The Value

Chapter Five

   It was still relatively dark when we stepped outside. The sun was glowing in the distance, but it wasn't rising. It produced enough light to reveal the black car parked in the dirt driveway, which was by far the most expensive thing in miles of this place. It looked like it wasn't real, seeing it next to the run down building. 

   All four of us had our eyes glued to the car, each with our own reasons. I was trying to find a scratch on it, even a smear of mud would be sufficient. I wanted to do nothing more than scratch the automobile up. That car was just another mockery, like someone laughing at my poor life.

   The man that stepped out was even worse. He must have been in his late forties, but he looked ageless. I'll never forget his surgically enhanced face. The skin looked like it was pulled so tight it was barley attached. His eyebrows were thin and showed no expression. However, there was nothing that could be done with those narrow slits of eyes. I felt like just by looking at me, he knew everything. 

   Mrs. Jones mouthed go from the door frame. Rex gave her the finger, something he probably had wanted to do for ages. I felt a little better, and shuffled towards the car.

   I scuffed my shoes in the dirt to get them as dirty as possible. Anything to get that fucking car dirty. The inside was just as bad, cleaned to perfection and sanitized. Rex jumped into the passengers seat, which was the absolute best thing he could had done, apart from get us out of here. 

    That left the three of us to squeeze into the back seat. I slid into the seat on the right, and James sat in the middle, followed by Jesse. The doors automatically shut, and the man turned around, his fake smile filled with fake teeth grinning. "Seat Belts on please." It was amazing how he managed to keep that smile while talking. 

   We obeyed.  As we pulled out of the driveway, the man began to speak. " While we begin our long drive, can any of you tell me what you know about valuing?" His voice was as sweet and fake as splenda. "It's murder." Like usual, it was from Rex. 

   The mans right eyebrow lifted up a little. "Now what makes you think that?" 

   Rex sighed dramatically. " Let me correct myself. It's not murder. It's the most inhumane thing that you could possibly do to a person. And why? All so people like you can have a few more years added on to their lives of cocktails and half matched tennis games." 

  " You must be Alexander." Rex nodded. 

   "Well that's a nice opinion you have."

 " Have any of you ever heard of an organ donation?" The man asked. 

 James squeezed my arm. "Why, do you not know what it is?" Rex asked.  " I wa-" "Organ donation is the donation of biological tissue or an organ of the human body, from a living or dead person to a living recipient in need of a transplant." "Thank you Alexander. My point is, think of yourselves as organ donor. You could be saving someones life."

  I thought about that for a few seconds, then realized the only thing the man was doing was trying to keep us calm, making it seem like this process was alright. 

   I looked to my left. Jesse was already asleep. The windows were blacked out completely, so I couldn't tell where we were. " Actually, it's basically the same thing as being opt out." I had no idea what that meant. To my surprise, James spoke up. "But we don't have the option to refuse."

    The man let go of the steering wheel (the car must had been on auto, just in case someone decided to kill the driver) and whipped around, facing James, who immediately backed as far into the chair as he could, as if he could disappear if he tried hard enough.

  "Refuse right now."  James shook his head. The smile was still plastered onto the mans face. " Go on. You can say no right now." 

  "I refuse." He whimpered. James was on the verge of tears. Jesse had woken up and was staring at both of them.

  "Okay then."

  Within a duration of five seconds, a gun was pointed directly James face.