Stranger To Kind ✔

EPI 1

THE FUTURE

Droplets of water raced down the window heeding gravity's course. Little girls no more than the age of five ran around happily with their buckets of all different colours and sizes.

As I sat under the comfort of a roof, sealed with walls, my mind had made its escape to the outside. The tip of my fingers grazed over the glass aperture, yearning to touch the miracle. How rare was it to see the clouds pour out such heavy rain?

"Is everyone clear?"

My biology teacher's voice cut off my thoughts. I turned my head to her, instantly noticing her eyes were on me. The crease on her forehead was enough to imply that she had caught my little spacing out. Nonetheless, I was guilty of letting my concentration astray, but I couldn't help it.

"Charis, which chromosome determines the male or female gender?" she asked, smiling sternly.

Thankfully, I knew the answer to her question. It had piqued my interest for as long as I could remember.

"A combination of two X chromosomes makes a female, while males possess an XY. One of each pairing must come from a parent consisting of a male and female. However, if males are extinct... Why are we..." There was a question in my mind, but the perplexed look on Ms Jemma's face deterred me from asking it. "Nevermind."

"Good." Nodding, she moved her attention to the rest of the class again. "So remember, the XX chromosomes will make a baby female like all of you, and the XY would produce a male."

I caught her hand caressing her belly as she said the word baby, with a hint of sadness in her eyes. She was not the first I had seen that way; I lost count already.

"As some of you may have noticed, it's raining" -her eyes wandered to me before looking outside- "everyone can go home early," she finished.

It took only seconds for me to pack my belongings after the words permitted my leave. Some of my stationery was still lying on the table as I rushed to the door. With luck, I would find it again in the lost and found.

There were other matters more important to me, and it was worth losing a pen any given day.

On my way to the lockers, I passed by a friend of mine. She was again, gingerly conversing with the girl who was somewhat known around our school. Ever since they got involved, I hardly saw her anymore.

Noticing me, the redhead turned her attention. Her grin broadened, showing her pearly white.

"Hey, Charis," she said.

I returned a smile to her. "Hey, Amy."

Awkward invaded the scene when the other girl started fiddling with her phone. There was this feeling from the way her face faltered while I was there, something I wanted to deny as a sign of her dislike. Fortunately for us both, I didn't intend to chitchat anyway.

"I uh, need to go."

Without wasting more precious time, I bid Amy goodbye and continued my pace towards the exit. A few of the other girls mingled with each other at the school front to kill time. But I didn't bother to wait for the weather to ease off and ran ahead.

The rain never scared me. On the contrary, the feeling as it touched my skin was exhilarating. Still, I cringed every time the lightning made a thundering crack in the air. Puddles splashed wildly from each of my hurried steps on the pavement.

Minutes spent due to distance until eventually, I arrived at my front lawn. The biting cold forced me to shiver, but it didn't stop me from dashing to where I kept my buckets. And even under the circumstances, the sight of water was beautiful more than ever.

After a whole month without rain, it got to where I had rationed everything and desperately knocked on other people's doors for any water they could spare me.

I picked up the buckets as gently as possible, carried each one carefully to my backyard and poured the water into the once-empty tank placed there. I was hoping for it to be full, but the rain suddenly stopped; sooner than my breath could catch up.

Thirst tingled in my throat, reminding me of the dread. Looking at the withering trees added a sinking feeling. I was exhausted from running and lifting, but once I set my eyes on something hidden in the corner, my feet started moving again. Crammed at the side was a shed, and I built it two years ago with my own two hands. It was simple but enough to keep the cruel world at bay. Aside from the small door, there was a decent-sized hole on top so the sun and rain could enter.

Inside it, on a slightly raised area of the soil was a plant, a unique one. The colour was initially purple, but now some of the leaves were turning brown; it felt rigid and breaking under my touch.

"Please don't leave me... Please," I said, putting my hand on the area next to the plant. The threatening sadness had resulted in hazing my sight with tears.

Unable to hold anymore, my eyes gave the tears away. It trickled down to my face, falling along with the remaining droplets of rain. But it wouldn't stop just there; it demanded my cry to follow. I clasped my mouth to keep it in, but the pressure grew. Helpless, I sagged until I was gradually leaning on the earth floor. My sobs finally broke. I spread my arms on the muddy soil as if I could grasp what was below.

Somewhere underground, of a depth that I couldn't possibly know, was something meaningful to me. Untouched, unseen, and unheard between us, yet I'd come to care so much without my understanding.

As I mulled over my fear of the possible loss, a memory started playing in my mind. It was a younger me sitting in the same spot but on a different timeline from 14 years ago.

"What is this, mommy?" I looked at my mother's face. Beads of sweat appeared on her forehead from the heat.

Then I looked down, watching as she dug a hole in the ground. She continued to dig until it was somewhat deep. Putting down her trowel, her hands moved to a box. When she opened the lid, smoke wafted out. She reached inside and beckoned for me to spread my palm.

"Here he comes," she muttered while transferring a strange looking pod onto my hand.

"Mommy, it tickles!" I giggled. The pod was somehow 'alive'. I could feel a faint pulse where it touched my skin.

"Listen, sweetheart. This is a baby. Hold it carefully," she voiced, covering my hands with hers so we could hold the pod together.

"A baby?" I questioned. My eyes moved from the pod to her face, greeted by her smile in an instant.

"Yes, inside there is a baby. He will be your friend someday. Now you have to bury him so he can grow. Care for him until he is old enough to see the world," she explained. Her smile didn't waver even for a second.

My excitement had outrun my curiosity, hindering further questions. So I nodded and happily buried the baby like I was planting the roses and daisies in our garden.

Until I grew a little older, I learnt that babies were born differently. So why was I calling the pod a baby?

To be continued...

***

Thank you for reading the very first chapter of my story. I know it could be a bit confusing at first, and of course, it's done intentionally for the mystery. So I hope you would stay with me on this journey.

Every vote and comments are greatly treasured.