Seventh Victim by Robert Sheckley Episode #89

Robert Sheckley | August 21, 2023

Seventh Victim by Robert Sheckley Episode #89
Robert Sheckley

SEVENTH VICTIM

Episode #89 · Written by Robert Sheckley · Narrated by Scott Miller

A veteran Hunter expecting an easy kill is stunned to discover that his assigned Victim is a young woman who refuses to defend herself. But as he steps deeper into the surreal world of legalized murder, he learns that nothing—and no one—is what they seem.

In a world where governments have outlawed war by legalizing murder, society channels aggression through regulated one-on-one hunts. Stanton Frelaine, a mild-looking businessman with six kills behind him, lives for these bursts of sanctioned danger. The Emotional Catharsis Board assigns every aspiring Hunter a Victim—and every successful Hunter eventually becomes a Victim themselves. It’s a system designed to keep world peace by letting violence express itself safely, cleanly, and individually. And despite the danger, millions participate.

Now Frelaine is eager for his seventh hunt, one step closer to joining the legendary Tens Club. But when his Victim’s envelope arrives, he’s stunned: It’s a woman. Janet-Marie Patzig. Young, quiet, seemingly defenseless. She sits in cafés without armor, without spotters, without fear. Instead of running, she waits—calm, sad, and strangely accepting of her fate. Frelaine tells himself this will be his easiest kill yet… but nothing about the situation feels right.

Drawn to her vulnerability, Frelaine hesitates. Then he befriends her. And quickly, disastrously, falls in love. Their conversations make him question the system he has followed for years. Janet, an unsuccessful actress, insists she could never kill anyone—even though the rules say she must take her turn as a Hunter. Her resignation feels genuine, her fear real. Frelaine decides he cannot kill her. Instead, he wants to save her.

But in a society where murder is legal and deception is survival, appearances are deadly. Frelaine’s romantic fantasy collapses when he discovers that Janet is not helpless at all—she is calculating, experienced, and far more dangerous than he imagined. The emotional tension erupts into a brutal, unforgettable confrontation where only one can survive.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Robert Sheckley was one of the defining voices of mid-century science fiction, renowned for his razor-sharp wit and uncanny ability to turn social structures into darkly humorous speculative worlds. His work blends satire, suspense, and philosophical insight, often pointing out how systems intended to help humanity frequently expose its absurdities instead. Born in 1928, Sheckley became a powerhouse of short fiction throughout the 1950s and 60s, contributing hundreds of stories to leading magazines such as Galaxy, If, and The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction.

Sheckley’s unique style—clever, ironic, and brilliantly observant—distinguished him from his peers. His stories often centered on ordinary people caught in extraordinary bureaucratic or technological traps, revealing uncomfortable truths about human behavior. Over his long career, Sheckley wrote novels, television scripts, and screenplays, and his influence can be seen in works ranging from The Twilight Zone to modern sci-fi filmmaking. Seventh Victim remains one of his most enduring creations, inspiring the 1965 Italian film The 10th Victim and continuing to captivate readers with its sharp insight into the human appetite for violence.