Upside Down

Inna Spice

6470A Glenway Avenue, #109 Cincinnati, OH 45211-5222

This is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, organizations, events or locales is entirely coincidental. eBook ISBN 1-59426-562-3 Upside Down © 2006 by Inna Spice All rights reserved under the International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. Cover art © 2006 by Stacey L. King Phaze is an imprint of Mundania Press, LLC.

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Sheila pressed the accelerator pedal. She had to hurry. Her eleven-year-old daughter Sheshana would be standing outside the school in the cold dark of evening, waiting for the ride home. She felt guilty for not making it to the concert. Their home laundry steamer broke right in the middle of a cleaning session, and she needed her pale gray suit for tomorrow’s conference. So Sheila had to take their clothes to a commercial steamer, which made her really late. Some days things just don’t go right, Sheila thought. If she were married, at least her partner would have been able to help out, do half the work at home, or pick up the child. Her mothers were right when they told her single parenting wasn’t going to be easy, but Sheila didn’t want a partner just to share the work and the bills. She wanted to marry for love. The problem was, she didn’t love women. Nothing in women turned her on. In the She-World, women were only to mate with other women, and every woman had to have at least one daughter to propagate the population. And since Sheila was still single at twenty-five, she had to reproduce asexually, using her own genes and cells. Even though the process of cloning a child from a single individual was simpler than cloning from combined genes of two females, it cost more. The higher price was a form of punishment for singles who were unable to copulate. She had all of her own female attributes and she was not at all curious about the same creatures. So she decided to give up 3

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dating and live alone with her daughter. Having a very well-paying job and the emotional support of her two mothers, Sheila never regretted her decision. She loved Sheshana with such passion that she couldn’t stand a thought of having ever worried or upset her child. Driving to the school, Sheila pondered her world. Centuries ago the population of the Earth split into two halves: He-World and She-World. Each existed independently, ignoring the other, merely tolerating the opponent’s reality. The He-World was exclusively male, the She-World female. They were homosexual men and lesbian women loving only their own gender, caring only for their own hormones and behavior. Not only was each gender uninterested in the opposite world, they despised and even feared each other. Each reproduced by strict cloning, selecting only the best, strongest genes of their gender. Males usually cultivated their fetuses inside the chemical vessels, whereas females preferred to use their wombs as they were more natural and guaranteed the babies to be stronger and healthier at birth and have greater connection with their parents. But in both worlds, every person had to have at least one child of his or her own gender in order to keep the count. Each gender feared the opposite world might get a larger headcount and start a war, perhaps leading to invasion and even termination. So, the people of each world carefully planned their breeding and produced children with deep aversion to the opposite sex planted inside their consciousness. It wouldn’t be hard to keep them all gay so long as nature didn’t interfere. Sometimes, for no obvious or scientific reason, a rare individual lacked the genes that would ensure his or her homosexual nature. If that couldn’t be rectified through 4

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educational indoctrination, then he or she was either ordered to be killed by his or her own parent, or was allowed to live only if he or she could be cloned for children who would be gay. Sheila knew she was one of those rare women who was allowed to live, so long as she brought up her daughter to be a lesbian. The complicated analysis of her genetic makeup showed that even she had plenty of gay characteristics that were dormant in her, but would be successfully reproduced and activated in her child. Not to look too much out of place, Sheila occasionally had a fling with one woman or another. Even out of plain curiosity, she would strap on a dildo and please a blonde parent from Sheshana’s school. Or, she would invite over a neighbor’s wife for some wine late at night and let her kiss and finger her till dawn, but in the morning she would not know why she had bothered. No woman was ever able to fully awaken her sexual desire, nor bring her to ecstasy. There was no notion of infidelity within the two worlds. Sure, the females fell in love with each other, they married, they cloned children, but they were always free to sleep and experiment with one another and with each other’s wives without limits. There was no jealousy, no fights. Just plain love, sex and joy. The only sin of cheating possible was to have sex or even a light physical contact with the opposite gender. That sin brought on a shameful guilt and was prosecuted by law. As far as Sheila knew, the same rules applied in He-World. Sheila pondered this as she drove. She wondered how she could get to school more quickly; she could speed up, take a left turn at the next intersection, steer her aerocar to rise up and to fly over several blocks. This would be a good shortcut across and over a part of the He-World. She could then land in the small field next to the school playground. She would be so proud that 5

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she’d finally gotten the guts to fly her new round aerocar. She had owned it for over two weeks, but hadn’t used the advanced technology, yet. “Sheshana, I'm coming, darling. I’ll be right there,” she whispered to cheer herself on, and turned on a signal, indicating she was going to levitate. According to the traffic law she was supposed to wait fifteen seconds and let her antenna indicate that the air highway was clear. The ground streets were empty; only a crazy person would use the air highway at this time. So Sheila accelerated and pumped her aerocar up into the air in only five seconds. A sharp bell pierced her eardrums. Multi-colored lights on the dash warned another vehicle was within a few metres of hers. “Shit!” she yelled. A blast threw her into the air. She tumbled through the black sky, seeing nothing but flashes of passing stars, and a large basket of fresh laundry in pursuit. She kicked her arms and legs, but couldn’t ward off the heavy basket. The edge struck her skull with a painful shower of sparks, and Sheila’s world went black. *** When she opened her eyes, the light was so bright pink that Sheila thought she was dreaming. She blinked several times and found it difficult to breathe. Then she realized something was covering her face. Slowly, she moved the fingers of one hand, then of the other. She wiggled her toes and sighed with relief, understanding that she was not paralyzed. She placed her hand on her face and removed the horrid pink mask—her daughter’s magenta underwear. How silly! She laughed for a moment. Then she remembered. She was supposed to pick up Sheshana in the evening. But bright daylight shone into her eyes. Where was she? How long 6

