Being a twin in an overpopulated world

Flashback

Chuck was awoken in the early hours of his birthday by the sound of his brother shouting his name like a Soldier shouting his commands.

"CHUCK!"

"CHUCK!"

The 13/10 was Chuck's day outside of the house, and his brother Charlie had wanted him to get out and enjoy their day for as long as possible. Chuck had Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Whereas Charlie had Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays; the Sundays alternated.

This was because overpopulation and famine had forced all governments to undertake a drastic One-Child Policy. If a parent had more than one child, they would be taken away and disposed of. However, Chuck and Charlies parents saw a way around it; they were both the made-up identity of "Paul Sheldon."

Every morning they scanned their faces for imperfections and differences so that they looked exactly like Paul and if they had any, they had to correct that problem with makeup. Then, during the day, one had to stay in the house out of sight while the other spent their day outside in the world.

To not get confused, every event that happened was recorded on a special watch their mother had made for them before she died. At the end of the day the other would watch the tape and be caught up on all the events of that day.

It was a very clever system but sometimes Chuck got lazy and did not pay attention properly. His birthday was no exception.

On that day, he swiftly left the house to go to work at his office job (that neither of them had wanted but they had to take because of a lack of jobs) when he bumped into an OPW officer from the child allocation bureau. Apparently, the day before his brother Charlie had spoken to that officer about a house inspection that Chuck had no idea about. The plan was for Chuck to knock on the door to their house before entering with the officer so that Charlie had time to hide. Lazily, Chuck forgot and entered the room with the officer as his brother stood ironing near the door.

Completely shocked out of his mind, the officer reached for his pistol as Chuck ran for and grabbed the iron; spitting words at Charlie as he did so "RUN CHARLIE, I'LL COME FIND YOU!" Chuck stumbled and ran at the officer with the iron in hand ready to scold him as the officer raised his pistol calmly and held it up to Charlies head as he had tried to escape the room. Horrified at what he was seeing, Chuck did not think and continued to run at the soldier.

The soldier didn't even hesitate.

He just placed his finger against the trigger and pushed.

Chuck heard the bullets scream out of the gun.

The connection of the metal and Charlies skin was quick as the hard, cold, evil lump of metal penetrated his head. His lifeless body slumped to the ground and thick, warm blood seeped from his head.

As salty tears danced gracefully down his cheeks like a ballerina and his eyes sung and he got a lump in his throat, Chuck grabbed a photo off the shelf and ran. He was the only Paul Sheldon now.