Unnatural Selection

The outside world was unknown to her, but she could see a glimpse of it through the window in his room.

She can hear him from afar, bustling through the tall grass, the items clanking as he nears. She smiles with delight but not completely until she hears the rapid four-note whistle signaling it’s him. Relief sets in.

Before entering his small hut, Rumi looks around too see if anyone is following him. Most importantly, he looks above to see if there are any drones or airships flying about. Once cleared he frantically enters and calls for Lela. He has been out for almost the entire day but it felt like eternity in his mind, worried he may come home not to find her. They exchange a big hug.

Filled with joy she waits to see what his father has brought her from the wreckage in the nearby town.

From one of the sacks Rumi takes out the bare essentials first: a pot, some silverware, candles, and a portable radio. On the smaller sack he withdraws some chips and juice boxes. Lela’s eyes brighten with delight and patiently waits for her father to hand them to her.

“Have you been doing your daily exercises my dear?”

“Yes father but of course!”

It’s small boxes of fruit juice and popcorn chips, her favorite. She devours one bag and slurps mightily until she is just sipping air.

“Dad? What do you have hanging on your waist”

“It’s semi-auto pistol my love, for our protection. I’ll teach you how to use it in the morning. I’m tired right now. I have a lot to tell you tomorrow my love. I’m gonna get some rest. Here’s a radio, turn to 1640am there’s some signal there for the latest news.”

Little Lela went to her windowless room, jumped on her bed, snuggled with her rag doll and turned on the radio. She listened intently:

“Once again. I repeat. Move to the mountains, the forests are our allies. Do no try to rescue your women, they have a chip. Many have been lobotomized it seems.”

Lela held her doll tighter.

“Now men are falling ill and dying unexpectedly. Europe has lost. Japan, China, and the United States have gotten hold of alien weaponry but are examining it for use. But be alarmed! Wear masks, there’s something killing men, something In the air!”

Lela wanted to wake her father up but she figured he already knows of this and more. She turned the radio off and gently fell asleep.

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Awakened by the comforting smell of vegetable soup, Lela rubbed her dark brown eyes, picked up the radio and went to see her dad.

“Good Morning sunshine!”

“Morning Daddy, do you already know?”

“Honey, you are as strong as your mom. I am not going to sugarcoat anything. Everything you have heard on the radio is true.”

“What are we going to do? I’m scared. I looked through your window the other day and saw some baby rabbits running around. I want to go play with them.”

“As much as I want to see you happy. You understand it’s impossible right now.”

“I know,” she replied in a down but accepting manner.

The soup suddenly started to ripple, it increased in intensity shaking the desk. Rumi ran to his window to look above and was able to catch the translucent egg-shaped ship quickly pass by. Thankfully, the thick hickory tree branches prevented being seen from above, that and putting fresh green pasture above the hut every time it dried.

Lela stood still waiting for her father’s permission to move. Once the humming sound was gone Rumi returned to the kitchen room, stoically.

“Lela, men have started dying recently with no apparent cause but some of the first symptoms appears to be shortness of breath, leading to organ failure, and ultimately the heart stopping.”

“Why?” She asks with furrowed brows, pensively.

“I don’t know my love. Something in the air. Maybe they are spraying it from above. But I know it is only attacking the X-Y Chromosome… which is Men, you are X-X my dear. I have to get a hold of some oxygen tanks. I am leaving tonight to the city hospital and hope to be back In the morning…”

“...Also, my dear, I ran upon signs that indicate there are more of us scattered around, hiding. They too appear to have been ransacking for any crumbs left in town before everyone was dispersed, taken, or killed.”

“Dad, will you excuse me?” She left to the underground lavatory where a small stream ran right next to it.

After she returned Rumi handed a small semi automatic gun to Lela.

Put your legs apart with one leg behind the other taking in the force. Hold with your right hand tightly, don’t put your thumb or any of your fingers behind the trigger or the slide. Place your left hand on the left frame of the gun and clasp to support your right hand a bit because the gun will recoil with force. Finally, you squeeze the trigger with your right index finger.