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had she been here? Why hadn’t anyone found her? She jumped to her feet, brought her palm to her forehead to shield out the sun, and looked around. As far as she could see was yellow sand and clear blue sky. Not a building in sight, not a person. Just like pictures of deserts she used to see in her grandmother’s book. Not at all like the Earth City. The hot sand and quivering air were all Sheila had now. Besides that, she also found a few pieces of her clothing, dusty and scattered by the wind. She didn’t know exactly where she was or what she could do to get back. But since she was alive she would fight for her existence and use anything around her to help herself. She ran around and picked up her laundered belongings. A couple of bed sheets would build a nice tent; the pale grey blazer of her suit might keep her warm at night. The long green scarf could be used as a rope, a few mismatched socks would last a while as slippers after her shoes became worn. What, was she going to stay here forever? Of course not. But she was practical and she had to prepare herself to survive until help arrived. She could string together her daughter’s colourful panties and somehow make an S.O.S. sign visible in the sand from far above. Frantically, she picked up all the pieces and piled them high. The bunch could make a nice bed, but instead Sheila took an end of a sheet and tied it to an end of another sheet. Then the opposite end of that second sheet she tied together with the tussles of her scarf. She tied the scarf to an arm of her blazer, and the other arm to a pant leg, then to the camisoles, bras and socks. All the pieces, tied together, formed a clumsy rope. Sheila decided to walk as far as this funny rope would allow her to go. At least, if she ever needed to come back, she would not be lost. She thanked herself for owning such an 7

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extensive wardrobe and slowly made her way, following the sun. The desert was endless. In the heat of scorching sun, time seemed to crawl as slowly as the exhausted Sheila. She lowered herself onto sand that hotly bit at her bum. What was she to do now? When desperate tears came up to her throat, she thought of her two mothers, who had taught her to always be strong. “You are a woman,” they had said, “and that means you are very strong and independent. That means you are the most amazing, wonderful creature on this planet. You will always survive and outlast anyone. You can endure anything.” She believed them, but didn’t want to see their faith tested. Here she was all alone, in the middle of hot nowhere, with no means to get back to her family, to her regular life. She bawled, letting out her bitter frustrations through the river of salty tears. Tightly holding onto the rope, she cried herself to sleep. *** Sheila woke. Something had prodded her shoulder. “Sheshanna!” she yelled. “Holy shit!” a stranger cried. “You are alive!” Sheila stared at the person bent over her. Missing even a flat breast, it was definitely not a woman. Although, it didn’t resemble what she had known a man should look like. It had shortly trimmed hair, a large, aquiline nose, and a thicker neck. Its extremities looked longer, larger, and rougher than a woman’s, but it was far from ugly and wicked. It had no grossly hanging body hair and beard. It was, actually, very goodlooking. The person extended an arm to help her get up, and Sheila’s gaze fell upon its hips. They were wide but flat, not at all shapely and soft like a woman’s hips would be. There was this strange engorged pouch on the front underneath the pants. Sheila was 8

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dumbstruck. “Come on. I’ll help you up,” the person said impatiently. “You speak my language, but you’re not one of us,” she managed to say. “What, you had never seen a man before?” Sheila shook her head, no. “We speak human language, just like you. We are human, just a better kind.” That remark made Sheila jerk her hand back. “I’ve heard enough of you to not ever want to see one of you. It’s true what they say about men—you’re selfish, cocky, insufficient bastards!” “Nice to meet you too, lady.” He made a face, as if he’d just encountered a nasty, slimy little thing. “Someone crashed with my plane last night. The blast was so huge, it threw me out of my seatbelt and into orbit. I came down in this desert. I hope to find a way back to my city somehow. I was searching for traces of my plane and found you instead. This looks like the Sahara Desert. Do you live here?” “No. I guess I fell here, too. A plane crashed into me when I was flying to pick up my daughter. Did you say it happened last night?” The man nodded. “Oh, was that you? Do you drive a red aerocar?” Sheila was silent. But, her face showed it all. The man swore under his breath. “I thought maybe you lived here, then you’d know the way out. But no, it’s you—the woman who swerved in front of me out of nowhere, crashed my plane and got me here. Just great.” He spoke with such anger that Sheila thought him every bit as ugly as the textbook pictures of men. “No wonder they say that women shouldn’t be allowed to drive. You didn’t wait long enough before rising to the air highway, or 9

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maybe your antenna is out of order.” “I’m sorry,” Sheila said sarcastically. “I was in a hurry. My daughter was waiting for me outside. No one in their right mind would be flying that time of night when the streets are empty. And you have no idea how hard it is to be a single parent, do you?” she spat. “You’re right, I don’t. But think of what your child is doing now without you? Still waiting on a sidewalk? How sufficient is that?” A tear slid down Sheila’s cheek. He was right, but he had no right to be so cruel. “She is fine, I’m sure. I have family and friends to look after her if I’m in trouble. She knows how to take care of herself, too.” A crooked smile formed on the man’s lips. “I can’t waste anymore time on you. I’ve got to try to piece my plane back together so I can get out of here.” “Good luck finding it!” she yelled at his back. “But remember wherever you see this rope,” she help up a handful of her clothes and shook it in the air, “don’t go there. It’s all my space!” Still walking away from her, the man raised his hands and shrugged his shoulders, “Women—already own half of the planet, and still never satisfied.” *** Sheila got up and wandered in hopes of finding someone else who could help her. Dragging her feet and the tied up clothes in the ankle-deep sand, she soon reached the rope’s end. It seemed to her that as long as the rope continued she had hope. Now that the rope was finished, the hope was vanishing, and so was her reservoir of energy. With a last reserve of strength she stomped her feet, 10

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annoyed that she had come to nothing. She fell to her knees, deciding to give up, then she noticed a smudge of green on the horizon. Breathing deeply, Sheila gathered her will and decided to try crawling toward the patch. If it were an oasis, she may be able to drink and eat something. Refreshed, she could always come back to her rope and decide on a new plan of action. If it were just a mirage, she might as well die trying to find food and water, but at least she would not be giving up. My mothers would be so proud of me now! Inching her fingers along the dried-out dirt, she pulled her body in the same direction. She scraped her belly and swore, but she kept dragging herself forward, up a shallow hill that loomed like a mountain because she was so weak. At last, she reached the top. The other side was covered with short, soft moss. With an exhausted but happy grin, she stuck her face into it and breathed in its weird citrus smell. This plant was surely magical, because every time she inhaled the spicy aroma, she felt stronger and younger. Like a playful child, she rolled sideways down the hill right to its bottom, where she found a shallow creek. Having washed her face and drunk plenty, Sheila stepped over the water and explored this small oasis. All it had were several bushes of different height. Some grew up to Sheila’s chest, some only reached her ankles, but all had different berries hiding underneath thick, waxy leaves. The short plants had purple and orange berries. The taller shrubs were heavy with berries that resembled blackberries from the Earth City market, only these were very pale, almost transparent blue. Sheila tried the berries carefully, one at a time. First, she tried an orange one; it tasted like a banana. Some twenty minutes later, seeing that this berry did nothing bad to her, Sheila felt 11

