Mandatory Donation

“Donate today so that we may ALL thrive!”

The sign that hangs, or more so, looms over the city. Constantly flashing. Making sure we know it’s there. The old, decrepit faces of our government, if that’s what you can call it now, smiling down upon us.

It started as a suggestion when the blood started to dry up but quickly became an order. When the world decided there were too many of us and got rid of half the population with natural disasters, famine and disease, blood became a real commodity. The banks emptied quicker than we could imagine and the blood coming in was hardly usable in some cases. Disease will do that to you. And as good blood became more scarce, so did humanity. Little food, rampant sickness and a 24/7 cycle of brutality broke us. It became the dog eat dog world we thought we had long surpassed. The cities that didn’t crumble became dictatorships. The ones in power could never lose what they had so rightfully, in their minds, earned. They took to their towering buildings, promised certain people safety and security then proceeded to wall off the city. I envy everyone that was able to get out in time. Life out in a lawless wasteland is much better than life in a prison. Sure, there isn’t the constant threat of murder every day but would you rather live a subservient life or die? I don’t want to do either, so I guess that’s why I’m still alive in this city sized cell. And even safety from the threat of death every day isn’t a plus anymore. See, the blood “donation” program runs every month. They pick a blood type and every one in the city with that type must go give blood. It’s been running that way for a long time now and it’s been… fine. I don’t think I can call it anything other than that. Forcibly giving up your blood isn’t really a good time. But recently, some of the donors haven’t been returning. They go to the donation center and aren’t heard from again. Of course, no ones questions this. These are normally people with no family left. Just a few friends scattered throughout the city. But word gets around. It’s common knowledge that you step out of line and you get dealt with. This is very different though. I’ve talked to various people who donated at the same time as the missing people and they don’t remember them acting up at all. Whether they did once they were taken in or not, who knows. I just don’t see that happening though. We’ve all been conditioned to obey and not very many of us lash out. Something is going on. And luckily, I’m using that word VERY loosely, I get to find out. I’m type O and this month is type O donations.

The donation center is most likely the bleakest building you’ll ever see. No color, just dark grey concrete rising from the sidewalk to the sky. A rotating door leading you to the intake room. Guards standing around and making sure you stay in line, literally and figuratively. Not a place that really makes you feel like you are helping in anyway. Yet, here I am. Ready to give my blood for the greater good. And hopefully, find out what the hell is going on with the missing people. I’m about at the halfway point in the line. It feels like there are less people here today then the last month I had to come here. In front of me, I see people move up towards the desk, give their information and get shuffled along into one of the many doorways that lay behind the desk. All appears as usual. It’s finally my turn so I go up, give my information and am guided towards the room in which I’ll be donating.

