Today is Forever

In Short

Set in a future where crime has been rendered obsolete by universal honesty and a rigid, stable political order, this story follows Philip Boyle, a man who believes he is the smartest person in a world of complacent idealists. When extraterrestrial visitors arrive offering the gift of immortality to the ruling council, Boyle orchestrates a violent, cold-blooded scheme to steal the secret for himself. He succeeds in his theft but ignores the nature of the beings he is dealing with, leading to a conclusion that is as ironic as it is inescapable.

The Story

Philip Boyle is a successful businessman living in a society where the "Social Body"—a unified, peace-loving populace—is governed by an Administrative Council. In this world, the "truth-check" has eliminated crime, and the "marital-seven" has replaced traditional family structures to ensure social harmony. Boyle, however, is a man of hidden cynicism and ambition. He learns from a young, idealistic communications technician named David Locke that two extraterrestrial visitors from Alcor have offered the Council a secret process for biological immortality.

Boyle immediately recognizes that this power could make him the ultimate master of his world. He manipulates Locke and his own companion, Moira, into believing that stealing the secret is a noble act of rebellion against a corrupt and discriminatory government. He frames the theft as a necessary strike to ensure that longevity is available to all members of the Social Body, rather than just the elite.

Boyle’s plan is simple and brutal: he will use an archaic, forgotten method—direct violence—which a society of peaceful people is entirely unprepared to defend against. He raids the deliberations chamber, freezes the council members with a weapon, kills them with an incendiary device, and kidnaps one of the Alcorians, Fermiirig, to force him to administer the treatment.

Boyle retreats to his remote mountain cottage with his captives. Once there, he forces the alien to inject him with the serum. The alien, Fermiirig, warns Boyle that he is not suited for an extended life, but Boyle ignores the warning, kills the alien, and prepares to murder Locke and Moira to eliminate his only witnesses. However, he is caught in the act by agents of the Board of Order.

The twist is revealed in his cell: the Alcorians are telepathic, and they tracked his every move. Boyle is sentenced to a "life-maximum" prison term. Because he has already received the injection, he discovers the horrifying reality of his "victory." He has been granted seven hundred years of life, which, in the context of a permanent, inescapable prison sentence, is not the dream of immortality he craved, but a seven-century-long nightmare of confinement. He has effectively achieved his desire for "forever," but at the cost of his freedom, turning his prize into an endless, agonizing sentence.

How It Unfolds

The secret revealed David Locke arrives at Boyle’s apartment in a state of agitation, having overheard the Alcorians offering immortality to the ruling council. Boyle immediately recognizes this as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to seize absolute power for himself.

The plan takes shape Boyle plays on Locke’s naive idealism, convincing the younger man that they must steal the secret to save the "Social Body" from an unfair government. He treats his partner, Moira, and his accomplice, Locke, as disposable tools to be discarded once the mission is complete.

The raid on Administration Boyle executes a violent assault on the council chamber, using forbidden weapons to incapacitate the officials and secure the alien source. He creates a scene of carnage, confident that his plan is too bold and too archaic for the authorities to anticipate.

The final injection At his mountain retreat, Boyle forces the captive alien to grant him the longevity treatment. He plans to dispose of his associates and escape, but he is apprehended by the authorities just as he prepares to commit his final murders.

The ironic conclusion In prison, Boyle learns the true extent of his failure when he realizes the Alcorians were aware of his plans all along. His sentence of "life" in prison, combined with his new, extended lifespan, traps him in an eternity of imprisonment.

The People

Philip Boyle The central figure, Boyle is a calculating, power-hungry industrialist who views the world through a lens of cold logic and superiority. He wants total control and the prestige of immortality. He is blocked by a society that has evolved beyond his brand of ruthlessness, which he views as a weakness he can exploit. He ends his journey as a broken man, trapped by the very thing he fought to obtain.

David Locke A young communications technician, Locke represents the "idealistic" generation of his time. He wants justice and equality for the Social Body and genuinely believes he is fighting for the public good. He is entirely manipulated by Boyle’s cynicism, serving as the unwitting accomplice who enables a mass murder.

Moira Boyle’s companion in his "marital-seven," Moira is a poised, conventional woman who is easily swayed by the promise of immortality. She seeks security and status, making her a perfect pawn for Boyle’s ambitions until she is deemed an expendable liability.

Fermiirig The Alcorian visitor, Fermiirig is a calm, observant, and telepathic being who serves as the catalyst for the tragedy. He remains detached throughout the conflict, ultimately ensuring that justice is served by guiding the authorities to Boyle’s location.

In Its Own Voice

"The shock of it as a reality blossomed in his mind with a slow explosion of triumph."

Boyle experiences this internal rush of adrenaline when he first realizes the potential for immortality.

"He dreamed a dream as old as man, of stretching today into forever."

This line captures the core obsession that drives Boyle to betray his own society and commit acts of extreme violence.

"I was afraid so."

The alien Fermiirig says this to Boyle before administering the injection, signaling his quiet resignation to the human’s inevitable downfall.

What It's Really About

The book is a cynical meditation on the conflict between human greed and social stability. It argues that a society built on the total suppression of conflict and the removal of "base" human instincts is fundamentally fragile when confronted with a person who refuses to adhere to its rules. The central irony—that the ultimate human desire for immortality becomes a torture device—functions as a moral critique of egoism. By wanting to "stretch today into forever," Boyle fails to see that the value of life is found in its limitations. When those limitations are stripped away by a prison sentence, the gift of longevity becomes the most severe punishment imaginable, suggesting that man is not equipped to handle the infinite.

Why Read It Today

This story offers a sharp, cold look at the "techno-utopia" genre, stripping away the optimism often found in mid-century science fiction to reveal the dark, primitive impulses that technology cannot erase. Readers who appreciate stories with a biting sense of irony—where the protagonist’s success is the exact source of their ruin—will find much to enjoy here. The prose is efficient and punchy, typical of the era's pulp magazines, keeping the pacing brisk and the tension high.

However, readers should be prepared for the mid-century perspective on relationships, particularly the "marital-seven" concept, which is presented as a sterile, matter-of-fact social structure that may feel cold or dated. Boyle’s internal monologue is deeply unpleasant, as the narrative places you directly inside the mind of a man who views everyone else as a disposable object. It is not a story about heroism, but a study in narcissism. What lingers long after the final page is the chilling realization of Boyle’s fate: the horror of having exactly what one asked for, only to find it is a cage. It serves as a haunting reminder that in the search for the future, one must be careful not to discard the basic humanity that gives the present its worth.