This World Must Die!

by H. B. (Horace Bowne) Fyfe

"This World Must Die!" by H. B. Fyfe is a science fiction novelet published in the early 1950s. Set in a future society within the framework of the twenty-second century, the narrative explores the disturbing necessity for violence in a seemingly civilized world. The story revolves around a group of prisoners chosen for an extraordinary mission that involves carrying out a mass murder to contain a deadly plague threatening human civilization. The plot centers on Lou Phillips and his fellow convicts who are coerced by Undersecretary Anthony Varret to commit an act of violence against a plague-stricken ship carrying individuals who have lost their sanity. Facing moral dilemmas and the weight of their past crimes, Phillips, alongside Donna Bailey, Robert Brecken, and Raymond Truesdale, grapples with the grave choice of becoming executioners to save billions from a catastrophic epidemic. As tensions rise between them, Phillips must navigate not only the physical challenges of their mission but also the psychological impacts of their task, leading to confrontations that test their humanity in the face of dire necessity. The story dives deep into themes of morality, duty, and the human condition, making readers question what they would do in similar circumstances.