Don't Forget to Take Your Joy

Chapter One

Ryan woke with a start, as he tended to do these days. He accidently knocked his alarm clock on the floor and sighed. "So it's gonna be one of those days," he thought, then chuckled quietly to himself. He got out of bed, and quickly made it, forgetting about the alarm clock completely. He dressed for work and instinctively reached for the pill bottle on the counter when the alarm once again rang.

"Must've hit snooze," he thought aloud as he walked back to his room. He picked up the alarm clock and neatly put it back on his nightstand. "Even something as annoying as you," he said to the alarm clock. "couldn't make me unhappy!" He took a pill bottle from his nightstand, popped off the top, then popped a Joy in his mouth. As it slid down his throat, his smile grew wider. Ryan walked back to the kitchen, grabbed his keys and coffee, and got in his car.

On his way to work, Ryan decided to tune into the radio. He was just in time to catch Uncle Jack's news report, which made him even happier. He loved Wellington Wells. Everyone was just so happy. He thought about the love for his city as he left his car and went up to his office. A voice jolted him from his thoughts.

"Lovely day for it, huh Mr. Harrison?" It was Mrs. Stokes. Mrs. Stokes was an elderly, but kind woman. Ryan had never seen her by the office before.

"A lovely day indeed, Mrs. Stokes." He responded. "May I ask why you're here? Do you need an automobile?" Mrs. Lyle nodded.

"My son is coming of age and I want to surprise him. He's also getting a job here!" she said giddily.

"Would you like my help picking one out?" asked Ryan, not only because it was his job, but because he wanted to help Mrs. Stokes.

"Please dear!" she said. "All these choices are going to drive me mad!" she paused. "Or even worse, turn me into a Downer!" the two laughed at her joke for a moment.

"That would be tragic, dear!" Ryan said. He then proceeded to show her the pros and cons of the selections. It took her about an hour, but she finally made a decision. Ryan was happy to help the old woman.

After a few more orders, Ryan's lunch break came. He ate the lunch that he had packed the night before. He sat outside of his office, watching Uncle Jack's "That Tastes Amazing, What is it?". He must've lost track of the time because Victoria (Ryan's boss) stormed in.

"Your break was over half an hour ago!" she scolded. Ryan suddenly felt very unhappy.

"Oh my," he said, startled. "I've lost track of the time. I do apologize," He started packing up his things. Victoria watched him with a glare as he finished and quickly walked back to his office.

When he got there he immediately took the pill bottle off of the desk. He realized he hadn't taken his Joy since this morning. No wonder he felt so angry at Victoria. He downed a pill and continued with his day, but no matter how much Joy he took, he still felt the rage inside him. He chose to ignore the emotion.

After work, Ryan chose to reward himself. He drove down to his favorite restaurant, paying with his just received paycheck.

"Maybe this will get my mind off of Victoria," he thought as he entered the diner. He took a seat. He didn't recognize the woman serving him, but he wasn't alerted at all by this. He didn't come here often because of how expensive it was to eat out these days. While the woman was taking his order, a man walked in. He was holding a cricket bat, stained with crimson blood. Ryan wasn't sure if this was real. He'd never seen anything like this.

"DOWNER!" someone yelled and a chair sailed across the diner, hitting the man in the chest and knocking him over. Soon there was a crowd over him, beating and tearing at him.

"Don't forget to take your Joy, ya filthy Downer!" someone yelled. It took several minutes for the constables to break up the fight. By the time Ryan could see the Downer at the bottom, there was barely anything left. Blood was everywhere and the man's head was almost clean off. He was obviously dead.

Ryan sprinted out of the diner, forgetting about his food inside. He knew Downers were no good, but he didn't know that they were murdered! Uncle Jack always said that they were just given a small beating and then forced to take their Joy. Without thinking, Ryan vomited on the sidewalk. People walked by, judging and staring at him. That night, Ryan got very little sleep. He lay awake, the scene in the diner playing through his head over and over.

"Don't forget to take your Joy," he thought.