HeRb by Eric Richer

from Dystopia: a PUNK NOIR Magazine series

VidCam#2316517/TGBT_Dam_D59_/13/07/20XX_18:19:54s report:

• Two unknown individuals riding a chestnut horse cross the frame from left to right towards the district dam. After image correction using Hatikvah-Clarify software, Huawei-FaceScan biometric tool confirms the identity of individual#1 as Hazel Sheridan [ID#09128409577/F2/ H.S], registered in the Wanted Persons File for invalidation of her Social Credit, following a zero points balance.

Photo by Dan Meyers on Unsplash

• Facial recognition program is unable to identify individual#2, whose face is obscured by illegal camo-hood. However, after scanning social feeds and cross-referencing the data through Body-Language-Service-Inc search engine, there is a high probability (95,61%) that individual#2 is Ash Okoli [ID#06021309378/M1/A.O], listed in the Automated Judicial Database with prior convictions for vandalism and assault on a Peace Officer. Please note that due to a motor failure of autonomous rotating VidCam#2316518/TGBT_Dam_D59, the destination of the individuals could not be captured.

  Action Taken:

• Camera malfunction report + request for drone interception of individuals#1+2 sent today at 18:20:07s by ArtificialOfficer#165161/HeRb.

• NB#1: the surrounding rocky area provides perfect visibility, helping to avoid collateral damage.

• NB#2: the chestnut horse bears no marks of ownership or identification, making his neutralization legal. In the event that a potential owner comes forward later, restitution by cloning is possible.

  

This story appears as part of Dystopia, a PUNK NOIR Magazine series.

Bio

Eric Richer was born in France in 1971. He grew up with 7 dogs, read a lot, studied cinema, worked in movie theaters as a projectionist and went to Japan. There he made a documentary (Kamo River), came back, returned in the darkness of the projection booths and started writing. His first two novels, La Rouille (The Rust, 2018) and Tiger (2021) were published by L’Ogre Editions. He is currently working hard on the next ones.

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