Donor Card

Everyone in the small town of Ohio, Ontario watched the news with anticipation, tonight was the night that every year someone's donor card would be announced. While those sick in the hospitals submitted their tickets for the donor lottery, the townsfolk pretended like they were not afraid it would be their turn. Jack and Samantha were some of the few people who openly hated donor card day. They feared it, feared the power such a thing had behind the minds of people. They saw the fear, behind the anchor man’s eyes as he rolled on to each new segment, waiting for his producers to cue him to announce who was this year’s donor.

This annual contest had a few rules, no one under 18, and no one over 30. Gender, sexuality, preferences, and even health were all subjective. There were years where truly unhealthy people were the winners of the contest, and they really did not improve anything. In this day and age, that didn’t really matter though; weeks were just as valuable as years.

Jack watched the telecast with dread as Samantha rubbed his back, when he was young; he had against immeasurable odds lost both his parents to the contest when he was younger. Samantha knew this, and regretted every Donor Card day, because of what Jack would go through. She felt his pain, and she admired him for even watching the program every year. The digital clocks all throughout town simultaneously changed to 6:37.

"Now on to the important news for the night. As I'm sure everyone knows it is April 20th, our annual Donor Card Day, we have received the official name of this year’s winner. I will be announcing the name, after this short commercial break from our sponsors."

Samantha rose up from the couch "God i hate how they do that every year, I’m going to use the washroom quickly, let me know if i miss the name, even though they repeat it at least 10 damn times"

"Will do babe." Jack said smiling without showing his teeth.

The bathroom door closed behind Samantha, and seconds later the news was back on.

"Hurry up babe, it’s on!" Jack called out to Samantha.

2

Samantha came out of the bathroom when she had finished; finding her husband very sombre. Jack looked up at her bleakly. She knew it must have something to do with who won (or lost depending on your view point) the Donor Card lottery.

“Jack, honey was it someone we know?” She asked very cautiously, knowing how serious a subject it was to jack.

Jack opened his mouth to reply, but before he could, the anchor man repeated the name again...Samantha was shocked, to her disbelief, as must every other winner (or loser) must have felt. Her name had been called. She looked to Jack, than to the TV, where her picture was now showing, her high school grad picture. Jack, said only a couple words, but she understood the pain, and urgency behind his voice.

“Let me get my -” Samantha’s voice trailed off as Jack grabbed her hand and pulled her to the door.

“Get your shoes on, they’ll be here in minutes.” he said to her.

Sam knew this was true, almost everyone tried to run. Jack ran into the hall as she pulled her shoes on, and pulled the fire alarm. Moments later the halls filled with people, but all those who looked at Sam, shrank back to their room. This was not their battle, and Jack knew he couldn’t count on anyone to help them out. After her shoes were on, their feet were slamming down the hall, to the stair case.

They ran up to the top of their building, two steps at a time until breathlessly they emerged onto the roof.

“Quick, step onto the ledge!” Jack yelled out.

Sam quickly did what she was told, her mind still suffering from shock and awe. Lights began to flood the rooftop as news choppers hovered at the ready. Moments later the police stormed from the doorway aiming down their sights with tranquilizer guns. Sam and Jack were both completely overwhelmed by the heavy presence around them.

From the bullhorn of one of the choppers came a deep heavy voice.

“Samantha Petrellie, you have been chosen as the winner of the annual lottery, please come with us.”

“NO YOU SICK FUCKS!” Jack screamed out.

“You archaic stone age pigs! A life is not equal to another, one life is not equal to seven lives, or fifty lives even! Can you not understand the pain and suffering you cause not only the ones chosen, but every single person around them? I have lost my parents, both of them as I’m sure you know. Now you ask me to give my one love, so that a few cancerous, diseased and dying people can regain a resemblance of life?” Jack spat at the ground with his last words.

“You leave us no choice but to use necessary force” boomed the voice.

Shots began to ring as they took aim at Jack. Jack was too quick for them though, he leapt for his love, and in one stunning display of cowardice, fear, selfishness, and pain; Jack and Sam began to tumble to the ground head over heels.