3000

Chapter 0.1

A twig snapped under the weight of my foot. I froze. The smoke from the fire set by the gang out in the woods wasn't that far and if they sent out scouts to get food then they would hear me.

The air felt thicker and moist as I tried to slow my breaths. I continued to run through the trees. The trees were close together making it feel more like I was running through a maze rather than a forest.

My long brown wavy hair caught onto a dead branch and I yelped in pain as it tugged at the rat's nest of a hairdo I was sporting.

I tried to untangle the hair off the branch but only made it worse so I resorted to chopping it off.

I pulled a sharp piece of shape out of my pocket and sawed through the tangled mess easily.

I continued running and felt a sting of pain coming from my arm. I didn't have time to look down but I assumed that I had accidentally brushed my arm against a sharp twig as I ran.

After a few hours, I eventually found myself by a lake. It was a rather warm Summer night and I laid on my back and gazed up at the stars.

I tried desperately to remember a happier time when I hadn't been on the run.

In 2978 there was only two thousand females left. Since then the number has only gone down. So, a law was passed that every female must give birth to ten children in her lifetime.

If she cannot give birth then she is to be slaughtered.

I can give birth. I was tested as a baby. I just don't like the idea of being taken by some random gang or tribe of men and then let them have their way with me, thus bringing forth ten offspring.

I want to fall in love, like my parents did. I want to choose to have those ten children. Not just give up my sacred innocence to a man who is undeserving of it.

My mother gave birth to eight children. I was the only girl. I have seven brothers. I never even met some of them. I just know their names.

My parents were killed for trying to hide me once I turned sixteen and was of legal age to give birth.

My parents were amazing people who believed that more women would have given birth by choice in the 2000's - 2900's if they hadn't been taken advantage of the way they were.

They gave my brothers and I all very unique names.

My name is Lynx Lore. I turned sixteen three weeks ago and I have been hiding from the gangs of men since then.

They all want to take me and force me to have their children. They have this strange mindset that if they have the most offspring then they will be the most powerful.

I personally think that it's stupid. Humans deserve to go extinct for some of the things we have done in the past 3000 years.

I was dragged helplessly back to reality when I sat up when I heard a twig snap behind me. I whipped my head around to face whatever was behind me. Turns out it was just a deer.

As you can imagine, being one of twenty four of the last female humans and being sought after by thousands of men across the globe can be stressful and has caused me some paranoia.

I sat up straight and hugged my knees to my chest as I relaxed slightly. I ran my fingers through my hair. Well, I tried.

Not that there was success in that endeavor. I took to untangling my disheveled hair. It took me nearly all night but I got it done.

At least I looked decent if I got caught by a gang. I stood up and stretched my arms up in the air above my head.

I yawned and walked closer to the water's edge and dipped my hands in it as to wash them.

I looked at my reflection in the water's surface and frowned. I did not see the girl that had stared back at me mere weeks ago.

I dunked my face under the water and cane up immediately, rubbing my hands over my face to scrub the dirt off.

To my surprise it worked and I smiled to myself.

I might be running from the entire male population but that doesn't mean I can't still look attractive.