Page 4 of The Female

If I were truly my own person, I wouldn’t be forced to spend my entire life in hiding.

“Dammit, Dave. I told you to stop making Charlie do this. She’s a grown woman and doesn’t need to be sitting on her father’s lap repeating self-assurances,” Mom says as she makes her way back into the room with a tray of tea.

I laugh, shrugging slightly as Dad moves over to give me more room on the couch. He grumbles something quietly in response, but he’s smart enough to keep his retort low so Mom doesn’t hear it.

She’s understandably in an irritable mood after having guests over, her patience run thin after spending all evening being leered at by my father’s co-workers. I don’t blame her and, if anything, commend her for her ability to stay so composed.

“Let me help,” I mutter, reaching forward and grabbing the tray of tea.

I politely ignore the tremor of her hand as I set it on the table and ready their drinks. Dad takes his with sugar, always has, but Mom’s easy and drinks it black. They both give thankful smiles as I hand them their cups, and I throw some sugar in mine before leaning back against the couch.

“We should discuss the repercussions of yesterday’s capture,” I say. I’m sure they’ve heard about it.

They watch the news with an even closer eye than I do.

Neither of them respond to my statement, their reluctance to talk about what happened last night incredibly frustrating. It’s crucial we’re all on the same page with these things.

I watch through narrowed eyes as they exchange hesitant glances, their body language almost immediately giving away that there’s something they’re hiding from me. I bite my lip while waiting for them to fess up, my teeth absentmindedly gnawing at the skin.

“What is it?” I finally ask when neither takes the initiative to speak up.

Mom’s the one who gives in first, a pained sigh slipping from her lips as she runs her fingers through her thin hair. She avoids looking at me and stares at the front door, her anxiety visible in every action.

“Your father’s co-workers mentioned something pretty concerning,” she says. “With the sharp decline in women these last few years, the Seekers have grown desperate. After this recent find, they’ll likely begin doing house raids.”

I gulp.

“House raids?” I ask, looking for clarification.

If it’s anything like it sounds, we’re in deep shit. The only thing that’s allowed me to remain hidden this long is that Seekers aren’t allowed in our homes without proof of an unregistered female. The human government enacted a law prohibiting raids after they accidentally killed a young boy a few years before I was born.

“They aren’t allowed to enter our house without evidence of an unregistered female. That’s the law,” I say, wincing when my voice cracks.

Mom stares at her drink as she shakes her head, the trembling of her shoulders a telltale sign that she’s beginning to cry. What does she mean,no? Is the government changing its stance? Surely, that would’ve been mentioned by the news reporters.

The atmosphere in the room is uncomfortable at best, all three of us sitting silently as we lose ourselves in our thoughts. It doesn’t take an expert to understand what this means, and the knowledge that it’s only a matter of days before I’m taken has us all at a loss for words.

Humans have never been given much attention. Most breeds find our short lifespans and weaker bodies unappealing. They don’t want to risk ruining their bloodline with us, but recent declines have made them desperate.

Fifty females is a lot, and if the Seekers shift their focus on us, they’ll be able to examine our homes within an unnervingly short period of time. We don’t have the means to fight back. Especially not now.

I’m sure they’ll struggle to find the deep underground facilities I’ve heard are hidden around the world, but their scanners will be able to pick up that there are three bodies in this house instead of the expected two. My hideaway isn’t deep enough to fool them.

“What are we going to do?” I whisper.

Mom releases a loud sob, and Dad says nothing as he wraps his arms around my waist and pulls me into his chest. I know he expects me to cry, they both do, but I only feel numb. I’ve spent my entire life waiting for the other shoe to drop.

“You should turn me in before I’m found,” I say.

The Seekers will kill Dad if they find me, the punishment for hiding a female severe. If they hand me over, they’ll still be punished, but it will be manageable. There will be no death, and Dad will likely still be allowed to maintain ownership of Mom.

She’s beyond the age of childbearing, so it’s not as if another can buy her. I’m willing to bet there are millions of horny men who would do so gleefully, but the human government has restricted the sale of women who can’t procreate.

Apparently, it’s only allowed when the female has the possibility of getting pregnant.

“Absolutely not,” Dad whispers into my hair, his voice shaky. “That isn’t an option we’re willing to consider. There’s always the possibility they won’t come, and I couldn’t live with myself if we gave you up, only to discover it wasn’t necessary.”

I open my mouth to argue but change direction and shut it as I take in my father’s expression. His lips are set in a firm line, his eyes hard and shrouded in warning. No amount of reasoning will change his mind, at least not tonight.

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