The Chosen~Final Chapter

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I woke up in bed with a pounding headache. It was obvious where I was–in the medical centre with that beep, beep, beep, of the monitors telling me that I hadn’t died and gone to heaven or hell yet...

Angel

The Chosen
By


Susan Brown


Final Chapter

Previously…

I could hear my tortured voice above the noise of the wind in the trees and the fountains of the lake as I went ever closer to the water. I stopped at the edge, my mind confused, the voices were growing louder and I had to make them go away.

I stepped forward and shivered slightly as my hot, sandal-clad feet came into contact with the water.

It was cold but not icy. I felt compelled to carry on and I waded in, up to my knees, then waist and chest. The voices wouldn’t go away. It was all too much I couldn’t understand. I felt sick, disorientated and just wanted to sleep.

‘You are the Chosen One–’

‘Protect the unborn child.’

‘You are special, unique,’

‘The fate of the world rests with you…’

‘I–AM–JOHN––’

My head went under and as the water rushed over me, filling my ears and nose…

…I felt a tugging. I was being pulled back. Someone had me under the arm pits and was pulling me back. I was spluttering and breathing in some water as the person tried to keep my head above the water.

‘Just relax and let me help you,’ said a breathless voice, one I knew so well–it was Dada… Dada had come for me.

I was wanted, I was needed. I was loved. My Dada had come for me.

I stopped struggling, pleased that the voices had vanished and the only one I could hear now was that of the man I loved most in all the world–Dada.

I was tired; too tired to do anything to help him, so I just fell asleep–

And now the story concludes…

I woke up in bed with a pounding headache. It was obvious where I was–in the medical centre with that beep, beep, beep, of the monitors telling me that I hadn’t died and gone to heaven or hell yet.

When I bothered to open my eyes, I noticed I was in a room by myself. I was numb and a bit resentful that Dada hadn’t let me and the baby drown.

It didn’t take a rocket scientist to work out that I was deeply depressed. I wanted to cry, hit out at someone, anyone. Only, all I could hear was that beeping noise that was drilling into my brain. I wanted it to stop. I wanted to get up and finish off what I had started. It was all too much.

“Special one!” That was a laugh––!

I stopped thinking for a moment and felt under the bloody awful sick green hospital gown…

Yes, I still had my tiny bump. I was still pregnant. I hadn’t lost it. I was still the only person on Earth to be carrying a baby girl.

I started to cry silent tears. Why was I like this? I didn’t want to be. I wanted to be happy. I should be happy. I had found my parents again. I had a new life in me growing daily. I was safe–well relatively safe, bearing in mind the fact that the world was up the creek without a paddle.

The door opened and Doctor Eccles came in.

She approached me with a smile on her face. I couldn’t but notice the dark circles under her eyes and the fact that her hair was in serious need of treatment.

‘How are you feeling?’ she asked as she fussed about me, reading things off the monitors and generally doing what doctors do.

‘I don’t know. I feel sick still and my headache won’t go away. I…I…I want.’

It was all too much and I burst into tears.

Immediately I felt her come close and then hug me. I wasn’t sure if this was a doctor’s normal remit, but I wasn’t complaining.

After a short while, I calmed down and after wiping my face with a damp cloth, I felt a bit better.

Doctor Eccles sat down next to me while I got myself back together again.

‘Feeling better?’ she asked gently.

‘A bit–why am I having feelings like this? I was happy to have the baby and now…I don’t know.’

‘Well, I am waiting for some blood tests to come back, but it’s probably a combination of a number of factors building up to this point. You have had an extremely stressful time of it and the pressures on you to “perform” are great. It all seems to have come to a head now, when there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Things are going on in the UK which make me both excited and worried. It could go either way, anarchy or a sensible result, only time will tell, but we have to stick it out and do the best for everyone. As far as you are concerned, you need to rest, get better, take the pills that I am going to give you and talk to me as much as possible, so we can lay these demons of yours to rest. Does all that make sense?’

‘I s’pose so,’ I said not sounding too convinced, ‘so how long have I got to stay here?’

‘Until tomorrow at least, when all your test results are in. One thing that we have picked up is that you have an electrolyte imbalance, it’s a bit too low for my liking so we have to put an IV drip in you, to correct it. Also I am going to give you some medication to help stop the anxiety attacks. It’s all short term, but it will help you to feel a bit better, though the medication will make you feel a bit sleepy.’

She took some pills out of her pocket and handed them to me, making sure that I swallowed them with the rather tepid water from the glass on the bedside table.

‘Can I have my uPad?’ I asked.

