Vyrus

I aim to write these so that you can enjoy them as stand alone stories, or one after the other. If you'd like to do the latter, this is the other one. It probably doesn't matter what order you read them in.

Just a Nosebleed

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Since the Vyrus wiped out most human males, the few babies that are born are nearly all female.

Older women tell us what it was like Before. Slotting keys between fingers when out late alone. The fear when a man started following you. How many suffered violence, often from someone they should have been able to trust. A teacher. Husband. Pastor. Father.

It sounds alien. I love running late in the evening in summertime. Imagine basically having a curfew just for being female! She must be exaggerating.

If it's only slightly true, it's better now. Medicine's better, surgery's safer, textbooks more accurate, sanitary products are free.

But... even if they were once our number one predator, some of us still have a drive to pair up with one.

I remember when I sat my mums down and told them, "I like boys. Not girls." They cried. "We accept you anyway," they said. It sounded hollow against the heartbreak in their eyes. Especially followed by, "Maybe it's just a phase, Liv. Are you sure it's not just a phase?"

I'd just finished a shift one night when I found him hiding between the skips out back. Naked, mute, with a long number tattooed on his left cheek. I spoke softly, kept my movements steady. Coaxed him into the backseat of my car, covered him with my coat.

Driving home, I was shaking nearly as much as he was. Where had he come from? He'd escaped from somewhere. How much trouble might I get into?

At home, I washed the dirt off him, and soaped his short, bristly hair. None of my clothes fit him well, so I wrapped him up in an old bathrobe and settled him in my spare room. They eat the same as us, right? I gave him some leftover falafels, and some water.

You know where this is going... It didn't happen right away, but I caved to temptation. I wasn't careful enough. Now I'm sure I'm pregnant, and I've gone through none of the usual processes to approve me for a sperm donation. What am I going to do? And what if I'm carrying a boy?

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Word count: (excluding notes): 366

Submitted on: 19th April at 21:30

*Quick Author's Note*

First, and most importantly: thank you for reading!

A Year of Stories: I'm writing a story every day this year. This one makes an 110 day streak since the 1st January. I can't believe I've come this far! I'm collating them all here.

Prompts: If you'd like to have a go at my unofficial April Challenge (Fucked Up Fairytales) I've linked it at the bottom. If you'd like some more prompts to get your creative juices flowing, I've posted a list of prompts for April, and I've linked that as well.

Thank you

Thank you again! Especially if you are one of the people who has been staunchly reading these daily scribbles since the start of the year. I see you, and appreciate you 😁

I do my best to reciprocate as many reads as possible. If you leave me a comment, that makes it much easier.