Best of times it is! In my pod, I clench my coin tightly against my chest, letting my heart beating to its climax with the seemingly unending vibration.
I stand up, leave the indoor plaza owned by my soon-to-be former employer, Glory Moths, bathing in the envious stares of my soon-to-be former coworkers who take this opportunity to emerge above the horizon of their pods.
As I step out of the plaza, I am greeted by all eyes under the sky. Not many at this time of the day. That’s normal. I have never seen the sky at this time of a workday. Which is, according to the latest update, every day of the week until the annual PTO days. Mine have accrued to four after fifteen years of service. My manager said she wished she would have achieved so when she was my age. Twenty seven that is. Still a couple of centuries to go if I am lucky. Oh yeah, I am more than that now.
My face appears on the screens spreading varying width and heights of buildings at the crossroads. The biggest crossroads in town. A small city in this district. A small district on the greatest planet orbiting that lucky star that used to be called the sun.
Still, humans rule. By rules.
Led by two administrators in kangaroo armors, I walk toward a space car designated exclusively to me. One foot at a time but don’t look, I remind myself, keeping my cool, as if it’s not the first time I, or anybody from this district has ever been picked. My luck is beyond luck.
Unlike the space bus I ride for my PTO every year, the space car offers no sense of movement or time lapse.
No time to enjoy the soft full body seat or the expected awkward moment facing the administrators for longer than a split second, I have reached my destination, the Stage.
It’s a pure gold coin of the size of my work floor in the plaza, floating above all. Smooth and static.
I step onto it, taking a leap of faith that I would not slip and fall on its glossy and spotless surface.
All good. Like a tiny monkey walking on a giant palm, I even hop along for a couple of steps like when I was still a pre-career child in the community park of my hatchery at the age of five. The touching of the Stage reminds me of the softness of the grass there. They say it’s partially real grass.
The administrators step ahead of me to lead me to the correct spot to accept my Award.
My coin, warm in my right hand, gets a bit wet from my sweat. I just hope that I don’t look too nervous on the screens facing everyone as I experience the most significant moment in my life.
The administrators take off their kangaroo helmet, revealing their identical blonde hair. I can’t tell if they are pure humans. That level of blonde is close to none in a place like my plaza.
“Congratulations!” A voice coming from the sky puts my random thoughts to the rest. “I hereby announce, on behalf of the Committee and Board of Holy Earth the winner of this decade’s Award is: Jane2222263, for her honorable contribution in the process of untangling paper clips before her shift, which increased marvelously the efficiency for her floor by 0.22%. Jane2222263 beat all the odds, on top of her remarkable performance, has won the Lottery of the Award! She is now officially retired! Keep it up! It could be anyone!”
My coin turns gold in my trembling hands. There it is! It’s really happening! I’m one of the Sky Members now! No more work, no more blood bills! I beat all the odds and won the Lottery. Everyone in every town of every district works hard on the small things hoping to be picked, but I am the one who’s won! It really pays off! I’ve seen a couple of other winners on the screen, but winning it myself is what makes it real, our world, our planet.
“Now,” the voice says. “Is the not as thrilling part of the Event, the other side of the coin that is, however, equally important to our civilization. Behold, the winner of the Justice of the decade is—oh mine, what’s the odds? Also Jane2222263! For leaving the power of the work screen on during sleep shift in the working pod, four times during the past quarter, Jane222263 has wasted unnecessary energy by 0.08%! Since she beat all the odds and has been picked by the Flip Lottery, I hereby announce that she shall be sentenced to death!”
My vision is blurry with burning black edges and kangaroo-shaped sparkles. The voice sounds far away in the sense of both time and space. I drop my coin as I collapse to the coldness of the Stage. I scream, but hear nothing.
“I beg your pardon?” The voice suddenly says. The lightning- shaped laser from the Sky hasn’t struck yet. I can still hear the voice. “Oh okay. That makes sense.” The voice then clears up itself and continues, “Considering the rare, I mean truly rare situation that Jane222263 has been picked for both the Award and the Justice, I hereby declare them offset each other. Jane222263, you shall return to your pod. Keep it up, everyone, see you next decade!”
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More stories from this author (not including this one): Bleeding Money and 26 More Strange Tales
Nine Tailed Cat Studio 