‘I’ll ask the nurse to get someone to fetch it after she has sorted out your drip. Now get some rest and I’ll pop back again later.’

‘Thank you, Doctor.’ I said, smiling weakly.

‘Don’t mention it. Now lay back and have some rest. You will have no visitors for today because you must not get too excited.’

She smiled again, making her face look ten years younger and then left me to my thoughts. I just lay there staring at the ceiling. A few minutes later, a nurse entered and stuck a needle in my arm and connected it to the IV drip. It was a bit sore and scratchy, but by that time, I think the pills had kicked in and it did not bother me too much.

Without my really noticing it, the rest of the day changed into the evening. I had drifted in and out of sleep, not thinking about very much. I wasn’t bored–just pleasantly relaxed. I didn’t know what the pills were, but I was less tense and more contented than I had been for ages. I was given something to eat for supper, some sort of poached white fish and mashed potatoes and then I was settled down for the night.

Lying there in the semi darkness, I wondered vaguely what was happening in the outside world. I would have liked to have seen my parents and friends, to apologise for being such a numpty, but that would have to wait.

I must have fallen asleep again, but awoke with a start to discover Adrienne looming over me. She had just let go of the IV tube. She looked decidedly jumpy for some reason or other.

‘Oh hello,’ I said sleepily, ‘I thought that I wasn’t having visitors.’

I yawned hugely and then gazed up at her.

‘Shh,’ she said moving away from the bed, ‘I sneaked in. The nurse has gone off for her break so we have a little while.’

She sat down beside me and looked at my face. She looked troubled.

‘What’s wrong,’ I asked, ‘has something happened?’

She looked at me again and then got up and went to the door. She opened it and peeked out and then closed it again, quietly. Soon she was back by my side.

She looked at the bedside table and picked up the water jug.

‘Do you want a drink, you sound parched?’

My mouth was dry.

‘Yes please,’ I said.

She poured me the drink and handed me the glass. I noticed distractedly that her hand was shaking slightly and she had a rather tense look about her, but I was still a bit out of it from the trancs, so I wasn’t very with it.

I drank down the tepid water and my throat appreciated it, although it was a bit bitter tasting. Adrienne sat down by the bed and took hold of my hand.

‘Look, Rebecca, I need to tell you something.’

‘What?’

‘Just listen, I haven’t got much time–’

I just shrugged. I was feeling quite laid back and relaxed about things. Those pills were quite powerful–

‘Okay.’

She looked at me and took a deep breath.

‘My parents work for the government––’

‘–I know that–’

‘–please shut up. I have to be quick. I told you that I was transferred to St Clare’s, that was true. What I didn’t say was that almost from the start, I have been working for the government. I was what they called a sleeper. I was to do what I was told and ask no questions.

‘Why?’ I said, trying to concentrate, except it was getting harder.

‘Because if I didn’t my parents and little brother, Stephen would be harmed if not killed. They have been under arrest ever since I was put into that school. I was able to give the authorities information about individuals at the school–troublemakers or those who weren’t happy to be The Chosen or assimilated. I hated doing it but I had to. I had no choice.’

‘–I don’t understand–’ I said feeling even more sleepy and trying my hardest to stay awake.

She slapped my arm, making me jolt with the shock.

Stay awake. I need to tell you, I have to tell you.’

Her face showed a hard, scared look now. She had hurt me, my friend Adrienne had hit me–she looked very pretty though, I wished I was as pretty as her.

She paused for a moment as if she was listening and then continued.

‘I have given you something to send you to sleep so that when I inject you, you won’t know or feel a thing. They gave me it so that I could eliminate you. They said that if you lived then my family would die. I have no choice; I love them so much and little Stephen is only seven. But you are my best friend. I couldn’t kill you without you knowing how sorry I am and that I love you as a sister.’

I was hearing what she was saying, but I wasn’t paying much attention. I was so tired–vaguely I saw her take a syringe out of her bag and stand up. Tears were streaming down her face and her hand was shaking.

She came to the side of the bed and I looked at her through drooping eyelids. I couldn’t move, but there again I didn’t want to. Mind you that needle looked sharp–

She stopped for a moment and looked at me. ‘Say you forgive me–please!’

‘Why?’

‘I have to do this I have no choice!’ She shouted, and with tears streaming down her face she grabbed my arm and stuck the needle in it.

‘Ouch!

There was a noise as the door flew open.

I was looking at Adrienne’s face swimming before me. There was the sound of an explosion and her face appeared to disintegrate in a fountain of red and she fell out of sight––

I felt a sharp pain in my arm and then everything went black.

