Abomination

The day had come that Cindy had dreaded her entire life. She was turning 30. Just a few decades ago such a milestone would have been met with a party, complete with balloons, a cake and all her family and friends. Unfortunately, that time was long gone.

As she dressed in the black robe given to her by the council, Cindy couldn't help but wonder if she would be missed. Would her friends take a moment to mourn her passing? Would her family be able to move forward?

Family was not what it used to be. Once upon a time, it included parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and more. Now it was nothing more than the children you left behind, if you left any behind. Everyone else was likely already gone.

Cindy would also leave behind her husband. He didn't turn 30 for another six months. She was older than he was, which was a fact they once laughed about.

They had twins, age 10 - - Mandy and Johnny. Mandy was inconsolable. Johnny was, at best, ambivalent.

There was an outside chance she might get an exemption for another 10 years, but she doubted that. Those were reserved for people with money or power and not for regular folks like herself.

As Cindy finished doing her hair, Brett came into the room. He stopped cold at the sight of her in her death robe. He tried to hide them, but she saw the tears forming in his eyes.

"Cindy, we could run," he started as he threw his arms around the only woman he'd ever loved. "If they catch us, what's the worst they could do, kill us? They are going to do that anyway."

"I considered it," Cindy whispered. "It might put the kids' lives in danger. Who am I to deny them another 20 years of life?"

"But we don't even know what their lives will be like once we are gone. They become wards of the state and the state determines whether or not they are allowed to excel. They may not get the chance to go to college or even have a career. They might become slaves, like us."

Cindy turned to face her husband, tears now welling in her eyes too. "This world won't last forever, Brett. Eventually, things will change again. Maybe it will go back to the way it was in our parents' day. Back then people had control over their own fates. I have to hope that for our children."

"It may never happen. I wish we had not brought children into this world," Brett screamed. "It wasn't right!"

"We weren't asked, were we? You know we were bred at the demand of the state. If we had said 'no' to them, we would have died at 18, instead of having 12 wonderful years together. Besides, would you really wish your children away?"

"Of course not. I'm just grasping at anything right now to make sense of all this."

"It doesn't make sense, Brett. It just is. We can't change it today. Maybe we could have 10 years ago or even five, but we didn't try because 30 sounded so far away. Now it is here and we have to face it. In a way, it is a world of our own making,"

With that Cindy stood and walked away from her husband. Her appointment before the council was at hand.

"Cynthia K. Carruthers, unless you have compelling evidence to convince this council you should receive an exemption, you are sentenced to die at 11:59 p.m. this night for the crime of old age. What have you to say?"

"As a slave, I've been afforded few opportunities. I'm not wealthy. I have no social standing or power. All I have to offer as proof of my right to live is my family. I have twins, age 10. They will become wards of the state upon my husband's death six months from now.

They are my heart. They are my soul. The are my reason for living, along with my husband and friends. However, I recognize that such a life isn't considered worthy in the eyes of this council. I accept my fate, not because I want to but because I have no other choice."

"Ms. Carruthers, you are to report to the termination center no later than 11:30 p.m. this evening. If you fail to do so, you will also forfeit the lives of your husband and children. Do you understand?"

"Yes, I do. I will be there. God forbid I deny the state the right to kill another human being because you have decided he or she has outlived their usefulness."

The chairman banged his gavel loudly. "That is enough, Ms. Carruthers. Another outburst from you or the blasphemous mention of that name and you will be taken to the center this very instant. Do I make myself clear?"

Cindy nodded. She hadn't meant to speak out. She certainly hadn't meant to say the name of God in such an unholy place. It was forbidden to say His name. The mention of it could condemn a person to instant death. But then, she was dead already.

Try as she might, Cynthia couldn't lighten the spirit of her birthday. She thought taking the children out to the lake might ease their minds a bit. It was peaceful there and they usually loved it there.

"Mommy, I don't want you to die," Mandy cried flinging her arms around her mother. "It isn't right to kill people. You taught me that."

"Yes, baby, I did and you must teach your children that so they can teach their children and maybe, one day, this world will change. You hold the key to its future, along with Johnny."

"I think this world is just fine," Johnny snapped. "I won't try to change it. Thirty is old and you should get out of the way to make room for the young."

The comments went through Cindy's heart like a knife. His education was taking hold. He was becoming a good little bureaucrat. She had no doubt that with his high intelligence quotient and mindset he would break the mold of a slave and become something more. The thought frightened her somewhat without her there to help guide him.

The remainder of the day was spent rehashing good times and comforting her family. By the time 11:00 p.m. rolled around Cindy was ready. Still, as she stood at the door hugging each of them for a final time, her heart broke into.

At the center, everything went as planned. She was ushered into a private room where she lay on a cold steel table. There she was hooked up to an IV, which slowly dripped into her arm, stealing her life away.

When Cindy awoke again, she was with the God in whom she'd always believed. She felt home at last. A short six months later her husband joined her there for their final reuniting.

As a rule parents weren't allowed to watch how their children progressed on earth. It often brought more heartache than joy. However, on her twins' 30^th birthday, Cindy and Brett were asked to watch an important moment unfold.

"My mother died here, 20 years ago. Her crime was being too old at the age of 30. She was a warm, kind, giving person who dedicated her life to her family and friends. Although she was just a slave, she always sought out others less fortunate than herself and offered a helping hand.

Today, I am proud to dismantle this building and, with it, everything it stood for. This world now has room enough for young and old alike and no one is a slave. Centers like this are obsolete abominations. The time for their kind of tyranny is over. Tomorrow is what we choose to make it together."

With that, Mandy Carruthers flipped a switch and watched the last termination center in the world implode. Then she turned her eyes to the sky and whispered, "this one's for you, Mom."