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brave enough to take a purple one in her mouth. This berry had an awful taste. Sheila spat the berry out, not swallowing a drop of its disgusting juice, and rinsed her mouth with creek water. Just one more try, she thought, picking a pale blue fruit. Then she’d either die or know exactly what would be on her menu tonight. Slowly, she brought the berry to her nose and sniffed it. It smelled like a blueberry. Sheila stuck out her tongue and licked the small segments. Unable to wait any longer, she stuffed the berry into her mouth and vigorously chewed. Delicious, rich juice sprayed over her teeth. “This is the best!” Sheila squealed with delight. Why hadn’t she tried this one first? “Blueberries are for supper tonight,” she sang, dancing and grabbing handfuls of ripe crop. She stuffed both cheeks full, and only then bit into the berries, enjoying the sweet juice that leaked down her throat and spurted out between her lips. “I’m not going to die. I’m not going to starve,” she mumbled with her mouth full. It took a lot of berries to satisfy her hunger, but once she finished feasting, she decided to return to her rope, gather it all and bring it here, to this wonderful oasis and build some kind of shelter. She stuffed the pockets of her summer dress with more berries and walked over the hill. *** Meanwhile, the man hadn’t had much luck. After walking aimlessly, he managed to find an engine and a few metal scraps of his plane, as well as a red side panel of Sheila’s aerocar. He figured there was no harm in keeping whatever he could find, and gathered his new belongings into a pile. His pile was only a hundred metres from the beginning of Sheila’s rope. When she came to get the rope’s end, she could not miss the colourful pile of scraps, and she recognized the red 12

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panel. How dare that man collect pieces of her aerocar? She dropped her rope and stormed to the metal pile with the intention to seize what was hers. The man wasn’t in sight. His absence would make claiming her items even easier, Sheila decided. She approached the pile and yanked her side panel, when the man’s voice protested. “Hey! Don’t touch my things,” he yelled from somewhere underneath the pile. “Listen, you, I didn’t take your rope, I didn’t even come close to it. So you go back there and leave my things alone.” “Your things? That’s the piece of my car you collected here and I want it,” she stated in a tone that meant she wouldn’t ever back up. “Where are you, anyway?” After some rattling and banging the man showed, climbing out from a small dugout he’d disguised with the metal part of his plane. “It’s hot in there,” he grumbled. Sheila glanced at him, worried that he might assault her. But she was shocked to see him suddenly so small. He looked as if he’d shrunk under the weight of heavy, humid heat and misery of hunger. His face was skinny, his cheeks fell inward, and his eyes were wickedly dark with circles around them and took up most of his face. His whole body looked haggard and sulking. Suddenly, Sheila felt sorry for this human drying up and dying in the desert. It occurred to her that if she just left and waited out a few days, he would kick the bucket and she could come back and try to assemble his plane by herself. If she didn’t find any other way out until then, that was. She was about to turn around and walk away peacefully, but something in her heart told her not to leave. She hadn’t seen another sentient being in the last three days. This desert seemed completely uninhabited. He was a human, after all. Even though he tried to sound cocky, his eyes pleaded for help. 13

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Sheila’s fingers felt the bumpy segments of the berries in her pocket. She lingered. The man just stood before her, silent. “Here’s the deal,” Sheila started. “If you promise to take me with you back to Earth City after you build your plane, I can help you survive here.” A bitter smile showed on his lips. He snorted sarcastically. “What, you’re gonna cook for me?” “Maybe. But it’s your call. I need a real vow.” Her voice sounded so sure, as if she really knew this desert like the back of her hand. The man took a moment to think it over. Sheila pulled her hand out of the pocked and opened her palm, in the middle of which set one blue berry. Man’s hungry gaze fell upon the juicy berry, and he eyed it for several long seconds, as if in disbelief. Finally, he said, “All right. But we can’t be seen together in Earth City. Or we’re both dead.” “It’s either dead here or dead there, I guess. Maybe we can figure out a way to land in the dark, at night, in a secluded place.” “Okay, we can try.” “What can you swear on?” Sheila demanded. “You’re serious about that?” “Sure. I am about to trust you with my life,” she reminded him. “I have a husband at home. We were happy and planned to have a son soon. They’re most important to me. Is that enough for you?” Sheila thought of her daughter. If she swore on her life, would she ever betray? She remembered Sheshana’s beautiful brown curls shining in the sun and her playful, quick, loving eyes. “If you swear on their life, that’s good,” she said quietly. The man nodded. Their eyes connected in deep agreement. 14

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“I’m Heisam,” the man held out his hand. “What’s your name?” “Sheila.” She stepped forward and quickly placed the berry in his hand. “Thank you. But, aren’t we going to shake on our deal?” He placed the berry in his mouth, offered his hand again, and smiled. His face didn’t seem as deadly anymore. Slightly confused, Sheila stretched out her fingers and touched them to his palm. She had never touched a man before. His skin was rough from hauling around metal in the heat, or maybe it had always been rough. Her long, pale fingers almost disappeared in his massive warm hand when he folded his fingers around hers to give her a gentle shake. She could think of nothing, except that this felt good. *** A strange orange bird perched on a bush one morning and pecked at the orange berries. Sometimes, it lifted its head and chirped. When the berries of this whole bush were in its fuzzy belly, the bird flew over to the taller bush and started on the blue berries. “This is enough!” Heisam hissed. He sat side by side with Sheila, eating their breakfast berries and watching the orange visitor. “I didn’t mind too much when it was eating the secondsort berries, but now it comes after our only nutritious food. I’ve had enough of this bird.” “I know,” Sheila said. “Why don’t we kill it? And dry its meat. It has to have some meat underneath the feathers. Soaked in berry sauce and dried in the sun, it might taste really good.” Heisam looked at her in amazement. Since the day of their pact, Sheila had been very gentle and caring. She collected the berries, and prepared various berry meals to share with him. She 15

