Clean and Efficient

89 Replies
ronda-del-boccio

PHOTO PROMPT © Ronda Del Boccio

The waiting room was tasteful.  Ancient but clean brick walls divided it so it didn’t feel like an acre of sitting people, while windows, with potted plants, created a sense of openness. Vivaldi, played soft, gave way to Pachelbel.

A pleasant voice interrupted.  “Today’s number is three-four-H-twenty-one-B-five.  Repeat, today’s number is three-four-H-two-one-B-five .”

There were a few muted shouts of joy through the windows.

I looked at our ticket.  34H21B6.  We just missed it.

As we left the building I couldn’t help but to feel a slight pang as I watched the losing family being led to the euthanasia chamber.

— — —

Word count = 100

Friday Fictioneers is hosted by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields.  This week’s prompt is here and uses a photo © Ronda Del Boccio.  Read more or join in by following the InLinkz “linky“.

89 thoughts on “Clean and Efficient”

          1. prior..

            Yes – but sometime number of comments has to do
            With other factors -because you could write a darn good piece and have little
            Comment chatter!
            Sometimes it has to do with folks and their moods!
            It has to do with when you share (at least in FF- because I once shared on a Monday/Tuesday and it was like a club at 4 am (crickets) – and not sure where the club analogy came from – oh wait – Ana linden just wrote about clubbing!
            Anyhow – it could have been that dang good twist of an ending leading to comments – but maybe other factors too –

            Liked by 1 person

            Reply ↓
            1. trentpmcd Post author

              Yeah, I agree. I never know what causes likes and comments. Sometimes I totally baffled by something that everyone comments on and other times I’ll post what (at the time) I think is my best post ever and I get those crickets.

              Liked by 1 person

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    1. trentpmcd Post author

      I hope it always stays fiction, but with this current administration I wouldn’t be too surprised if he chose to have a lottery like this for welfare recipients, asylum seekers or other marginalized group.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply ↓
  17. 4963andypop

    And here i was, thinking we were going to have a nice meal. Gives me the chills. Dont know which is worse, that they were forced to go to the chamber ( as in a military draft) or that they wanted to be the ones to go.

    Liked by 1 person

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  18. michael1148humphris

    What a great story with a kick in its tail. The difficulty with euthanasia is that I have seen individuals in the worst possible state of illness, recover. Yet I have also seen the most disturbing deaths, which leads me to think that there is no easy answer,

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply ↓
    1. trentpmcd Post author

      Thanks.

      There are no easy answers. Today there was an article on the BBC news site about a 28 year old woman who did doctor assisted euthanasia because of mental illness. I read about half of the story – very sad and bit disturbing.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply ↓
      1. michael1148humphris

        I have looked after very many people, some having the very worst types of mental illness. All had great character, very few except those in the deepest depressive states, wanted their life to be ended. And in most cases severe depression can be treated

        Liked by 1 person

        Reply ↓
    1. trentpmcd Post author

      Am an not against voluntary euthanasia, particularly for people with conditions that make it not worth living. It’s when it becomes involuntary….

      Like

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  22. pennygadd51

    A grim little tale that one. It makes you wonder how people were persuaded to participate. I suppose if you lived in a place where resources were very obviously finite, and everybody recognised that, and if the birth rate exceeded the death rate, and if people were convinced that the process was fair and transparent, and…no, surely there’d be riots in the streets.
    Dear me, you’ve started me thinking…
    Nice work, Trent.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply ↓
    1. trentpmcd Post author

      There would have to be a lot happening in the background to keep the people more or less obedient. It would take much more than 100 words to get to that. On the other hand, I’m glad that my 100 words did make you think :) Thanks.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply ↓
    1. trentpmcd Post author

      I’ve heard of very little good coming from those types of lottery tickets. If they don’t stone you, they send you off to a lone survivor takes all game, or possibly just do it quick and efficient, like this story.

      Like

      Reply ↓
  26. Sandra

    Excellent! Loved this. The resignation in it was so compelling. I read it another way first time, that the ‘winning’ family were lead to the euthanasia chamber. That made me pause for thought about the kind of world they were living in.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply ↓
    1. trentpmcd Post author

      Hmm, going back I can see how this can be read either way. I was thinking that the family with the announced number was being lead to the euthanasia chamber.

      Like

      Reply ↓

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