Aberrant by Ruth Silver Read Free Book Online Page B

them.
    The vehicles came to a halt just inside the town, and my
body froze, afraid if I didn’t stay still I'd be seen. The government
considered skipping school a misdemeanor the first time and a public felony the
second. I'd already been caught once and was forced to do community service at
school. The second time would mean I'd be brought before the Governor and he
would choose my punishment. I wouldn't let that happen.
    I stood from the sidelines, unable to do anything as a
guard walked across the street and pounded on the door of a home. I didn't know
the family. I didn't have to know them to understand what was happening. The government
owned her second child. She was nothing more than a surrogate after her first
child was born.
    "Please, no! You can't take my baby!" The
mother rushed outside screaming as she chased the guard who held her newborn. Dressed
in rags with ratty hair, she looked filthy. I'd never seen anyone dressed so
terribly. The government always provided citizens with clothes. Why had they
not given her new necessities?
    "He's not your son," the guard warned her,
protecting the child at all costs.
    Another guard stepped out from the truck. "Is there
a problem?"
    The mother's face reddened with tears. As I stared closer,
I could see the apparent bruises on her neck and arms. She pulled the rags,
once a robe, tighter around her broken body. "You can't take my only
child!"
    I gasped, her only child? The government wasn't supposed
to take a family's first child, only the second born and any thereafter. I
didn't understand what I was seeing. I didn't understand what was happening
around me.
    "Please!" The mother shouted, defying the
government and not caring about its repercussions.
    The guard carefully positioned the newborn into the back
of the truck inside a special seat, before turning around with his gun drawn on
the woman. "You'll go back inside before what happened to your daughter
happens to you."
    "You'll kill me?" She laughed hysterically.
"Go ahead!" She stepped one foot in front of the other. Not a hint of
fear in her eyes. "My husband would if he could. Why shouldn't you be the
ones to do it? You made me marry him!" I could hear the scuffle of
commotion as they fought over the gun. I couldn't see who had it or who was
winning. I doubted there would be any winners today.
    The truck blocked my view as a shot rang out. Blood smeared
along the car window, and the mother's body slid down the car and onto the
ground into the gutter. I gasped in horror and choked back a sob as I ran further
away from the vehicles, the Monospaces and guards. I wanted no part of ever being
near a vehicle again.
     
    "You've seen a car before, right?" Scarlet asked as
though it were no big deal. She hadn't noticed the fear on my face, and I
certainly didn't expect her to understand the reason. If she was lucky, she’d
never lived a day in Genesis. Joshua hadn't known my fear, either. I never
found the courage to tell him what I witnessed. "Get in and buckle up.
It's not a long drive."
    Joshua glanced over the car. "I've never seen
one," he confessed to Scarlet. "We never had the need for them back
at home." He turned and stared at me. "You okay?" he asked, looking
me over as he helped me into the backseat.
    "Fine." I sighed, buckling myself in. I could hear
the latch as Joshua secured his own seatbelt. My body was covered in a sheen of
sweat, and I felt sick to my stomach. I didn’t know whether to be grateful or
offended he sat up front beside her. As we took off in the open-air vehicle, I
quickly decided I was grateful. The bumps jolted me around and my stomach was
doing somersaults. I just hoped we wouldn't crash.
    From the backseat, I could barely hear what they said, but she
sounded flirty and rather pleased with herself. Joshua smiled and I could see
her reach out, resting a hand on his forearm. I wanted to slap the smile off
her face. I couldn't move though. It was impossible, considering the fact I