Lela stumbled and tottered the gun with her little hands. She did it again and again until her father nodded.

“Count the rounds when shooting. I only have 11 bullets for this gun. “

“Dad, my hands hurt. I don’t want you to leave tonight. I don’t want to be alone anymore,” she said her eyes beginning to water.

Rumi understood. This broke his heart but it needed to be done. Kneeling, he gave her a kiss on the forehead.

“I have to get some rest my dear.”

Lela seeing her dad going to his bed, rushed in front of him and jumped onto his bed and scooched to the corner next to the window, where she will occasionally see a falling star. It gave her comfort to be in between her father and the wall. She felt protected. The wall made of mud was left warm after sunset. She felt its warmth and protection, like that of a mother.

Rumi immediately fell asleep and started to snore as Lela looked outside his window. The dimming outside light, the last sparrows and finches settling with their groups. From afar there was a glimpse of a mountain that was divided by a stream of water that the lavatory water connected with at the bottom.

Her father had spoken of this mountain before. It was mentioned there were some settlers in hiding there as well. Lela had never met anyone besides her father before. Bemused in thought she also fell asleep.

Later that night she was awakened in her father’s arms as she was transferred to her bed.

“I love you my child,” he said sternly. “I will be back in the morning before the sun rises from the second tallest hill.”

“I love you too Dad,” she uttered drearily, not wanting to fully wake up so his absence will be shortened in her sleep.

Rumi walked away with great pain in his heart. He didn’t think he was infected with whatever was in the air. It was the same pain he had felt every time he left his daughter. With a small slingshot bag and with the pistol on his trousers he started to move out as fast as possible down the mountain. He tried not taking the same path he usually took to allow pasture to grow again and to avoid forming noticeable trails.

He passed the numerous shrubs, trees, rocks that descended downwards, jumping and maneuvering through the obstacles. It was sort of enjoyable coming down, he thought. Once down it was a twenty mile journey to the town of Nazon, where there was a hospital and four clinics for about fifteen thousand people that once inhabited the place.

As he walked the ground path he was always vigilant of anyone around. The creatures, aliens, humanoids or whatever they are were still too busy in the cities in battle, experimenting, impregnating women. He grew angry. His wife came to mind. It helped him be stronger, helped him to survive, to save his daughter.

The creatures had taken control of the satellites and had technology to detect where a female appeared in their maps. In the beginning women tried dressing as men, covering themselves with cellophane, taking hormonal medicines, etc., but what was being detected somehow was their reproductive organs.

Yes, it hurt to leave his daughter, and yes he definitely needed the air tanks, but also the last time he went he did find a supermarket close to the hospital. Downstairs in the basement of the supermarket he found some warm but delicious beer, classic Budweiser. Rumi hid it behind the walls of a broken cement wall and bowed to come back for it.

As he approached the homes that led to the center of the town, he always went around it’s walls for fear of being detected. Now and then he will hear some dogs barking. Their barking wasn’t a signal that they were protecting something but more a calling. Sometimes, upon seeing him the dogs will stop barking and whimper towards him. He would’ve loved to take one to Lela. She would’ve been exalted. Too risky, however.

One of the dogs followed him as he approached the supermarket. With his flashlight on he scurried inside, past the empty shelves, and downstairs to the hidden beers. As he put two six packs of cans in his slingshot bag he heard a rattling behind him. He stood still, blood rushing out of his face, hair standing on end.

He quickly turned around with the flashlight illuminating his eyes. Rumi jumped in fright as he saw the sparkling eyes and tail wagging in the stairs. It was the same Labrador dog that he had met the first time he came to town a while back. He had given this pup a damaged Twinkie once and now he always accompanied him when he came to town.

With a sigh of relief Rumi popped one can open and downed all its content without taking a breather. All sixteen ounces of it gone. Maybe that will calm his nerves, he thought.

The sudden dread got him moving quickly, now with a little weight on him. Not only the weight but the pup seemed determined to follow him everywhere.

