13 Alexcya Hopper Could I really suggest such a thing? To take another’s life? The strange part, however, was that I felt nothing when considering it. Maybe I amwhat they say I am. Maybe I really am the useless trash that everyone claims. But it is the only way. The only way for our perfect life to stay in its pristine glory. “We need to kill her.” Abdul’s voice rose in protest: “We can’t just kill her! Imagine the repercussions!” But my mind was already made up. The child claiming to belong to our civilization disrupts everything we’ve sacrificed. Everything Mother stood for went up in flames for the existence of this one child. Iness spoke up, “He’s right. This child ruins everything.” She spoke quietly again: “What would Bartna say?” “Bartna has nothing to do with this!” “Bartna has everything to do with this.” Iness was right. Hadn’t Bartna seen the chaos this child would bring? Hadn’t he been the one to say to leave it where we found it? Abdul’s tears were drowned out by the rest of the court’s murmurs, all in agreement that the child should not be kept. “What if,” spoke a voice, “what if we do not kill the child, but keep it contained?” “Contained where?” shouted another. The voice stood up to reveal the quietest among us, Talon. “We can contain it here. We shall take care of it, or I will. I have many children; it would not be weird for me to add another.” I did not approve of this idea at all. “And what, praytell, will you do if the child does as promised?” Talon stood proud, her cloak falling from her head to reveal her shaved head. “I guarantee the child will grow up to become one of us. If I amwrong, then hang me frommy neck.” The court’s hall erupted in protest. Talon was one of the more respected leaders of the court; it was almost unheard of for her to be wrong. Even if she were, no one would accept punishment such as this. And with that, against all I had hoped would come of this meeting, the child would be under the watchful eye of Talon. the child
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