The Cleansings

Chapter 1 / The Invaders

         I’ve always thought about the way I would die. And in those thoughts, I could never escape the utter inevitability that I would die in The Cleansings. The Cleansings took my father and now they will take me. It is my turn to die. It is my turn to serve society. I will offer our government the greatest offer there is to ever offer: my life.

            They teach it to us in school, The Cleansings. We are taught it is necessary, that the government doesn’t want to kill us, but has to. From an early age, many of us know our fate. The Cleansings typically target the poor and the same families for that matter. That is why even though they already killed my father, they will still kill me, too. However, if that wasn’t enough I’m a criminal, a high school dropout, and I can’t hold a job. My mother used to joke around and say I was meant for The Cleansings. That they were invented especially for me.

            Since I am not perfect, I will be killed. Since I do not contribute to society, I will not be spared. I come to this conclusion every night, as I lie awake in my bed, tormented by my future. The Cleansings were implemented almost fifty years ago, after the one-child policy failed. After the City Civil War came to an end, the population soared to an all-time high. There were too many babies being born and not enough space, not enough resources in the city to go around. It was a time of disease, famine, filth, and chaos. Most of the population turned to a life of crime to get by and before we knew it, the city was overrun by people that only harmed society. People that drained society of its resources and gave back nothing but destruction in return. Society was impure and deteriorating. That’s why we have the annual Cleansings. Every year, The Council of the Wise carefully select a handful of people that have no use to society, and execute them at a public celebration. Society is then Cleansed from all of its impurities. You become eligible for The Cleansings when you turn sixteen, which is how old I am. The Council of the Wise just couldn’t wait to get their hands on me. I’m poor and do nothing with my life but lounge around in my living room all day, watching T.V. That, and I’ve been in trouble with the law numerous times. I’m a great shoplifter and I can’t turn away a good fight if you paid me to. I knew living such a lifestyle would be costly. I had the chance to do something meaningful, to show The Council I can contribute to the commonwealth of our city. But I didn’t. I chose not to. I guess there was a part of me that didn’t want to believe it could really happen and that I could really be chosen. However, that part of me was wrong. I was naïve and childish to think in such a way. Optimism is no match for reality.  I still remember the day I got the letter and how my mother cried until she passed out. She was convinced that she could afford to liberate me, and she probably could if she worked longer hours at the factory, but I wouldn’t do that to her. She deserves better. When chosen to be Cleansed, a person could offer up fine and liberate themselves from that years Cleansings. However the fine is typically three times a person’s annual income and even if you do pay the fine, you’re almost indefinitely chosen again for the next years Cleansings. This is why it is rare for a highborn person to be Cleansed. The rich use their money as security, as a way out.

            We are taught not to complain about The Cleansings, so I rarely do, partly because overall, it does help society. Every citizen is given a house, a car, and a small monthly allowance for personal use and enjoyment. Every child is privately tutored. The streets are clean. Food is free and bountiful. My grandmother told me once, before she died, that we don’t know how lucky we all have it. Even for us poor, life is good. However, to me, it is all a distraction. It’s the government way of saying, ‘Instead of focusing on how we’re killing your family members, focus on how much we spoil you with food, clothes, money…’ I’m able to see through their ploy. I know what game they are playing. We are all pieces in it and it is a game they will always win and one we will always loose.