With an extra bag at his side, he quickly maneuvered with the flashlight on his left hand out the supermarket and straight across to the hospital.

The main entrance doors was shut, he had to go to the side and find a window that was open. Not finding anything, and with the alcohol in his system, it made him a little bit bolder, so he grabbed a nearby rock and threw it at the window. It bounced back, merely creating a crack.

It was almost dawn. The warm alcohol had gotten to his head. He remembered he still had almost an hour walk back so he gave up and thought he might as well be back some other day. The thought of the weight of the beer cans and the gas tanks was discouraging.

He went back to the supermarket and picked up some chips for Lela. He had stored some where he left the alcohol. Every time he came back, it seemed like someone else might also have been trying to survive.

Picking up one of the chips he noticed there was a paper note around it attached by an elastic band. It read:

“Across the shallow river of Playa, go forth to the second highest Hill. We are more.”

There was a drawing of a map to the location.

He started questioning himself, “Was this here before I got here?” “Are these alien beasts leading me to capture?” No, he thought, it was too much burden to capture one person.

Excited and a little tipsy, he ran outdoors going through the main street until eventually pavement was replaced by hard terrain. Lela constantly came to mind.

The first light could be seen in the eastern horizon.

Before reaching the hill he stopped as he heard the humming sound from above. It was those bastards coming quickly from the west. They were flying lower and you could see their disk-shaped ship zooming across. This time, from it some vaporous red mist was emanating down. He knew he wasn’t drunk with just one beer.

He heard someone panting right next to him. He looked to the left and jumped in fright again as he saw the figure of a dog right next to him. It was the Labrador. He shooed it off, throwing a little rock not at him but close enough to scare him. The pup just stood there wagging his tail.

Rumi was tired at this point. Hiding underneath some bushes, he thought he might take a nap. He closed his eyes for a moment and the image of Lela came to mind. He sprung up, the humming was gone, so he proceeded up.

Nearing the hut Rumi was hyperventilating, he could barely whistle the four-note tone to comfort Lela that it was safe. He entered the house to find Lela standing there but she didn’t readily run to his arms. Eyes widening in surprise, her smile displaying her perfect teeth. She gave a joyful screech and ran to hug the pup, who in turn licked her face and jumped around like they have known each other for years.

Lela had never seen a dog in person but she had read all his father’s books, photos, and the knowledge imparted by her father that a dog is a men and women’s best friend. The love and connection was immediate.

Rumi had not realized the dog was walking besides him all this time, even less entered the hut. He just had to accept it now. He was sweating and incredibly thirsty. Before talking to her daughter he had a jug of water. His voice sounded raspy as he uttered, “My love I had warm beer earlier and I don’t know if it’s that but I feel dizzy and have difficulty breathing. I don’t mind if this pup stays with us, my gift to you my dear. I have something very important to tell you. “

Lela knew something was wrong so she calmed the exuberant puppy down, hugging him still, she listened.

“It’s what I suspected, we are not alone around this area. Come my love.”

Rumi took Lela to his window and pointed outwards in the warm humid morning, “See that hill over there, it’s the second tallest around here, right across the Playa river.”

“I am very sorry my love. I didn’t get the tank I went out looking for. I got something else instead. It’s called alcohol. It’s the reason your mother left me the first time.”

He gasped for breath. At that point he knew it and so did she. Tears filled her large eyes, pouting her lips.

“Be strong like your mother my dear. Come, accompany me, rest with me for a while.” Rumi slowly sat on the bed and laid down, leaving a little space in front of him for his daughter. The Pup followed along and lay in the bed by their feet.

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It wasn’t soon after they laid down the pup started to growl. Before he started to bark, Lela put her hand on his mouth to shut him. The humming sound was the loudest they’ve heard, her skin filled with goosebumps, hair standing up, and blood rushing to her head, she woke her father up. He growled as he tried to speak. Putting all his strength on his right arm he stood up, feverish. He gave a hard cough, spitting blood out so he can speak.

