Everyone in town had drawn from the box, but the Hutchinson family won the first part of the lottery. Nervous murmurs went around the surrounding crowd as every member youngest to oldest drew from the black box. Dave’s slip was not marked, and neither was Nancy’s or Bill Jr.’s. Next were the parents. Bill a checked his slip first, and it was blank. Tessie refused to open hers so her husband took the slip and revealed the black circle in the slip.

Tessie won the lottery.

Tessie was yelling “it’s not fair” or “this was rigged” as the crowd surrounded her against a house wall with stones in hand. Even her family had stones, along with little Dave.

You were in this crowd as well, carrying only one stone. You were Tessie’s best friend, and basically an aunt/uncle to her kids. You had a choice on killing your best friend or finding a way to stop this traditional act.