Genesys

Lottery Rules:

1) No child the age of 5 or under and no adult 60 years or older is able to be drawn.

2) No mentally and/or physically disabled persons are permitted to be drawn

3) No criminals are permitted to be drawn. Includes misdemeanors and felonies. Those with pending trials are deemed ineligible.

If person is drawn in error, then upon verification, they will not be permitted to join.

I remember. I remember Urtha. The beautiful trees, the smell of the ocean, and the blue of the sky fill my memory with glee. I remember them all so well. It’s still hard to believe what has become of my beloved planet. Once a haven of beauty and peace is now a dystopic, war planet.

“Karina, we should be landing soon” Erik says. Erik is one of the only ones from his country to be one of the first selected and also the only one who survived. Just like me. I shot a smile his way, and put on my seatbelt. I can already hear the beeps on the ship signaling that we are close to our new home, Genesys. We have been preparing for this moment for nearly 2 years. We have been through rigorous academic and physical training just to get where we are. How lucky we must b-

“Mayday Mayday! This is Bravo 1-4 engines are failing. I repeat engines are failing!” the pilot screams. The beeps grow louder as if to correct my hopeful realizations of them from earlier. The ship starts spinning as we head towards Genesys’ atmosphere. I can smell burnt metal and rubber.

“Karina! Hurry grab the parachu-” Erik says, But Not before the side of the ship sinks in and rips off the door, towing Erik along. I see his body freeze in space the same way as if he was still handing me a parachute.

“You have to go, you have to go now! NOW!” The copilot from the front calls. He comes to me and pulls me from my frozen state. I had been frozen in place, unable to move with Erik’s frozen body still in my mind. He rips off the seatbelt and shoves a suit in my lap.

“You must put it on NOW. H-” The copilot is ripped to pieces as the equipment on board collides with his commanding body. Blood spurts on my face and the suit. Could this really be happening? Have I endured this much only to die? I am now the only living person on the ship. The pilot is dead with a piece of shrapnel sticking out his back. I take a deep breath and try to remember. It's all I can do right now. Just remember.

“It’s no use, Will. Besides aren’t you supposed to be doing the opposite?” James placates. We are walking to a local grocery store. One of the few that’s left on this side of the city. I am Will and that’s all you need to know. Forgive the completely not lengthy introduction. I have no need in explaining who I am or where I come from. There's millions of other people who deserve to be introduced and only end up meeting the barrel of a gun.

“There is a use, actually. What’s the point of being chosen if I didn’t make the cut?” I shrug.

“But you see, Will. You did make the cut. Record or otherwise.”

“Total bullshit. I tried for MONTHS to steal from that store and as soon as I get caught what do they say? ‘Don’t come back here again for sake of your chances’ As if I wasn’t trying to fuck up my chances to begin with!” I had been scoping out this one grocery store, Sparrow Ends, for months. The plan was to commit a crime and therefore unable to be in the lottery.

Unlike my brother, I saw no point in continuing my mother’s footsteps nor did I want to leave dad and the twins behind. But as luck would have it, I actually did get picked. Ever since, I’ve been trying my best to get rid of this opportunity. You ever hear of not robbing the same place twice? Well, that’s exactly what I'm about to do. I’ll be tried and with any luck convicted. Therefore, making my place on that trash ass planet non-existent. There was no one who could convince me otherwise.

Just as I was about to approach, a loud and annoying voice rings behind me:

“WILL!!”

I turn around and that annoying voice belonged to no one other than my dear twin.

“Fuck you want, Stan? Can’t you see I’m busy” I am crouched behind the fruit stand positioned outside the store. I am trying to hide from Shara, the crazy lady with the cats. She’s the cat lady by night and store owner by day.

“Why Wil? You wouldn’t happen to be trying to steal again are you?” He says in obnoxiusly loud voice. Sure enough, Shara peaks from around her register. I’m in awe she can even see anything with bangs the size of giant waves over her eyes. I turn around and stare at Stan. He is tall, real tall, maybe about 6 foot 2 inches. We were supposed to be twins but somehow all I got out the deal was a whopping height of 5’5.

He was smiling down at me with that wide smile of his. His red hair gleaming against the yellow-orange sun as the wind manages to make him look majestic.

“Why the look, sis? We have to make good choices. I can’t be the only one fulfilling the family name” He says and shakes his head, a curl falling on his face.

