Lucky Dip

No one knows where the drones came from. They just appeared one day, and they haven’t stopped since. They come from any direction, can arrive at any time, and can be for anyone. What we do know is that one arrives with a package, and that it arrives every day. Every. Single. Day.

……………………………………………………….

My memory of the first day that we believe it began is a bit sketchy, but it must be 5 years ago, at least.

This is a small town; everyone knows everyone, so when Mr. Harris had received his package, word got around fast.

It was as if he’d won the lottery ten times over, the smile on his face was that big as he clung on to the box. “Drinks on me!” he declared, standing in the middle of the bar; throwing a wad of cash up into the air, and letting the notes shower down over him; the bar erupting with cheer.

Quietly sipping on my whisky, Mr. Harris heads over and stands by me at the bar; he orders his drink. As we make eye contact, I raise my glass to him, “congratulations.”

“Thanks mate”, he raises his glass back at me.

“How much you win?”

“Dunno…thousands…maybe up to $100k”, he takes a swig of his drink, “and I didn’t even enter anything, how ‘bout that!”

A curious look comes over my face, “you didn’t enter anything?”

He shakes his head as he takes another sip.

“So how do you know it’s yours?”

“The thing landed right at my doorstep”

“Thing?”

“One of them……things….drones. I’m out the front, pulling some weeds when I hear it coming. I see it heading my way and watch it land right at my door, drop the package, and take off again. I open the note that was with it and all it said was, ‘this is for you’. Couldn’t believe it when I opened the box. It’s the damdest thing!”

“Pffft, crazy”, I say.

Mr. Harris finishes his drink, takes a $100 note from the box and hands it to me, “maybe you’ll be next.”

…………………..….……………..…………………

Two more packages were delivered, one for Ms. Wallace who lived a couple of doors up from Mr. Harris, and one for Gertrude, who’s my next door neighbour. Both receiving identical packages to Mr. Harris’ and both being equally as excited and giving to the local bar. It was like a mysterious Robin Hood had come into town, wanting nothing more than to shower the community with these gifts.

The town was buzzing with excitement, wondering who will be next, each person hoping that it would be them.

…………………………………………………….

The news bulletin in the paper read, ‘Mystery Package Murder’. It was in the evening when the next drone landed. The victim was Isaac Thornhill. His body was found in his living room on an armchair, the open package on its side by his feet. In his lap was the same note that the others had received, blood splattered and reading ‘this is for you’. His eyes had a stake in each, blood running down his face.

“They shot right out of the package into his eyes, imagine that”, I heard someone saying from behind me as I was eating breakfast in the cafe and reading the article in the paper.

“Investigators are stumped, with no real leads as to where the drones have come from and why. A call out to the public has been made to no longer open any of these mysterious packages that seem to be arriving once a day. Any witnesses with any leads to this crime are encouraged to contact the ‘Crimestoppers’ hotline.”

…………………………………………………….

More came, and even those who tried to resist opening the packages would suffer the consequence, nonetheless. Throwing her package away, Cathy Wilson had made it to her doorstep when a sniper shot her through the head, killing her instantly. A note stuck on the front door was found that read, “You lost your Lucky Dip”.

…………………………………………………….

Panic had taken hold over the town, and no one knew what to do about the drones. The authorities had no leads; no one knew why it was happening or who was behind it. They just kept coming. Some were “safe drones”, meaning that the receiver was given a gift of some kind, usually money; enough for some to have the sense to leave town, and the others were either severely wounded and maimed, or simply killed. It was all so random, leaving everyone on edge. What choice did we have? We couldn’t get away without being found, we had to accept our fate, good or bad.

…………………………………………………….

Five years have passed, and the ‘Lucky Dip’ drones have become the norm. Nearly half the population have either managed to get out with the gift received or have died. It’s a ghost town, and those of us who are left are just waiting for their turn, trying to “live” our lives as much as possible.

Sitting out on the front porch, I often sit quietly, enjoying a smoke and cleaning the mud from my boots after working in the garden. Whenever I hear the buzz of the drone coming in the distance, I look up to follow it, trying to figure out who it’s heading to next; today was no different except I could see that it was coming straight for me. This one was for me.

I just sat there, staring at it as it came closer and closer, my heart starting to race; the smoke dropping from my mouth, I couldn’t move. The drone arrived and stopped right in front of me. It was at eye level and just stayed there hovering for a moment, as if it were staring at me, then carefully dropped the package at my feet and left.

