Humiliated, he waited until the jeers from the thin ‘greenies’ disappeared into the food station. He glanced down at the sickly yellow shaded badge sewn into his collar that screamed ‘second class citizen’ to everyone who passed.

A few years ago, not long after the ‘health regulation’ bills, there were quite a few yellow badged individuals and it wasn’t so bad. Back then he had friends and wasn’t the social outcast he was now. As time passed however, all his yellow-badged friends either got in shape to warrant a green badge or paid a visit to the newly opened population control centers.

Dejected, he walked into the non-threatening center across the road. It was nice, elevator music chimed in his ear. In a short time all the patrons were herded into a small white room where they sat on comfortable benches.

He glanced outside and saw his younger sister walking down the road. He realized then, that he was making a mistake. As he stood to leave, a red light lit up. The door was locked. Now he was too late.