CHAPTER NINE

Claire sneaked through the front door, thoughts swirling through her mind. There was a lot to think about and she didn’t want to be distracted by another fight with her mother. Her mother usually retired to her room early and Claire hoped tonight would be no exception.

“Where have you been?” Katherine demanded.

Claire’s hopes crumbled. Slowly turning to face the fuming woman, she gazed at her mother and for a brief moment felt sorry for her. She had never been loved so she had no idea how to love her own daughter. But any warm feelings quickly faded as Claire noted the look on her mother’s face—there was no concern in her expression, only impatience, fury and mistrust.

“I’m talking to you. Answer me!”

Claire’s anger soared as the hateful tone of her mother’s voice reached her ears. She wished she could feel some positive connection toward her mother, but all she could feel was the chill between them and the cold embrace of a loveless home.

“Out with friends.”

“I figured that much, but I asked where?”

“Nyla and I drove up to the overlook for a little peace and quiet, but I can tell there will be no more solitude tonight,” Claire snapped.

“I don’t want you associating with her or those farmers anymore. Do you understand me?”

“Not really. They’ve been my friends all my life, why start over now?”

“You’re an adult, almost done with your career prep program and eligible to apply for your own quarters soon, but those farm boys will be going away soon, so you might as well break away from them now. Nyla is a bad influence. With a mother like hers, she’ll never get a good job. She’ll be lucky to work at that dreadful coffee shop her mother had before taking up a life of crime. You could work for SLIC, like me, but you must distance yourself from people like her. And those males, we have absolutely no use for their kind in our well-structured society.”

Claire suddenly had a nearly uncontrollable urge to slap her mother. She didn’t know where the desire had come from. Violence in any form, physical or verbal, toward another person was strictly prohibited. Violent release was only allowed through video games. Claire took a deep breath and tried to regain control over her emotions.

“I don’t want to manipulate peoples’ lives like you and the rest of the clones at SLIC. I want to do something meaningful. I want to make life happier and more exciting for people.”

“Excitement is highly overrated and dangerous, and everything in furtherance of our nation’s agenda is meaningful. Policies are set for the good of all citizens, whether they see it or not. When people are allowed to make their own choices, they generally choose poorly. There were times when homeless people loitered in towns, law-abiding citizens were mugged, our borders were besieged by foreigners, children were kidnapped, our environment degraded and unwanted babies were up for adoption.”

“You’re right mother, we don’t get mugged anymore because we have nothing to take,” Claire hissed as she waved her left palm in front of her mother’s face.

“Get a hold of yourself, Claire. You sound like a crazy person.” Katherine grabbed her flailing hand and held it firmly.

Claire stepped closer and glared at her mother with burning intensity. “No one gets kidnapped because we have invasive tracking devices under our skin, but we aren’t free to move about our own country without setting off alarms as we travel across state borders. And no, there are no unwanted babies because you have to prove your loyalty to this screwed up society for the privilege of enough sperm for one. What if someone wants more than one child? What if I would love to have a sister or a brother? What if having a dad or a husband doesn’t sound repulsive to me?” Claire cried as tears streamed down her cheeks.

“Listen to me. This is the reason I don’t want you to associate with Nyla. I have no doubt you are getting these foolish ideas from her. Your grandmother never had a husband and obviously I haven’t and we’ve had fulfilled lives. I don’t understand why you don’t find comfort in knowing the authorities are there for you in every aspect of your life. You don’t have to worry about health care or being in an accident and no one finding you. With your chip, someone will always come for you. It’s like having an all-knowing being looking over your shoulder at all times to guide you and protect you.”

“People used to call that mighty being, ‘God’.”

The slap was so quick, Claire hadn’t seen it coming. She reached for her cheek and staggered back, stopped only by her mother’s iron hold on her wrist. Her mother had never struck her before and the shock left her speechless.

“Don’t ever say that word in this house again.”

Claire continued to stare at her mother, confusion and anger burning in her eyes. She watched as the color drained from the irate woman’s cheeks.