~ §~


When I awoke, it was morning and I noticed that my room had changed. The curtains had been drawn back and I could see the gardens out of the window.

I felt remarkably fresh and without pain. The drip had gone and a plaster was over the spot where the IV needle had entered my arm.

I shook my head and remembered the strange, silly dream that I had had where Adrienne had tried to kill me. Now that was weird, as if my best friend would ever do something like that!

I discovered I was wearing a cream cotton nightdress rather than the “glamorous”–I don’t think–hospital gown I had on previously.

I sat up in bed and gazed around. There were a host of get well cards on the bedside cabinet and more on the shelves too, together with several bunches of flowers, making the room look pretty and bright.

I wanted to know what was happening, so I just pressed the button on the end of the cable by my bed and awaited developments. I was sort of hoping that someone might come in with a nice breakfast and a cup of tea. I also fancied jam sandwiches and pickled onions. My mouth watered at the prospect–

The door opened quietly and I glanced up.

‘Mummy!’

She was all smiles as she came to embrace me.

‘How are you feeling, darling?’ she asked, sitting by the bed and taking hold of my hand.

‘All right, I guess. I think that I’ve got over my pre-baby blues,’

‘Well, honey, Doctor Eccles calls it prenatal depression.’

‘Mmm, anyway, I feel much better now, more clear headed. I hated the weird dreams; some of them were rather graphic.’

She looked at me strangely. ‘What do you remember?’ she asked.

‘About what?’

‘When you weren’t feeling very well.’

‘I don’t know. I suppose it was as if a great weight was on me. Everyone expected me to be thankful and grateful for having a baby girl growing inside of me, but somehow I wasn’t for a while. Before that I was all enthusiastic and then it just changed and I couldn’t take the pressure. Then there was Bethany and Adrienne going totally over the top with their girliness and somehow I felt left out as if I had missed the hoverbus or something. Am I making sense?’

‘Yes, I think so.’

‘When can I see Dada, Beth and Adrienne?’ I asked.

‘We’ll come to that in a moment. Tell me about your dreams,’

‘I don’t want to talk about them, they were horrible.’

‘Doctor Eccles has asked me to find out about them. It will help, believe me.’

I looked around the room.

‘I suppose that she’s listening in on this?’

She smiled.

‘What do you think? You are being monitored for your own good and we need to get to the bottom of all this. Can you please tell me about the dreams?’

I took a deep breath.

‘Some of them didn’t make sense, like the one I had about my losing the baby and everyone scorning me or the other one where I woke up and I was still a boy, back at school and I turned up for class wearing a dress and was being laughed at. Others I can’t really remember, just that they upset me. The worst one was terrible. Adrienne came in and said that she was going to kill me and injected something in my arm. She kept saying sorry and that her parents were in the hands of the government, her little brother too and they were going to kill them if she didn’t do what they told her…something horrid happened and her face sort of fell apart and then it all went blank––’

My voice trailed off as I saw the expression on Mummy’s face.

‘No–NO!

~ §~


It was a while before I calmed down. I couldn’t believe it–Adrienne dead. I think that, despite my feeling better, I was still a bit fragile and they had to give me trancs again to calm me down.

The next day, I woke up feeling more myself, although there was an empty space inside me where I still felt a great loss.

I hadn’t had any visitors but I was told by the nurse, Sally Strong, that everyone was thinking of me and wished me well. Evidently things were happening in the outside world, but I wasn’t to be told yet as I wasn’t ready.

It was frustrating that no one would tell me what was going on but I had to bide my time. I spent hours on my uPad, reading books and watching vids or playing games. Sadly, there was no ’net access which was a bit frustrating.

I was allowed to get up to go to the toilet–not wanting to use the horrid bedpans–so that was the only exercise I got. Mind you the number of times I went, defies belief! I had strange cravings for food, such as the jam sandwiches with pickles. I had heard that some pregnant women liked to eat dirt and other strange things like coal, but I wasn’t that abnormal.

Mummy and Dada came in occasionally, but they were busy. Bethany wasn’t allowed to come though as she was evidently very traumatised over recent events and needed help herself.

My pregnancy was going fine and baby hadn’t suffered from the mistreatment my body had received–I was thankful to say. She must be some tough cookie! My blood pressure was of concern though and it was thought that I should have bed rest for a while. Every day, I asked about what was happening and whether I could get up. One thing I was told was that the UK government had fallen and things were in a state of panic and disorder on the mainland.

