“Fifty Seven Percent”

 

          “The depopulationists were running the show these days whether people like it or not, yet some did. The turning point of world rule was handed down to us by a handful of scientists and the rich who had combined to create the first fission reaction. The whole world rejoiced upon hearing that practically free energy would be available to the masses. Little known by the world was the scientists who created this gift had done calculations on the impact free-energy would have to the population, and to our most important resources, the earth, the soil, and most of all the ability to maintain a population explosion that would occur in the future. We would all starve in a hundred years. They decided to withhold their gift due to these findings. The world screamed in rage, and vowed to take possession of this great power. Never poke the bear. The first bomb hit China 600 million people died in a flash of light. We listened ready or not. The worlds population would population would be systematically cut down by an additional fifty-seven percent.

            The order of the Deputiz was created. Their job was to kill over half the world population. Those who resisted like Mexico and several countries in the middle east found them selves in World War III over night. Another flash and Mexico city was gone for that matter the yield of this bomb was enough to take down half of southern California. Los Angeles and all ports south stretching down the coast to Mexico city were gone. The United States who compromised over forty percent of the fighting force enlisted in the “Order” and took their anger out on those countries in the middle east who still felt compelled to resist the Deputiz. Conventional weapons were the only means used. The use of nuclear weapons was expressly forbidden, for fission bombs cause no radiation, and thought their yield may be greater their long-term impact on the environment was not as detrimental. Within one year the whole world was under the rule of the Depopulationists with the Deputiz as their hand of death.

            The lottery began. The only ones who were exempt from the lottery were the gifted and those showing a superior aptitude in the arts, sciences, athletics, or a new  arena, those displaying gifts of ESP. The whole world was put through the testing process on country at a time. People got the impression this would add time to their possible sentence of death, for the world is a big place with many people. This was not the case as in Africa for example. The Deputiz army created a line from the sands of Egypt to the Ivory Coast and began their march south, along the way testing and the lottery were done simultaneously. Africa was completed in three months. Seven armies coordinated across the world and finished the immense project in six months. Depopulation began.

            All over the world people were saying goodbye to their loved ones. The lottery numbers had been tattooed on the hands of those who were chosen, and a detailed description logged and repeated in a vast computer bank. The numbers were called at the beginning of every month, and the persons called had two weeks to report. This first two weeks of every month were full of parties and wild abandon. In the rich countries such as America people were given a government check when their number came up, a sort of last hurrah. In the third world countries whole towns became the sight of celebration with food and entertainment sponsored by the first world countries for the first ten days of the month. The second half of each month had a whole different feel.

            The killing machines were run by inmates, people whose numbers had come up, and soldiers. The general population who were chosen to work in some capacity of this work were put into positions that would not mare their psyche, not everyone is cut out to kill. The inmates were on the lottery lists and the soldiers were career men, so needing to mainstream mass killers back into the general population was not a consideration. Some still went mad. The people were given a sleeping gas and their unconscious bodies loaded onto a conveyer belt which entered an automated building of sorts. Within this building a heavy weight would drop on their skulls killing them instantly. Then their bodies would be ground bones and all finally coming out the other end the consistency of gruel. This would be shipped off to places like the bomb sights of China and North America were the land had been decimated and large scale replanting was taking place. Humans were used as fertilizer for future generations.        

            My grandfather tells me stories of the last days of depopulation when his father was a soldier. I find it hard to believe sometimes. Well I guess the life of a twelve year old boy of these days is so far removed from that era and the enormity of the deaths is un-comprehendible.”

            Joey put down his report and picked up a old faded yellow piece of paper and showed it to the class. “This is an actual lottery ticket that belonged to my great, great grand uncle.”

The whole class “oooed”  and “aaahhed” as they looked at, a piece of history.

THOR