1 0 Prologue

Book I Neo-Genesis

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On a late afternoon in October, Margaret, the second daughter of the Stephens, was surrounded by her family members celebrating her sixth birthday at dinner time.

It should have been a special day. Unfortunately, it was, but at another undesirable level.

Standing in the atmosphere full of happiness, she had not been warned by any prediction that the terrible events were silently coming.

All of the Stephens had shining golden blonde curls and jade green eyes. At that time, the birthday girl smiled broadly until the corners of her mouth consumed most of her cheeks.

This is the best day ever, she thought.

The girl probably forgot that she had experienced the same fun and joy every year. Well, it was normal for kids. The girl loved parties, cakes, and gifts. She was no different from the other children. Her parents always arranged a good party that fulfilled her need and they gave her the newly released dollhouse. It was the gift that all girls in the school surely had not owned yet. Margaret was the first! She imagined herself being the center of her friends and they were excited to see it, without realizing that she could not carry this large-sized toy to the school. And most importantly, she was not allowed to do so. But not only her parents, Molly, the eldest sister also gave her a princess necklace which nicely matched the princess costume her parents had given her last week. Only one person need not give her anything, ‘Little Marry’, a year younger sister.

About a meter away from the dining table, a voice of a woman, as clear as crystal, came out of the wooden-framed television with its antenna installed on the top.

“Good evening everyone, welcome to Cecilia’s Talk. At today's dinner time, I’m sure you all cannot just sit still. Because our guest today is Dr. Claster Deans, the Associate Professor of the law school of Hemsworth, who, now, heated up the current political situation. Good evening, Dr. Deans.”

“Good evening, sweet Cecilia.”

“Let’s talk about your article on the 122nd issue of Hemsworth Journals, pages 22-25. You declared your opposition to the Surveillance and Control of the Risks to Humankind Act 2966. Many people admire your work so much and your courage to speak it out. Me too. (“Thank you!” Dr. Deans said with his back straight. Cecilia turned to the camera.) Dear audiences, this article becomes the talk of the town when it has been published. (Her melodic voice totally attracted Margaret’s attention. Cecilia turned to look at her guest.) You’re going to say that you disagree with this law because it’s against liberation and human rights…”

“Dad, turn it off. We’re going to sing the song for Meg,” Molly, aged sixteen, requested with a reproachful look. Instead of doing so, her father just turned the volume down. He loved to watch this show and often recalled to everyone that Cecilia, the host, was once his classmate, ‘She is very smart”. It allowed Molly to disturb her parents by saying that Cecilia must be her father’s first crush, and every time, their mother would be upset.

Margaret licked the sauce at the corner of her mouth, still hearing the voice from the TV.

“…well, we should carefully consider the word to call these people. ‘The Risk’, why do we call them the Risk? They are the same as us but have some special skills that science today still looks for the answer. Ah, yes. I won’t talk about any religious belief or any side effects from chemicals that may cause the mutation or even about the change of DNA. Because it sounds too unbelievable. However, it was not mean impossible. In my opinion, the way we value them should be reconsidered. Indeed, we could not find the answer yet but it’s not the reason we dehumanize them. Honestly speaking, there are many talented people in this world, or they have special specific skills that fantasize us but it’s not peculiar or scary at all. Why do we regard them as a threat? Why are we treating them like a fearful disease since they’re not? Think! It’s not different from you, who are very skillful in painting or singing or think about some strange ability we always see on TV shows or at the circus. Perhaps, this is a step of human mental and physical evolution. According to history, human keeps evolving. Or, this is merely a very unique gift.”

“…Happy Birthdaaay-tooooo-youu!” The song might end beautifully if her father who still stared at the TV screen with eyes almost popped out, stopped humming like an old vacuum cleaner.

“So, you think that they’re not sick people. They’re the same as us? They deserve the human right as same as ordinary people.”

“Yes, of course, because they are the same as us and have the right to….”

Suddenly, Margaret saw the message on the screen declaring the show was against the laws but her father already returned all his attention to this birthday girl. He, therefore, did not see his favorite show and was coerced to stop broadcasting.