On the fourth day, Doctor Eccles visited me. ‘Well now, Becky,’ she said, ‘you’ve been lazing about for long enough and I require the bed, so get dressed and go and see your parents in conference room 2. You have twenty minutes. I want to see you at nine o’clock sharp tomorrow morning in the clinic consulting room: wear something loose.’

She smiled, kissed me on the cheek and then went out.

I didn’t have to be asked twice, so as soon as the Doctor shut the door, I jumped out of bed and went to the closet. I put on some panties, a bra and then a white cotton peasant blouse and denim skirt with elasticised sides. I wondered when my svelte figure would return–if ever. After slipping on some black sandals, I went into the bathroom, looked ruefully at my face, noticed that my breasts were becoming balloon-like–even this early–and then brushed my hair. It desperately needed a wash, but I had no time for that. I should have done it when I had my shower earlier.

I didn’t bother much with makeup, just a smidgeon of foundation and powder and some pink lippy. Looking at myself in the mirror, I could still see that I was rather pale and anaemic, but I had no time for uber makeup so I left it at that.

I left the room and headed for the conference room, nodding and waving at people I passed.

I suddenly felt someone’s arm go through mine; looking around, I squealed.

‘Beth!’

‘Becky!’

We both sort of jumped up and down and made silly noises. She wasn’t so, shall we say, flamboyant in her dressing today, just a plane pale blue dress and minimal–for her anyway–makeup. As we ambled along I kept glancing at her. She was pale and drawn. I think that she had been through the mill too.

‘So, Becks, how are you, hon?’

‘Weak but hanging in there; you?’

‘Oh, I was let out of prison today––’

‘Prison?’

‘Well, the clinic, if you prefer. I went a bit funny after you know–Adrienne and you. I don’t know why. I wasn’t really a friend though we had become closer since she was transformed. Then she went and tried to kill you and got killed herself. I only have one cuz and I nearly lost you, and the baby too of course. Look, here we are, we’ll have a Zinga or something later. I suppose you were summoned too?’

‘Yes, I wonder what it’s all about–?’

The doors swung open and discovered the room was nearly full. There appeared to be an awful lot more people here than there used to be and I hadn’t realised it while making our way here.

We found a couple of empty seats and more people came in behind us. Rapidly, the room became packed, with many standing at the sides and the back. In front, facing us all were Mummy, Dada and Auntie Chris, together with Mariah Hepstone and a few other people I didn’t recognise.

Dada glanced up and smiled at me. He mouthed ‘later,’ then turned back to the others.

A few moments later, Mariah came out to the front and raised her hand. There was an almost immediate silence.

She cleared her throat and began to speak. ‘Thank you for coming, everybody, I wouldn’t have called you away from your work unless it was very important and this is. As from mid-day today, we have a new, interim government headed by Pia Constantine, our esteemed retired leader who has agreed to step up and take over for a while.

‘For those of you not in the loop, I’ll explain what happened. A few days ago Alysia Wellgood’s government fell. What wasn’t broadcast was that Alysia together with some of her key personnel were assassinated by her own personal guard. The army then came in under the leadership of General Bryant and has taken control until alternative arrangements can be arranged.’

There was a buzz of conversation, quickly quelled by Mariah’s raising of her hand.

‘Please let me continue. The rioting has stopped and the police force, in conjunction with the army, are now back in charge of the streets. All schools and centres for The Chosen have been suspended pending enquiries and the children have been returned to their parents unless there is a medical need for them to stay under supervision or hospitalisation.

‘The US of A and C and other countries have stepped down the level of threat and their forces are on standby on the edge of UK territorial waters. I and a number of others have been asked to go to London to help with the setting up of the government and we will be leaving shortly. The remaining members of the old government and all those who have helped keep the corrupt party in power are to be investigated and if found accountable, they will be charged with crimes against the people.

‘Other ways will be found to continue solving the female baby problem. We hope that our Becky here will be key to this, but if not we will carry on doing our best to find a solution. Pia is of the opinion that we should use only those who volunteer to be transformed and not some form of lottery or arbitrary Chosen system, but these are early days so we have to learn to walk before we can run. News is coming out of Australia that two transformed girls are pregnant with a high probability that the foetuses are female, but that is still to be confirmed–’

Mariah went on for a while about other things, but my mind dwelt on the possibility that I was not alone anymore and that, hopefully, others were would give birth to girl babies. Only time would tell.

~ §~


Mummy and Dada came to see me in my room a short while later. They were going to spend a few hours with me before going up to London with Mariah.

Auntie Chris was seeing Beth too in her room, as she was going with my parents.

