Born and Raised

by R A Doty

  About a mile away, on the outside of the compound, some people were headed in their direction.

  “Who are they?” Colton asked, looking in the direction Dan had focused the binoculars.

  “City dwellers.” Dan lowered the binoculars. “Come on, we gotta get back.”

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  AFTER A WEEK OF PLANNING every detail in April’s adventure, Calla and Sarah arrived early at the kennel on Friday morning. When they had finished their morning tasks, they both met at April’s pen, each with a canvas bag strapped over their shoulder.

  “Are you sure this’ll work?” Sarah said.

  “Why wouldn’t it?” Calla answered, emptying the contents of her bag onto April’s bunk. Form-fitting tan slacks, a white tee shirt, and a light blue, button-up blouse fell out of the bag— along with a slew of make-up bottles and hair care products. “When we’re finished, nobody will recognize her.”

  April held up the blouse, her fingers feeling the slippery, soft fabric. She very much liked the color, because it reminded her of the sky.

  “Take off your clothes, April, and put those on,” Calla said. She reached into the bag, pulled out a pair of pink underwear and handed them to April. “Put these on first.”

  Having never seen any undergarments before, April had no idea of how to put them on. She removed her clothes and held up the small piece of pink material. She began to slip it over her head.

  Sarah stopped her and took the underwear. “Put your legs in these holes,” she said, “and then pull them up to your hips.” She handed them back.

  April slipped her legs through the holes, and then looked at Sarah.

  “That’s it,” Sarah said.

  After pulling them up to her stomach, April faced Sarah and Calla.

  “You look so pretty, April,” Calla said. “Now put on the pants.” She handed them to April, who nearly fell over trying to slip her legs inside the tight openings. Next came the tee shirt and then the blouse.

  Sarah reached into her bag and pulled out a pair of pink and white, ankle-length sneakers and a white pair of socks. “An outfit isn’t complete without shoes,” she said, handing them to April.

  When April finished putting on the clothes, she stared down at herself. She felt constricted and uncomfortable, but she also felt something she had never felt before. She looked at Sarah and Calla, who were dressed similarly, and wondered if she, too, was now a real girl.

  Calla added a small amount of makeup to April’s face and then pulled her hair into a ponytail. She and Sarah stood in front of her, admiring their work.

  “That’s amazing,” Sarah said. “She doesn’t even look like a nutrimen anymore. She’s beautiful.”

  April smiled.

  “Okay, let’s go,” Calla said, cramming her stuff back into the bag. We gotta get outta here before Carla arrives.

  Sarah led the way to the exit, and Calla grabbed April’s hand to keep her close. Sarah opened the door and peeked her head out. “It’s clear,” she whispered, stepping into the hallway. Once into the hallway, Calla released April’s hand so she could close and lock the door.

  April stared up and down the hallway. So many times she had stood in front of the door wondering what was on the other side. She had imagined rooms filled with people busying themselves with important tasks, and the strange wonderful scents of a world she could only imagine. She took a deep breath and smelled the freshly painted walls and the cleanser that was used by the custodial staff to clean the floors just hours earlier. When she felt her hand being tugged, she hesitated to move.

  “Come on, April,” Calla said. “We’ve gotta go.” April turned to Calla and nodded. The girls ran down the hall and met Sarah, who was waiting by two metal doors at the front of the kennel.

  “What took you guys so long?” Sarah said. She pushed the horizontal bar in the center of one of the doors, and a warm breeze rushed past when the door opened to the outside.

  As April was pulled along by Calla, her head scanned back and forth and up and down, trying to see everything she passed. The grass beneath her shoes seemed softer to step on, unlike the concrete she had grown accustomed to, and the sky looked so big she nearly tripped trying to see where it ended. When they ran down the sidewalk toward the city her mouth opened in awe at the sight of the ocean—an endless amount of deep blue water that met the sky far away in the distance. Her heart raced as she stared at the water, and she felt as if she would be pulled into the wide-open sky at any second. She instinctively longed for the confines of her pen where she felt safe. When she was led between two rows of tall buildings, she felt comforted when only a small strip of sky was visible from above.

