Challenge #13a: Back to Basics Part 1
“Where are you going?” Sarah asked as Beth rummaged in the darkness.
“I’m going to run away with Jimmy,” whispered Beth as she shoved a flashlight and jacket into a backpack.
“You can’t do that!” protested Sarah wide-eyed.
“I am a grown woman, you know,” replied Beth annoyed.
“That doesn’t matter anymore,” Sarah said softly.
“I know you’re too young to remember what it was like before Intellectual Mating, but I do. People could be with whoever they wanted-the people that made them smile, laugh, and feel happy, the people they loved,” Beth explained.
“But it wasn’t working and humanity suffered.”
“Humanity is suffering now, too, just differently. We aren’t happy. We’re thrust into Parental Commitments against our will for as long as They deem us qualified. And for what? A few IQ points? Humanity has more to offer-community, acceptance, love-than intellectual advancements,” argued Beth, who was practically shouting at this point.
“But we were desecrating our species by letting love cloud our evolutionary instincts. Rather than choosing the mate who would create the best possible offspring, we were mating with high school sweethearts, strangers, and criminals all under the guise that we loved them and that we would be different than our parents. We were, to some extent, though not necessarily better, and the cycle continued for centuries until our species became so frail-physically, mentally, and intellectually-that we had no other choice to save ourselves than Intellectual Mating,” Sarah said, repeating what the new generations were being taught in school.
“I may be smarter than Jimmy, but I don’t care. I love him anyway and that’s what’s most important to me. I can’t just stay here and be forced into a family that doesn’t include him,” declared Beth as she stood to leave.
“But it’s dangerous. No one ever hears from those who’ve tried to run away again,” said Sarah worriedly.
“Maybe they’ve made it,” Beth said hopefully.
“Made it where?” asked Sarah.
“Somewhere else where we get to make our own choices.”
“Does any place like that exist anymore?”
“I don’t know, but Jimmy and I are going to find out,” Beth said as she slipped out the door into the night.
“Be careful,” whispered Sarah, too afraid to arouse suspicion by shouting it to her friend disappearing into the shadows.
“I’m going to run away with Jimmy,” whispered Beth as she shoved a flashlight and jacket into a backpack.
“You can’t do that!” protested Sarah wide-eyed.
“I am a grown woman, you know,” replied Beth annoyed.
“That doesn’t matter anymore,” Sarah said softly.
“I know you’re too young to remember what it was like before Intellectual Mating, but I do. People could be with whoever they wanted-the people that made them smile, laugh, and feel happy, the people they loved,” Beth explained.
“But it wasn’t working and humanity suffered.”
“Humanity is suffering now, too, just differently. We aren’t happy. We’re thrust into Parental Commitments against our will for as long as They deem us qualified. And for what? A few IQ points? Humanity has more to offer-community, acceptance, love-than intellectual advancements,” argued Beth, who was practically shouting at this point.
“But we were desecrating our species by letting love cloud our evolutionary instincts. Rather than choosing the mate who would create the best possible offspring, we were mating with high school sweethearts, strangers, and criminals all under the guise that we loved them and that we would be different than our parents. We were, to some extent, though not necessarily better, and the cycle continued for centuries until our species became so frail-physically, mentally, and intellectually-that we had no other choice to save ourselves than Intellectual Mating,” Sarah said, repeating what the new generations were being taught in school.
“I may be smarter than Jimmy, but I don’t care. I love him anyway and that’s what’s most important to me. I can’t just stay here and be forced into a family that doesn’t include him,” declared Beth as she stood to leave.
“But it’s dangerous. No one ever hears from those who’ve tried to run away again,” said Sarah worriedly.
“Maybe they’ve made it,” Beth said hopefully.
“Made it where?” asked Sarah.
“Somewhere else where we get to make our own choices.”
“Does any place like that exist anymore?”
“I don’t know, but Jimmy and I are going to find out,” Beth said as she slipped out the door into the night.
“Be careful,” whispered Sarah, too afraid to arouse suspicion by shouting it to her friend disappearing into the shadows.