Thunderous applause erupted throughout the square.

I look up to see my face plastered on the jumbotron from where I sit, where small text scrolls across the bottom of screen in boldface: 2040 ANNUAL CULLING: THE BRODY FAMILY. My mind begins to go numb as I realize the implications of the selection. No, please! Someone next to me is clutching me in a death grip, drilling into my arm with their nails. The pain brings me to my senses and I look over to see tears streaming down her beautiful, rosy cheeks. Elisa, my fianc. I feel as if my heart is breaking in two, but I fight the impulse show it. I want to tell her how much I love her, how much I think the World Federation has it all wrong, prioritizing groups for colonization by the paternal family rather than the spousal family. I want tell her we can run away together and become nomads in wilds of whats left of Earth. Despite mankind ravaging the planets resources since the Exodusa period of religious anarchy and soaring world population density followed by the discovery of medical immortalitythere may still be pockets of life out there to survive on. Acutely aware that this interaction is being broadcast live around the world, I turn to her as steadfast and confident as my unsteady heart allowed and only manage to utter I love you. I feel my voice crack slightly, but am pleased to find that its overlooked in the deafening applause that greet my mother, father and sister who had just climbed the stage. Although Elisa was eligible for colonization now, it wasnt likely that I would ever see her again. Applications for colonization to Xerus, an Earthlike paradise discovered just outside of Earths solar system, went through the roof as the world economy began to collapse. With the gross overuse of its resource since the Exodus 200 years ago, Earth had become a barren wasteland of what it once was. Hundreds of thousands of families are selected each year to colonize in the hopes of easing the tax on Earths resources, but since Elisa just met the minimum age, it wasnt likely shed ever be chosen. As I make my way to the center of the square, the aisle ahead of me fades into a gray mist and is replaced by a hulking steel ramp leading up to the Revelation, the World Federations colossal flagship designed for travel to Xerus. The excited thrum of thousands around me pulse as I make my way to the flagships entrance bay. Runan playfully nudges me on the shoulder. Whats your seat number big brother? I look down at my selection packet and find my ID: BTB, 25210, 2040. I guess 25210. And were near the front. There must be thousands more behind us. I look back to find an endless sea of colonists making their way up the ramp behind me. Looks liking Im gonna beat you to Xerus big bro! Im number 8! Yeah, maybe by about one minute I think to myself, smiling. Im met by a beautiful woman who greets me excitedly and asks me to lift my shirtsleeve. I oblige, and she swabs my upper arm with alcohol before being passed a syringe by her equally beautiful partner. To make the three year voyage feel like a good nights rest! She comments to me animatedly as she flicks the syringe. Somehow, Im not convinced. Medications never seem to work right for me. This wont hurt a bit, dont worry!

Searing pain shoots through my arm. I cry out, but everything has already begun to go blurry. Wide eyed, I peer to the attendants and barely manage to see them exchange concerned expressions before the ground rushes up to meet me. ***** BOOM. I sit bolt upright, sweat streaming off my body. Where am I? The world morphs and transforms around me in an array of curving lines and colors. Im sitting on the edge of what appears to be a long steel table in a dark room. A dim green light emanates from a doorway and long window on one side of the rectangular room, but in my state I cant make out whats beyond it. I close my eyes for a moment which helps my head stop spinning, but I still feel weak. I notice a dozen empty syringes on a platform across from me, littered with various other medical paraphernalia. The entire room gives off an air of disorder and dinginess, much unlike the extravagant entrance bay and on ramp of the flagship Revelation. The Revelation. Is that where I am? Where am I? BOOM. The deafening but distantly muted noise makes me jump, and I find myself standing, heart racing now. The pressure required to lift myself off the table into a standing position must have pulled something in my arm because it hurts now. I look down towards the pain in my elbow to find multiple bruising points where nearly a dozen needles had been inserted. I shouldnt be awake. BOOM. Following the sound of the noise, I stumble out through the doorway of the long room to find myself in a massive warehouse the size of an underground chasm. Lining the walls leading up to the skyscraper height ceiling are what appear to be thousands of large steel freight boxes adorned with a brilliantly glowing green rectangle near the top of the front face. BOOM. The booming sounds less distant now and I can just barely make out a moving conveyor belt system at the far end of the chasm. As I walk towards the sound, I begin to notice other similar rooms lining the bottom floor. Through the windows, I notice dozens of other humans lying shoulder to shoulder on the same style of table I woke up on, possibly sleeping but otherwise unresponsive. Maybe this is how they transport us to Xerus. Somehow, I find it hard to believe that the World Federation would grant such uncomfortable accommodations for a three year slumber. That would induce a serious case of crick in the neck. BOOM. Eventually, the windowed rooms end and are replaced by elongated windows revealing an expanse of twinkling green stars in the distance. I must be in space. But the stars looks stationary, we must not be moving. As I pass, I notice a series of letters and numbers on the containers. Moving towards the constant booming, I glance over every few moments to read the inscription on the containers.

JKR, 400849, 2040 RTV, 340304, 2040 DDE, 218450, 2040 These must be capsules for all of us to remain in while traveling to Xerus. Thats much better than the table I woke up on. BOOM. Out of the corner of my eye I catch a glimpse of something moving fast out of the next window. I look over to find one of the capsules jetting out of the side of the flagship. I follow it as it rapidly shrinks, and then my heart stops. What I thought were green stars are actually millions of capsules scattered across the expanse of dead space beyond the ship. Millions. They arent taking us to Xerus. This is a tomb. BOOM. Runan! I scream as I begin to panic, counting the amount of jarring booms Ive heard since I awoke. Looks liking Im gonna beat you to Xerus big bro! Im number 8! Im beside to the conveyor system now, and I run as I read the moving capsules on the belt. RJD, 49, 2040 DFR, 14, 2040 REB, 8, 2040 Runans capsule is a mere 50 feet from the steel airlock, which looms threateningly ahead. I claw my way onto the conveyor system and flail wildly at the container, but I cant seem to apply significant force to push or open the seamless capsule. I slam my fist on the glowing rectangle in a hopeless attempt to break it, but instead the green light dims to reveal Runan staring back at me, wide eyed and fear stricken. The hexagonal airlock door opens just feet away from the capsule and me with a metallic noise resounding of gnashing teeth. I desperately force my body against the capsule to push it off the conveyor belt, screaming Runans name through tears in a hopeless attempt to save her. As the steel teeth begin to close with Runans capsule in the airlock beyond, Im jarred off the conveyor belt as the next capsule slams into me to take her place. I suddenly dont feel alone as the shadows beneath me dance, and once again I feel a searing pain shoot through my side as the world goes dark. BOOM.