Niq - New Adult

Chapter 2

I wake the next morning, stretching beneath my Egyptian cotton linen.  I’d crawled up into bed after crying myself dry in the kitchen and fallen into a restless sleep.

Outside my window, the picturesque city lays like a green and silver map, threaded with bright blue waterways.  With the population of the planet reduced to a far more manageable number, cities are no longer the cesspools of smog and violence they were in centuries past. 

Now, they are clean and delightful places to live.  All citizens have access to plentiful food and health care, and every young boy is encouraged to follow his own interest down the path of education, whether that be video games or topiary.

Normally, the colourful view cheers me up.  Today, it only makes me want to throw things.

Irritable, I reach for my com-pad and see it’s almost lunch.  My stomach rumbles, so I swipe up the kitchen app and order a salad to be sent to my room. 

Opening SoshallShare, I sigh as I fulfil my required daily post.  I have around 700 million followers and Parliament has forcibly suggested that all Queens share a picture and a post every day.  It’s supposed to keep the morale of men high and allow them a glimpse into the female world the majority of them will never share.

Photos make me uncomfortable, so I pull my usual trick of half-sharing.  I draw the sheet up to cover everything except my eyes and use the com-pad to shoot a picture of me winking, with my flaming hair splayed out around me.  Anyone else NOT a morning person? I type under the pic, then hit SHARE.  Within seconds, comments and likes begin to pile up.  I can’t be bothered reading them as most are usually depressing or explicit.

Flipping over to Vix’s page is the easiest way to see if she’s up yet.  She’s been busy: her latest post is a graphic picture of her lying buck-naked, with at least twenty male hands covering her intimate parts and caressing her magnificent curves.  Pursing her scarlet lips for the camera, her long, curly hair has that “just been shagged” look – probably because she has been, repeatedly. 

I have to admit, she looks unbelievable.  Scrolling down, I see her post comment, To last night’s delicious dozen!  You’re welcome!  Considerately, she has taken a one-on-one pic with each of the men and posted it to their profiles, proof of their fleeting touch with Royalty.  It’s a wonderful gesture, as a sexual encounter with a Queen is the highest honour that any man can claim.

I shoot Vix a message: You up yet, sexy wench?

Mmm.  Sore and lazy.  Spending the day in bed.

Alone?

Nope.

Sigh.  TTYL.

XXXX.

I check the order bar from the kitchen and lunch is still ten minutes away.  Flipping the com-pad to sleep mode, I toss it to the side and press my thumb to the lock on my bedside table.  The drawer springs open, revealing my secret identity.

It’s another com-pad, bought off the street for me by Sheb.  According to the profile on the pad, I’m actually a 22 year old man called Wred.  My profile pic is my foot wearing a baseball hat – Vix always says I have man-feet, so I decided to make use of them.

As Wred, I can navigate the online world honestly, having actual conversations with people rather than being on the receiving end of obsequious praise.  Wred is studying body language, a particular favourite topic of mine and his status lists him as a Selibate, meaning he isn’t interested in dating other men or chasing Queens.

I flick through Wred’s groups for updates.  He’s a member of SeliChat, Edutation and Royalty-free.  The forum which occupies most of my time is Naturally Good, a safe space for natural born people to connect.  A highlighted column invites me to personally welcome new members, but there’s only one name listed: Onrhi.