Population

Rowan 1

The officer looks at me like I'm just another procedure.

Step 1) Find illegitimate child

Step 2) Force self into house

Step 3) Calmly explain that said child is a mistake and should have never existed

Step 4) Haul franticly protesting child to boss

Step 5) Have overworked, unpaid intern fill out paperwork

Step 6) Reward a hard day's work with a donut

With a half-assed, patronizing glance to his clipboard he asks, "Rowan Bow "

"Yes."

All my life I've prepared for this moment. Structured and built for the second they come to haul my ass away, but it never seemed real. My head always made it out to seem like one of those cruel stories your brother tells you when he wants to shut you up for a bit. But now looking into the cop's cold eyes, I know it's real. I now understand why my parents trained me the way they did. Just a few months ago I hated my parents because I had to do boot camp style workouts instead of seeing the latest summer blockbuster with my friends. All the ruthless workouts were by the end I was ready to pass out. Or the days when I would kick and scream because I hated mind games. Looking back it was all for one reason. And now I'm thankful, because my parents didn't try and protect my innocence, I may have a chance to make it past 16.

 Those few months back, I always figured I wouldn't be afraid. I would go into this guns blazing and hopefully come out no worse. Now, all I want to do is crawl under my bed and wait for the big bad monster to go away. For my mom to come in and tell me everything's gonna be ok. That it was all a dream, and that my favorite dinner is cooking in the oven. But unfortunately thats not reality, and I can no longer afford to think like that, not that I ever could. It's terrifying to think how quickly my perspective changed in a matter of seconds.

Officer Moncton pulls his handcuffs from his belt and grabs my right wrist, tightly fastening one loop around my wrist and holding the other. He gives a sharp enough tug to pull me out the door of my childhood home. The only home the law has sanctioned me to know. I don't physically fight back, there's no way I could win. Even if I'd managed to get away I'm sure they have patrol cars guarding my block like I'm the Queen. So instead I fight him the only way I currently can.

I guess I'm not walking fast enough because the asshat gives a sharp tug on the handcuffs, "hey watch the merchandise! You wouldn't want to damage America's most wanted now would you? " If I'm going to be dehumanized might as well go out guns a blazing in my own sadistic way. "You know, we need more hero's like you protecting our great streets! You're a real up-stander protecting the citizens from honors students like me! Who knows I could have cured Alzheimer's, but my evil calculus mind was harming too many people." Stone cold, almost like he doesn't have a sole. Wouldn't surprise me either. Might as well get the most out of it, maybe I'll enjoy my last few moments. "Out of all the murderers, rapists, and thieves still on the street I think--- no, I know, I'm your biggest problem and I'm really proud that you finally put a stop to me."My last words while I'm still considered a legitimate person to the United States Government, and not gonna lie I'm satisfied.

The officer takes my reaction like he's been through this thousands of times, but the scary part is I know he hasn't. This is his first, and most likely only time he will ever do this. The bragging rights he'll get at the station for escorting someone to their murder must be more than enough compensation. A casual convo turns into how he brought in a nothing like me, it'll give him the equivalence of a war hero, not just in the office.

Cop 1: "I took out a suicide bomber yesterday with a single shot."

Moncton: "That's cute. I brought in one of the estimated 75 Illpopulations  last year." Metaphorically drops mic.*

My head is pulsing,  this is the moment that's shaped my adolescents, why am I so scared? From the time I was three I was preparing. Trying to learning exact the process so I could make the logical move when the time came, but now, in the moment,  well, now all I can do is make half-asses remarks and hope they don't come to screw me over later.

It surprises me the neighbors aren't watching, their either too ignorant to know what's going on, or are all to happy to see scum like me gone. It doesn't matter how many cookies I baked for them, how many hours I played with their children, or days I feed their dogs, I'm an Illpopulation. It wouldn't shock me if when they find out they deep clean their, well, everything.

"By law I gotta read you the order so shut up and listen. Rowan Bow age 16, born April 20th 2091. Stated by law in, The Life Bill of Population, signed on July 18th 2090, section A paragraph 3, line 2; "any human child born (except for legal registered pre-conceptions, see paragraph 4) after said date shall be deemed illegitimate. All rights reserved for legal citizen will be revoked. This prohibition on child birth will last a span of 10 years, on July 18th 2090 legalization will be announced. If a child(ren) is born past date, and lives till age 16 said child(ren) will be taken into government custody. Said child(ren) will have the opportunity to show worth to society, the fate of the child(ren) will be decided upon committee after testing."

He's never done anything like this before-- yet he doesn't care, but then again, to him I'm not human. All I am is a paycheck that never should have be born. I find myself unsure of what to be more scared of. The fact that this man has probably never significantly contributed to ending a life, and is this detached the first time doing so. Or the fact that not only do I not know where I'm going, but that it'll probably be the last place I'll ever be.