Mummy and Dada had tea and I a tumbler of Zinga as we sat talking for a while. There were still gaps in my knowledge as to what had happened in my hospital room and they agreed to fill me in. Dada did most of the talking while I held Mummy’s hand.

‘We had our doubts about Adrienne early on. Her parents had lost touch with the underground movement at about the time you were transferred from Overdean Boys’ School to the girls’ one. Then Adrienne somehow managed to find out the name of one of our agents at St Clare’s and offered her services. We have no idea who the leak was but that doesn’t really matter now.

‘She was taken on trust, which I think was a mistake, but as we had so few agents on the inside, we accepted her at face value. She managed to break out with some others on the night of the breakout at St Clare’s. Once again, she must have been tipped off because she was at the right place at the right time to be “rescued”.

‘We think that she spiked your drink or food before you had your breakdown. She had not been searched at the time, but after she died, we found a sizeable selection of drugs, stashed away–enough to keep even the Borgias happy. The blood test taken after your breakdown showed that your had a powerful drug in your system that compelled you to feel suicidal and led to your little one way swim. It was a crude way to try and get rid of you but that shows how desperate she–and the people who sent her–were to kill you.

‘Then she had a second chance which was easier for her. She made sure that you were alone in the clinic and decided to inject you with sodium thiopental cocktail. It is a nasty way to go and that is, we think, why she gave you a powerful sleeping draft in your water first, so you wouldn’t be in too much pain. It was a crude, botched effort which shows that she didn’t really know what she was doing and had had little or no real training. She actually had cyanide pills in her lethal stash and could have used those. Maybe she tried it that way because she wanted to relax you and explain things before she gave you the final “coup de grá¢ce”.

‘What she didn’t know was that the nurse returned to her station early, saw you both on the vid and called security. Jack Robbins, the head of security, got to your room in the nick of time and as you were being injected, took a snap decision and shot Adrienne. Luckily he managed to do that before the lethal cocktail went into your system. The fact that she was trying to inject into a muscle rather than a vein also showed her lack of proper training.’

I felt sick at the explanation and the thought of how close I and my baby had been to death. I know that Adrienne had a sort of excuse for what she did, but I do not believe in killing one person to save another.

‘What about Adrienne’s baby?’ I asked.

‘She wasn’t pregnant; it was a lie which would have been found out very quickly on examination. We believe that she was ordered to get in, do the job and get out again before she was examined by anyone.’

I smiled briefly, as Dada’s words reminded me a tongue-twister from my boy days: “the cat crept into the crypt, crapped and crept out again”. ‘Oh.’

I wondered how many other things about her were lies. Were her parents really under the control of the government or were they the ones in control? And if so, what parent would send their child on an assignment like that? I would never know, as they and Stephen were never found.

Shortly afterwards my parents left, promising to see me as soon as possible. It was a tearful farewell, but not too bad, because I knew that we would be together again quite soon.

~ §~


The following several months were interesting in many ways. I grew gradually bigger and bigger. I had back ache, front ache, side ache and breast ache; not forgetting swollen ankles; another fun part of being ‘with child’. They say that pregnant women glow–I just moaned.

Eventually, I had my baby girl by Caesarean section. I wasn’t around at the time of the birth, being in the land of the nod. She was eight pounds two ounces of sheer heaven. As I held her for the first time with Mummy and Dada, the proud grandparents, standing next to the bed, I was overcome with emotion. She was so beautiful; now I knew what it felt like to be a mother and it was one of the greatest moments of my life.

Things had been moving along swiftly in the outside world. The two Australian women gave birth to baby girls and there were many other instances after that. Scientists had finally been able to do something genetically to isolate the cause of the human race’s malfunction, as some toffee nosed, incredibly condescending, white coated scientist told us on the vid one day.

All this should have made me happy, but I was sad, because so many people had been changed or killed because of this. If we had left it to nature, it might have sorted itself out after all and whole families throughout the world would not have had to suffer.

They never did find out the cause of genetic change that nearly brought about the extinction of the human race and the geneticist’s just called it a blip–some blip! Even now though, we teeter on the edge. Many boys are changed into girls, just to keep things going until nature takes over.

What’s surprising is the number of boys who–without any compulsion–volunteered to be changed so that we might all survive. If Alysia Wellgood and her corrupt government had chosen that route, rather than terror, corruption and murder, perhaps they might be in power still to this day.

Epilogue.


Looking back on all our troubles, I’m pleased that things are now going well, relatively speaking. Nations throughout the world are coming to terms with the changes that the genetic problems have caused. I would like to think that the world is now more tolerant and equal, but there are still a few places where men have the ascendancy over women. I only hope that time will change that.