  The girls stopped and stood beside one of the building’s tall glass walls.

  “We made it,” Sarah panted with a smile. Her forehead glistened with sweat, as did Calla’s and April’s.

  April squeezed Calla’s hand, and a cold chill covered her body as she stared down the alley at the seemingly endless amount of people that populated downtown Ancada.

  THE GIRLS STOOD AT the end of the alley, staring out at the glistening city of Ancada towering before them. The reflection of slow moving clouds passed over blocks of glass buildings, and the screeching cries of gulls echoed down from high above. On the sidewalks, people crowded around racks filled with clothing and tables overflowing with merchandise. Scents of food tempted the taste buds, and an eclectic variety of music could be heard coming from different directions.

  With a wide smile on her face, Calla turned to April. “So what do you think of Ancada, April?” She and Sarah eagerly waited for April’s response.

  April watched with a smile as the cars whizzed by and the people, all wonderfully dressed in colorful clothing, walked in and out of stores with packages in their hands. It was better than she could have ever imagined and she wanted now, more than anything, to be a part of this new world. “I like it very much.” She grabbed Calla’s hand. “Show me more.”

  The three girls raced hand-in-hand down Main Street, laughing as they pulled each other along. They sometimes stopped in front of windows displaying temptations no young woman could possibly resist, such as the latest fashions in clothing, shoes, and cosmetics that could transform them into beautiful princesses.

  The sun shined bright on the buildings and a warm breeze carrying the salty scent of the ocean wafted through the streets. It filled the air with a magic that could only be found on an island that stood apart from the rest of the world.

  “Hey, let’s get something to eat,” Calla said, pointing to a neon hamburger flashing on and off in a window across the street.

  They ran to the corner and stood on the curb. When the traffic light turned red, all the cars stopped simultaneously as if turned off by a hidden switch. People walked into the street as the cars’ electric motors sat silently, waiting to be powered back on. No emissions polluted the air, and automobile accidents were nonexistent, because the cars would automatically shut down when they got too close to an object. When the girls crossed the street, and the roads were once again free of pedestrians, the cars started slowly moving forward again.

  April turned and watched, wondering what it would be like to ride in one of these fascinating machines. And where were the people inside of them going? To work, to a store to buy something they just had to have? Or maybe they were just taking a ride on a beautiful day, in a beautiful city, surrounded by beautiful people. It all seemed so exciting to be a part of such fun and adventure.

  A bell jingled when Sarah opened the door to the burger joint, and the three girls rushed inside and sat on swiveling red stools mounted to a black and white, checkered tile floor.

  “What do you guys want?” Sarah said, her arms resting on the bar as she stared up at the many pictures of grilled feasts hanging on the wall. “I’m buying.”

  “Thanks, Sarah,” Calla said. She stared at the pictures. “I think I’ll get a burger and fries.”

  “I’m getting a frie
d haddock foot long,” Sarah said. She turned to April. “Does anything look good to you, April?”

  April stared at the pictures, each looking as tempting as the last. She had no idea of what any of them might taste like, or what they were called, but it was still exciting to gaze at the colorful images. As she looked around the small restaurant, everyone seemed to be enjoying their rations, so it really didn’t matter what she chose; it would still be something she had never tasted before. She pointed to the picture in the center. “That one looks interesting.”

  “Good choice,” Sarah said. “Barbecued ribs were my second choice. Okay let’s order.”

  Sarah flagged down a waitress and placed everyone’s order. While waiting for their meals, she and Calla couldn’t stop staring at April. It was entertaining to witness her experiencing things for the very first time. Her eyes sometimes widened, and other times she would smile at the simplest things, like the flames flaring up on the grill in the kitchen when the cook pressed a burger to the grate. They wanted her to experience as many new things as possible in the short amount of time they had. They wanted to show her the world.

