My house was silent as I worked to recreate the plant that I finally named "Pliant", a synonym for "pliable". Two days had passed since it first started sprouting, and I was fairly confident that I'd developed a care routine that suited it. It grew incredibly fast and, by the looks of it, I was somewhat certain that it would be a root crop.
Working on these plants was incredibly peaceful. As I worked, I always found myself slipping into a sense of quiet determination and calm assurance. I knew what I was doing. In my new batch of seeds, I'd added the chemicals necessary to provide a variety of nutrients to the crop that could then be passed on to the person who consumed it. After a frustrating process of trial and error, I was able to have one seed out of the hundreds that I'd created sprout.
As I watered my new Pliant prototypes, a completely unfamiliar sound occurred in my small front yard: tires. From a vehicle. Only officials from Sector G and citizens from Sector A were permitted to use automobiles, and I'd only ever heard the sound of tires once before. The memory caused my heart to beat frantically; the day my parents were arrested played on repeat in my head, and my breathing became harsh. Despite my fear, I was adamant about at least looking at the threat. I'd done nothing wrong; I'd heard stories about officials accidentally arriving at the wrong house before.
Two vehicle doors being slammed shut sounded in my ears, making me jump. I leaned my head just slightly to the left, trying to peek around the corner of my house.
One man and one woman, both wearing fancy suits. The woman's suit was gray. The man's suit was black. The car was a sleek black thing, with smooth edges and scary-looking lights. They made their way to my front door, out of my sight, and knocked loudly.
I didn't move. For a while, it was silent. The knock sounded again, quieter this time, with the man and woman calling out.
"We are authorized to use force if necessary," the woman shouted.
"None of which will be used if you cooperate," the man, much calmer, called.
I swallowed, stood, and slowly made my way around the house. The man heard my steps immediately; he turned and gave me what I assumed was meant to be a reassuring smile. Meanwhile, the woman's eyes moved from my feet to my head in a very judgemental manner before finally landing on my face, making me extremely uncomfortable. The man stepped forward and held out a hand, which I cautiously shook.
"Good evening. We understand that it's late, but your neighbors assured us that you would be awake at this hour."
"May we come in?" The woman asked, obviously struggling to be polite. I cleared my throat and nodded, moving in front of them to open the door.
Once inside, they gestured for me to sit. I did.
"I'm Leslie," he began. "This is Natasha. We're here to speak to you about your academic history and the skill it entails."
"Okay," I said carefully. Natasha spoke up.
"I'm from Sector G. Leslie is from Sector A. We've been monitoring you for a while."
Approximate word count: 545
Thank you for reading!
YOU ARE READING
Stimulus (BOOK 1 OF 3)
Science Fiction"It's funny, isn't it?" He laughed bitterly. "Look at me. I was raised to rule millions. To live a life of luxury and power. And I don't even want it." He stalked toward me, like a predator hunting its prey. Suddenly, he reached out and touched my c...
