Adam 0532 by Nick Frampton

Author:Nick Frampton
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: short scifi, dystopia, sci fi, short reads, short story, short novella, fantasy, future, short fantasy, scifi dystopia

11

The morning passes slowly and the fug of Boltz’s smoke fails to lift until well after Ella disappears from her room for lunch. At 1pm Griffin calls us all together, lining us up around the poolside. There are twenty or so of us; mainly permanent staff but a few like Boltz and I employed on some temporary need. Griffin smiles, revealing a rarely seen sweep of bone white teeth that erupt like gravestones from his pale gums.

‘Wait here,’ he commands gleefully, before disappearing in to the house.

There are many reasons why Griffin calls us all together, some more sinister than others and instinctively I worry which end of the spectrum we’ll be subjected to. After five minutes or so he returns. He walks ceremoniously, left hand raised as he gently guides Mrs Fairwater across the lawn. A white tunic with gold leaf trim stretches tightly over her generous frame, failing to conceal the many feasts and banquets that linger on her ample hips.

Griffin helps her in to one of the pool loungers and then waits whilst drinks and parasols appear from the house; the inside staff briefly crossing over in to the outside domain.

Cassandra Fairwater speaks, revealing a small wobbling voice that creeps from behind her jowls like a mouse.

‘Inspection,’ she says.

The coolness of the word strikes through the heat of the afternoon. Inspection – such a bland word, but in the Fairwater house it has much meaning. Clothes are swiftly peeled off, shirts clinging briefly to sweat kissed backs before being placed without fuss on the poolside floor.

Shoes and boots are set aside before shorts and underwear are removed,

A quick glance around reveals a sea of uniformity. The permanent staff unveil a set of hairless torsos, all hints of pubic fuzz carefully removed. Only those of us on temporary work placements stand out; unruly patches of wiry hairs signifying us as clearly from the Zone.

Ghosts appear at the windows of the house; silent figures that watch this parade from behind glass panes. The world of the inside staff is as alien to me as ours is to them. I hurriedly search the windows for some sign of Ella, unsure whether her appearance would stir excitement or shame. But as ever, when one of her parents’ inspections occurs she is absent.

We are called forward one by one, Cassandra casting a butcher’s eye over us all. Here she compliments a breast, there a thigh or a particularly appealing rump. Occasionally she will nudge Griffin and whisper in his ear.

When it comes to my turn I walk slowly round the pool before coming to a stop immediately in front of Cassandra and Griffin. Two pairs of eyes watch as I slowly turn; lifting my arms and flexing my muscles as I expose pale flesh to the sun.

‘Next,’ Griffin calls and I take up my position on the other side of the pool. At the end of the inspection a few are called back for further consideration until a young woman is selected. I recognise her as the one who was scrubbing the poolside when I arrived.

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