Flight by Lindsay Leggett Read Free Book Online

society wouldn’t function. I daydreamed my way through the introduction, doodling in my margins. I don’t know how many times I wrote my own name before my ears tuned back into the lecture.
    “It was for this reason that founder Roger Elder created the Hunter Code of Ethics. The Corporation was looking to ensure the safety of human society, but also to affirm that Hunters were solely responsible for eliminating the Harpy threat and not to use their increased strength and stamina for personal gain. Let’s discuss the ethics of the Hunter world. What do you think about the code?”
    I scanned my eyes across the room, expecting each student to remain silent, twiddling their thumbs or letting drool fall from their lips. No one ever wants to speak against the Corp, and mindlessly praising them would just be redundant. What could be wrong with the protection and preservation of the human race? But a hand rose up from the middle row, a student I’d never seen before.
    “It’s all a bunch of bullshit if you ask me,” he said, eliciting giggles from the girls and a hard jab in the ribs from a guy sitting next to him. I sat up straighter, trying to get a glance of him, but I was stuck with the view of the back of his head. Leslie waited until the room was quiet before addressing him.
    “All right, Mr. Owen. Do elaborate,” she encouraged. It was hard to tell if she was merely annoyed or actually intrigued by his statement. Mr. Owen lazily crossed his arms behind his head before responding.
    “It’s bullshit because the code isn’t ethical at all, in the literal sense of the word. There are three different classes involved, Harpy, Hunter and Human, each with their own society. Who decided that humans have the right to live and Harpies don’t? I don’t think it’s up to us to make the executive decision based on our personal preferences,” he continued. The faint rustling of papers lulled to a dead silence, and I felt the screaming need to jump in.
    “But Harpies kill humans,” I stated, “Elder Corp keeps human society alive and functioning by destroying a threat toward human extinction. I think it’s up to us to make an executive decision to keep our society alive, it’s instinct.” The guy turned to glance at me briefly before countering, that once glance shaking me to the bone. Messy hair covered most of his face, but his light blue eyes bore into me. It was like he knew that I’m not really human, that I’m just part of the contract service that keeps humanity alive for a quick buck.
    “And Hunters kill Harpies. I’m all for surviving, but when we’re talking about the ethical standpoint, isn’t it a little hypocritical to place Harpies in the same category as animals? We know that Harpies have a society. They’re living, breathing creatures. We, as humans consume animals for our own meat. What if the cows were able to band up and take down the humans to save their own populace? Who would be the bad guy?”
    I was left speechless. There were so many self-serve questions from his argument. I guess the biggest one was: Am I good, or am I bad ? I’ve killed hundreds of Harpies. Harpies have killed hundreds of humans. Who gets the high road? I filed the thought in my to be continued folder in my brain as a high-pitched voice chimed in.
    “But cows don’t have a society,” the student claimed. Professor Leslie called the class’s attention back to the front.
    “I think that Mr. Owen and Miss Madden have both brought up some valid points. These are issues within ethical code that the Corp deals with to this day. There are human based pro-Harpy functions who oppose the Hunter organization completely. This question has existed for generations and has been pondered by philosopher and government official alike. Who gets to decide who lives and who doesn’t? Where do we draw the line between right and wrong? I want you to think about this over the weekend and write an essay due Monday,” she said. A