Just after my fourteenth birthday I was spending time with my parents and gorgeous child. Mummy and Dada were now an important part of the government, both being key heads of department in foreign and home affairs and have had little time to spend with us, so we treat times like this as something precious. Mariah Hepstone had become Prime Minister at the head of the coalition government and she kept my parents busy and that was why we didn’t see as much of them as I would like.

We were in the garden of the mansion headquarters of the old resistance on the Isle Of Man and it was a lovely hot day. I was wearing a pink strappy dress and floppy Panama hat to keep the sun off. Our puppy, Sandy, was playing with my sweet Davina, making her giggle.

I was just a mother, but not alone. Several of the transformed girls including my ditzy cousin Bethany are staying here with us and we have a house mother called Jennifer, who is quite nice but keeps us in order when we get too rowdy.

My boyfriend is Nigel MacIntyre. At 15, he is tall and handsome and I love him very much. He doesn’t know it yet, but we will be married at some stage. He loves my little girl and it’s nice to see him and little Davina getting on so well. His parents are in the Foreign Service and he is staying with us for a while; aren’t I the lucky one!

Bethany is pregnant; she doesn’t want to know the sex of the child and had artificial insemination to conceive, not wanting to have real sex with a man until she is older. Knowing how sex mad she is though, I don’t expect her to wait forever. I want to wait until Nigel and I are married. I may be a mum, but I’m old fashioned that way.

Looking back, I have come a long way in a few short years. I am happy with myself and my body. I have a wonderful family and friends and the world is getting to be a better place to live in.

I am contented.

THE END

Please leave comments…thanks! ~Sue

My thanks go to the brilliant and lovely Gabi for editing, help with the plot-lines and pulling the story into shape.

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Comments

The Chosen~Final Chapter

You pack quite a whallop in this final chapter and leave us wanting even more. Will you do a story where you link The Chosen to The Green Fog?

    Stanman
May Your Light Forever Shine
    Stanman
May Your Light Forever Shine

A Tie-up between…

…The Chosen and The Green Fog would be extremely difficult—if not impossible—because The Chosen is set some time in the fuure, whereas The Green Fog is set very firmly in the mid to late nineteen-fifties.

Gabi.


“It is hard for a woman to define her feelings in language which is chiefly made by men to express theirs.” Thomas Hardy—Far from the Madding Crowd.

Gabi.


“It is hard for a woman to define her feelings in language which is chiefly made by men to express theirs.” Thomas Hardy—Far from the Madding Crowd.

The end?

Why is it that people feel that they need to do something themselves rather than relegate the trouble to relevant people? If not for the trait, Adrienne could have told the Resistance - especially after it was shown that the Wellgood government was woefully inadequate in keeping ahead. It's sad, really.

Also, it is weird how people actually go with the orders of those who keep their relatives hostage and order to kill best friends. I hope I would assume there's no reason for them to keep the promise. So screw them.

Oh well, the story is a bittersweet one, yet... Out of curiosity, is there anyone there who keeps a tally of how many Sue's stories have some kind of bitteness in an otherwise good end?

Faraway


On rights of free advertisement:
Big Closet Top Shelf

Where you can fool around like you want to and most you get is some bemused good ribbing!

Faraway


On rights of free advertisement:
Big Closet Top Shelf

Where you can fool around like you want to and most you get is some bemused good ribbing!

Wow!

To have conceived, written and brought this exciting, yet harrowing, tale to fruition just demonstrates once again what a talented writer you are, Sue.

'Changes', 'The Green Fog' and 'The Chosen' are just three testaments to the sheer variety of themes which flow from your muse, and your talented interpetation ensures that we are drawn in and held like a spider's web of intrigue.

Susie

The Hardest Part

of such and Epic as this Susan, is writing an End that is large enough to fit the rest of it. And you have done it, brilliantly.

This really IS a superb story, but that goes for all of yours. However, this one is Special, if I had to choose it would have been my Chosen One!

You left it pretty open whether the genetic "blip" was accidental or due to some deliberate meddling - it did occur to me that, although a world with very few women and a preponderance of men would probably be very unpleasant, a couple of generations where the few young women who were able to have female babies found themselves sought after and much respected, and even more so if any of the few women left could have girl babies or boy babies, randomly, might just solve the problem of overpopulation and impending ecological collapse, and of the under-appreciation of women that there still is in the more primitive parts of the world (i.e nearly all of it!). With a raised tolerance even encouragement to the oversupply of young men to become TGs and TVs, the plight of the poor partnerless men could be solved too.

