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Yellow and Green

He ran to the door, hoping like mad that someone would be able to stop the process. “Stop!” he shouted. “I’ve changed my mind! Let me out!”

But that was the problem with modernity. So many things were automated. So many things would just work at the press of a button. And for ethical reasons, no human wanted to be the one responsible for pressing the button which euthanised so many of his fellows.

“Let me out!” he cried, and fell to the floor, sobbing in futility.

The music continued stopped and an artificial voice instructed them to strip down and step into their allocated body bags. They were all encompassing, like sleeping bags. The voice told them that the carbon monoxide was now in the room. And soon, they would be asleep.

At least it was quick. At least it was painless.

Within the hour, two lithe greens manually loaded the protein sacks into a cart for processing.

It was funny how no one ever wondered why the Centre of Population Control was just across the street from the food banks.

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