A Child (1486 hits)
Category: NoneRating: 1.97 on 47 reviews (Rate this item) (V)
Submitted by katy <chibiusaoni.at.yahoo.com> (View user info) at 2005-12-21 13:28:28 EST
The sound of a rabbit screaming distracted me. It was coming from the burned out remains of a truck. I'd never heard one of the young ones before. I looked around in the fresh snow for tracks. The elongated human foot with the long scratches at the end indicating claws. There weren't any. The scream continued.
Looking in through the passenger side, the door torn away decades ago I'm sure for scrap, I could see the wiggling thing on the seat. It, she, was very young indeed. Maybe hours old. There was no afterbirth, and she was cleaned. No deformations that I could see, white silky fur on the back, mottled front, blue eyes under long lashes. Human eyes. These things that had come to replace us after thousands of years of reign. Our own evolution of course wiping us out. Still so close to us in form, in face, in soul.
I looked her up and down, she reached out to me, like a baby. A real baby. They are us, yet more perfect for the world we created finally. After that last war humanity had no where to go but down. The politicians got their end, the Christians never saw Jesus, the sons of Abraham stand at the gates waiting, Mohammed's followers went too. Others just waited for rebirth or nirvana.
The rest of us just went on living. It's all snow now. If you were lucky, like my family was, you lived near dense woods. Almost endless supply of firewood, and a location that never presented any kind of tactical advantage so we were ignored. That was 40 years ago. Ten years ago the new ones arrived. They are the next step, the new top predator. They devour us whole in the night. I've come across corpses. Vicera trailed around a frozen body, limbs removed and I guess carried away. Sometimes a face left intact with a smile, almost as if the end was welcome, but then again in this world maybe it is.
This little one was alone. I've been lucky to only come across full grown and deceased creatures. I don't know if they've been named. I haven't seen another human being in years so there is no one to tell me these things. My own husband was killed by them about 6 winters ago and we had no children. I should leave her to die, she's on her own and an infant, the new us may be more resilient and fit for this world, but this is a baby. Babies are still needy. So I take her with me because she is alone, and I am lonely.
It's only 5 miles back to my home. Buried and banked with feet of snow it's warm inside. I even have tunnels leading to my own animals, and garden. At least technology provided in some way before we almost obliterated ourselves, so i have some rabbits, chickens, even a cow. All this my home alone. I can't figure out why I've allowed myself to live this long. Humanity is stubborn in the end, I guess that's why some changed.
The new baby squirms against my chest. Having nothing but a pack full of wood and my rifle, there was no where to put her other than near my beating heart. She'll grow much faster than a normal human, and outlast me by decades, even if I wasn't as old as I am. I lay her in the wood box when I get back and stack the logs against the wall. Her own cradle. She's crying again. The rabbit scream. She's hungry, and for that I know she needs blood.
By the end of two weeks she's learned to walk. They can't talk in a language we were meant to understand. She makes shrill noises that are at the same time from deep in her throat. I haven't named her, and I don't know if I ever will. Nothing has come looking for her. I wonder if her mother left her sheltered and crawled off to die. I searched for a body, but none was found. I haven't seen any ripped and haggard remains lately, animal or human, that would signify they've come close to home. I hope it stays that way.
This winter is a bad one. The snows are deeper and colder. The cracks of breaking trees wake me in the middle of the night. I keep thinking something's broken my door or my roof, or my wall. Something. She doesn't mind though. She doesn't even need clothing, she's warm without a fire and well fed by me. I keep her occupied I guess, I don't know what kind of games they play, but she's just as smart as any 2 year old child would be, content with blocks and building things and then of course knocking them down again. Fascinated by the animals, I had to make a stronger gate after I saw her break a rabbit's neck. She drank its blood. Instinct maybe.
She sleeps with me. The box was outgrown in a week and my failing body isn't up to going out and cutting a tree down when I already have a large, empty bed. Sometimes her nails scratch me in the night. Torn clothing with a brown stain, they're getting sharper every day I think. Her fur's gotten thicker too, and her teeth a little longer. I had no idea they were born with a full set, milk teeth I assume, but I'm not sure if they nurse. Sharper.
I woke up one night and she had her finger in her mouth, sucking her thumb. I had a fresh cut. I wonder if I smell like food. We went for a two day walk to a kind of quarry I know of so i could get some rocks to make repairs. I have to sleep high in trees because I know I smell like food to the adults. It's not canabalism any more, they are higher than us, slowly becoming completely inhuman. I didn't hear any of them the nights she was with me. Maybe they just smelled her. Maybe that's why I'm safe.
She bit me.There was a slight tingling numbness afterward and then a sense of warmth radiating from the punctures. And then I felt calm. Washed, bandaged, forgotten. Forgiven
It's been 4 months, winter is over but there is of course still snow and cold and wind. I've told her about these things, but she makes her own words for the world. Waking I hear her whispering over me, in her own language, not theirs, not ours. I think she's asking for my forgiveness. I can feel a pull at my middle and at my chest. I can feel warmth, it's my own blood. I can still raise my hand so I put it to my throat, my blood is flowing freely, unencumbered by my own solid flesh. She continues to whisper and I feel calm. The warmth is spreading on the inside and and I smile. Peace. My last thought, it's only natural.
