Please Take a Number

It was a bad idea in retrospect. But nobody's perfect, right? They were bound to find a fault in me, something hidden. One was all it would take. I never should have tossed it.

It was Katie who came running up to us that day. “The Rapture is coming!” Terry said he saw them a year back, but he forgot who they supported. They were crap, allegedly. Katie heaved frustration. “Here take one. They said it be alright if I got you yours.” She had one for everyone. A paper ticket with a number on it. “They'll start calling the numbers tomorrow.”

My family had theirs when I got home that night. As did the neighbors. We watched the news report a recent epidemic in suicides. "That won't get them anywhere," tittered Mum.

Longest night of my life.

The numbers boomed out as dawn broke. From my window, I watched nervous feet shuffle towards the chapel. "See you on the other side," said friends and family alike. I knew I wouldn't.

Looking back now, Hell might not have been so bad. At least I'd have someone to talk to.