The Greatest Lie

Self Fulfilling Prophecy

 Ignorance was bliss and that was the way M Corp tried to keep things. The less people knew about what was really going on in the real world, the easier it was for them to blindly focus on what was right in front of them. People that were able to afford to live under M Corps protection, or were fortunate enough to be in the higher ranking class of M Corp employment, were content living in their fictional bubble. They had all the amenities that they were used to and only people who could afford to do so were allowed to join their infamous cult. The time for new members joining had come and gone, as there was no longer a currency accepted that could buy your way in. The only thing M Corp needed more of at this point was mindless zombies that blindly followed whatever they were told. Russell had a brain full of mush, and he had fallen for M Corps lies about the lottery as soon as he first heard it mentioned. It didn't matter if his parent's begged and pleaded, Russell was going to find out for himself what it was all about.

Russell didn't know what happened to ignite the violence, but he couldn't help but blame himself for it. As he raced away from the horrific scene, he wished he could turn back time to this morning when he saw his parent's waiting for him. If he had to do it all over again, he would have stayed home and listened to his parent's. He convinced himself that if he had not been so stubborn that his Mom wouldn't be hurt and his parent's would be letting him come home now. Russell argued with himself silently until he had convinced his logic into making it his parent's fault for even coming today to protest. He tried to sooth his damaged ego and reclaim his virtue that he was right about the lottery and his parents were wrong.

History has proven the phenomenon of every new generation wanting to change something about the world their parent's had brought them into. Even in the few remaining affluent communities that were completely controlled by M Corp, there were always a number of kids who refused to accept the way of living their parents had forced upon them. From the racial equality movement, to the hippies with their peace and love, change was inevitable. Some people looked up to their parents and strived to make them proud by following in their footsteps, while others rebelled thinking that they knew better and that their parents were stuck in the past. Since World War II and the baby boomer generation, the world's population and economy were on an astronomical trajectory. Families were tight knit and a standard plan was in place for children to progress into adulthood. A path of mediocrity was set that would funnel you into the never ending system of debt, materialism, and hard work. By the time these baby boomers would begin to watch their grandchildren ripen into maturity, they would witness an irrevocable desire to change the system that had been set forth for future generations. People began to hold off on marriage and having kids, sometimes indefinitely. The motivation for working hard and making a career through moving up the ranks was switched out for demands of live-able wages for everyone. Big banks, the stock market and the largest corporations were frowned upon as people wished for a simpler time of Mom and Pop stores. Instant gratification was the fulfillment that people longed for as they forgot about preparing for their futures. Social security systems went bankrupt as there were more people taking from the system in old age than young people putting back into it. The younger generations began to stop working altogether as they figured out how to keep their parents financing their lifestyles and taking advantage of government unemployment programs that had become easy to manipulate. There was no longer a need to try and better yourself when everything was already done for you. Russell was one of these kids that couldn't leave good enough alone, he wanted to do things his way and be part of something more than a child of the elite. It was a noble idea, but without a real knowledge of how fortunate he was, it would soon lead to a quick fall from his pedestal.

Seth continued to speed away and Russell made sure to stay behind him as his eyes were still swollen and red from the tears he was unable to hold back. He knew that Seth was running home, which stung even more as Russell had nowhere to go. Unlike Russell's parents, they were in favor of this plan and looking forward to change. They were in the lower ranks of M Corp and barely had been able to afford buying their way in years ago. They acknowledged openly how fortunate they were to be in this situation, but actually agreed with Russell and Seth that they couldn't keep living this way for the rest of their lives. They could remember what life was like before all this and still had hope that way of life could be restored. Russell always looked forward to hearing the stories they would tell about life outside the walls they currently lived in. He hoped Seth's parents would be understanding and let him stay with them for a little while until his parent's calmed down enough to let Russell come back home. If Seth's parents wouldn't let Russell stay, he would have to go beg his parents to take him back or he was on the streets. Waiting outside, looking concerned, were Seth's parents as they approached the front of his house. They must have heard what had happened today during the vote, because they immediately checked to make sure everyone was alright and accounted for. Seth was eager to tell his parents what went down and how they were just trying to help. This interaction was hard for Russell to watch as he longed for the support and encouragement of his parents like he was witnessing from Seth's. They never praised him for his passions, and cared more about threatening to punish him than reward him for his accomplishments. Russell tried to avoid eye contact as the concern from Seth's parents focused on him.