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tended to his scrapes and cuts. She went on long walks in search of more metal parts and redesigned their scraps of clothes into newer outfits, while he worked on assembling the plane. She sang and told him stories of her daughter. It seemed she could never hurt a mosquito. But, there were no mosquitoes. No animals, no insects, no birds, nothing at all. That was why they were so taken by the sudden visit of this bird, and they let it sing for them and eat their berries. But Sheila was right, they couldn’t afford to share their food with anyone else. Besides, the bird might provide some amount of protein, however small. “I’ll sit here and whistle to distract it, while you get a branch from a corner bush and come hit him from the back,” she suggested. Heisam considered whether this was the best strategy. Sheila was waiting, annoyed. “Come on now, do you want me to get up and do it before it eats everything?” Heisam shook his head at her with a smile. Wow, what a determined woman she was. His husband had never been so strict with him. His husband was a pussy. And this woman had a pussy, but she had never showed it. She could do anything. She could be so female and emotional one minute, and so resolute and hard-hearted the next. She was a survivor. Heisam got up and crept to the edge of the oasis, where he found a large, dry branch. While Sheila sang softly and whistled, he came close to the pest and crushed it with a huge blow. The creature didn’t even have the time to unfold its wings. “Victory!” shouted Sheila. Thrilled, she jumped up and down and twirled, and when her head started spinning, she fell and bumped into Heisam. Just in time, he opened up his arms, and she fell into his embrace. “We’ll have a great supper tonight!” Only then did she 16

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realize that he held her. Their hug was cozy and long. They looked into each other’s sunny faces, smiled, and felt like they should stay like this forever. They belonged together. Heisam lowered his face and kissed her cheek. Sheila closed her eyes and felt his touch. She had never been kissed so tenderly before. Women always went straight for the mouth, they went crazy for her sensitive tongue. But this was different. This was divine. His lips were soft and smooth. It seemed he breathed his kisses at her. Could a human be like this? Could a male be such gentle lover? Losing her head, she now wanted to find out. Her lips parted, inviting him in. He continued exploring her face and mouth with his. His tongue was as delicate and skillful, never forceful, but still in charge. Sheila was out of breath. She put out her hand and motioned that she needed some air. She inhaled deeply, and smiled. She was so happy and satisfied. “I think I’ll wash our clothes today, I can’t stand the way our things smell. We can’t steam our clothes here, but we could try some kind of cleaning. Okay?” “You mean I smell bad?” “Not horrible. But we haven’t washed properly since we ended up in this crazy place. It’s been what…seven weeks? Don’t you think it’s about time?” “Every day I keep hoping that we’ll be able to fly tomorrow or the day after. I can’t waste any time on cleaning.” “I know. I’m hoping, too.” They both laughed at their predicament. Heisam let her out of his arms reluctantly and went to work on the plane. *** Sheila pulled the feathers from the bird. She then sliced it with a piece of metal, emptied its insides and laid it on a large hot rock to dry. 17

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She spotted a small pit on the side of the stream. She soaked her jacket in it like in a sink, then pulled it out and spread it on the sand. She dug for some mud from the bottom of the brook and rubbed her muddy hands on the wet fabric. Once again, she remembered the pictures from her grandma’s book, the ones showing how people used mud and sand for washing the dishes and themselves thousands of years ago. She washed all the clothes and sheets that she could find with the exception of what she wore, then hung them over the bushes to dry in the sun. She looked around to make sure she was alone. She laughed at herself. Heisam would be working on the plane all day and not return until supper. Who else could be here? Quickly, she unbuttoned her dress, washed it, and spread it on a shrub. She took a clean sock and sat on a rock by the newfound sink. She soaked the sock in the cold water and used it as a sponge to rub her body. The cool stroke of the rough cloth on her nude body felt invigorating. She shivered, and a blanket of tiny goose bumps covered her skin. She rubbed herself faster, and the skin reddened and burned a little. The pleasure of cleanliness and freshness washed over her. She kneeled before the pit and dipped her head to wash her hair. The cold water felt funny on her skull. It took Sheila a while to rinse and untangle her long strands. When she was finished, she swirled her head backward, making her locks fly and splatter the mist through the air before they fell on her back. She rose and started toward the bush to check if her dress had dried when she saw Heisam watching her from a distance. For an instant she froze, then blushed. “Why are you here?” she demanded. 18

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“You are beautiful.” “Well, I thought you were working on the plane. Don’t you want to get out of here?” “I am not so sure anymore,” he said, his voice tranquil. “I think I might like it to just stay here with you.” Sheila snorted and pulled on her damp dress. “I came to tell you that it’s almost done. There’s only two days of work left. I really think it’s going to fly. It’s so damn hot today, and I needed a cold drink. But when I got here, I couldn’t resist watching you.” “Well then, I think it’s your turn to bathe now. This pit makes a nice basin. And later you can help me cook.” She grabbed a bunch of berries, walked over to a bulky flat rock on a side, and sat down, waiting. “What now, Heisam? Go on. Wash yourself. Your clean laundry is waiting to be put on.” The giggle in her voice reminded him that she liked revenge, and she wasn’t giving up now. He unbuttoned his shirt and slipped it off while walking toward the pit. Sheila had already seen him topless often while he worked on the plane, so his tanned skin didn’t surprise her. Now, in the middle of this hot day, it glistened with sweat, and for some reason she really wanted to touch it. She stared and imagined what it would feel like to run her hand along his strong, sweaty arm. She smiled. Heisam kicked off his shoes and took off his socks. He unzipped his jeans and slowly pulled them off, stealing glances at Sheila. His boxers were wet with sweat and stuck to his thighs. Sheila’s eyes were glued to them. He made funny faces at Sheila to distract her from his crotch, and hopped in small jumps around the pit. Then he kneeled in the water, scooped some in his hands, and splashed it 19

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on his neck. Cold streams ran down his chest, shoulders and stomach, and soaked into his underwear. “Brrr…” He felt his erection jump, then wilt. Sheila was laughing. He splashed himself more, slapping handfuls of water all over his body. “I think I need some help,” he said, and smiled at Sheila. “Oh? Take those off and use them like a washcloth,” she suggested. “Right.” He mumbled something else under his breath and slipped off the boxers. They fell to his feet, revealing white hips, ass and a soft cock. It was large, not at all shrunk, but hung down meekly. It was so much like Heisam himself. Giant, yet nice. Masculine, yet gentle and somewhat shy. Sheila was awestruck. She wanted to come and hug him, share herself and give him whatever she could. But she also felt bashful, so she stayed put on her rock, and gaped at him wide-eyed. Heisam couldn’t have missed her amazement, and he seemed to enjoy being on display. There was a greater bond between them than just surviving and sharing the time and space until they got out. There was something in the air, something unsaid or unfinished. They now wanted to figure it out. To show, to do, to say, to feel, to understand. *** Together they squashed some berries and marinated the bird, then hung it to dry over the fire’s smoke. They made a twoberry salad with young leaves and spread the orange bird’s feathers like confetti on the rock where they usually ate. Their mood was festive. Both clean and freshly dressed, they sat side by side in the evening shade. “Cheers!” They clunked together the bent metal scraps they used as cups and took a drink of creek water. Always fresh and 20