“Love, stay, wait”

Rumi stumbled out and saw how just a couple of yards from where they were the flying disk had landed. The humming sound now even reverberated his entire body.

It was clear they had been caught.

The pup escaped Lela’s arms and stood along Rumi’s side barking, staring intently outside, baring teeth, standing on guard.

With the little strength he had, Rumi went to his room where Lela stood next to the bed, shocked but upon seeing her father she regained composure.

“Love you like your mom. Please, strong be like mom.”

He took a small slingshot bag and in it placed the map and the semi automatic gun, along with some chips and snacks he had brought from the supermarket.

Rumi hugged her turning her around and pointing with his finger outside his window where she must go.

Spitting out more blood, “Don’t look back, run my dear.”

“No, I won’t leave you” she uttered now crying. She tried to take the gun out.

“Not yet dear, please go now. Others, like us, there...” he gave her a kiss on her forehead, leaving a trace of blood, “...take the doggie.”

He gave weight to his knees and bent underneath the bed and took out a well sharpened machete.

The pup’s barking increased with intensity.

“Love? Understand?”

Lela nodded calling for the pup but he just looked back and wouldn’t move.

Rumi gave one final hug to Lela, feeling her silent weeping. Before he left, he opened a can of beer, rinsed his mouth to spit out saliva and blood. Then he continued to finish his drink, coughing in the process.

He held the machete firmly in his right hand while with his other hand he shoved the pup inside and closed the door behind him.

The trees shook from the strong winds the disk object created.

He could make out a decrepit, gray humanoid slowly walking towards him, surrounded by a bright light, and something in its hand that couldn’t be seen as the light blinded his debilitating eyesight. Rumi held firm his machete and ran towards it, stumbling, before it got too close to the hut.

Lela had managed to calm the pup down and readied her slingshot bag which contained chips, candy, a small water bottle made of bark, a gun, the map, and peered at the wooden window held together by dry mud.

Very quickly she climbed on the bed and with a nervous sigh, with her legs trembling she pushed herself outwards, head first, as if being reborn once again. With her hands she lifted her weight and placed one leg out the window. Then she put her other leg out and they both touched the ground.

She was strong with all the indoor exercise she had been doing since she learned to walk five years ago.

Lela wiped the crust from her dried tears and screamed out loud, “I love you father! Doggie come!”

The young pup made a straight jump from the bed through the window and to the ground.

From the other side of the house a man wailed one last breath. Rumi was gone.

Lela ran down the hill, her little legs careful with the uneven terrain, the shrubs, rocks, at one point falling and tumbling down the hill but she quickly got up, dirty, bruised but resolved.

In her young mind, everything her father had told her, everything she had read, came to mind as she ran down not looking back. She could see her father alive, smiling at her, all the memories they had shared together in that little hut. Her fellow companion by her side, sometimes barking but being shushed. He was an obedient dog.

Without looking once back, Lela reached the Playa river, which was shallow. The water reached her waist. The current was a bit strong for her, so she hanged on to Doggie and both crossed.

Her pants and the dress she had over it were soaked now, and so was the slingshot bag. The map was no good but she knew where she had to go. The added weight slowed her and added discomfort.

She knew she couldn’t travel along the side of the river because it was easier but too obvious. So she re-entered the forest to go along the side of the hill. That way she was covered and protected by the woods.

Lela was tired. She had been running for what seemed half an hour nonstop now. Only the pup had the energy and sometimes went ahead and waited for Lela to catch up. Quickly looking back and seeing not a trace of that being or of the ship, she regained some strength and continued forward.

The thick forest made it impossible to run, so Lela started walking. Doggie gave out a quick bark ahead of her.

She heard something nearby and turned around again to see if someone was following her, there was no one. When she turned forward to continue she was met with a hand closing her mouth and the other gently holding her arm.

“Shh, you’re okay now”

That gentle voice, that feminine voice. She silently looked at this person in front of her with long hair tied in a pony tail, hips wide in her sheepskin pants. Lela had seen the picture of her mother many times. This figure wasn’t her mother but she was a woman.