Sacrificing Happiness
By: Faith Adeline

Based on the short story by Ursula Le Guin titled, "The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas"

...

The streets of Omelas were bare. Wind rustled the tree leaves, a nearby wind chime chiming merrily. The people of the town stood in the center of a field dressed with headstones, their eyes on the dirt of a newly covered grave. "What will we do now?" a woman whispered, her black attire clinging to her lithe frame.

The man by her side shrugged his shoulders, his eyes on the setting sun. "We'll have to find another."

At the edge of the field, a young woman watched with her arms crossed against her chest, shaking her head. "This isn't right," she muttered, taking a deep sigh. She knew the happiness of the city depended on the misery of that one child. And now, with the child dead and gone, they would have to resort to finding another child to take its place. They were sacrificing the life of one, to bring happiness to thousands.

The thought made her sick.

The first time she had seen the child, she had been fifteen years old. It had been huddled in a corner, the room smelling of its own urine and excrement, its naked limbs entwined together. She could still smell the foul stench that permeated the air. The sight had horrified her. She wanted to rush inside the room, gather the child in her arms, and take it home.

But she couldn't...because she took her happiness for granted. Like the others who felt sorry for the child, she hadn't done a thing.

Now nineteen years old, she had a chance to stop the cycle. But could she? Could she willingly sacrifice the happiness of her family, her friends, all for the happiness of one child?

She just didn't know...

She started her way home, leaves crunching under her feet. Crystalline tears fell from her eyes. Her heart hung heavily in her chest. Her coat did nothing against the autumn chill; it seemed as if the cold even worked its way inside her very marrow, her bones made of ice. The front door of her parents' home was open. She stepped inside, her eyebrows furrowed. "Mom? Dad?"

"In the kitchen, sweetheart." Her mother answered. "Oh, and shut the door."

She did so, taking her scarf and hat off before she entered the small, humble kitchen. Her mother was standing over the stove, her black funeral dress still on as she stirred the contents of a pot. Her father sat at the table, a pipe on his lips.

"We just got back from the funeral. Wasn't it a nice service?" Her mother asked, smiling sweetly.

"Yes...I suppose," she answered, pursing her lips. The child wouldn't be dead if we hadn't treated it the way we had, she thought darkly. "Mom...have you ever wondered if perhaps...what we're doing is wrong?"

Her mother stopped stirring and her father's pipe almost fell from his lips.

"Whatever do you mean?" her mother questioned, a fake smile still plastered on her face.

"We sacrifice a child for our happiness...it can't be right! You've seen the way its treated; it's horrible! No child should have to live that way-"

"That's enough," her father interrupted, his voice stern. "We'll have none of that talk in this house."

"But, daddy-"

"No. I won't have you questioning our rightful ways in my home." Upon seeing the look on her face, he sighed. His face visibly softening. "Look around you, my dear. War and murders corrupt the towns and cities surrounding us. But here...we're happy. Truly happy. Would you really give up the happiness of our neighbors because you can't stand the thought of taking one child's life to better the rest? Why, more children die every day in the towns around us. We're safe here."

She kept her lips shut, unable to think of anything to say. It was true. They were safe. She still couldn't stomach the cost.

"And what child is to take its place? What child is to be ripped from its home, from its mother's arms, only to be thrown into a cell and treated like an animal?What if that had been me, daddy? Would you still be so damn calm about the whole thing? So sure of 'our' ways?"

He said nothing.

She shook her head, wiping her tears away. "I'm finished. I can't do this anymore. I can't...I can't watch the life of another child be wasted away." She stood, heading for the front door.

"Sweetheart? Where are you going?" her mother called out.

She turned, her scarf and hat in hand. "I'm leaving," she answered simply.

...

There was nothing she could do. She couldn't stop the town from choosing another child; they wouldn't allow it. And she was far too selfish to take its place. The thought sickened her, but it was the truth. She couldn't willingly subject herself to the torture the child had been subject to. Dropping a single rose on its unmarked grave, she whispered, "I'm so sorry."

Then, she walked towards the car that held her bags. Two of them, to be precise. It was all she needed from this town...

She knew she would never come back. And in a way, she was okay with that.

She climbed inside, shut the door, and headed down the bare street. The dying leaves waving goodbye.

A/N: Basically, I read the short story because my friend Shannon (Koyu; go check out her stuff, she's awesome) needed some help on her hw assignment concerning it. I loved it, and ended up making my own little story about it after helping her with hers. Hope you enjoy! And if you haven't read it, you definitely should. It's very interesting.
Faith