Introduction

The earliest known documents on same-sex relationships come from ancient Greece. Eros inspired people's love and helped them evolve as individuals, creating a peaceful world.

But peace was disrupted when a cruel leader came to be in control of Athens. He forbade this ancient tradition and forced punishment upon those who found lovers of the same gender. His influence spread as his power grew with each conquest until same-sex relationships became a symbol of defiance instead of love. And those who still loved could only survive through Darkness.

Inquisition, 1578:"...for punishment does not take place primarily and per se for the correction and good of the person punished, but for the public good so that others may become terrified and weaned away from the evils they would commit".

Lovers were tortured along with their friends. Centuries later, their punishments would only evolve.

Dr. Hannibal Marlow, 1930: "Ladies and gentlemen, my suspicions were proven correct after my experiments gave way to this discovery. It is now proven that same-sex attraction is caused by a terrible mental illness. But it can and will be treated. We'll cure these poor people whose brains have been altered horribly."

It didn't matter that no one knew where they took them or what became of them once they were taken, people still accused their fellow left, right, and centre.

Then, a worldwide notice to celebrate:

England Newspaper, 1950: "The first man completely cured of HMD (Homosexuality Disorder)."

What a horrible sight for all the ones who were hiding, loving in secret, and trying to love themselves despite it all. Some saw it and believed themselves to be truly sick. Others saw it and hid deeper into the shadows. But many saw it and felt hopeless, simply ending it all.

Those were dark years—anger, depression, fear, and paranoia. Almost half of the papers talked about all the gruesome symptoms of HMD and how to avoid anyone who might have it. Because, as the paper described them, "they were a menace to society".

Groups all around the world hunted and killed those they thought had HMD, putting down anybody regardless of nationality, ethnicity, or age. Some thought the killers were heroes, some remained uncaring, and some (secretly) feared them.

Around the 70s, the killings stopped. But the public knew not why or how, they simply did, and the headlines weren't about brutal murders of the so-called "Criminals of The Race" any longer.

But the fear, of course, the fear remained.

The murders, persecution, imprisonment, and abuse exhibited on the news for the past twenty years and explicitly written hundreds of years beforehand, showed how life would be for anyone who wasn't how they "should" be.

In this world, in this era, everyone, even your mirror, is judging you.

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Next week on Saturday, the Prologue will be posted. The week after that: The First Chapter.