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cold, the water tasted even better this evening. They could almost pretend it was champagne. “You know, I think we should kiss. It’s part of the celebration,” Heisam said. “And what are we celebrating exactly?” “The victory over the bird. The completion of the plane. The end of our isolated life. A wonderful bathing. And you being so kind and gorgeous.” “You are so cheesy!” Sheila couldn’t help laughing. “And you are so liking it!” “Maybe.” They sat in silence a few moments, looking at their own feet. Then they jumped into each other’s arms and nothing in the world could pull them apart. It felt so right to hold and to be held. To caress. To give in to crazy passion. They were heated even more by the novelty of discovering the opposite gender, untouched and forbidden. Fingers stroked unknown and exotic body parts. Heisam’s mind became completely lost between Sheila’s breasts. Plump, full and smooth, they stuck out at him like two live faces. He didn’t know at which to look first. His fingers touched them gingerly, creating a blanket of goose bumps over Sheila’s body. He became lost in his fascination with her waist, shapely hips, long legs, sensitive hair triangle, labia, and her hot, moist cave. He caressed her skin, sending electrical waves through her body. “You are so smooth, and soft, and kind of puffy,” Heisam breathed in Sheila’s ear. “And you are so…manly.” “Manly? Is that a good thing then?” “Well, yeah. You’re big and secure, and a bit rough, just like someone I’ve been looking for all my life. I never liked women, you know.” 21

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“Neither did I. Until I met you.” “Until you touched me?” Sheila corrected. “No, ‘til I met you. You are so different from what I thought a woman really would be. You’re strong-willed and funny. You’re beautiful. And your body…I just can’t take my hands of you.” “Then don’t.” “I want to hold you all night. And a whole day, a whole week.” “Good. That feels so good.” Sheila’s consciousness was wrapped around his thick cock, an amazing body part that had a life and mind of its own. It spoke out to her in a dance, responding to the touch of her index finger as it traced its pulsating veins. The round, swollen head of the shaft was dark and taut, ripe, ready to erupt. The smell of his sex and his balls entertained her for a long while. Sensations overwhelmed them. They forgot about their supper and hunger. All they wanted to know was the pleasure of loving the forbidden sex. Their bodies shivered. Their arms, legs and hair became entangled. Perspiration beads formed on their skin and were rubbed into the other’s body. They became one being, so utterly complete and inseparable. Their minds concurred. Their spirits sang. Afterward, when the pitch black sky indicated a time past midnight, they lay in an embrace, saturated in their bliss. No foolish rules could change what they felt. The contented smile slowly faded from Sheila’s face, replaced by a serious expression as she spoke. “Do you really think this is it? We’ll fly back in two days and never see each other again? Will we really live our lives like we used to?” “You have a child. Having her by your side will bring you back fast.” 22

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“As I remember, you have a husband,” said Sheila. “I don’t know if I could keep our relationship the same. Until now he was the only guy for me, the only person I could rely on. I thought I loved him. But I feel like I was missing out on so much more. I didn’t know you then. I didn’t know any women, I thought they were all rotten bitches, you know, whatever we’ve been taught about them.” “Don’t even get me started about what we’ve been taught about each other in Earth City!” Sheila exclaimed. “Do you think they got it all wrong? I mean, why can’t women and men interact? Why can’t they love each other? Why can’t they live together? We seem to be doing fine out here. Wouldn’t it be so much easier there, with all the conveniences of civilization?” Heisam nodded. “I don’t know why people have followed this movement of division for so long. I mean, it’s been centuries and no one, no one, had tried to change it.” “Maybe someone has tried, but unsuccessfully. You know how scared and disgusted we usually are. Maybe it’s time for a change. Maybe, we are meant to change it now?” “You mean, you and me?” Heisam sat up. “I just can’t see myself going back to my former life. Having my daughter with me, how am I supposed to teach her to be lesbian, to love women and to hate men when I can’t even do it myself? I don’t think this is right. I mean, I have nothing against lesbians, but I am not one of them. Why should I be told what to be? The Great Matron, why should I listen to her? What does she really know?” “Yes, the Great Father rules our world, and no one seems to mind. But, they don’t know what they’re missing, they couldn’t even imagine.” Heisam sat deep in thought, and Sheila let him. She watched his face and could see the intense work that went on 23

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underneath his wrinkled forehead. Finally, he spoke out loud. “I thought I was so happy, in love with my man, ready to have a son. But now I wonder what the use is. What is the purpose of breeding a little copy of myself? How is this progressive to have a mini-me or a miniHebrahim—that’s my husband’s name—repeat the same cycle of life that we had? How is this good for the universe?” Sheila shook her head, taking all his questions as rhetorical. She was busy repeating, “Hebrahim. He-brahim. Heisam. Heisam.” She slapped him on the arm. “Oh my goodness! Is that what this is? They make you, men, call your children names that start with He? We have the books of names where we pick ours. I’d never thought of it, but all of them begin with She. There is nothing else available. I am She-ila. My daughter is She-shana. My mothers—She-bastiana and She-ena. All my friends and coworkers, they’re all She-something. This is evil! They want us to believe only in our own gender. They make us think that nothing else exists. This is identity theft.” Struck by their discovery and finally feeling their hunger for food, they decided to eat, then make love, and rest. The horrible reality of their worlds could be discussed sometime in the morning. *** Sheila woke and found herself alone. The high sun baked her cheek through a small hole in the sheet that made the roof of the tent. Her summer dress was tucked in around her naked body. A damp sheet underneath her smelled like Heisam’s groin and sweat. It made her remember the craziest, happiest night of her life. His body, so different from her own, masculine, hairy. Her hands ached to touch his skin again, to run along his square frame, shoulders, collarbone, Adam’s apple, unshaven cheek. 24

