Peace Out (The Futures Trilogy Book 1) Read Online Free PDF Page A

ten-year-old had little need for information on how our government was planning to end her life. He assured me that Peace Out was and always will be wholly voluntary. A place where people could take control of their lives. To end their suffering and go on to a better place.”
    “This is how they do it,” Daddy said, shaking his head. “This is how they work. They worm their way in. Try to make you think it ’s normal. Try to make you think it’s good. Ha!” he scoffed. “Convincing people that they should end their lives. Talk about the certainty of death and taxes. You wait. They’ve already started cutting benefits. Soon they’ll present a choice between another round of across the board cuts or just eliminating them for people over 80. Or 75. They’ll push the ages lower and lower and one day you have a society where Peace Out is the only choice. Becca, are you listening?”
    Becca had taken advantage of her parents ’ animated conversation and was hiding a roll in the pocket of her sweatshirt. She looked up, eyes wide. “Yes, Daddy.”
    “What did I just say?”
    “Peace Out is a government intrusion on personal liberty that will result in the downfall of society,” she recited.
    Daddy looked at her suspiciously.
    “I’m paraphrasing,” she said. “I’m finished. May I be excused?”
    Mom checked over her plate. “Finish up your broccoli.”
    Becca stuffed the last two florets in her mouth and chewed. She washed it down with the dregs of her milk and looked up expectantly. Mom nodded. Becca carried her dishes to the kitchen, scraped the remains into the trash and put them into the dishwasher. As she ran up the stairs, she heard her parents trying to convince Grandma to take a few sips of her vanilla nutrition shake. She hadn’t eaten a bite of dinner.
    Becca slipped into the bedroom she shared with Sammy. “Here,” she said, holding the roll out.
    “Thanks,” Sammy said, closing her book. She took a bite of the roll. “No butter?”
    “Shut up. Daddy will probably be up here soon, so you better eat that fast.”
    Sammy complied.
    “So?” Becca asked. “What was it like?”
    “Well, Owen was very nice,” Sammy said through a mouthful of bread. “He brought me to the lobby and introduced me to Stacy at the front desk. She was nice too. She had a big jar of chocolates and let me have some. Oh! I almost forgot.” Sammy dug into her pocket. She proffered a few smashed truffles wrapped in bright blue plastic.
    Becca took them. She tried to unwrap one, but the chocolate was too melted. She gave up and stuck the whole thing in her mouth.
    “Anyway,” Sammy continued, “Stacy had a basket of books and toys so I played with those for a while. Then I found a deck of cards and asked her to play Go Fish. She had to stop to answer phones and help a few people who came for appointments.”
    Becca spat out the plastic wrapper and dropped it into the trashcan. “What were the people like?”
    Sammy shrugged. “Old. One lady was in a wheelchair and her son brought her in. She couldn’t really talk or anything. A woman in a white coat came and got her. It was kind of like going to the doctor. But prettier. Everything was so clean and nice.”
    Becca finished the last of the chocolates. “Did they talk to you about Peace Out?”
    “No,” Sammy said. “I asked Owen a ton of questions but he kept telling me that I should talk to Mom and Dad.” Sammy rolled her eyes. “Stacy wouldn’t answer my questions either. She said it was a parental responsibility. Whatever. When she wasn’t looking, I took a brochure. I hid it under the mattress.”
    “Sammy! What if they find it?”
    “They won’t. Who is going to tell them? Besides, we can look at it tonight then I’ll tear it up and flush it down the toilet. OK?”
    “OK,” Becca said.
    “When Mom got there I could tell she was super annoyed. Owen came out to say goodbye. He talked to Mom for a while but I couldn’t hear what they were