[ WP ] You have just been selected for death , which is the highest honour where you live .

I almost cried with joy when the Eldest told me the news. He told me that I had been chosen to enter the Sleep. Me! Out of thousands of people! 
 
 `` The Wisest entered discussions last month, as you know, and we came to the agreement that, out of all others, you have done the most in your life, and have given so much for our community,'' the Eldest had told me. His eyes were cloudy and his face was full of wrinkles, but I could see the kindness and the happiness as he told me I was chosen. `` You've given your time, your freedom, and even two of your limbs, to protect us from harm. Now it is time to finally Sleep.'' 
 
 I had a smile on my face the entire night. Our community does n't sleep, which the Elders say is something that makes us very special, as no-one else in any part of the world can live without sleep. They enter sleep every night, albeit a temporary one, until they finally enter the true Sleep. When I was younger, I was envious of their ability to experience sleep every night, but then one of the Elders told me they should envy us. `` They take the Sleep for granted, they do not respect it because they enter their nightly sleep so frequently. In fact, many of them fear the Sleep. They do n't hold it as an honourable state to enter,'' he said, as he bandaged the stump of my leg. After that, I never envied them again. 
 
 A week after the Eldest had informed me that I'd been chosen to enter the Sleep, the time had come. At 81 years old, I'd lived a decently-long time, but I was so excited that I felt like a child again, overjoyed at the prospect of another adventure. I'd dressed in my best suit, the one I'd worn on my wedding day, and my wife and children accompanied me into the small, clean room. The colours were soft and light, pleasant to look at. I lied down on the bed and said my goodbyes to my wonderful family. I was somewhat sad to be leaving them, but I knew they'd get to experience this beautiful and incomparable honour some day, too. 
 
 Once my goodbyes were over, the Eldest entered the room, accompanied by one of the other Elders, and handed me a pill and a glass of water. `` Thank you for this journey you've selected me for. I will always be grateful,'' I grinned, and then I put the pill in my mouth and gulped down some water. 
 
 While I waited, I chatted with my family, regaling them with tails of my childhood, and laughing about our favourite memories. Then I started to feel something I'd never experienced before. My eyelids felt very heavy, and my limbs felt like the insides had been replaced with concrete. Seeing my confusion, the Eldest smiled and told me it was the beginning of the Sleep. 
 
 I smiled from ear-to-ear, and allowed the heaviness to take over. I trusted that it knew what to do, and that my body would go willingly onto the next adventure. Then it did.