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Where was he now? Sitting outside and contemplating their nations’ deceptions? Working on the final details of the plane according to their plan? Or maybe he had already gone back to Earth City and abandoned her? After all, he had gotten from her what he’d wanted. Now he could return to Earth City alone and not be prosecuted for touching a female because no one would ever know. Sheila’s head started to hurt. Her breathing raced. Her chest ached so much, she was ready to cry. Suddenly, a piece of the side sheet of the tent parted, and a goofy, smiling face appeared before her eyes. “It’s a wonderful morning, or should I say noon, Princess!” “God, you scared me!” she cried out, quickly wiping away a tear. “Thank you for calling me your god, but I am only a human. A primitive man, wise enough to have known a woman.” He was here and he was happy about it. Sheila could barely contain her heartbeat. She was so glad to see him smile. “I’ve got it all figured out,” Heisam said firmly. A wave of worry washed over Sheila. “But first, I’ve got something to show you.” With pride, he pulled out a handful of metal from behind his back. It was a small sculpture of some sort. “You like it? I made it, just now.” Sheila took a guess. “Is this like a miniature carving of our plane?” “Close. But not really. It’s a toy. A toy car for Sheshana. I want her to like me, as much as you do.” Sheila stared at him. “Well not as much as you, but you know…like as if she were my child.” His words made no sense to Sheila, but his eyes did. They clearly said I love you, forever. “So this is what we can do,” he continued. “We will fly to Earth City, pick up your daughter, and come back. Just the three 25

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of us, unless we find likeminded thinkers really fast. But I don’t think anyone would understand, or even try to. So it might be best to just flee.” Sheila was still speechless. “If we survived here with nothing for months, we can do it longer, forever if need be. We’ll pack the most useful things, and we’ll build a new life right here. You, me, and our children. We can start a new civilization, cultured and free, this time. Isn’t it grand?” Tears streamed down Sheila’s cheeks. She wasn’t sure if they were the tears of joy or disappointment. She was pleased that he wanted to build a future with her, but it sounded too good to be true. It was simply impossible to do, to run like that and survive. How could he be such a dreamer? Heisam sat down and hugged her. “Are you crying from joy?” he asked, unsure. Sheila, still unable to answer, hugged him back, squeezing his chest to hers with all her might. “Well then, Sheila, will you marry me?” he whispered in her ear. As if what he’d said before wasn’t already enough for her mind to digest. “Will you marry me now?” “What, right now?” Sheila’s voice was deep from crying. “Aha. We can swear to each other outside. On the big rock, before the sun. We don’t need any other witnesses if we mean what we say. I know what I’m offering you. So, what do you say?” “While I just slept, you’ve done all this thinking for us? And deciding?” “I did the thinking part. You still have to decide,” he corrected. She couldn’t help but smile to his precise remark. *** An hour later, they stood before each other, nude, on the big 26

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rock. The sun shone at their sides, as if it were an ordinary day. Their hands were locked together, their eyes looking deep into each other’s souls. “I, Heisam, take you, Sheila, to be my unlawfully wedded wife, forever. In sickness and in health, in heat of the day and in freezing cold of the night, I will always be by your side. I will care for you and give you my all. With my promise, I change my name to Sheldon and ask you to be mine.” “I, Sheila, take you, Heisam, Sheldon, to be my unlawfully wedded husband, forever. In sickness and in health, in heat of the day and in freezing cold of the night, I will, too, always be by your side. I will care for you and give you my all. With my promise, I change my name to Helen and agree to be yours.” For the first time ever, he said to her, “I love you. My Helen.” “I love you, Sheldon.” *** “Helen, honey, can you finally put on the safety strap? We’re really close, and it’s dark like we wanted, but it might make for a bumpy landing.” “Not again! Not a bumpy landing this time, please.” She laughed. “I know this field. But you can never be sure that they didn’t build something in the middle of it while we were out on our vacation.” “Yes, Mr. Sheldon.” Helen tightened a woven laundry rope across her seat that should, according to Sheldon, keep her in place in case of turbulence or a mishap. The plane slowed down to speed of a running dog and she could see a lake and trees beneath them. After a small woodland, Sheldon had told her, there would be a clearing where they would disembark and hide their plane in his old shack. It would take only a few days to 27

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pack and get ready to depart for a new life. While her fingers played with the toy car on her lap, Helen thought of seeing her daughter in a short while. She could almost feel her hug and the warmth of her loving gaze. “Here we go,” were Sheldon’s words. They touched down safely, with the slightest bump. Suddenly, bright lights illuminated the whole field. Ringing bells deafened them for a second, and they heard a command to not move. “Shit! What is going on here?” whispered Sheldon. A dozen men, clad in black, heavy with weaponry, ripped open the doors of the plane. “Your name?” they demanded of Sheldon. “Sheldon. Or actually...No, I prefer Sheldon.” “Legal name in the He-World?” “That would be Heisam Hesmith.” “The missing man. Where have you been? And who is this with you?” “I’ve been abducted by the forces of nature. Or, to put it plainly, my plane crashed and I was thrown off for a while. Now, I am happy to be back. This field was unobstructed so I thought it would be a good place for landing. Just a hundred metres away my land starts…” “You’ve been reported missing by your husband. Your land was taken over and there is construction ordered by Hebrahim. Who’s this? A woman?” “Yes, she had an accident too and ended up at the same place where I was. We had to help each other in order to return here. Now she can go back home to the She-World, surely her family had missed her.” “Not so fast,” barked one of the men in black. He was the leader of the pack—his hat was taller and had gold embroidery 28

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that said GF Commander. “We have to take you into custody. You will write a report. She will write a report, too. Then the Great Father will decide what to do with you. He will contact the Great Matron regarding this woman. Follow me now.” Helen looked at Sheldon. “Goodbye,” he said aloud. “It will be all right,” he whispered to her. “I love you,” she read from his silent lips. Goodbye? How will this be all right? How will we get together again? How will we leave? Helen was heartbroken, accusing herself for not thinking their plan through, for not preparing for such an awful scenario. They both knew how horrible their worlds were. Why didn’t they expect to be caught? From where had they gotten this peachy dream of escape? *** Helen woke up from the squeak of an opening metal gate. The sound was so harsh that at first she thought it was a chainsaw cutting up her skull. The stench of damp, rotting garbage hit her nose. She sat up on a rough army blanket spread on the floor, looked around, and shivered. The place resembled a castle dungeon that she’d read of in her childhood fairytale books. Could this be real? “Here she is,” said a firm female voice. Footsteps echoed from the stone staircase, and the gate squeaked again. Keys scratched the lock, and their rattle slowly died in the empty air. Helen realized that the dark figure approaching her was her mother, Shebastiana. “Mom!” “Sheila!” They stood and wailed in each other’s arms until Helen whispered, “How is Sheshana?” “She is fine. Sheena and I take care of her, don’t worry. She misses you and she knows you’re good. But look what happened 29

