Anti-pity

-Swamp the kittens immediately, I said! - My father said.

I didn't understand why he was making me do this. Before that, everything was fine for 11 years, but then on my birthday, when I turned 12, he brought 10 newborn kittens, and forced everyone to drown them.

-Dad, let the kittens go. What are you doing?

-Start drowning them. - Father said. What's so difficult about this? You take one by the head, a couple of minutes and you're done.

-Nooo!! - I said through tears

-Then watch how I do it.

He looked at me with a stern look, took the kitten in his disgusting hand, which did not have a little finger, and began to drown it.

I couldn't stand it and with such strength and power I bit his hand.

-Ay, damn it! - said the father. Son, forgive me, of course, but this is part of education.

-What kind of upbringing? Let the kittens go.

-Think what you want.

He again took the kitten into his hands and began to drown them. I looked at it, saw the kitten crying under water, but could not do anything. Then a thought arose.

-Dad, stop. Why drown them one by one? Let's take an old rag and drown everyone together under one rag. (I said through tears).

-You are growing up quickly. Yes, come on. It will be faster this way.

I took an old T-shirt and covered the kittens with this T-shirt. I was wearing a hoodie then, and I was able to sneak 1 kitten into my sleeve.

- I'm done, dad. Can I go?

- Go, you've already shown yourself enough today.

I went outside, bought milk, poured it into the lid, and the kitten happily lapped at the milk. When he finished, I took it and we went to my friend.

-Harry, hi. - I said. You can take a kitten, my father brought 10 kittens and made me drown them. I saved one. He won't survive if I take him home.

-What, is he crazy or something? Let me call child services.

-No, don't call! He's the only one I have left. My mom died in childbirth.

-Bro, he made you drown kittens for your birthday! I'm calling!

-But I'm sure it would be worse in an orphanage. Don't tell anyone about this.

-All right. Okay. -Said Harry with a heavy sigh.

***

The next day my father called me into the big room and said:

-Get ready! We're going to a chicken farm.

- Going on a field trip, Dad?

- Well, in a way, yeah. Their chicken-slaughtering machine broke down. Well, you're gonna have to be that machine.

- What the hell is that? I'm not killing chickens!

- I said you will! ( sternly )

- Why the sadism? ( I said with tears in my eyes )

- It's not sadism. You need to learn Anti-Pity.

- What is this nonsense?

- The world of the future is very cruel. And the only people who succeed are those who don't feel pity. I'm sorry, I've told you too much. You'll thank me.

- Go to hell! I'll tell you what.

- Im you don't go, I'll chop off your finger!

- Chop it off!

I thought he was bluffing, but just a second later when I closed my mouth, my finger hit the floor. Before I knew it, my father was taping me up.

- That's how you tie it off -- he said, so you don't lose too much blood.

But I fainted anyway.

-Son, it's okay. Wake up.

-What good is that? -What good is that? - I said through my tears. I don't have a finger!

-Son, be patient for four more years and you'll understand. -Son. You need to become cold-blooded, indifferent, you should have no emotions, pity, sympathy, compassion.

- I hate you!

- It's okay. I understand you.

We went to that factory every day, I vomited for a week, I hardly ate anything, but after 10 days something broke in me, like 1000 chicken necks under my hands. It had become a routine. I was quietly unscrewing head after head, but I was still dreaming about chickens running around without their heads, yet I was dreaming about looking at them.... Indifferently. After a couple of months of such a life, I realized that my father was doing things to me, but he was doing it without anger, as if he really cared about me. My senses were so dulled that I forgave him for cutting off my finger.

***

Four years later.

-Dad, I'm going to Harry's, it's his birthday. - I said

-Son, you're sixteen years old now. You've become courageous, cold-blooded and ruthless. I didn't think you'd make it. Now I can leave you in peace. You'll do fine.

- What do you mean, "leave it"?

-Oh, that's okay. Go to the birthday party. Here's some money, you can buy a nice present for your friend. It'll turn into wrappers soon enough anyway. And life on this planet is about to change a lot.

-What are you talking about, Dad?

-Sorry son, I can't give you any more information. Go get some rest. It's okay.

As I was walking to my friend's house I started counting the money. I was down to 60,000 dollars.

***

Everyone was congratulating Harry and I was "looking on point" . I realized that something strange was happening to my father right now. Much weirder than the day he'd brought the kittens to drown.

- Harry, I'm sorry I didn't have time to buy a present. -Harry. This is for you.

I gave him 60,000 dollars.

- What??? ( He said quietly and surprised )

-My father said they were worthless.

- Your father's a jerk, and you still listen to him. Here, take it back. I'm good for 100. 

- think he means well.

- Yes? Look at your hand with your pinky missing!

- Yeah, you're right. He's a freak! All right, I'm going home.

I came home, but no one was there. The next day, too. My father didn't take the phone, and when I went to his workplace, they told me that it had never worked. I decided to turn on the TV. By the way, I completely forgot. They elected a new president today. And he was giving his first speech.

-Dear citizens - the president said. Have you ever noticed that all successful people are unpleasant. Have you ever thought why successful people are rarely kind? They don't give money, they don't help the poor. Yes, you will say many people participate in charitable foundations. But it's all about cutting taxes! I know exactly what's holding humanity back. PITY! Because of pity, we spend trillions on benefits for the poor, the sick, the worthless, and what do they do? THEY SIT ON WELFARE AND DON'T MOVE. AND RIGHTLY SO. Why? Because the more pathetic you are, the more they give you, and if you stop giving them money, they will start to act and move. If we don't help the poor, we'll lose someone, someone will die of hunger. But it will be a small price to pay for the development of the whole mankind! I am the first to introduce a revolutionary program for the development of all mankind, it's called "anti-pity".

-What? Dad used to talk about this anti-pity thing all the time.

-And to start the process, we need to get rid of a small layer of the population, weak on pity.

-What do you mean, get rid of it? Oh, Harry's calling. Yes?

-Harry's crying voice came from the phone. Joni, they're my parents... They're, uh. My parents.

-What is this nonsense?

-Anti-pity, some kind of, I don't know..... Can I hide at your place?

-Yeah. I'll help you