“Make a wish Meg and be careful of your wish.”

The girl stopped watching the screen and returned her sight to the cake before her face.

“If you wish ‘No School’ tomorrow, the wish will not be granted for sure,” said Molly making everyone laugh. The girl made a face when her sister could read her mind.

What kind of wishes is she thinking of? To be like this forever? With Daddy, Mommy, Molly, and Mary. Yes, I wish to be happy and joyful like today. She finally wished and blew out the candles. Unfortunately, Margaret’s wish could not be true…never. Now, the black shadow of the Unlucky star had stood at the front door. The time of her happiness was going to end soon.

The bell rang. Mommy frowned. She was certainly not pleased and doubted who dared to visit them at this time.

“Oh no! They terminate the broadcasting already!” Mr. Stephen mumbled his cry alone.

“No surprise, Darling. You have to find your new favorite channel. Say goodbye to your Cecilia. She’s doom.” Mrs. Stephen told him merrily without a single regret and emotional control. Then, she walked to the front door.

Margaret ran to her dollhouse, piles up pieces of paper wraps. The girl turned her glare to Mary. “You can’t touch it.” But the youngest laughed and continued eating cake. Mary did not listen to her. Margaret showed her annoyance. “It’s mine!”

“Share with Mary. Be kind, Meg,” Molly said.

“When it comes to Mary’s birthday, she’ll get hers,” Margaret replied.

“You two have your own dollhouse and become neighbors,” Molly suggested while Mary nodded with a part of her face painted with fresh cream.

“Hey! What did my girl do?”

Her mother voice’s echoed loudly. Her father heard it, stopped staring at the blank screen, and turned it off before following his wife. “Honey, what’s happening?”

Molly, taking this opportunity, stole the fried potatoes from her father’s plate as she refused to eat earlier.

“You said you’re on diet,” Margaret mentioned but her sister hissed back.

Margaret used the fork to chop her cake. She was wondering why her parents took time for a while. They did not invite the guest. Were they dealing with the seller? But they normally would not visit at this hour. Due to curiosity, the girl stopped her attention from the desserts, jumped out of the chair, ran to the hallway, and hid her tiny body behind the giant ceramic jar. There she saw her parents, with serious facial expressions, talking to the police. They were police for sure. She remembered the navy-blue costume. And they came two.

“…This warrant is under the legal authority we all know which one. We don’t need to explain more. Please let us in. We need to speak to Molly Stephen.” One of them spoke in a dead tone but revealed a little haste.

Warrant…for whom?

Her mother stretched both arms to block them from coming inside. “I’m sorry but Molly has no inclination to become the Risk. She was hospitalized when she was eight…pneumonia, sir. Please check her medical history before accusing my dear daughter.” Her voice was sharp.

Margaret smiled at her mother’s daring gesture. Father tried to calm Mother down. Her mother was a fighter. The girl tried covering her mouth to hide her laughing so she ran back to the dining room. Molly still devoured the potato fries and Mary surveyed that dollhouse.

“Mary, don’t touch my house!” Margaret screamed. This naughty sister beamed showing all of her small teeth. Her eyes might look innocent. Father and Mother never knew. Molly never knew too that Mary was truly the evil. The little sister usually stole her toys. They shared the bedroom because of their age and Margaret could not protect all of her toys all the time.

“You already unwrapped it. Let me play with you. Judie wants a home like your Lisa.”

But before Margaret could answer, Molly interrupted, “What are mom and dad doing?”

“The police come,” she answered.

The older girl lifted her brow, “Police?”

“Molly, do you have anything to tell us?” The sudden question of her parents alarmed Molly as she abruptly threw the potato fries away but they dipped in the soft drink glass. Mary laughed out loud.

But at this instance, Margaret felt the lights in the room dimmer but they were still bright the same as the eyes could perceive so she turned to her older sister and saw Molly’s confusion as if a question mark stamped on her face.

“What’re you talking about?”