The air was still as I sat in silence looking at the package; wondering what my fate was going to be. I ran through the checklist in my mind, making sure that all my affairs were in order. Then I thought about where I plan on going should I get lucky.

I stood up and walked inside to grab a knife; I slowly returned to the package, hesitating once more before I started to cut open the box. Taking a deep breath, I slowly open the package to find nothing, but a note stuck to the bottom. It read, ‘Congratulations! You’ve won the Lucky Dip!’

My mind drew a blank, I couldn’t think. Looking around my surroundings, everything was a blur. “What the fuck?” was the first thing that came to mind. I instinctively started to look around, suddenly having a sense that I was being watched.

Moments later, a car rolls up out the front and a young woman steps out from it. She scurries around to the boot, fumbling a little to get it open, then grabs a bunch of balloons out; teetering over to me, I’m still struggling to comprehend anything. All I could do was stare.

“Why hello, Mr. Mason! How are you today?” I can’t answer her.

“Still in a bit of shock I see? Well, I’m not surprised, I mean, how exciting!” Standing right in front of me now, she presents the balloons in front of my face. Still not able to speak, I manage to take the balloons from her.

“Oh, where are my manners, I do apologise. My name is Bethany and let me personally congratulate you on winning the Lucky Dip!” A big grin comes over her face. She locks eyes with me and all I could say back to her was, “thanks”. An awkward, silent pause until Bethany speaks, “….errrm, well now for the final step. Please, come with me to meet him and receive the grand prize”, she points in the direction of the car.

“Wait…what? Where to?” I ask as things are finally starting to register with me again.

Cheerily, Bethany replies, “Come along now, we can’t keep him waiting”, she gently takes my arm; I snatch it back.

“Where are we going?”

Her tone drops, “Get in the car now”, she pauses and smiles, “Please?” Knowing full well that she was serious, I complied.

The moment I stepped into the car I was blindfolded.

Perked up again, I hear Bethany say to the driver, “Alrighty, let’s go”

…………………………………………………….

The car ride was long enough so that I couldn’t tell where we were. I think it must’ve taken around 2 hours, but I had lost track of time. I was too busy thinking about how it might not be much longer before I leave this world behind permanently.

The car halts and I’m walked into a building; we stop, and the blindfold is removed.

Bethany and the others leave, leaving me standing in front of who I assume is their boss; the master of this “game” that we’ve been playing for years. Behind him are a couple of doors, marked ‘1’and ‘2’. I stand in silence, waiting for him to speak.

“Congratulations Mr. Mason. You’ve won the grand prize” Again, all that I can get out in response is, “thanks.”

“Your prize is behind one of these two doors”, he presents them like a game show host, “but which to choose?” I kept wishing that he would just get whatever this was over and done with; but then I manage to speak.

“What is this? Why? Why put me and my town through this? What did we do?”

A snarl comes over the man’s face, “Ah, he wants to know why”

“Tell me!” I shout.

More silence before he answers, “It’s really quite simple, Mr. Mason….it’s to cleanse the world. To rid this earth of some of the vilest humans ever to exist….and to reward those who do good….your town is just the beginning”

Dumbfounded, I respond, “….but, we didn’t do anything. Nothing so, so horrific to deserve any of this. Not…” he cuts me off.

“Oh, I beg to differ Mr. Mason. Think back to Mr. Thornhill….we took his eyes?” he stares deep into my eyes as he continues.

“This was a man who tortured, raped, and murdered small children for fun, then sold photos of his misdeeds on the dark web. Was this man good, or evil?” I couldn’t respond.

“…and whilst it seemed that it was a random game of chance….of Lucky Dip…”

“You knew!” I replied. He nods.

“…and now it’s your turn Mr. Mason. The grand prize winner” he points at the doors again. “Now you must choose….but will it be because you’ve been good or because you've been bad?”

I start to panic, thinking through my life of anything that I may’ve done to give them cause to see me as bad enough to be hurt in some way, or worse, killed. Surely not?

I hear the sound of guns being armed around me, I can't see where they are.

“Now choose”, he demands.

I walk over slowly, not knowing which door to choose. I close my eyes for a moment, then as I reach for door number ‘2’, I put my hand on the handle. I slowly turn the knob and open it; my eyes open…