Reddit Stories 2019

Untitl'd

"Ah, you wank," says guy in front. Guy's hair is cut short, military sort, and a stank surrounds guy's body. It's obvious guy's had a bit to drink. Plain as day by how guy walks. Guy's old, too. All old guys drink and complain too much. Guy's loud, but a thought hits him. Spark shows through. "This is bloody ridiculous. I don't [XXX] a damn pill. I do [XXX] a damn [XXX]!"

A sound bursts from guy's throat, hurting my brain. Hurt's guys and girls around too. Guy in back grabs at his mask. It's damp. Damp against my mask too.

Old guy grabs his throat, loudly saying things that turn into sound, not words. Guy clumsily walks around, grabbing at us. A young guy hits him in his stomach. Old guy's mask falls to ground. His throat is bloody, coats his hands too, but guy's happy. Light grows dim on guy. Guy just lays with a grin. Guy's throat is bloody, light is dim, but guy's happy.

I wish I was.

I go forward, walking around old guy's body. Girl in front spits on it. Girl grins as if looking for approval. I nod to girl. I don't think girl's right. I think it's sad. But girl looks proud and Administrator looks proud. Administrator hands girl additional rations.

"Guy won't want it now."

Girl's grin grows. Girl spits on old guy's bloody body again. A guy claps.

My turn, finally. My stomach hurts, but I can only buy a ration a day. Administration says I can work for additional rations. If I work hard, Administrators will gift two.

I think I work hard. Administration says not.

Old guy's stank is awful now. But his body still grins.

"You crying?" asks Administrator. A mask blocks his soul, but I can catch worry in him. Only for us, his words don't carry.

"I don't want to cry," I say to Administrator. I subtly point to guy's body. Morticians will carry him out, but it just sits on floor for now. Administrator nods. With a look to our King's watchful tool, Administrator slips an additional pill to my rations.

"Two is good." Administrator looks at old guy's body. "Guy didn't drink any."

I cautiously walk around it again and go to my room across town. It's small, on ground floor. But it's what Administration allows. I'm just a guy. I'm not important.

My room is cold, but I don't mind. Cold is good. Cold can f... Cold is good. Holding my day's rations, I lay back on my kip. No King's tool in my room, so I can pull off my mask. It's damp and I don't know why. A part of my body hurts. It's a kind of hurt I know, but hardly, from my family. It's a pain that's not physical, but it hits my gut. I want to do nothing but curl up and cry.

I can't, though. King can't watch in my room, but guys and girls around can. I can't trust.

I walk to my sink for a drink. Last tim... Pills would stop my hurt. That's what pills do. But as I drop a pill into cup, I stop. A vision of old guy's grin plays in my mind.

Old guy didn't drink any pills but h... th... old guy was happy.

A clock outdoors rang. I had to go to work. With my mind still on th... old guy's bloody fac... his bloody old fac... old guy's bloody grin, I pour my drink into th... sink. I don't know what th... old guy did, but h... old guy was happy. I can't d... I can't say old guy wasn't.

Quickly, I put a pill in a n... in a glass and wait for it to turn a dark cyan. I pour that out too. With a s... an additional ding from th... clock, I put my mask back on. I don't know what old guy did or said, but I know h... I know old guy didn't drink his pills. That was all it took for joy.

As of today, I would stop taking my pill.

Tomorrow, I would feel.