“Yeah!” Margaret doubted and showed a little annoyance since the attention turned to her sister and the merry facial expression of their parents disappeared.

“The police come and they’re waiting for you outside,” explained Father. “They talked about that law.”

“Which…”. At that right moment, Molly’s face was painted white. She leaped out of the chair to the corner of the room in just one step. “I-I-I didn’t do anything. It just happened. I don’t know how I could do it but…save me, please. I don’t want to go with them.” The sudden change of her gestures dazed the other two little girls, especially Margaret who was able to understand the situation better than Little Mary but still not truly comprehended the whole thing.

What Molly did?

“Tell me, baby, tell me what happened!” Mom urged.

Margaret and Mary met their eyes and observed Molly’s reaction. Something had happened the day before and it was not a good thing.

“A car…it was a car slid to my direction and…I stopped it. I-I don’t know how I did it but it stopped…just stopped. Okay? I did nothing! Maybe the driver pushed the brake in time!”

“Please come with us, Ms. Stephen”

She did not know when the police stepped inside without permission. Margaret glared at the intruders, under the disguise of the state officers. She might not get what was really happening but knew well that they would take her sister away on her birthday and she would never allow that.

That’s very rude!

“We have the warrant, the special one. And if you don’t come with us, we must use a little force.”

“Don’t threaten us!” Mom screamed at her high-pitched in anger. She ran and barred her arms around Molly, putting all her effort to protect this daughter.

Dad tried to calm the situation down; he warned Mom, “Don’t be silly, Agatha. Please, we have little kids here. Let us talk to our girl first. Meg, Mary, go to your rooms. NOW!”

Margaret was trembling and about to start crying. Her father insisted, “Go!” Disappointment turned to anger. The girl caught her little sister’s arm and ran quickly to the stairs. Father had never raised his voice like this. She did not forget to stamp her feet on every step just to show them that they made her frustrated. But Margaret and Mary did not run into their room, still observed the situation through the balcony bars.

“We have no time. Come here, Ms. Stephen! Be a good girl.”

When their father looked up, the two crouched on the floor to hide his gaze. They listened to their mother and sister disputing with the cops. They heard Molly tearfully shouting not to go, yelling that they would kill her. Margaret and Mary began to cry. The heating argument and violent words provoke their fear. They did not understand what Molly did but they did not want their sister to be killed or taken away.

This is my birthday. Margaret cried and Mary too.

“Meg, are they going to take Molly away?”

And the two girls heard the noises as if people there started fighting. They heard Mother screaming. Margaret and Mary dared not to watch so they wrapped each other’s arms and closed their eyes. She prayed to God, or to whatever that could stop the violence below. She wished her birthday party back.

“Stop it, girl!”

“Molly, please don’t do this. You make it worse.”

Molly screamed. Even a six-year-old like Margaret could perceive her sister’s deepest fear. “I caaan’t. I don’t know. I don’t do it!”

Father shouted begging, “Please. Don’t do this. I can calm her. There are little kids here, SIR! PLEASE”

“Move away, Ma’am. She’s the threat to us.”

“No, she’s not. You have no right to take my baby!”

Just only one gunshot ended the chaos, the one shot that destroyed everything. Margaret felt weird in her chest, and gradually released her arms from her sister. She ran hurriedly to see what happened while Mary tailed behind. Still did not know what exactly happened and why her birthday was ruined. But now, in front of the girl, her father screamed and sobbed in terror, kneeling on the floor, exhausted…desperate. The cruel police stood in silence. Mother and Molly lay on the floor. Mom’s body did not move, her eyes opened wide. The girl screamed out loud, frightened of the scene. On top of her mother’s back was Molly’s shaking body. Her mouth twisted, calling, “Ma…ma?”. Those green eyes met Margaret and suddenly she initially realized that her sister was not there anymore. It was an empty body. At that moment she saw how the soul departs from the body. Those bright green eyes seemed more lifeless every second, the same way the light slightly turned off.

God doesn’t exist. Or, if they do, God is genuinely cruel.

And this was the last birthday celebration of the Stephen family.