I'M JUST GOING THROUGH MY LIST OF CONTACTS TO SEE WHO TO CONTACT ABOUT US STARTING PROJECTS ON BOTH OF THESE!

Briar

A World Without Women

joannebarbarella's picture

Even if only for a generation would be a very unpleasant place indeed. In patriarchal societies (and many societies might become patriarchal) women would become virtual property. Just look at Saudi Arabia and Afghanistan today.

In other places men would look for alternative releases for their sexual appetites (as in prisons) and male prostitution might become prevalent.

In Sue's story young males volunteer to become girls, thus easing the imbalance somewhat. While this might sound wonderful to us on this site we should always remember just how much of a minority we are....1 in a 1000 or less. It might not be heaven on earth.

Sorry for the rant, Sue. It was a great story and I loved it,

Joanne

Davina,

Sue

A fitting name to serve as a constant reminder of friends lost and the arrogance of those in power. I don't know if this is survival of the fittest or engineered genetics.

Our little Becky endured a lot, survived and seems stronger for it.

I was sorry to see this come to an end, but I know that your imagination is working overtime to bring us yet another wonderful tale.

Thanks again for sharing this verying interesting and fascinating tale.

As always,

Dru

As always,

Dru

Plot Ideas, wow

Good heavens Sue, this was such a lovely story. It reminds me of some of the Drama that I used to see on the BBC when it was shown in the US. The twisty plot always kept me guessing. I hope to see more from you. I wait with bated breath. :)

Gwen

Thanks Sue

Thanks for seeing this one through. I certainly enjoyed it. I hope you are satisfied with the outcome and response.

The Chosen

Thanks for all the kind comments.

I tried to make something out of what was for me a difficult subject, forced fem, although the forced bit was more unusual than the usual that we see, more on other sites than here, I hasten to add.

It was a story that had been like an itch that needed scratching - other authors will know what I mean by that.

I wanted to portray a world where sacrifices had to be made and for the sake of all, some boys had to sacrifice their masculinity, to help continue the human race and avoid extinction.

The fact the authorities were corrupt, and as had been said before, absolute power corrupts absolutely, showed in the methods used and the mind games played by said corrupt government and the leaders paid the ultimate price for the mistakes they made and the murders they committed.

I do wonder what our real leaders would do in this situation. I would like ti think that they would be fair and balanced in their approach, but I'm not holding my breath.

Thanks for staying with me on this one!

Hugs and kisses
Becky
XXXX

I'd asume they'd probably

I'd asume they'd probably change the gender roles. It's not like men need women to be totally girly to be attracted to them so there should be no reason to totally girlify them. The biggest problem would probably be the sexuality of the new women. I mean most guys are heterosexual and that means gynosexual. It wouldn't do much good to create that many lesbians, wouldn't it?
I figure that there would be many guys who could live with having boobs and bein a woman, but probably go nuts if they were expected to totally confirm with the gender role - sort of like today feminists, only worse.

The best option might have been to only brainwash their sexuality and let them have as much freedom as they want or need otherwise. I mean who cares if they don't behave like good feminine baby factories as long as they find someone to reproduce with?

I guess they'd find enough volunteers if they try to increase the advantages of becoming a women and reducing the disadvantages. If they're messing with human genetic they might want to find a way to control the female period. Rumor says female orgasms are better than male ones. And one might try to modify the female urinal tract to allow women to pee standing, or at least more controlled.

The story is plain awesome, but the way the governments do the transformations is plain stupid. This may be a transgender subs wet dream, but it would be a nightmare for everyone else. They are so fixed on getting boys to be their good ultra feminine girls that they forget it isn't necessary to be ultra feminine to conceive.
Normally I'm not a fan of social engeneering, but here it would be the better option - short of mass producing m2f transgendered boys. There is probably a way to artificially introduce the condition and it actually would be the more humane option in this case.

Thank you for writing this captivating, awesome story. In the end the reactions of the governments are quite believable and even somehow understandable. It's better to sacrifice half a generation than to perish - it's not like this reasoning is new, men have always sent into wars to be slaughtered for a political advantage. In this case it was at least for the survival of humanity - a somewhat worthy cause.
Truth to be told I expected her to deviate from the girly norm after she'd been off the drugs and not planing to marry at fifteen... but apparently the brainwashing had some lasting consequences. I hope some good for humanity will come off the horrible events of this story.

I totally loved this, it's definitly one of my favourite stories,
Beyogi

Choice!

This story, though a harrowing sci-fi tale, is a choice morsel of delicious fiction! The ending was handled very, very well. Thanks for some quality, thought-provoking prose.