  “Hey I gotta an idea,” Calla said. “Why don’t we go to the Visualplex afterward; they’re playing an old classic called Star Wars.”

  “Sounds fun,” Sarah said. “What do ya say, April. You wanna see a movie?”

  April smiled and nodded. She didn’t have the slightest idea what the girls were talking about, or what a movie was, but it sounded fun.

  The waitress arrived with a tray holding three plates. She gave Calla her burger and fries, Sarah her fish sandwich, and then placed the plate of ribs in front of April. April stared down at the long, meat covered bones slathered in a red sauce. Sarah and Calla had already begun to eat, so she carefully grabbed one of the ribs by each end and held it up to her nose. The scent of the sauce made her taste buds tingle. As she slowly took the first bite she had no idea her meal came from the girl with long brown hair, whom she co-existed with for fourteen years.

  Calla smiled as April nibbled the meat from the bone. “It’s good, isn’t it?”

  April chewed and chewed, but the meat didn’t seem to dissolve in her mouth. She forced it down and tore off a smaller piece. She very much enjoyed the tangy taste of the sauce and she ripped off another bite, and then another. After cleaning the meat from the first bone, she licked her fingers and grabbed another.

  Sarah smiled. “I think we discovered April’s new favorite food.”

  “I’m stuffed,” Calla said, after eating all her fries and half the burger.

  April finished her last rib and looked at the remaining burger on Calla’s plate.

  “You want it?” Calla said. April nodded and Calla handed her the plate.

  With her fingers still covered in sauce, April bit into the burger. The texture of the meat was easier to chew than the ribs, and she had no problem swallowing it. She greedily took another bite, and then another. Her cheeks bulged as she savored this new tasting food. Without any warning, she felt a rumble rise from her stomach and then bellowed a burp loud enough to capture everyone’s attention in the restaurant. When she noticed all the heads glancing in her direction, including Sarah’s and Calla’s, her face heated up and turned a rosy red. She wanted to flee from the silence until Calla started to laugh, which was followed by Sarah. As she sat with her sauce covered hands held slightly in the air, and a dollop of barbecue smeared on her cheek, her mouth formed into a smile and she, too, began to laugh. This new feeling that she couldn’t control, which forced her to laugh louder and louder, felt wonderful and she didn’t want it to end. But end it did, with little reoccurrences forcing out a giggle whenever she thought of the moment.

  THE THREE GIRLS ARRIVED at the Visualplex ten minutes before it opened, and they were first in a small line that started forming at the entrance. When the attendant opened the door they walked up to the ticket booth, and Calla paid for their seats. The attendant stamped her hand, followed by Sarah’s, and then April’s. April tried to rub it off, but the ink had already dried. Once inside the lobby, Calla raced to the concession counter and proceeded to order three buckets of popcorn with extra butter, three bags of chocolate covered peanuts, which they would later dump into the popcorn, a secret Sarah shared with her friends in which the hot popcorn softened the chocolate on the peanuts, and three large cups of pop, as the nostalgic picture on the wall called it. She handed one of each to April and Sarah.

  “Thanks,” Sarah said.

  “You’re welcome.”

  “Thank you, Calla,” April said sincerely. She was thanking her for not only the treats, but also for this remarkable adventure that she would never have experienced if not for her. If she never left the kennel again after today, she now knew what it felt like to live as Calla and Sarah. On those late nights when she would sit on her bed, her mind avoiding sleep, she would think about the cars silently passing on their way to mysterious destinations, and the people walking on the sidewalks, all dressed so perfectly in colors the eye couldn’t resist to stare at, and surely the food that made her mouth water whenever she grew tired of the rations provided by the kennel. All of these thoughts would bring a smile to her face as she sat alone in the dark of her pen.

