Previous Challenge Entry (Level 3 - Advanced)
Topic: Time (11/15/12)
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TITLE: Ava's Celebration Day - 2085 | Previous Challenge Entry
By Leola Ogle
11/21/12 -
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“Time for cake,” a nurse cheerfully announced, “But first we’ll sing our Celebration Song for Ava.
Ava’s eyes swept the room as people joined in the singing - family, friends, staff and residents. Even the Executive Leader of their country was in attendance to present her the Lifetime Achievement Award, the highest, most sought after award a person could receive.
She remembered her Inauguration Ceremony as the first woman Executive Leader. How proud she had been that day, how vain and arrogant and unfeeling she had become as fame, accolades, and honors had been laid at her feet for her accomplishments for the betterment of humanity.
Many had hailed her as savior, saying the country would rise to greatness once again under her leadership. Her ideas and policies were innovative, ingenious and would restore power and prestige to their crumbling nation.
The religious zealots claimed she was the Anti-Christ, and picketed in protest over her mandates. She snorted in derision. If she had truly been the Anti-Christ, she wouldn’t be in this care facility biding time until her Celebration Day.
She stared at the piece of cake in front of her. What was the point of eating? She pushed the plate across the table, motioning for Eloise to take it. Due to Eloise’s failing health, her Celebration Day was scheduled for the following week.
All eyes were drawn to the Executive Leader as he began to speak about Ava. He told of her achievements, the laws and policies she had created. There was polite applause and beaming gazes turned in her direction.
The drone of his voice lulled her as memories assailed her senses. One of the first laws she enforced was to abolish all religion and religious activities. Any violators were executed. Jobs were created to enforce this law. They were called Hunters, their primary purpose to flush out those who disobeyed the law.
She also implemented the One Child Family Law. Mandatory sterilization was enforced assuring this law. Sterilization also included those deemed undesirable to procreate. As time progressed, she instituted the Food and Housing Distribution programs, creating more jobs. Under her leadership, children were tested for aptitude, and then placed in training schools according to the results.
Her greatest fame, though, came from her Celebration Day Law. This Law stated that all citizens at age seventy be placed in a care facility, thus allocating a portion of their housing, food, and medical distributions to be used by younger, more productive citizens. By age seventy-five, they would be assisted in a peaceful and humanitarian passing known as Celebration Day. Yearly evaluations would be made per individual to determine any early Celebration Day prior to their seventy-fifth birthday.
The year Ava passed the law all citizens seventy five and older automatically were given a Celebration Day passing. Upon touring a facility where these passings took place, Ava observed the wailing and terror of the elderly, prompting her to add an addendum to the law requiring all citizens be given a mood enhancing drug thirty days prior to their Celebration Day. It wasn’t out of concern for the elderly that she did this, but to make it easier for the staff.
Celebration Day Law soon became a worldwide law helping to preserve our planet’s resources. Ava’s name was revered and honored.
Today was Ava’s Celebration Day. However, she had pretended to take her thirty-day mood enhancing pills, hiding the daily dose under her mattress. She wanted to be cognitive for the Leader’s visit, intending to have a moment to speak with him.
“Ava, it’s time.” A nurse smiled, pointing to where two men, clad in white uniforms with the Celebration Day insignia on the sleeve, stood.
Her eyes widened as she struggled to her feet. “Mr. Leader, please! May I have a word with you? I’m not ready. I have so much to offer still. I need more time.”
Despite her wails of protest, she was escorted out, her cries echoing in the hallway.
The Leader shook his head in dismay. “Absolutely no exceptions shall be made,” he said to his aide. “Ava knows that.”
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But your ending has a teaching element of reaping what you sow. I'll bet your MC wished she had done things differently!
CONGRATULATIONS on your E.C. win! WAY TO WRITE!! :)