Science fiction (dystopian) short story set after WWIII












6















I am looking for the name of a short story that I read a long time ago - I remember the plot quite well but I don't know who wrote it and I can't find the title anywhere on Google.



So the story was set after a World War Three, people had understood that humankind couldn't do without violence, but in order to avoid any future global war, there was this kind of association to which people could subscribe. They were then allowed to use a gun and they had a target, another person, that they had to find and kill - at the same time, they could have been the target of someone else. Once they killed a "target" they would receive another one. Civilians that didn't want anything to do with it were left in peace, unharmed.The protagonist says he's very good and that he has killed many targets already; he gets a new one, a woman, of whom he eventually falls in love. He decides not to kill her, however at the end she is the one who kills him, since he was her target.



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    6















    I am looking for the name of a short story that I read a long time ago - I remember the plot quite well but I don't know who wrote it and I can't find the title anywhere on Google.



    So the story was set after a World War Three, people had understood that humankind couldn't do without violence, but in order to avoid any future global war, there was this kind of association to which people could subscribe. They were then allowed to use a gun and they had a target, another person, that they had to find and kill - at the same time, they could have been the target of someone else. Once they killed a "target" they would receive another one. Civilians that didn't want anything to do with it were left in peace, unharmed.The protagonist says he's very good and that he has killed many targets already; he gets a new one, a woman, of whom he eventually falls in love. He decides not to kill her, however at the end she is the one who kills him, since he was her target.



    Any ideas?










    share|improve this question









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    sci-fi reader is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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      6








      6


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      I am looking for the name of a short story that I read a long time ago - I remember the plot quite well but I don't know who wrote it and I can't find the title anywhere on Google.



      So the story was set after a World War Three, people had understood that humankind couldn't do without violence, but in order to avoid any future global war, there was this kind of association to which people could subscribe. They were then allowed to use a gun and they had a target, another person, that they had to find and kill - at the same time, they could have been the target of someone else. Once they killed a "target" they would receive another one. Civilians that didn't want anything to do with it were left in peace, unharmed.The protagonist says he's very good and that he has killed many targets already; he gets a new one, a woman, of whom he eventually falls in love. He decides not to kill her, however at the end she is the one who kills him, since he was her target.



      Any ideas?










      share|improve this question









      New contributor




      sci-fi reader is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
      Check out our Code of Conduct.












      I am looking for the name of a short story that I read a long time ago - I remember the plot quite well but I don't know who wrote it and I can't find the title anywhere on Google.



      So the story was set after a World War Three, people had understood that humankind couldn't do without violence, but in order to avoid any future global war, there was this kind of association to which people could subscribe. They were then allowed to use a gun and they had a target, another person, that they had to find and kill - at the same time, they could have been the target of someone else. Once they killed a "target" they would receive another one. Civilians that didn't want anything to do with it were left in peace, unharmed.The protagonist says he's very good and that he has killed many targets already; he gets a new one, a woman, of whom he eventually falls in love. He decides not to kill her, however at the end she is the one who kills him, since he was her target.



      Any ideas?







      story-identification short-stories






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      edited 56 mins ago









      TheLethalCarrot

      48.9k19263310




      48.9k19263310






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      asked 59 mins ago









      sci-fi readersci-fi reader

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          1 Answer
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          Sounds like The Seventh Victim by Robert Sheckley.



          Your description matches my memory of the short story.






          share|improve this answer


























          • Yes it's that one! Thank you very much!

            – sci-fi reader
            53 mins ago











          • @sci-fireader You can read the story at archive.org/stream/galaxymagazine-1953-04/Galaxy_1953_04#page/…

            – user14111
            47 mins ago











          • @user1411 Thanks :)

            – sci-fi reader
            43 mins ago












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          1 Answer
          1






          active

          oldest

          votes








          1 Answer
          1






          active

          oldest

          votes









          active

          oldest

          votes






          active

          oldest

          votes









          3














          Sounds like The Seventh Victim by Robert Sheckley.



          Your description matches my memory of the short story.






          share|improve this answer


























          • Yes it's that one! Thank you very much!

            – sci-fi reader
            53 mins ago











          • @sci-fireader You can read the story at archive.org/stream/galaxymagazine-1953-04/Galaxy_1953_04#page/…

            – user14111
            47 mins ago











          • @user1411 Thanks :)

            – sci-fi reader
            43 mins ago
















          3














          Sounds like The Seventh Victim by Robert Sheckley.



          Your description matches my memory of the short story.






          share|improve this answer


























          • Yes it's that one! Thank you very much!

            – sci-fi reader
            53 mins ago











          • @sci-fireader You can read the story at archive.org/stream/galaxymagazine-1953-04/Galaxy_1953_04#page/…

            – user14111
            47 mins ago











          • @user1411 Thanks :)

            – sci-fi reader
            43 mins ago














          3












          3








          3







          Sounds like The Seventh Victim by Robert Sheckley.



          Your description matches my memory of the short story.






          share|improve this answer















          Sounds like The Seventh Victim by Robert Sheckley.



          Your description matches my memory of the short story.







          share|improve this answer














          share|improve this answer



          share|improve this answer








          edited 31 mins ago









          TheLethalCarrot

          48.9k19263310




          48.9k19263310










          answered 56 mins ago









          Dosco JonesDosco Jones

          2,1251116




          2,1251116













          • Yes it's that one! Thank you very much!

            – sci-fi reader
            53 mins ago











          • @sci-fireader You can read the story at archive.org/stream/galaxymagazine-1953-04/Galaxy_1953_04#page/…

            – user14111
            47 mins ago











          • @user1411 Thanks :)

            – sci-fi reader
            43 mins ago



















          • Yes it's that one! Thank you very much!

            – sci-fi reader
            53 mins ago











          • @sci-fireader You can read the story at archive.org/stream/galaxymagazine-1953-04/Galaxy_1953_04#page/…

            – user14111
            47 mins ago











          • @user1411 Thanks :)

            – sci-fi reader
            43 mins ago

















          Yes it's that one! Thank you very much!

          – sci-fi reader
          53 mins ago





          Yes it's that one! Thank you very much!

          – sci-fi reader
          53 mins ago













          @sci-fireader You can read the story at archive.org/stream/galaxymagazine-1953-04/Galaxy_1953_04#page/…

          – user14111
          47 mins ago





          @sci-fireader You can read the story at archive.org/stream/galaxymagazine-1953-04/Galaxy_1953_04#page/…

          – user14111
          47 mins ago













          @user1411 Thanks :)

          – sci-fi reader
          43 mins ago





          @user1411 Thanks :)

          – sci-fi reader
          43 mins ago










          sci-fi reader is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.










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