【The（Lottery）】In a small, quiet town nestled between rolling hills and golden fields, there was an annual event that everyone looked forward to — the lottery. It wasn’t the kind of lottery you’d find in a city, with big prizes and flashing lights. This one was different. It was simple, yet deeply rooted in tradition.

Every year, on the morning of June 27th, the townspeople gathered in the square. Children played nearby, unaware of what was about to happen, while adults exchanged polite greetings and whispered about the old customs. The lottery had been held for as long as anyone could remember, and no one questioned it. It was part of life, like the changing seasons or the harvest.

Mr. Summers, the official in charge, arrived early with a black box — a wooden box that had seen many years of use. It was not fancy, but it had a certain weight to it, as if it carried the history of the town itself. People watched carefully as he placed slips of paper into the box, each one marked with a name. The process was quick and orderly, almost mechanical.

As the time approached, the crowd grew silent. No one spoke much, and even the children stopped playing. There was an unspoken tension in the air, a feeling that something important was about to unfold. When the names were drawn, the first person called was Mr. Martin. He stepped forward, hands trembling slightly, and picked a slip from the box. His face fell when he saw what it said.

But the lottery wasn’t over yet. The next round began, and more names were called. Each time, someone would step up, and the tension in the crowd would grow. By the end of the day, only one person remained — the “winner.” But no one cheered. Instead, a hush fell over the town as the winner was revealed.

It wasn’t a prize that brought joy. It was a punishment, a ritual that had been passed down through generations. And though the reasons had long been forgotten, the tradition remained. The lottery wasn’t about luck or fortune. It was about survival — not of the body, but of the soul.

In the end, the story of the lottery is not just about a single event. It’s about how people can follow traditions without questioning them, how fear and conformity can shape a community, and how sometimes, the most ordinary things can hide the darkest truths.