End of Women: Part Six

A Fair Cop

BANG BANG BANG.

The gavel in Lee's hand struck the unvarnished woodwork three times as he drew himself up importantly, perched behind the makeshift Judge's bench at the far end of Jay's treehouse. 

"I hereby call to order this session of the Colton Country Girl-Hunting Association." He spoke in a tone deeper than his natural speaking voice, his usually casual mop of blonde hair slicked back into what Jay assumed was supposed to be a smart, professional look. "Our first order of business today..." 

Lee turned his attention to the dock to his left. The dock itself was made up of an old cardboard box in which Jay's family dishwasher had been delivered. Inside the box now, naked, zip-tied at the wrists and shivering in cold and fear, was the same girl he had taken into his own custody over three weeks ago.

"...is the case of ER-9091-341." Lee continued, his eyes narrowing as he surveyed the girl. "The charges are to be read by Brother Rocco"

Rocco, a tall, lanky boy with bushy black eyebrows, got to his feet, though he did this with some difficulty. The treehouse was not quite tall enough for it; his hair brushed the cobwebbed roof as he spoke.

"ER-9091-341 has three counts against her name." Jay read aloud from his notes. "First and most serious, the crime of being a female. Second, despite being born in an appropriate environment, i.e, a Female Control Compound, she was discovered walking freely. Thirdly, she has on two occasions attempted escape from her confinement in Brother Jay's home."

Lee nodded along sombrely at this indictment. Meanwhile Jay leant against the back wall of the treehouse in silence. Apart from himself, Lee and Rocco, there were three other boys in the Association, all of them recruits who had joined in the past week. They listened to the proceedings with rapt attention, eager to see what would become of the girl. The girl herself had been watching Rocco as he read out the charges against her, but as Rocco finished, she turned her eyes back toward Jay, an almost pleading look in them. Jay was not sure why she kept looking to him like that. After all, it had been he who had brought her in. Without him, she might still be free. Why would she be appealing to him?

"Do you understand these charges?" Lee addressed the girl from his elevated position, surveying her sternly.

"Y-yes." She nodded and swallowed, choking a bit. "Yes, I do."

"Very well." Lee waved a hand airily at Rocco. "Prosecution, proceed."

Rocco inclined his head to Lee and crossed the barrier of bean-bag chairs to stand in front of the cardboard dock where the girl sat. He folded his arms over his chest and cleared his throat.

"Are you a girl?" He asked her plainly. 

She nodded, making a small whimpering noise as she did so.

"And are you aware," Rocco proceeded, taking a deep steadying breath as if for patience, "that being a woman or a girl is illegal, and is both morally and biologically reprehensible?"

She nodded again, tears welling up in her eyes.

"Yes." She gasped out the words. "They told us that all the time, back home."

"By home, I assume you mean the Compound in which you were born and lived your entire life."

"That's... that's right."

"So despite the fact that you are a girl, and you know that such a thing is illegal and wrong, you have continued to exist, even going so far as to defy attempts to end your miserable existence?"

The girl hung her head and gave no reply. Rocco shrugged and looked to Lee.

"That's it." He said, and Lee waved Rocco back to his seat. Rocco went back, and Jay pulled himself up from his leaning position, ready for Lee to call him forward.