The City that Could Never Be

            Paradisus was a fast paced and lively city. It was a little bit run down in areas, but that was to be expected, and the citizens didn’t mind too much. Sleek glass skyscrapers with dazzling silver frames towered over relative shantytowns, though there was no real poverty. Paradisus lacked any government structure, and that’s just what the residents wanted.

            Members of such society, or lack there of, were of a select group: smart, ambitious, curious, and most of all independent. Kinks in the system such as income disparity and criminal activity were quickly ironed out early on in the city’s founding. Those with financial ambition made their way to the top without pushing anybody down, while others lived carefree with little in the way of assets. It was a unique combination of cooperation and initiative that kept the metropolis alive. On a typical day, an outsider might not even notice a contrast to other municipalities, barring limitless opportunities and freedom from judgment found only in Paradisus. It was a near-perfect, lawless utopia. The only fear was that someday it would end.

            No one dreaded that inevitable day more than Peter. Peter moved from Cleveland two years with romantic ideas about total control over his own life. In his “past-life”, as Paradistians frequently made reference to, was fairly regimented, with weekend visits to his parents house in the suburbs, and a 9 to 5 job that failed to captivate. He now lives in Paradisus, surrounded by acquaintances, friends, and even a wife, though none share any particular obligations to him, or he to they. Peter has a very youthful face, with charming eyes, however he is always searching for something, never contented. Beyond this, not much more can be said about the man, as he frequently changes in both appearance and mindset. He has tried nearly every role he can conceive, from businessman to scavenger to chess player. The freedom to rationalize any decision was overwhelmingly tempting to him.

            Peter has never perfected, or even respectably preformed any role he took on. He wares many hats, but none of them well, simply because he has not been forced to keep true to anything. No one in Paradisus really did find passion in any one thing, but unlike everyone else, this greatly bothered Peter.

            In late fall, Peter took to tending houses in exchange for small provisions. He worked primarily for a well kept professional who required only basic household chores. The work became cathartic for him, a nice break from the exhilarating lives that filled every other day of his existence. He wanted more, and when the man he worked for moved on to something else, Peter found a new employer, this time a couple. They required more, manual labor, roof repairs and electrical wiring. Peter’s duties escalated, and soon he was helping several dozen families with a wide range of tasks. His life was just as varied and aimless as before, but now with an element of control. He had become a virtual slave to the town, and he could not be more pleased. Any fear about losing the precious anarchical community had escaped his mind. Peter became truly happy again for the first time since he left his hometown, however his actions were starting to cause problems for others.

His willingness to be used created uproar, as the previously driven individuals became exploitative and lazy. Peter had begun to suck away the ambition so prevalent in the city by offering to do other’s work for them. His desire for boundaries spread, and as some followed in Peter’s footsteps, the people became polarized into separate camps. Dependency bread malice and vice versa. Peter left Paradisus shortly after, finding it unique no longer. Freedom consumed itself, forcing inhabitants to implement more traditional institutions. The city did not plunge into chaos with a fury of rioting and warfare. It just ceased to be different, left with few indications of its past or that unfortunate soul.