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to you!” the older woman cried, touching her daughter’s shaved head. “Oh goodness, I’m almost bald. They cut my hair. Why, Mother?” “What do you know, Sheila? What do you remember?” Helen told Shebastiana of that fateful night of her crash. She told how she crashed, spun through the orbit, ended up in a desert and met a man. She told how they helped each other survive and fell in love and became unlawfully married. Seeing where she was now, Helen saw no point to suppress anything from her mother. She knew Shebastiana would understand. “My name is Helen now, Mom. Please, call me Helen.” “Dear, let me tell you the rest. The males took you, your man and you, to their jail. They made you both write reports on what happened. You both wrote something simple about the crash and helping each other get back. Then they gave you medication, and made you write again. And again. And every new copy of your reports revealed more and more about your connection with the man, Heisam.” “Sheldon, Mom. Sheldon.” “Yes, that’s what he insisted to be called. They drugged you endlessly, until they could not get you to write any more. They took all your reports and sent them to the Great Matron, blaming her for dishonest tactics and saying that you were her spy. They threatened to start a war with the She-World and murder every woman if the Matron didn’t agree to take you back and punish you publicly.” Shebastiana collected Helen into another tight embrace and kissed her tear-wet face. “Helen, my little girl, you’ve always been a fighter. But I never thought it would take you this far.” The woman tried to hold back her tears. “Do you know what happened to Sheldon, Mom?” 30

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“He was given a trial by his husband. That mean prick was so jealous and outraged; he is now in charge of the verdict. He is an obsessed Great Father fanatic, so he won’t be kind. And your man, Sheldon, he is an extremist, too. He won’t stop shouting about his love for you. If he kept quiet, maybe they would let you off and not blame you in bewitching him. But, that’s the drugs, they make all the truth come out multiplied by a hundred.” Helen smiled at the image of Sheldon talking about her and their love, talking non-stop to everyone in the He-World. Maybe it was the time of change. “Why aren’t males and females allowed to love and live together? What is so wrong about that?” “That’s a long story, Helen, but I guess we have a little bit of time. They let me stay with you until morning. Sheena wanted to come, too, but they’d only let one of us. Since I’m your birthmother, Sheena let me go.” “I missed her. I love you both so much. You are the only females who understand me.” “Yes, we’ve always tried. It’s not hard when you love someone and put yourself in her shoes.” “Why can’t others do it?” “There is not enough love in this world, and no compassion. To tell you the truth, I’m surprised people still exist. Well, they exist mainly due to their fake reproduction. I don’t think they could do it naturally any more, however…” “What?” “Oh, let’s get back to history. Thousands of years ago, men and women used to live together. And people, most people, were straight.” “Straight?” “A funny term, isn’t it? Officially they were called 31

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heterosexual, and their primary sexual and romantic attraction was to people of the opposite sex. They were considered normal. There were a handful of men and women attracted to people of their own gender. They were called queer and looked upon with sarcasm and humiliation. Their own families disowned them, they were discriminated and usually prosecuted. “One of them had lost everything because he asked for permission to marry his male partner,” Shebastiana continued. “Not only was he not allowed to get married, but he was fired from an excellent job, his friends turned away from him, and he was expelled from the city where he lived. People turned their lives into such hell that his lover killed himself from misery. “That’s horrible!” Sheila wrinkled her forehead. “That’s when he called himself Big Gay and went wandering, telling his unhappy story and proclaiming that soon he would be the ruler of the world. People thought he lost his sanity and left him alone. That’s when a lot of curious young men started listening to his tales. And women too, lesbian women.” “Yes, I guess he awoke a lot of compassion.” Shebastiana nodded. “He got a lot of followers, organized a political party. It took him maybe forty years, but he won one of the government elections. That’s when he went completely crazy. He pushed the lesbians away, saying that he needed their help and count to win the election, but in reality he hated them because they were women. Because he was forced to be with women previously, he wanted to have nothing to do with them any longer and he made up the He-World.” Sheila shook her head as Shebastiana went on with the story. “The lesbians were angry, of course, but since he helped 32

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them to get recognized, they just followed his example and created the She-World. You know, both worlds are based on a very similar pattern. I mean, we have the same laws, we mostly ignore each other, but deep inside we’re still hostile. “All the straight adults were killed, and only very young children were adopted according to their gender. Having split males and females this way, Big Gay didn’t think of continuation of life. How were males supposed to have children? He was pretty old then and exhausted by life’s battles. He died in his sleep.” “What happened then, Mom?” “One of his associates thought of reproduction by DNA cloning. He then took over the power, called himself the Great Father and put all the effort into scientific research. That created many jobs and people were happy. Women spied and copied what the men did. So our world became very strong as well. We’ve the Great Matron for the ruler, she is the ultimate judge. Women were joyful for having each other and their understanding. They used to quarrel with men all the time when the world was united.” It’s true, Sheila thought, in the She-World there are no real problems, any small disputes are resolved by the Matron and life seems so simple. No power struggle, no misunderstandings. From the first glance, at least. “But didn’t any single woman desire a man any more, Mom? Any one girl?” said Sheila. “There were a few seldom cases of women running off with men, but they were always caught and killed before any real trouble started. That’s when the first Matron passed our strict laws regarding cheating on our gender. The cloning of the daughters helped also because they were able to select the most lesbian-oriented traits for breeding. With that, there were fewer 33

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runaways every year. And there haven’t been any for hundreds of years now. Until you, Helen.” Shebastiana hugged her daughter and smiled. “I always knew you were special.” “Do you know why they cut my hair?” “They shaved you because the Great Matron dishonored you. She stated that you’re one of the men now since you touched one. And also…they did some tests while you were asleep. There is nothing you can do about it now, but you might as well know. You’re bearing your man’s child. That would be your naturally conceived son. That’s something unheard of for thousands of years. They wanted to keep you around as an experiment, but decided it was too dangerous and could cause too much of bad influence in the lesbian society.” “What’s going to happen to me now, Mom?” “You believe in your love, don’t you?” Helen nodded. “That’s all I really have now.” “You’ve been on the Matron’s ‘red’ list since your decision to stay single. They almost expected you to cause trouble at some point in time. So when you disappeared, they searched all over and inquired the He-World to see if any men were missing. And of course, one of them was.” Shebastiana took a long, deep breath, then continued. “When males found you together, they gave the Matron the ultimatum. Either she exterminates you, or they wipe out the She-World. Those hateful men had already decided your fate. I am sorry.” Helen couldn’t believe the courage of her mother, who had to tell her such a dreadful thing. “Oh, Mom, I am so sorry, I wish I could have been different.” “It’s not your fault, child. I wish there were something I could do.” 34

