The Culling

 They gathered at the stadium to the sound of bullets far off- old world weapons made sure to be kept effective. Herded through the crumbling archway, black clad soldiers guiding each sect to their painted seats. Mine, the dingy gold paint on metal that represented The Scythes, The Smiths, the Miners, Tanner- they all had their places. Iin the center stadium, a dais of concrete had been erected.
 The last of the Dales was filing in, some weeping, others pleading. An diminutive white haired woman took the hands of the nearest soldier as if to beg. He shattered her face without hesitation.
 For the first time in my life I truly wanted to kill a man. Given a chance and my scythe from the fields I imagined that I could do so. The crowd was no less murderous, and many rose and howled in protest. 
From the dilapidated archway we had entered,the entirety of the New World's forces seemed to descend into the stadium without end.  The crowds fear grew palpable.  By the time the armed vultures encircled us- the rage of the mob had went silent. 
This was not the average,group of state thugs watching over our daily quotas, this was a show of force. 
"Most of you have heard the rumors," came, a female voice. Somehow, sometime within the wall of soldiers a woman in fine white linen had slithered her way to the central dais. 
"Comrades, fellow citizens, I'am here to assure you," she paused as if emphathetic, "that the rumors are true."
 The stadium erupted with a collective fearful gasp. The woman stood, looking a mock somber,and shushed them almost motherly.
"The harvest to the north was struck with blight," she announced. "Thirty percent of our yields are gone." Her fingers interlaced and she paced her head as if downtrodden. 
 Liar- you care nothing for the people, I thought angrily
"Our Nation, our New World cannot survive without the capacity to feed it's people. It is with this grave news that under the authority of our great Commandant we will implement The Culling."
A Culling- I looked around to familiar faces wondering what the he'll,this snake from the State,was talking about. My eyes  found Joseph, an old grizzled man I sung songs with in the fields, who laughed when I coulsnt carry a tune to save my life. He looked at me a long while offering only a sad smile and then bolted.  
   Bullets from old world weapons cut him down before he reached the second step. 
   I was screaming though I didnt realize it. It took the redirection of guns pointed at us to silence us again. 
   "Good people of the Dales, the Culling is not to be feared. Look at your elders, have they not given enough and will more so to feed the youth? All citzens 60 and older will be humanely put down."
      The stadium roared nearing a sudden anarchy. The lady in white waved her hand almost expectedlu and the soldiers brought order with a battery of bullets just above our heads. 
    "The sick, the unstable will do the same. Another 20% will be selected in time by merit as to their continued usefulness to state." 
    Ten thousand faces stared speechless. 
     "But," she said spritly, "as a show of mercy  the Commandant wishes to grant one citizen a coin. Please reach beneath your chairs."
   My hand shook but I slide my fingers underneath the bench. The coin- I looked at it dazed. I had what this thing spoke of. I turned it in the dying light. It bore the hammer, the anvil and sickle on it. 
       "Please rise if you have found it. Come now, dont be frightened," she commanded smiling.
        I rose, the thousands looking at me while I held up the coin. 
       "With this favor the Commandant grants you exemption in exchange for judgement. You the people will help decide who deserves life- starting with this girl," her smile positively beamed. 
      "Exemption forever?" I asked as loud as my voice could carry. "At the cost of one citizen?"
       "Yes girl, its really not that…"
       "Then I choose you," I stared flatly at the woman. Her eyes had gone wide but then she laughed. "I choose you," I said, my sneer turning into a smile. I held the coin to the soldier beside her. "After all, the Commandant commands it." 
    The soldier looked to me, to the coin and to the woman and hesitanted- then promptly put a bullet in her head. 
    I dropped the coin on her dress- it was no longer white.