02544cam a22003853u 4500 61204 UtSlPG 20260610134418.0 m cr n 260607r2020||||utu|||||o|||||||||||||| d UtSlPG en iso639-1 PS Walton, Bryce, 1918-1988 The Recruit Salt Lake City, UT : Project Gutenberg, 2020 1 online resource : multiple file formats text txt rdacontent computer c rdamedia online resource cr rdacarrier Produced from Worlds of If Science Fiction, July 1962 Release date is 2020-01-19 Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net "The Recruit" by Bryce Walton is a science fiction short story written in the early 1960s. The narrative follows Wayne Seton, a 16-year-old boy grappling with feelings of impatience and a yearning for adventure as he prepares for his draft call, which symbolizes a rite of passage into adulthood. The story delves into themes of youth, aggression, and societal expectations. Wayne's adventure begins when he receives his draft call, which he interprets as his ticket to manhood and freedom from the mundane life with his parents. However, as he ventures into the darker, more dangerous side of the city, seeking excitement and a thrill, he finds himself confronting his own impulses and moral dilemmas. He is assigned to eliminate two individuals deemed “undesirables” by the state—one a psychopathic killer and the other a victim of circumstance, a young woman with a tragic past. In the climactic moment, Wayne's instinct for violence is challenged when he cannot bring himself to kill the girl, leading to an internal conflict about humanity and morality. The story concludes with Wayne being returned to a controlled environment for treatment, highlighting the struggles between societal conditioning and individual choices. (This is an automatically generated summary.) Original publication data not identified Science fiction Short stories Psychological fiction Executions and executioners -- Fiction Teenage boys -- Fiction Schelling, George, 1938- Produced from Worlds of If Science Fiction, July 1962 https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/61204 102030 102030