THE MOTHER SIEGE: A DYSTOPIAN THRILLER

Chapter 12: THE MOTHER SIEGE: A DYSTOPIAN THRILLER

Copyright (c) 2013 Phyllis Zimbler Miller

All rights reserved.

            That evening Natalie coupled the four individual movicles together for the trip to the children’s park.  Jonah and the twins were pleased about this outing because of the outdoor chess pavilion where teens congregated to watch games in progress.

            While Julie did not officially exist, Natalie did take her places where identity checks weren’t conducted.  As required by law, everyone living within the land mass of the Provisional Government had to carry a biometric identity document.  Natalie had considered trying to obtain a valid document for Julie on the black market, but had decided that risk was too much.

            To keep the children from knowing the secret themselves as they got older, Natalie had produced a fake ID for Julie not meant to fool anyone but the children.  It would take a Provisional Government militia only a half second to determine it was fake.

            The militia did not bother checking IDs in public places such as parks that did not have controlled entrances.  One reason mothers loved this children’s park was because there they felt relatively free from government surveillance.    

            As Natalie’s lead movicle took them to the park, she listened to updates on her Twitterverse.   Her stomach flipped over with fear when she heard the report of mothers who had already surrendered their children in order to receive the early compliance rewards. 

           She made herself take deep breaths to calm down, which she managed to do by the time the coupled movicles parked themselves. 

        Leaving her personal comm unit and Twitterverse earpiece in her movicle along with the children’s personal comm units, she waved the children off to the chess pavilion.  Then she walked towards where she expected to meet the other three women.

            Before she could get there, Jonah came racing back.  “Mom, I just saw a girl I know from my preparation studies.  Is it okay if Isidora sees me here?”

            Natalie glanced around.  She had to let Jonah return to the pavilion because at his age he would look odd hanging out in the park anywhere else.  Natalie nodded and said, “Just act as you normally would.”

            “She’s kind of cute,” he said before turning around and dashing back to the chess pavilion.

            Natalie groaned inwardly.  This was one thing she did not need to worry about right now.  The Provisional Government having eliminated procreation and STDs from sex meant that teens could engage in sexual activities whenever they chose. 

            Up ahead Natalie saw Catherine and two other women waiting for her.  They were seated at a stone table with cards being dealt out. 

           Natalie took the empty stone chair and noted that none of the other women had their personal comm units on their wrists or their Twitterverse earpieces.  She nodded at the others as if she already knew them, and asked what game they were playing.  “Go Fish,” Catherine said.  “Nothing taxing while we talk.”      

               “I’m Rosalind,” said the African-American woman to Catherine’s left.

               “You’re Catherine’s sister?” Natalie said.

               “Half sister.”

               And to Rosalind’s left the woman said, “I’m Graciela.”