Acts of Kindness

As I sit up in my bed, yawning, I grab my kPad. “Good morning, Lila,” it says in a robotic monotone. “You currently have 22 Acts of Kindness logged for this month.”  

  I should probably explain what that means. Every month, you must complete thirty Acts of Kindness in order to remain a Citizen. If you don’t meet the requirements, you get an Infraction. If you have more than two Infractions, you become a Lawless. The Lawless are taken to hospitals, schools, and factories in order to gain more Acts of Kindness.  

It’s a simple system, really. It allows for extra hands in the workplace but a sense of equality among all. The only problems arise when people, usually teens, are caught cheating for their Acts of Kindness. Cheating is breaking one of the Rules:  

The Act must be random. 

The Act must be genuine. 

The Act must be selfless. 

The Act cannot benefit a Lawless. 

There are serious consequences if you are caught breaking the Rules. Shame will haunt your family for years to come. The pain is unimaginable. Which is why no one can find out about what happened last night.