Andromeda (eBook)

THE LOTTERY

Saturday mornings used to be fun when I was a little kid. I would watch cartoons as I sat on the floor eating a bowl of cereal with one hand and have the TV remote in the other. Mom would usually work the weekends, and she would leave my older brother Jack at home to watch over me. Him and I would eat pizza pockets and play video games all day, after watching cartoons all morning; life was great.

Even though that was only seven years ago. Those seven years feel like they were much longer ago than that. Now, on Saturday mornings, I wake up and if I’m lucky, we have something quick to eat for breakfast in the refrigerator. The only thing that they ever show on the television is either some scientist talking about global warming, the government talking about the assassination of the vice president, or the War and some other type of disaster.

It seemed like the best part about watching TV now, was the commercials with the overly serious guy who tried teaching you about saving money with the catchy telephone number song. At least it brought back some good memories of what life was like when dad was still alive, and he would sit down with my brother and I and teach us about the importance of saving and counting money.

The people on the news were always negative and would always talk about how a mercenary from Germany killed our Vice president which led to America initiating war with Germany. This divided NATO and had many of those countries choosing sides. But none of that mattered once the bombs started flying. The radiation from all the nuclear bombs destroyed our atmosphere, killed livestock and created natural disasters in unusual places, all over the world. Scientist from all over the world had declared that our planet was dying, and that we would no longer be able to stay on Earth. Luckily for us, several years prior to the war, several massive spaceships were built just in case we ever had to leave Earth, and this unfortunately was our just in case moment.

Knowing that the world was coming to an end, every government in the world gathered people from critical jobs that were needed, and those people were given a seat on these spaceships. Our government gathered doctors, scientists, military, and engineers first, to establish the foundation for the trip off the planet. But once those major spots were filled, the world governments realized that several seats were still available. They decided, that in order to have a fair selection process, they would hold a lottery to fill all the vacancies that they had. These special lottery tickets were printed with barcodes on them and given to every single person across the globe.

I guess that was their way of making sure that nobody would cheat the system. The lottery was scheduled to run all day on Saturday starting at eight o’clock in the morning. When I woke up this morning, I had a feeling that today was going to be a good day. I walked downstairs and grabbed a glass of orange juice from the refrigerator and made my way to the living room.

Jack and mom were already sitting on the couch with the television on, so I sat on the floor and waited for the lottery to start.

I looked back at my mother and Jack as the numbers started to roll across the screen, “I hope all of our numbers get selected to go to outer space.”

My mom replied, “Well whatever happens, just know that we are a family, and we stick together no matter what.” As the first set of numbers came across the screen, my mom screamed, “They called my number, that’s one ticket.”

A few moments went by, and I looked at Jack hoping that another one of our numbers would come across the screen.

Jack looked back at me and shrugged, “They’re going to call another number, just give it a second.” As soon as Jack finished saying that, his number came across the screen. “Bam, told you bro. Now we just need them to call yours.”

I sat nervously as a few more moments went by, and my number still wasn’t called. A few hours went by, and I was starting to lose hope. I thought to myself, “I just have to get a ticket.” A few more minutes passed, and all the numbers stopped rolling across the screen. My number was not called. A man came onto the television screen wearing a blue suit with a red tie and stood behind a podium on the stage.

“Ladies and gentlemen, this concludes our lottery, if your number was selected, please have your tickets in hand when boarding the spaceships at the locations listed on your tickets. Boarding for space will begin tomorrow morning and the ships will depart on Wednesday evening.”

The man’s statement ripped my heart out my chest. I wasn’t selected. The only thing going through my mind at that moment was that I’m going to have to stay here and die while my family travels to a new planet. I stood up and went back to my room and closed the door behind me, trying not to show that I was bothered. I cried as I jumped on the bed and buried my face in my pillow.

My mom followed me up to my room and opened the door. “Casey, sit up.”

I wiped the tears from my eyes and sat up in my bed sniffling the snot that was trying to come out my nose.

My mom walked over and sat on the bed next to me and wrapped her arm around me, “I meant what I said about family sticks together, no matter what.” Mom handed me her ticket, “This is yours.”

I looked at my mom as I wiped the tears from my eyes, “But what about you?” I asked.

“Casey, I was never going to get on one of them flying ships and leave this house. Your father built this home, and this is all I have left other than you and your brother to remind me of him. It’s not much but it’s home.”

I looked my mom in the eyes and hugged her tighter than I ever held her, “I love you mom,” I said as she squeezed me back.

“I love you too,” she said as she let go of her grip, “Now come on downstairs so I can talk to you and your brother.”

I followed mom downstairs and we walked into the dining room and sat at the table. Jack was already sitting down on the other side of the table. Mom sat down at the head of the table, and I sat across from Jack. Mom started talking to Jack and I.

“Now I want you two to listen to me very carefully. Jack, you need to take care of your brother on that ship. I know things didn’t work out for all of us to go, but Casey is now your responsibility, we take care of our family no matter what ok.”

Jack replied, “Yes ma’am”.

Mom looked over at me, “Casey, I want you to do what your brother says. He has been a rock for this family, and I wouldn’t want any other man raising you and teaching you how to be a man.” Mom looked back at Jack, “Like I told Casey upstairs, I will not be able to come with you, so you are all each other will have out there. Tonight, is going to be our last time sitting at this table together as a family. I’m going to cook a nice meal for both of you, and we are going to sit here and talk about some old memories and just enjoy the night together.”

Jack and I looked at each other speechless, still trying to process the fact that we were about to be on our own for the first time without being able to talk to at least one of our parents for anything. We both looked back at mom and simultaneously said, “Yes Ma’am.” Mom got up from the table, left the room and went into the kitchen.

Jack smacked the table in front of me to get my attention, “I knew she was going to give you her ticket,” Jack said to me enthusiastically, “Mom and I talked about it the other day. She told me that if something like that happened, she would give her ticket to you.”

I replied indifferently, “I’m thankful but at the same time, I don’t want to leave mom behind.”

Jack murmured, “Mom only wants for us to grow old and live a nice long life, mom has lived a long, beautiful life, she wants the same for us.”

I smirked, “Yea your right I guess.”

Jack stood up from the table, “C’mon let’s see if mom needs any help in the kitchen.”

I stood up from the table as we both walked into the kitchen. Mom was seasoning some chicken and preparing dinner.

“What are you two doing in here,” mom said with a smile on her face.

Jack replied as he picked up a potato and started to peel it, “We’re helping you out, that’s what family does right.”

Mom smirked and said, “You two make my heart smile. I raised some good, handsome men.”

Jack and I finished helping mom prep dinner. I left the kitchen and went into the dining room to set the table. The aroma from the smell of the food cooking, filled the house.

When the food was finished cooking, Jack and I brought the food to the dinner table, and we made our plates.

I took a bite of my chicken and looked to mom hoping to break the uncharacteristic silence that lingered,

“Mom the food is delicious.”

Mom replied, “Thank you. I knew you would like it.”

I smiled as the room got quiet again. I know mom said we was going to talk about old memories, but I could tell that everyone was to upset with the fact that we didn’t have enough tickets for all of us. After dinner, I did the dishes and went to my room to pack my underwear and toiletries into my small backpack. Mom came up shortly after.

“Casey,” mom murmured, “I...