The Baby Problem

The screen came down, forcing us to watch. I was always shocked. The poverty of our surroundings, yet this screen was made of some clear, high tech material. The screen announced three times a day the number of babies born in the world.

"Four babies born so far today" the presenter announced smiling and gave the details.

I had learnt at school that in the past the world was full of children and adults and many babies born every day. That was before the world wide infection, which affected 90% of the population. Nowadays babies are given to infected adults to bring up. And teenagers are tested and automatically impregnated many times in their life if found free of the infection when they are sixteen years old. Their families never see them again.

Mum looked at me giving me a look full of fear.

"Don't worry Mum. I'm sure I will be infected"

"I'm not sure what to hope for, that you are infected or not. It should be your choice to have a baby or not Kellen"

"There's no point wishing that things were any different" I said harshly “No one can change anything by wishing it so”

"Kellen" she shouted as I grabbed my coat and bag and left the house.

I walked to the woods breathing deeply trying to calm myself.

"Hello Kell" he said squinting against the sun.

"Jal"

We walked along the trail digging up roots and picking edible flowers, leaving some for the next day and future growth. We came across a blackberry bush heavy with fruit and filled our bags.

"We can make jam" I said excitedly.

"Anything to keep them going when we are taken away for testing" Jal said with a frown.

"Hopefully we have the infection and won't be away long" I said hopefully.

"Kellen, we both have two days left" he said fearfully.

"I know Jal, I'm scared too"

"Let's run away"

"Run away with our families too? They wouldn't manage like us"

"We can't leave them behind, they'd be punished" he said frowning.

"I've tried to think of a solution, but there isn't one" I cried with my hands over my face.

"Shh" he said pulling me closer and holding me "We'll be together at least. I'm thankful for that. That we were born in the same month"

We walked back home deep in thought with our bags full of food and heavy.

"See you tomorrow Jal" I said and he nodded walking away back to his parent's house. I quickly made my way home.

"Hi Mum" I said as I walked in the door.

"Kellen" she said.

"I'm doing as much preparation as I can before_"

"And we appreciate it" she said turning to my little sister.

"Let me teach you how to make jam Rosie" I said.

We spent the afternoon together making jam and preparing the vegetables to be preserved.

"Jal will give you and Mum food if I don't come back" I told her.

"You will come back Kellen, I'm sure of it"

"I hope so sweetie" I said hugging her tightly "But if I don't, you need to learn to do this because Mum is ill and she can't"

Two days Later

We ate breakfast together in silence nervously watching one another. I dressed in my best dress, the blue one with daisies on it. They came at ten to collect me. I couldn't stop staring at their clothes, so bright and new looking.

"Bye Mum, Bye Rosie" I shouted "I love you both so much. Look after each other"

We hugged quickly and then I was lead to a vehicle and told me to get inside. I looked around searching for Jal but I couldn't see him.

Once inside the vehicle they gave me a drink and told me to relax. As if I could relax in this situation. I hoped that I had taught Rosie enough skills. That they would survive without me if I didn't go home. Hours later woke suddenly noticing that the vehicle had stopped and saw a large building. I was escorted inside. I noticed as I was lead inside that the decor was white, and very clean, so unlike home. We walked up lots of steps before I was lead into a small room and left alone.

A few minutes later a man in a white coat came into the room and gave me a cup of water. It was the coldest drink I had ever tasted.

"Hi Kellen" he said looking at some sheets of paper "I need to take some blood"

I closed my eyes and felt something scratch my skin.

"All done" he said a couple of seconds later.

"Can I leave now?"

"Not yet, I have to get the results of this test"

I was left alone. Eventually I fell asleep, my stomach rumbling with hunger.

The next morning I woke up to find some food and drink had been left for me. I quickly drank the whole bottle of water and started on the food. There was so much of it but I ate it quickly as it was the most delicious food I had ever tasted.

Soon I felt the effect of having drunk so much and looked around me for somewhere to relieve myself. There was nothing. Soon I was desperate and banged on the door asking for help.

The door was opened by a woman with a very high voice. I noticed her face was perfect, and didn't look real.

"I need somewhere to_"

"I'll take you" she said and I followed her out of my room and into another door where there were cubicles.

"I'll wait here" she said "Use the toilet and have a shower"

Afterwards I felt so clean that I didn't want to put on my dirty clothes again.