___________________
If a picture is worth 1000 words, this is at least part of my story.

Well done Sue

The English Teacher's picture

The only thing that would have made it better was one piece from start to finish not 16 bits.

So much to read, so little time and only one of me :)

The English Teacher

So much to read, so little time and only one of me :)

The English Teacher

Thanks Sue -

I enjoyed the story, although I had to catch up to what had gone before when you released a new chapter.

I don't know how you can have so many stories going at once and not mixing them up?

Do you really have multiple personalities?

Thank you!

LoL
Rita

Age is an issue of mind over matter.
If you don't mind, it doesn't matter!
(Mark Twain)

LoL
Rita

Thank You Sue !!!

I just want to say thank you for another great story Sue !!! luv ya

What more is there too say

other than, Thank you Sue for yet another story expertly told, Loved the ending, its always good to see the baddies getting there come-uppance....

Nice to see also Rebecca is looking forward to her new life, After what she has gone through over the past few months , that is the least she deserves...

Kirri

Well, most of it's been said already.

What can I add to that? Oh, how about, I really enjoyed this one, Sue!

Good SF, good story telling, great characters, intense situations...

All mixed in with the uncertainty of those directly affected by their government's policies. A nice bit of the old morality tale inserted off and on, too, I believe.

Thank you for keeping this one going.

Maggie

Another fine story!!

Pamreed's picture

Thank you Sue for another fine story!!! It did end a little abruptly but you tied all the loose ends up!! This was a frightening story of what can happen when people panic and don't think of anyone but themselves!!!

Becky's story is similar but quite different to mine. I am an MtF trans-woman who would love to be able to get pregnaut. I choose to accept myself and proceeded to make changes because I wanted them not because someone else wanted them!!

So Sue what is next in the horizon from you? Are you already working on a new story or are you going to take a break? Just know that I will be waiting for your next one!! You never disappoint me in the quality or interest of your stories!!

Fare thee well,
Pamela

"how many cares one loses when one decides not to be
something, but someone" Coco Chanel

Great story as always......

KevSkegRed's picture

Sue, a fantastic read and now it's over I'll miss it. Only found this story yesterday and have sat and read it from start to finish, it's one of those that once started can't be put down till finished, I had to leave this final chapter till this morning though because it was quite late and I was tired last night.

Keep up the great work xxx

Kev [Ρĥàńŧāśĩ»ßő™], Skeg Vegas, England, UK.

KevSkegRed, Skeg Vegas, England, UK.

Good story...Happily ever after

I enjoyed the story very much it could have a bit longer like foot ball girl (I like this much better....football hmm much to do about nothing).
I am suspicions about a good government. Its like the sex change thing then can do it but there is a patriarchal system in control that think male is the preferred gender.
Anyway enough of that.....
Thank you for a good read
Love and Hugs Hanna
girl_and_her_coffee3.jpg

Love And Hugs Hanna
((((((((♥)))))))((((((((♥)))))))((((((((♥)))))))((((((((♥)))))))((((((((♥)))))))
Blessed Be
2889.jpg

I am contented.

Great read, Susan. A beautifully-told story.
Thanks.
Michelle

Wow, Epic!

Hi. Just found this. It's great. You have quite an imagination to come up with such a world. I loved the characters. Thanks for a great read. Cheers, kiwi.

The Virus

Daphne Xu's picture

The world isn't out of the troubles it's been in, not by a long shot. Neither is the UK. There's still the aggressive China (maybe), and the UK has had the military take over. We can assume that the latter is short-term, until Parliament can elect a new Prime Minister or elections are held to elect a new Parliament.

What happened with the virus? I went back to Chapter 1, and it said that virus cause all women pregnant with girls to miscarriage or deliver still-birth girls. Did the virus go one step further, and prevent girls from being conceived forever after, once they caught the virus? If so, then the virus absolutely must have been consciously designed. A virus that has one such effect is unlikely to develop in nature. Both effects simultaneously? Essentially no chance.

Maybe instead, it causes women to miscarriage every girl conceived. That's somewhat more likely. But that means that it is not enough that Rebecca got pregnant with a girl. The major issue is ensuring that she doesn't miscarry her pregnancy. (There's always that issue anyway, but the miscarriage rate is not close to 100%.)

There are further questions: did every girl and woman in the world catch the virus? Did no woman, by genetics, environment, luck of the draw, etc. manage to avoid the principal effects when they caught it? Why was it assumed that UK was the one country with the science and technological ability to research and develop a counter-measure?

-- Daphne Xu

-- Try saying freefloating three times rapidly.