youngest children in a family sleep in their parents' bedroom, older children sleep in age-segregated dormitories.

Children are considered to be adults as soon as they are sexually mature. There is NO pre-marital sex and early marriages are encouraged and arranged so that they can be safe from temptation and can start breeding.

Over 250 babies have been born there since 1990. (The pic is of those children who were born after the normal 3 per family - ie. with birth control, these kids would not have happened. Many there now are second and third generations and most are descended from the man who founded the community and still leads it. They live quiet and sheltered, safe and secure, hard-working and productive, but very tightly-controlled, lives. They are told where to work, who to marry and even what to name their children. There is no access to television, movies, internet, newspapers or magazines, except for a selected and privileged few.

They call themselves 'true Christians', but it is a cult by any description and the Church has total control of their lives. For example, nuclear families take annual holidays of about one week. Their vacation is spent in private accomodation, separate but on the same property. Daily outings and business trips to the nearest town are always made in groups. No-one comes outside alone.

Anyone is free to join them. All they have to do is to be 'converted', to hand over all of their possesions, everything they own, and totally submit to the authority and teachings of their church. But the majority of the people there now were born there.

It is possible to leave the community and the few that do are given financial assistance to get started outside. However, it is not easy to leave. Before permission is given, those wanting to depart have to undergo long counselling sessions over several days and up to 15 hours per day, before a panel of Elders.

Those who leave are then considered to be dead. They are allowed absolutely no contact with family members left behind and they are not ever allowed to return.

Leaving would be hard for adults, it must be almost impossible for kids to do it. They've never known any other life and all they know of the outside world is what they have been told. Pity the queer kids – statistically, some of them would have to be gay – gay and repressed. Poor little buggers!

In this genre, it is common to preface a story with a disclaimer stating that it is totally fiction and not based on any real people or events. If you believe that, I know of a bridge that you might be interested in buying?

cheers