  “You’re welcome, April,” Calla said.

  AN AMBER GLOW ILLUMINATED the circular theatre, and seats filled the center of the circle, leaving a walkway around the perimeter of the room. The smooth walls and ceiling were painted off-white, and a large glass dome, flashing red, hung from the center of the ceiling. When the dome began to flash green, the roar of conversations was brought to silence.

  With her head tilted back as far as it would go, April stared at the dome almost directly above her. The lights dimmed, and it flashed beams of bright light onto the ceiling, which turned into a dark sky filled with thousands of flickering stars. April’s entire body tingled with excitement as she looked at the artificial sky. She instinctively gripped the hand-rests when the opening music began to blare from hidden speakers all around her, and spaceships raced along the walls.

  “Isn’t this amazing, April?” Calla yelled.

  April ducked when one of the spaceships seemed to skim the top of her head. “How is this done?” she asked.

  Calla replied, “I’m not sure, but it’s fun isn’t it?”

  April nodded with a wide smile, her head turning fast to follow the spaceships.

  AFTER NEARLY AN HOUR and a half, April, Calla and Sarah followed the crowd to exit the theatre. The overwhelmingly bright lights of the lobby forced April to squint until her eyes adjusted. The scent of popcorn was strong, and children ran up to the glassed showcase to eyeball the candy treats. Parents grabbed their hands and pulled them away, but not without a fight.

  “So what’d you think, April?” Calla said. “Did you like the movie?”

  “It was amazing! I never imagined something like that was possible. I still don’t know how they did it.”

  Sarah enjoyed seeing the excited look on April’s face. At first she wondered if she did the right thing by not telling her father about the talking nutrimen, but now, having seen a side of April that she never would have believed possible, she was convinced that April was entitled to at least experience a small slice of life before her purpose in being created was realized. She followed Calla and April, and just before they reached the exit a hand tapped her shoulder.

  “And what are you doing here, Miss Weston?” A voice said.

  All three girls stopped and turned.

  “Carla,” Sarah said.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  “LUKE!” DAN YELLED, running into the house. He ran to the kitchen, but no one was there. He tried the living room. “Luke!” When he reached the bottom of the stairs to the second floor, Luke was on his way down.

  “Why all the yelling?”

  “They’re coming,” Dan replied, breathing heavily.

  “Who’s coming?”

  “The city dwellers. I saw
‘em from the top of the gravel bank. They’re heading this way.”

  Luke rushed past his brother and headed for the gun cabinet in the basement.

  Dan was right behind him. “I don’t know if we’ll be able to keep ‘em all out. There were a lot of ‘em, Luke.”

  Luke unlocked the cabinet, grabbed one of twenty rifles, and then filled his pocket with ammo. “We’ll keep ‘em out.” He grabbed another for Dan. “Here,” he said, handing his brother the gun.

  Luke and Dan rushed back upstairs, where Colton met them just inside the front entrance.

  “You any good with that bow?” Luke asked.

  “Pretty good,” Colton replied.

  “Well, now’s your chance to prove it. Why don’t you go upstairs and stand guard on the master bedroom balcony. You’ll be able to see pretty much everything from up there.”

  “All right,” Colton said. “What about Monica?”

  “She’s out like a light, so we don’t have to worry about her.”

  Dan followed his brother, outside. His body tingled with excitement. He never had to kill another human before; that deed was always bestowed upon older brother, Luke, but that was all about to change, he thought. There were so many city dwellers headed in their direction, it’d be impossible for him not to kill somebody. As much as he thought he would, he didn’t look forward to it. He wondered if he’d be able to do it when the time came.

  Luke and Dan hurried to their favorite look-out spot, a knoll just past the barn, and waited for the combatants to arrive. “You gonna be alright?” Luke said to his brother, whose hands were noticeably shaking. “You know it ain’t no different than killing a deer. You just aim for the heart or the head and they’ll go down, don’t worry.”