"Here, put these on" said the lady, not seeming to care that I was standing there naked. She handed me a white dress with white shoes.

"Thank you" I said quickly throwing them on and braiding my wet hair.

She took me back, not into my room but another room where she sat me on a chair and immediately unbraided my hair before brushing it and drying it.

"You look tense" she commented and opened a drawer taking bottle of something out. She sprayed it around and I suddenly felt calm and relaxed.

"That's better" she said looking proud of her work. She finished by spraying something on my hair which she said made it look shiny "I'll take you back to your room now"

"Okay"

We walked back and she locked the door once I was inside my room. There was a plate of food waiting for me and some more water. I dived in straight away wondering how I could be so hungry already.

There was a knock on the door.

"Hello" I said and the door opened.

"Hello Kellen" said the doctor.

"Can I go home now?"

"I have good news Kellen. You show no signs of the infection"

"_" I was just speechless.

"You will be moved to the fertility suite now for insemination. Come with me"

"No" I shouted "I want to see my friend Jal"

He flicked through some sheets of paper and then announced "Jal has been taken home"

"Take me home now" I shouted angrily.

"Don't you realise the human race is dying out? That you could help save it?"

"I do realise that, and I do care" I said still in a loud voice. "But I want to make the choice myself, not to be forced to have a baby. And I want to be at home"

"That wouldn't be safe for a baby. No you will stay here. This is your home now"

"No"

He took a needle out of his pocket and held my arm as I struggled injecting me. The next thing I was aware of was lying on a bed in another room.

"Oh thank goodness you woke up" said the lady in a high pitched voice "We've found a great match for you. You'll be pregnant in no time"

She led me along a corridor which lots of white doors with numbers on and opened door number 10.

"In you go then" she said pushing me into the room.

I looked around the room noticing a boy with his head in his hands.

"Hello"

He looked up and I suddenly recognised him "Jal"

"Kellen" he said walking over and hugging me.

"What are you doing here? They told me you had been sent home"

"They told me the same" he said "What are you doing in here?"

"They just lead me into here. I'm not sure why"

"Oh Kel, it's been awful. Loads of girls have been in here. I've had to_ with them"

"And now they want us to do the same" I said angrily "I'm not doing it"

"You don't know what they'll do if you refuse Kell"

"What do they do?"

"I'm not telling you" he cried.

"Shh Jal" I wiped his eyes and put my arms around his waist, holding him.

"They don't have the right to force us"

"But they do Kell, because that's what they do"

"Look we're together again now. We can think of a way to escape together" I whispered in his ear. I took his hand and lead him onto the bed. I lay down too and covered us both with the blanket.

"How long will they give us?" I whispered.

"All day" he said and pointed to the table full of food that had been left for us.

I looked around and noticed a small window.

"Are you hot?" I asked Jal winking at him.

"A little bit" he smirked.

I hopped off the bed and walked over to the window. I turned the handle and pushed it open. Looking outside I noticed how high we were and the long drop down.

"That's better" I said joining him on the bed. We pulled the blanket over our heads and just hugged each other.

"We might die going out of that window" I whispered into his ear.

"Better than this" he said.

"Are you sure? We have to decide now"

"I'm sure" he said and we both immediately threw the blanket off, ran to the window and squeezed out.

"The ledge" he said and we crawled along it searching for a way down.

"There" I pointed to a ladder leading down the roof.

We climbed down and along another ledge and down again until we were on the ground.

"Somewhere to hide" he said and grabbed hold of my hand as we ran together. This place was nothing like home and we knew we needed to find somewhere to hide and quickly.

"The alley" I said pointing and we ran into the dark alley.

"The bin" he said.

We jumped into the big bin which stank and sat still.

"What should we do?" I wondered.

"I have no idea" he said looking worried. He held my hand and we sat like that eventually falling asleep.

We woke together suddenly and peeked out of the bin. There was no one there. We were safe.

"They'll still be looking for us" Jal said.

"How can we get home?"

"I have no idea Kell. I doubt we can" he said sadly "We're so far away"

"Look" he said pointing at a forest in the distance "We can make a home there, the two of us"

"Let's go then" I said with tears in my eyes. I let the tears fall, grieving for my family, who I would never see again.