“I shouldn’t have struck you. It’s such an uncivilized act and strictly prohibited, but you know religion is illegal and I won’t allow you to shame this household. We don’t have to rely on a mystical being for guidance and comfort. We have the government to see to all of our needs.”

“But I’m lonely and if I give up my friends I will be all alone.”

“Nonsense—statistics confirm a career and a child will be sufficient for an average adult female to find fulfillment.”

“Average? Sufficient? Don’t you see anything sad about those goals?”

“Not at all. Wanting anything more than average is selfish and anything more than sufficient is greedy. When those two traits were allowed to proliferate, and in many instances were rewarded, society nearly collapsed. Selfish greed in a community is dangerous.”

Claire stared at her mother. She couldn’t understand how two women from the same house could have such opposing views on life. All of the things her mother found such comfort in, Claire found terrifying.

“I guess I see it as ambition, not selfish greed, and it’s only dangerous when there is no moral fiber left in a society.”

“I can only guess where you came up with that nonsense,” Katherine huffed, while rolling her eyes in frustration.

Claire supposed many of her thoughts and dreams were spawned by stories filtered down through Nyla’s mother and grandmother, but she only felt gratitude to them for showing her that life hadn’t been as bad as the politicians and her mother tried to claim.

“I just want what’s best for you and our country. If we all behave according to the rules, we’ll live dependable, comfortable lives. Your friend Nyla will never feel content because she has her mother’s rebellious seed. She will probably end up in the Facility as well, which would be best for society since she spreads discontent. And those males have a different destiny,” Katherine stated as she released her daughter’s wrist and stepped back.

Claire’s thoughts fixed on Jared and she wanted to know the truth. She was afraid for his and Ethan’s future since no one knew for sure what that was. The uncertainty drove her to push her mother on the issue.

“What destiny? Claire demanded. “Men never come back here. Where do they go and what happens to them when they leave here, Mother?”

“That doesn’t need to concern you.”

“I want to know, Mother. Tell me the truth. If you want me to understand you and the life you embrace you have to be honest with me.”

“Hmm,” Katherine hesitated. She wasn’t sure how much she dare share, but she wanted Claire to accept her future and break free of her less than desirable companions. Claire had to understand the authorities were only doing what was best for the citizens. “It’s more of a federal issue than a state issue, but I do know that males report to one of three occupational categories. Many men work in the factories in the central manufacturing zone on the East Coast, others volunteer for the military and the rest participate in science. All are noble contributions to our collective cause.”

“I don’t even want to know what it means to participate in science or I fear I will never be able to speak to you again, but why would any man agree to join the military and protect this country when they have so few opportunities in society?”

“Well, if they successfully complete their military obligation they are allowed to retire and live anywhere they want. They can even go home if they wish.”

“But they never do, Mother. They never come home. Are we murdering our men?”

“Don’t be ridiculous. That is so barbaric. The military is a dangerous choice, but one many men choose of their own free will.”

Claire stared at her mother. She wasn’t sure if she hated her or pitied her. The woman was either brainwashed or she knew the men of America were being systematically exterminated after they were no longer useful and found nothing wrong with the gender-cleansing.

“Of course they choose the military. It’s the only option that promises freedom. A promise that will never be kept, but with the alternatives so grim, men continue to gambling on a game that’s rigged.”

“You’re so cynical, Claire. Can’t you ever just accept things the way they are? There is so little need for males anymore they should be happy they are brought into this world at all.”

Claire’s doubts about what her friends’ believed to be true had disappeared. She had often thought Nyla was paranoid, but now Claire knew Nyla wasn’t far off base. The realization that society deemed Ethan and Jared as disposable, and that they would be casually discarded when they ceased to be of use, made Claire tremble. She thought about Ethan always trying to protect them from unpleasantness and Jared striving to make them laugh. But, there was no one to protect Ethan now and if he was taken she doubted any of them would ever be able to laugh again.