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“Please, Mom, love Sheshana. Tell her I loved her, always. Very much.” “Yes, she knows.” The old woman shook with sobs. The keys rattled and the squeaky gate opened. “It’s morning, Shebastiana. Your rendezvous is over,” said the stern voice from the dark. When Helen got up to hug her mother for the last time, she stumbled upon a small, cold object. She quickly bent over and picked it up. Even in the dark, by the feel of her fingers, she could tell this was the toy car Sheldon made for her daughter. “Take this, Mom,” Helen whispered. “Give it to Sheshana. It’s a toy Sheldon made for her. He wanted her to like him. He wanted to adopt her.” “Adopt?” “Yeah, like treat her as his own, you know. Tell Sheshana it’s from him. Or from both of us.” *** “For the last time, Heisam Hesmith, are you willing to admit your crime in touching a woman?” questioned the Great Father. The prisoner was silently admitting to the deed, but he refused to be called his old name. He was now Sheldon and he would not answer to anything else. Yes, he touched the woman, and he loved it. He would give anything to do it again. He loved her. He wanted her forever. He had written all this in his report. Wasn’t that enough? “Hebrahim, will you ever be able to forgive your spouse, take him back and trust him again?” inquired the Great Father. “No, my Great Father, I will not. Not after he touched a woman. He must have become insane in the plane crash to do that. But, I cannot forgive. And I will not take back this illminded person. He is no longer a man. He deserves to die.” 35

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An agreeable murmur spread across the hall. A similar scene was happening on the other side of the wall at the She-World great court. “For the last time, Sheila Sheanna, are you willing to confess your crime in touching a man?” questioned the Great Matron. The woman was silently admitting to the deed, but she refused to be called her old name. She was now Helen and she would not answer to anything else. Yes, she was touched by the man and she caressed him back. She loved it. She would give anything to do it again. She loved him. She gave herself to him forever. She married him. But how could these women understand? No one really tried to understand anything. The public hearing was just a show meant to moralize those who were still single or undecided. *** In the middle of the main square, where the world was divided in two by a tall barbwire fence, stood a large white pedestal. One section of the fence was removed to make room for it. The platform was split in half by a thick black line of paint. One half belonged to the She-World, the other to the HeWorld. The prisoners would be brought out, laid in the middle of it, side by side, and executed. Hundreds, thousands of people flooded the square, wanting to witness this great accomplishment of cruelty the two worlds had achieved. Several enormous holographic TV screens were propped in the skies, showing live action pictures from up close at the execution site. Men and women in black uniforms brought out boxes of complicated equipment. A large glass container full of green neon liquid was placed at the head of the platform, with long 36

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transparent cords attached to it on two sides. Helen came out, clad in a long, sleeveless white robe. The crowd booed. The women yelled, and the men called her a witch. The mob spat and cursed at her. In the very front stood a little pale girl with long, wavy hair and deep brown eyes. She clenched a small metal toy car to her chest. With eyes full of tears, she gazed at Helen. Helen’s heart sank. Helen was told to lie on the floor on the male side of the podium. When Sheldon came out, dressed like her in white, she smiled at him with sorrow. He lay down beside her on the female side of the platform, and instantly, she felt very easy and calm. She knew she belonged by his side. While the crowd raged about them, they could hold hands. While the uniformed people prepared the tools, inserted needles in their veins and connected see-through tubes to them, they could even talk to each other. “Helen, I love you.” “I love you, too.” “Always.” “I heard how you wouldn’t let go of your love, how you told everyone about me,” she said with a smile. “I appreciate it.” “I am proud of us,” he said. Helen nodded. “Sheldon, I need to tell you something important.” He squeezed her hand to show that there was nothing in the world that could take his attention away. “They...I…am pregnant…with a child from you. It’s a boy. That’s why they would never back up and let any one of us live. They have to annihilate us. We are too powerful in breaking their rules, too much for them to handle.” “Helen, I can’t believe it! I’m sorry we didn’t make it out of here. I am so sorry.” 37

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“Me, too.” The Great Matron and the Great Father approached the glass container. Each turned open the tap on their world’s side. Neon liquid crept up the cords. Everyone could see it flow into Sheldon’s and Helen’s arms. They didn’t show any discomfort or pain. They just settled in each other’s presence. Looking at one another with devotion, they smiled. They knew that there was so much more to learn. Slowly, the glass container emptied, and the woman and the man on the platform were growing invisible. Their fingers and toes melted away, then their legs. Arms slowly vanished, and the cords lay clear beside the place where they connected to the prisoners. Gradually, their bodies dissolved into the air, and only two smiling faces were left, and two empty gowns. The shocked crowd watched in stillness. Only the little girl blinked and silently moved her lips. “Mommy, I love you. Daddy, you too. I love you. I’ll miss you. I’ll…” She felt someone looking at her. A boy of about thirteen stared at her intensely through the fence. She looked down at her toy car and back at the boy. He didn’t seem interested in the toy. He was curious about her. She felt his sympathy. She glanced at the empty platform for the last time. Her parents were gone forever. However hard it was to take the eyes away from the spot where her mother used to lie, Sheshana looked at the boy and smiled with a twinkle in her eye.

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About the Author

Multicultural Inna Spice lives in beautiful British Columbia. She has been writing since childhood, first her naïve rabbit stories, then her high school diary, then travel journals and personal letters, and later on she finished journalism school to conquer English language. Inna Spice’s stories have been featured on ERWA, Ruthie’s Club, Sensual Venus, TheStoryMill, Vraimenterotique, and Oysters & Chocolate erotic. Her story "The Puss Hater" appeared in newest print anthology Mammoth Book of Best New Erotica 5 edited by Maxim Jakubowski. When she’s not writing erotica, Inna is a children’s books writer, as well as a reporter, an editor and a proofreader for different media. She is also a mom and a wife who loves nature, fine arts, yoga, languages, traveling, giving presents, watching people smile, sleeping in the sun, and flirting. To learn more and to view some of her work, please visit her SpiceMedia Web site: www.spicemedia.ca.

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