Fray

The forest seems to be empty of all human life. I scour around every tree and hill, narrowing my eyes at any motion or sound that could be a sign of a female.

There's absolutely nothing, and I'm starting to lose hope. It's the 2nd day we've spent on Earth, and we still can't find any humans. Where are they all hiding? Did they know we were coming? I think back to all the males that Torint claimed to have killed. Did they spread the news and flee this land?

I consider many things as I stomp through the dark green foliage, swatting at little bugs that fly around my face. I watch cautiously as one lands on me, sticking it's face on my skin.

Is it...drinking my blood? I slap the bug off. What a strange planet. Blood sucking creatures? I've never heard of such a thing.

I push myself further, dreaming of feminine curves and soft skin. Could I even convince a female to take me as I mate? I run a hand over my sweaty hair, thinking of what I would do if I met a mate-less female. What would she think of me?

Shaking my head, I keep walking. If I get distracted, then I may never exit this place with any females on my ship. Sometimes I get lost in my own mind.

It seems like I've been wandering these woods forever. It doesn't make any sense. There's supposed to be many females on this planet. We landed right next to a spot that was teeming with life, judging by our scanners.

Maybe it was a mix up? Maybe they short wired and took us to the middle of nowhere? Maybe the computers thought it would be fun to torture us by sending us to this hot place?

Something crunches under my foot, and I glance down at the odd noise. I lift my boot, taking a look down at what I've stepped on.

It's a little wooden structure, crouched by my heavy foot. I lower myself onto my haunches, lifting the thing with interest in front of my face.

It slowly dawns on me that it's a trap, a small thing meant to catch pray, likely for food. I've known similar traps to be built on my own planet. Rytarians use much bigger traps in our forests to catch large beasts. But not humans, no, apparently they have their eyes on much tinier game.

As amusing as it may be, it's also a miracle. A trap. A human built trap. This means that they're here, they're close. I have succeeded.

Glancing around carefully, I see that there is no sign of life anywhere around, but I know that they have not abandoned this trap. The wood is new, freshly cut and layed out.

So, I sit down, waiting for someone to show up and check their little trap. Maybe then I will be lucky enough to find the females we so desperately.

Soleil

I shovel another sloppy mouthful of grits into my mouth, tasting heaven and being thankful for the delicious goodness that is the southern cooking we enjoy here at the compound cafeteria. Our compound is actually an old middle school, so it already had a large kitchen and cafeteria already. It works out well.

Elodie sips on her water, clearly looking around nervously. The cafeteria is basically the definition of a giant clique. The men have their own tables, separate from their wives and daughters and mothers. It's another reminder that they're above us I suppose, that we're separate.

It makes me sick to my stomach.

"You sure you don't want any?" I offer, showing my lunch tray to my best friend. She shakes her head, barely looking at me.

"Nah, I'm not hungry." Elodie insists.

Apparently it makes her sick to her stomach too.

I take a bite of beans, staring at all the children and families littering the room. There's countless mothers, all of them up to their neck in kids. It's what we're taught here. If you're a woman, you make children. Repopulation and all that.

There's nothing wrong with it as long as they're happy, and some of them do really look happy here with their husbands, children, and sister wives, as odd as it is. Even from the time I was little I knew it was wrong for a man to have multiple women. Some are favorited, while others are ignored, some get more attention, while others watch the children. It truly disturbed me. It still does.

Is it so wrong to want to be someone's only love? Is it impossible to have a monogamous relashionship? Is it selfish to want to be the only woman in a man's heart?

I don't think so, but I've been taught the opposite.

"Soleil." The name isn't something I like hearing sometimes, especially by that southern drawl.

"Yes, ma'am?" I turn to see Momma standing there, a hand on her hip. She's not even looking at me, but has her dark eyes hooked on my friend. Elodie awkwardly clears her throat. She shifts her wary gaze back and forth between myself and the woman who gave birth to me.

"I'm gonna go." She mumbles, all but fleeing the scenes as Momma slides in across from me.

The woman is all grace, and I applaud her for her ability to make someone run away without a word. Momma observes myself and my food with a tight smile.

"Where were you all morning?" I chew my food and openly stare at her, altogether ignoring the questing, because she should already know. She spent years chasing me into the woods to capture me and drag me back, she gave up the hunt a long time ago, and now she just guilt trips me when I get back.

Oddly enough, it still doesn't work.

"I told you that you should go talk to Harrison today. He's interested in you, you know." Oh, I know alright. I know that Harrison is obviously gay and he's being forced to pick out his very first wife. His parents have no idea, even if it wasn't obvious enough, he's told me a time or two. I feel bad for the kid, he's only 18 after all, and his Dad is shoving the ladies down his throat.

Everyone assumes that the two of us will end up together, but I couldn't do that to him, or myself. If I married him, it would only be a matter of time before he had to marry again, and again. We have plenty of girls to go around.

The only reason people expect for us to end up together is because we're both part of high ranking families here in the Group. My Mother is married to the Vice President, and Harrison's Dad is the Director of Operations. It's like a politically fueled arranged marriage.

Despite the fact that society has literally crumbled, people always find a way to arrange their own government and forms of power. People of power always abuse it, it's something widely known. Our community is no different.

The higher your ranking, the more wives you're allowed to have.

"I'm not marrying Harrison." I say, completely decided, though I've already known for quite some time.

I don't want to marry anyone here to be honest. What I want is to run, even if Elodie won't let me. I just can't help feeling like I'm meant for something different than this, something more. This place doesn't feel permanent, even if it does feel like I've been here for an eternity already.

"If you don't, you'll still have to marry someone. It's the way things are. You are very desirable to men. I only want to help you, do what's best for you." Momma insists, her voice calm and her face composed, a fire of determination burning behind her eyes. It's my Mom's wish for me to be safe here, secured. I think she's seen a few things that she won't tell me about, like when people from the compound go missing. It's a side of our society that's hidden. She's trying to protect me from that.

I brush that part off and focus on the first half, always hating that word. I'm desirable? Yeah right. I have curves on curves, and I'm short and stout. The only reason guys want me is because I'm good for bearing children. I'm considered extremely fertile. Not to mention the fact that I'm Latina. That seems to be fetishized in these parts. It's disgusting.

I don't answer my Mother, instead I look down at my food, no longer hungry. My appetite has officially vanished.

"I'm not a trophy to be added to someone's collection. I'm a person with a heart and soul, and I want to make my own choices." I declare, and Momma's eyes widen on me. Even though I didn't raise my voice, she still glances around to make sure that no one heard me.

Heaven forbid someone knows that I'm a free thinker. That could get me in trouble. I can't seem to care.

Before she can answer, I stand up and grab my tray with shaky fingers, walking away quickly. I want to get as far away from her as possible. I want to get as far away from this place as possible. It's not fair, it's not right. Just because I'm a woman doesn't mean I shouldn't get choices.

Well, this girl is going to make her own destiny.