Them and Us by Paul Schueller - HTML preview

Chapter 11

John returned home after his encounter with Joe and felt sick and disjointed, not knowing what to do or say next. The last thing that he needed when arriving home was to see his in-laws sitting in the living room with Addie. He waved a “hello” and headed down the hall pretending he needed to use the bathroom. He sat on the toilet with the lid closed trying to regain his composure before heading out. As he sat he had to wait through the thirty second mandatory city announcement for the day piped into his implanted earpiece. A voice made for selling started in. “There’s never been a better time to reward your loved ones. With the popularity and value of our city on the Life Ledger markets being at an all-time high, us are offering as

much as $50,000 per year to the seniors you now control. They can pick their own termination date and say goodbye to you and your family on their own terms. Don’t let someone die tomorrow without signing a contract and creating that nest egg for your family. Also be sure to ask us about our bonus payment if there’s a long-term terminal illness that would otherwise cost the city many dollars in healthcare costs. Us might be able to reward you for that above and beyond the publicized offer. Message us by simply saying “I’m interested.”

What timing, John thought and then took a couple of deep breaths before he headed into the living room. After kissing Addie, hugging his mother-in-law and shaking his father in laws hand they all sat down.

Addies’s mom, Gerry, a near duplicate of Addie plus 30 years spoke first. “Did you just get the same announcement as I did on the Life Ledger?”

All three shook their heads up and down indicating that they had.

After a pause Addie’s dad, Frank, spoke up. “Drives me crazy. Not like it’s just that easy. You must sign up and pass a physical scan so they’re not just handing you the money.”

Gerry smiled and asked her husband, “Not that I’m interested in terminating but why the scan?”

“If your life expectancy based on the scan is lower, they won’t pay as much.” Frank said.

“But if you are healthy, they’ll pay more?” Gerry asked.

“Yeah, or more if you’ll cost a lot to take care of, as the announcement said. It’s all about the numbers for the city. For example, let’s say you are 80 and you have some terrible disease that is going to be very expensive to treat, the city will probably pay pretty well to terminate. They save the medical costs. And in that setting…maybe” Franks voice trailed off.

Addie answered quickly. “Come on dad, us would never do that, you know that.”

“Well, when me and your mom turn 70 you’ll have control and it will then be your decision anyway. That’s not far off.”

John finally spoke. “Why are us even having this conversation?”

Frank looked at Gerry first for a nod of approval to continue and then turned to John. “Isn’t it obvious? Because you’re going to need a whole lot of money if you expect to bring another child into this world.”

Addie was stunned but answered before John could. “How did you know?”

Frank responded “You’re a thin woman, dear, and you have a little bump. But that really didn’t do it. You radiate this positive energy when you’re pregnant just like with the other two. How long before you think the city will find out?”

She slumped and then spoke again. “I don’t know us’ll figure it out.”

“Us’ll understand if us being dead helps solves your problem.”

Addie’s eye were bulging “Stop that, dad! Us aren’t losing you or John’s parents for that matter just because we’re having a baby.”

They all agreed to change subjects and moved on with their evening. After Addie‘s parents left she turned to John. “You were certainly quiet and detached tonight. I know the conversation was a bit strange but it seems like there’s more.”

“Oh, dear you know me well. You’re going to have to sit down.”

“My God John, you’re scaring me, what is it?’

“I really don’t know how to say this so I just will. It’s about Sam. He went missing on the free range.”

Addie started trembling and her bottom lip quivered. She forced out words. “What do you mean missing? Is he dead?”

“They showed me a video and they think it’s Sam but it isn’t. I don’t know how that is possible but I know that it’s not him.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“The less I tell you the better at this point. For all I know they’re going to haul you in like they did me and show you the video. They were certainly looking to see if I would react. I’m not sure what they had in mind for Sam but it couldn’t of been good and it looks like he figured out a way to help us out of our problem.”

“If he’s missing how is he going to do that?”

“Apparently as a city employee if you die in the line of duty they owe the family a whole bunch of money. More than enough to cover that baby of ours and set us up for the rest of our lives.”

Addie started sobbing uncontrollably. “If he’s dead to the city then he’s dead to us too. He’ll never be able to come back.”

“Us must let him go. He would never have been happy here. He’s out there where he belongs and he’s taking care of us. Us should be so proud.”

They held each other both sobbing until they fell asleep in each other’s arms on the couch, completely exhausted.

John awoke to a message in his ear implant from the city. After listening to it he turned to Addie and woke her. “This certainly isn’t over. The city wants to see me again tomorrow. They asked me to bring you but I will not do it. You need more time.”