The Lottery by Shirley Jackson: Under World of Secrets
“In a small village, the 27th of June brought with it the annual ritual known as the lottery. Children, their pockets filled with smooth stones, eagerly gathered in the town square, their laughter mingling with the adults’ chatter. Mr. Summers, carrying the battered black box that held the villagers’ fates, solemnly placed it on a stool. Anticipation gripped the crowd as they awaited the drawing that would determine who among them would face the ominous outcome of tradition.