User Reviews
Submitted by Maltese (user info) at 2006-09-05 13:50:32 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by simple_catalyst (user info) at 2006-01-04 13:06:29 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
you don't post enough.
Submitted by Davros (user info) at 2006-01-01 15:32:55 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Awesome, just awesome.
-Dave
Submitted by JonnyX (user info) at 2005-12-30 12:49:49 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
see, this is how not to suck - good job.
Submitted by inion_de_trua (user info) at 2005-12-28 11:49:46 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
wow... danke.
Submitted by ahumblefool (user info) at 2005-12-27 15:13:16 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
I am surprised you do not have more hits. You have a gift for the written word. I had to come back and read this, it would make a hell of a short story.
Submitted by junyer (user info) at 2005-12-22 21:53:40 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
uNF.
Submitted by RePet (user info) at 2005-12-22 19:02:30 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Good story.
Submitted by AllyJeans (user info) at 2005-12-22 18:54:26 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
:)
Submitted by pen_name (user info) at 2005-12-22 18:48:52 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by Professional_Peon (user info) at 2005-12-22 15:29:31 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by Jeanneee (user info) at 2005-12-21 13:50:59 (#)
Ranking: 2
A n00b who can actually write! OMGWTF
----------------
Shit! Here this whole time I thought this was a dating site.
*shakes head*
Submitted by KatHunter (user info) at 2005-12-22 15:13:14 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Really good!
Submitted by inion_de_trua (user info) at 2005-12-22 15:05:54 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
well hopefully i can at least continue to write decently cuz i sure as shit figured out i'm technologically impaired when it comes to attachments.
btw thank you, it made me smile finding out that someone else likes a thing i've created.
Submitted by MistressFist (user info) at 2005-12-22 14:29:33 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by Nellypaal (user info) at 2005-12-22 05:40:27 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Very good indeed.
Submitted by Ferretnose (user info) at 2005-12-21 23:30:40 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Yes.
Submitted by bonnee (user info) at 2005-12-21 19:49:04 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Very good read.
Submitted by electrictoothsyndrome (user info) at 2005-12-21 19:26:01 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Too apocalyptic. Needs less natural order.
Submitted by Confuzitron (user info) at 2005-12-21 17:26:31 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
teh goodness
Submitted by wookie (user info) at 2005-12-21 16:59:36 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by c1ndy (user info) at 2005-12-21 16:13:01 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Bright eyes... burning like fire....
Submitted by Snark (user info) at 2005-12-21 16:04:11 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Awesome
Submitted by GDR (user info) at 2005-12-21 15:49:26 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by ubetidid (user info) at 2005-12-21 15:44:39 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
excellent
Submitted by the_thorne (user info) at 2005-12-21 15:20:25 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Wow, really good.
Submitted by Badlands (user info) at 2005-12-21 15:16:51 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Yes.
Submitted by lucid (user info) at 2005-12-21 15:10:47 EST (#)
Ranking: 1
Rabbits, blood sucking and fences oh my.
Submitted by ripple (user info) at 2005-12-21 15:04:07 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by punkerrjess (user info) at 2005-12-21 14:52:38 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Damn you, you're becoming one of my favorites.
Submitted by LadyPlural (user info) at 2005-12-21 14:23:16 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Woah.
Submitted by nya_nyo (user info) at 2005-12-21 14:22:44 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Ripping good
Submitted by MyTeeOne (user info) at 2005-12-21 14:22:25 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Good story.
Submitted by Method (user info) at 2005-12-21 14:17:27 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Te amo
Submitted by ahumblefool (user info) at 2005-12-21 14:10:06 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Well done, well played
Submitted by fried-green-potatoes (user info) at 2005-12-21 14:06:28 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
You do beautiful work.
Submitted by morontian (user info) at 2005-12-21 13:53:00 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Outstanding.
Submitted by Jeanneee (user info) at 2005-12-21 13:50:59 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
A n00b who can actually write! OMGWTF
Submitted by scourge (user info) at 2005-12-21 13:43:04 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
You are going to come and live with me. Pack your things and start driving tonight.
I hope my wife doesn't mind.
Submitted by TigerLilly (user info) at 2005-12-21 13:42:56 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by Pentameter (user info) at 2005-12-21 13:38:35 (#)
Ranking: 2
You're quickly becoming one of my favorites.
Ditto
Submitted by Foolproof (user info) at 2005-12-21 13:42:00 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Uh...I...no comment.
Submitted by jack11058 (user info) at 2005-12-21 13:40:57 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
great
Submitted by Brdn_Nkd (user info) at 2005-12-21 13:40:34 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
kick ass
Submitted by GodLovesALittleLovin (user info) at 2005-12-21 13:39:38 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
IS IT A DONKEY HUH???? THEY GOT SHARP TEETH AND KILL WITHOUT QUESTION. IT'S GOTTA BE A DONKEY.
Submitted by ruthless (user info) at 2005-12-21 13:38:45 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Interesting.
Submitted by Pentameter (user info) at 2005-12-21 13:38:35 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
You're quickly becoming one of my favorites.
Submitted by Ballare (user info) at 2005-12-21 13:35:37 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by GodChicken (user info) at 2005-12-21 13:33:10 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment