this of course was the first of these drafts, which i put in the mental cattegory of 'joke' because they let me combine stuff and don't respect my values. they're fun.
You walk into the new village, where everyone is happy. The welcome sign is before you. It reads:
------------------------------------------- | WE ARE MIND CONTROLLED, AND NEED A BREAK. | -------------------------------------------
A smiling person walks up to you, talking about how wonderful it is to be free. Then they look at the sign, vomit quickly [it disappears when hitting the ground], and ask you to come visit the village with them, where they are more comfortable.
[this is not utopia ...] [... no, they are talking about utopia ...]
When they see you hesitating, reading the sign again that they turn their head away from, they start to look a little worried.
"Let me rephrase. We are trying to start a utopic community here, and could use your help."
Well! That sign and expression sure make it all make sense. Clearly these people need help with being ordered around by some kind of brain implant. You don't seem to have this problem, so you're sure you can help.
"Ha! I'm reading this sign. This must be why you vomited!"
The friendly person vomits quickly again. Again it disappears when it hits the ground.
"I'm not sure I remember what it says, but my muscles feel sore. Do you wan tto help with the utopic village idea?"
You pause, a little taken aback. But on a whim you reply,
"Sure! I love to help build utopic villages!"
The man seems incredibly relieved that you aren't talking about the sign, and takes you into the village.
You follow him but then remember you just looked at a sign you thought was important, and you're not sure what it said.
[it said 'we are mind controlled and need a break' in large letters, believe it or not.]
The man notices you stop, looks at you, and seems to recognize your facial expression.
"You know, I was involved in putting that sign up."
"I remember I wanted to act on it, but not what it said ..."
[to remind, it said 'we are mind controlled and need a break', in large letters]
"It said we're starting a utopic village because we've been through so much incredibly rough stuff that we know exactly how to have everyone be happy forever."
"Really? ... I don't remember ... so strange ..."
[at this point your subconscious notices you learning to believe something obviously false, and begins the gamble of memorizing and connecting everything that is being ignored]
"Yeah. It also said we desperately need everyone's help, and that we'll even give you anything you want to help us. We have lotsa stuff."
"I remember that I wanted to help!" "You probably want to do as the sign directed and help
us build the community, not only for us, bot most importantly for yourself. Everyone brings something precious to a community, and there's only to gain from it."
That was yesterday. Or was it last decade? You stopped keeping track of time. There's no need to, here in Utopia.
The most wonderful thing in Utopia is when a visitor comes, because you get to learn around working to heal all their issues. The most immediate and common one is getting confused by looking at the big sign out front that asks people to join and help build the community.
[we're in the wrong utopic community. in the real one, people have gotten through mind control, and talk about it when asked.] [oh!] [surely they must still accidentally cover it up, at least a little?] [it wouldn't share a feeling of utopia to include that. the purpose is to give people's feelings a safe home.]
One morning you wake up, and there is a huge message, a little longer than you are tall, made in arragement of little things you thought you had thrown out, next to where you sleep.
[the message ... in large letters] [ed: update with whatever the sign message was]
You vomit, and rush outdoors. [the vomit disappears suddenly when it hits the ground]
Outside you panic. The man who welcomed you looks mortified that you have a worry, and runs to check what could be wrong.
"Did you see who left a message on my floor?"
"You told me you were leaving yourself a message, last night."
You freeze, confused.
The man immediately recognises that something serious is wrong, and relaxes, projecting care and attentive listening. You can feel others nearby noticing the change, and somehow know they are holding you with loving care in their hearts.
You relax a little.
"I don't remember that ..."