“Oh he’s soo right, Wil. You should always listen to your brother” James chimes in. He bats his eyelashes at my brother. Ugh, annoying.

“Thanks for the words, James” Stan says and gives another big smile. “Its always a struggle getting this one to listen” He gives me a little push.

“James, I don’t know, don’t you have to go somewhere and suck someone else off or..?” I say, annoyed with them both now.

“Well, I don’t know, Wilamena. My next customer just might be right before our eyes.” he says and confidently looks at my brother while licking his lips.

Stanley blushes a hard red and pretends the dirt has something of interest.

I clear my throat. “Thanks, James. You always know how to make a conversation awkward”

“No problem, babes. But I should get going, Daddy needs me home”

“Which one?” I snicker.

James winks and trots off in the only way James can.

“He’s an interesting character” Stan sighs and rubs his hands through his hair.

“Yeah he is. But at least he’s not ditching me to go to some god forsaken camp” I say and walk towards home. My plan was a fail today thanks to Stan and his loud mouth. How can he be in such a rush to follow mom? She’s gone. She’s not coming back and the more he talks about that inhumane lottery and that unnecessary camp, I get angry.

“Cmon, Wil. Its not even that bad.” He says, as he catches up next to me. “Mom wou-”

“Moms dead, Stanley” I interrupt. “She’s not coming back. So stop pretending this is all about seeing Mom.”

We walk in silence for a moment. I refuse to look at Stan, I already know what his face shows. Denial, confusion, uncertainty. I hate when he brings her up.

“You don’t know that. She could be alive. She could be waiting on us to join her, Wil. How can you not see that?” He says. “she’s the only reason why I’m going”

I stop walking and face him. “Crazy how I have a liar for a twin. She’s not on some damn planet waiting for us. You want to go just to leave me, dad, and the twins behind. You only care about yourself and remaining the ‘famous’ one. It’s selfish and distateful and I refuse to let you use her as an excuse!” my voice rising with every word.

His face turns bright red. “I’M using her for an excuse? Well at least I don’t mope around all day doing nothing with my life except trying to ruin it every time I turn around. You have a lot of nerve, Wilamena. Youre the selfish one acting like you’re the only one who had to go through mom’s disappearance”

That’s it. I’m going to kill the only twin I’ve ever had.

“She didn’t disappear, you idiot, she’s DEAD!” I scream and attack him in the middle of the street.

I kick and punch and kick and punch. I’m going to kick his ass for being...well being Stanley.

“You can’t hit worth shit, sis” Stanley grunts while dodging my kicks and punches.

Oh, yeah? I pull my fist back and landed one right on his left eye.

He gasps and I immediately stop with my fist still in the air. He puts his hand over his eye, checks for blood, and then proceeds to deck me in my chest.

I choke out a gasp of air, momentarily unable to breath. I was joking before but now I’m going to kill him.

Before I could catch my breath and go back in my fighting stance, I hear Dad call out from behind.

“Wil! Stan! Thank God I found you guys” he laughs.

I put my fist down. Damn, he’s lucky. I give Stanley the death “try me and you’ll fucking die” stare. He looks me and laughs.

“Calm down, Wil. We can discuss it later” he smiles and trots off to dad ahead.

Can you believe this kid is my brother? My twin!? Who ever knew someone could ooze such unwarranted optimism. It’s disgusting. I take a deep breath and try to pretend that I didn’t just try and kill my brother. I run up to meet them. How the hell does Stan make this look so easy?

“Hey, guys” I say and put up an awkward hello.

“You did it again, huh?” Dad says to Stanley.

Stanley glances at me. I’m twitching and smiling, shifting the weight of my foot to the other. Anything to try and pull off the calm he perfects so well.

Stanley sighs. “I didn’t mean too. I was just trying to help”

Dad joins me by my side and reaches his hand out. I remember when he had to do this. Forcibly taking my hand, just to drag me down the street for doing something reprehensible. Well, that was before the accident. He limps now. He has to have a cane in one hand and it’s been years since I’ve seen him able to run. I take his hand gently.

“It’ll be okay, Willy” he says and gives me one of his 1000 watt smiles. It’s so contagious I have no choice but to stop fidgeting and smile timidly back.

“Let’s go home, guys. I heard Ms. Sharon is baking pot pies! Maybe if I limp hard enough she’ll throw out three” he laughs.

He was always making light of every situation. I huff and roll my eyes. So this is where that unnecessary optimism comes from. We walk hand in hand with Stanley in tow behind us.