The Cut

Prologue

Its starting.

They found a way to survive everything else, but this is too difficult.

I mean seriously, first there was the war, then the famine and disease that always follows, and now this. I assumed they would be able to figure out another solution, I never expected this.

They aren't God. They can't just kill off billions of innocent people just to "save our humanity"

No one is going to stand against them because everyone knows that they're right. We've thrown away our humanity and there is no way to get back what we lost so long ago. The only people who care about what is going to happen are the ones they're leaving behind, but no one cares. No one cares what happens when they're gone, I don't blame them.

They say we will be the generation credited with saving the human race. But we will be the only generation left, we could create whatever story we wanted to.

If you ask me, we don't deserve another chance. Ours is a selfish, greedy race that doesn't care about anything except ourselves as individuals.

The declaration passed through the highest chambers last week, so now its only a matter of hours before everything changes forever.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I go downstairs to where my parents and older brothers are eating their last meal together. Only one of my brothers and I made the cut. We knew that my parents wouldn't make it since they announced the qualifications for the cut, but we thought for sure Drew would make it. Two days over twenty and the officials wouldn't make an exception. Two days stand between life and death for my oldest brother, and there is nothing we can do.

For some reason the officials decided they wanted a bunch of stupid kids to be the ones to save the human race. If this blows up in their faces they won't be around to come up with another solution.

I hoped I wouldn't make it through the final round. I hoped they would relieve me of all responsibility and let me be with my family. But they weren't willing to let a "good specimen" go to waste. They needed physical and mentally fit subjects who were healthy and fertile in a last ditch attempt to ensure the best genetic characteristics and diversity for our future generations. According to our final tests, Josh and I were both perfect specimens for this project.

My parents sit on the couch holding hands, as Josh and Drew lay in the recliners directly across from them. You would think that the world would be chaotic considering that it's going to end for most people in a few hours.

"Valerie, honey" my mom's melodic voice carries me out of my thoughts. I direct my teary eyes to her worry stricken face. Her attempt to hide her emotion is futile, though she had accepted her fate a mother can never stop worrying about her children. "Are you sure you don't want to eat? There is plenty left, I can go grab some for you." She says getting up

"Mom, I'm okay. I don't think I could keep anything down at this point." I respond, trying not to put any more stress on her than she already has.

She starts crying, unable to hold back the emotion she's had locked away for weeks. "I'm sorry, it's just sad that we can't all be together. I know that you and Josh will be together but..."

I get up walking over to her with open arms "Mom..."

"No...I, I'm sorry...I can't say goodbye, I just can't..." She runs upstairs, followed by my dad not saying a word.

As I take in the last memories I'll have of my parents I can't help but let the tears flow as I'm enveloped in the strong embrace of my brothers.

At least the last memory I have of Drew will be one of love and comfort. If that can't carry me through what is about to happen I don't know what will.

Eventually Drew drifts off to sleep on the couch leaving just Josh and me awake.

"Valerie promise me something," Josh whispers "No matter what happens... we stick together, we protect each other."

"Wouldn't expect anything else" I say moving to rest my head on his chest.

"You're still my baby sister and I'm going to do everything I can to protect you."

"I know..."