One man in uniform stands two feet from from a group of four huddled closely together. He wears a dour face, the others, a face of fear.
Man dressed in uniform: YOU WILL EACH PICK ONE STRAW FROM MY HAND! SHORT STRAWS INDICATE DEATH, LONG, LIFE.
Man walks to group.
The closest person to the man in uniform slowly reaches for the first straw.
Uniform: QUICKLY!
Closest person finishes drawing the straw. The next rushes to draw his.
They are happy to find that their straws are the same length.
Uniform: Good, good.
The next person slowly and nervously approaches the uniformed man. He can't make up his mind over which of the two straws he should pick.
Uniform: Shoot him, he's taken too long.
The nervous one lets out a scream and begins to run as gunshots play over the speakers.
The last one quickly picks one of the two remaining straws and is relieved to see that all three straws are the same length. He shakes the hands of the other two wildly, all of them happy to be alive.
Uniform: Thank you all for humoring me.
The three turn slowly as the uniformed man smiles and opens his hand:
Uniform: Every straw was the short straw.
fade to dark amid screaming and gunshots.