The room is basically a doctor’s office. The bed lined with parchment paper, blood pressure machine, desk, computer, etc. I sit in a chair and wait for them to come in. A man I hadn’t seen before walks in and introduces himself. He has my chart with him and is looking it over. He tells me that I’ve been “performing” quite well, whatever that means. He takes my blood pressure, checks my pulse and writes some things down. Then he pauses and tells me I have to go to another room to have my blood drawn. Now, this is very weird. I’ve never had this happen before. He reaches into his pocket and brings out an anatomically correct heart locket. I have absolutely no clue what’s going on, but I’m beginning to get a little nervous. He hands it to me and tells me that I have to put this on so they know where to take me. Again, I can’t really say no without facing consequences, so I put it on and follow him out. He walks me to another door near the corner of the intake door and opens it. Inside is a long hallway with dark walls, filled with florescent light. He tells me to walk to the end of the hallway, get on the elevator and go to the 22nd floor. I have NEVER been to another floor of this building. Every month that I have to come here, I go in a room, give blood and leave. I’m getting insanely nervous now but I really have no other place to go so I start walking down the hallway. Am I going to become one of the missing people? There’s no way that this is going to end well. What do they do with the people? Do they kill them? Enslave them, even more than they already are? Jesus, I’m fucking scared now. I push the elevator button and the door opens right away. I step inside and go to press the button for the 22nd floor. My finger instinctually presses a different button instead. I’m almost surprised at my own actions, but I can feel something is off. Looks like I’m headed to the 21st floor instead. I’ll either be shot as soon as the doors open, or be shot soon there after. Maybe it’s better than whatever I was being sent to? What the hell is this locket? I can’t get it open. I’m at the 20th floor. Whatever happens when this door opens, I can’t get away from. I hit the 21st floor and the doors open. I’m met with another long dark hallway. No one in sight. I walk out and nothing happens. Guards don’t come out of nowhere to grab me and take me away to my inevitable doom. I’m not hit with a sniper shot to my head. I’m not blasted by a web of lasers that cut me into a hundred pieces. So I continue to walk down this dark corridor, looking for any sign of an exit. The only one I see is a familiar sight. A door all the way at the end of the hallway. I get to the door and hesitantly open it. Inside is another doctor’s office, but much larger. Imagine a doctor’s office set up in an abandoned warehouse. That’s what it feels like when I step inside. In the center of the room is all the medical equipment but there are large metal containers around the room as well. Giant lights shine down, illuminating the medical area. I walk further into the room when I hear footsteps coming down the hallway. In a panic, I run over to hide behind one of the metal containers hidden in the darkness. I hear the door open and numerous pairs of shoes walk in. They seem to stop near all the medical equipment is. No words are spoken. I just hear the rustling of someone getting on the medical table and other movement around them. I want to look and see what’s going on but I’m too scared of someone seeing me. I stay where I am and hope that they leave soon. My hope turns to dread when a bloodcurdling scream comes out of nowhere. Along with the scream, I hear heavy movement from around the table. Things falling on the ground and shoes clicking against the concrete floor. This lasts for maybe a minute, maybe a half hour? The panic and adrenaline running through me make time unrecognizable. But the screaming finally ends and so does the movement. A couple moments later, I hear the sound of shoes moving towards the door. The door opens and shuts. I wait just a while longer to see if anyone comes back in. Nothing. So I move out from behind the container and look over at the medical table. What shouldn’t have surprised me still did. A body lay on the table. No sign of life at all. A large incision right down it’s chest. The hyperventilation starts now. I can’t control it. I can’t even think straight. How the fuck am I going to get out of here? I run to the door but open it as slow as I can. Peeking out into the hallway, I don’t see anyone. So I come out and make my way down the hall to the elevator. I press the button and wait for whatever may face me once the doors open. The elevator reaches my floor. The doors open and… nothing. I step inside and press the button for the door to close. What floor should I go to? I have no fucking clue. I can’t very well just walk out the front door again. They know I haven’t donated. They’re waiting for me on some floor of this building. Even if I somehow make it out of here, they’ll find me. They always find you. What the hell am I gonna do?!

Ding.

The elevator starts moving without me having pushed anything. I push all the buttons that I can but nothing stops the cab from rising to it’s destination. When the doors open, whoever is there, I’ll just explain to them that I got lost and I’m supposed to be giving blood downstairs. They’ll take me back downstairs, I’ll give my blood and I’ll be on my way. It’ll be fine. I look up and see that the elevator is headed higher and higher. I don’t think it’s stopping until it reaches the top floor. That’s fine. It’s fine. Whoever is there, I’ll explain myself and that’ll be that.

The elevator stops at the top floor. The doors open and I’m met with familiar faces. The faces that look down upon me and everyone else, day in and day out. They look even older and more sickly in person. Almost like they shouldn’t be alive. They usher me in towards them. Guards are all over the room, waiting for any suspicious movement on my part. I move closer until they motion for me to stop. I start to explain myself as a guard comes up to me and snatches the heart locket off of my neck. He looks at it then he shows it to the council. They all look at each other and smile. Smiles so sickening, I felt my stomach drop. Before I know it, all of the guards are on me. They get me down to the floor and hold me there. The head of the council gets up and walks over to me. I’m yelling, pleading to just let me donate and I’ll be on my way. When he reaches me, he leans over and looks me in the eyes.

“You will be donating. That’s what the necklace was for. But unfortunately, you will not be on your way afterwards. We do thank you for your selfless donation today. For with it, we may all continue to thrive.”