Terrance in the Lottery

Dennis Punches A Federal Officer

                            Huius minima es in loculis adservitos maxima.

                                  (The smallest coffins are the heaviest.)

Where am I? Who am I? I feel cold. No, I don't feel cold....I don't feel anything. Wait....where's Momma? Pop? Dennis? Marie? I look around the tent, and see the officials holding a large thing in their arms. It's a little boy. It's....it's me, but... I'm right here.

I run up to the officials, and try to talk to them. "Why am I bleeding? Why can't I feel anything?" They walk past me, and I freeze. Momma's words play in my head, 'God'll take care of you, and He'll take care of all of us, so don't be afraid of Him.' Something isn't right here...what would Sherlock do?

The officials started walking out of the huge, white tent, and I followed them. The soft crunch from them walking on the green grass made me stop, and look down to my feet. I walked, and listened for sound, and heard nothing. I kept doing this, but no sound came each time I walked on the grass. Why?

"Poor kid," a tall official said, shaking his head as he continued walking. "Why do we even agree to do this?"

"Said so in our contract, apparently." The other official muttered under his breath like he was mad.

The crowd started parting away, and the officials started to take down the beige tents. I heard thunder in the distance, and looked to my right, seeing the trees starting to wave from the wind. Then I heard someone crying. Who was crying? I walk forward until I found who was crying....Dennis.

"Bring him back," he muttered. "Bring my brother back. Please!" I stood there, confused. Bring me back? Why is he crying? I won the Lottery, so why is he crying? I walk up to him, and wave my arms. I yell, saying 'I'm right here!' But he doesn't see me.

Dennis ran up to the officials carrying me, and yelled at them. He cursed at them, and even punched one right on the jaw. Momma screamed at him to try to keep him calm. I've seen Dennis yell, but not this loud before.

"YOU TOOK HIM AWAY!" He screamed, thrashing in the arms of other officials. "YOU BAS-" his voice was cut short from the tall official knocking him upside the head with his club. The officials holding my brother carried him off, both showing no emotion.

I look over my shoulder, and see Momma crying. Marie is, too, and Pop is red in the face. I know that face. He uses it for when he's mad, and it's scary. Is he mad because of what happened to Dennis, or because of something else?

I've never seen my family so....so...what is the word Momma said? Distraught? I think that's the word to describe their faces. A lady in a uniform walked over to Momma, Poppa, and Marie, and I walked over to them.

I almost couldn't speak because of how she sounded when she spoke. I watched as Poppa's hands gripped into fists so tight, his knuckles turned white, Marie's sobs slowly started fading, and turned into silence, and Momma. Momma's hands trembled as she spoke.

"Mr. and Mrs. Erolds, we're very sorry for your loss," she said soothingly. Momma froze, and her tears had stopped.

"You're sorry?" Her face tightened into one I've never seen before. "You kill my son, and you say you're sorry? What kind of devil is running our government?" She stormed off, and Marie followed shortly behind her, but Poppa stayed grounded. Why is he staying behind?

The lady held her hands behind her, and muttered, "I didn't sign up for this job, Mr. Erolds. I am so, so sorry." Poppa didn't say anything, but he nodded and walked after Momma and Marie. The lady walked away, and I followed after the officials taking Dennis.

Dennis was still out cold, and his feet dragged across the grass. The officials talked amongst themselves, but it was very confusing to me. They kept saying that Momma and Poppa have lost two sons today, and how terrible they felt. Lose two sons?