Another of my writing exercises from the How to Write Flash Fiction that doesn’t Suck! A SciFi take on another sort of rebellion. See my post from July 5th, for my first take on this theme.

Adoption

My family looked across the kitchen table in amazement. “You did what?” my sister squeaked.

“I decided to accept Klapah’s offer to adopt me.”

“Why?” my mother asked, her voice was tight. I knew she was trying not to cry.

“Because until we have the ability to make the rules, we’ll always be oppressed,” I crossed my arms over my chest. I knew I was right, and I’d made up my mind.

The training was brutal. Technologically superior, the Kalan had over run our planet. They took what they wanted and made the population near slaves. Before the adoption, I had to become one of them; customs, courtesies, and language; that was the hardest. All of those glottal stops. It took three years. The ceremony was held in the village square. My wagon was pelted by rotten fruit and names like traitor were spat in my direction by my old friends and neighbors.  Custom required my family be present to hand me over to Klapah.

Dad was stiff faced but Mom cried a river. I tried to talk to my sister before the ceremony. “Lois, can you wish me well?”

She glared. “You’re just looking for the easy life. You think the child price Klapah paid is enough to keep Mom from weeping every night? The money will buy us some comfort, yes. But at what cost? Nothing will change for us.” She turned her back on me.

At the ceremony their part was brief. Walk across the square with me between them. Dad placed my hand in Klapah’s. They went back to the human side of the square.

#

It wasn’t easy. Most Kalan believed we were inferior. Families adopting human children lost significant status.

My classmate, Kor, sat across the classroom. He sniffed the air. “Something rank in the classroom again today,” his gold eyes focused in my direction. He snorted, “Must be something I picked up on my sandal from the human ghetto.”

It was on me to ignore the insult. Any show of emotion would have them report my breach of conduct to the Council. I schooled my face; they saw only a placid exterior. “Perhaps one should take more care with one’s personal hygiene.”

The other Kalan students chittered at my point. The one other human in the room, a young man my age, took care not to laugh but I saw the corners of his mouth twitch.

#

I spent my entire adult life increasing the number of human adoptees, to battle to make Humans the equals of Kalans.

Fifty years later, I was a matriarch in the Kalan society on the planet. I married my old classmate, had children, and raised them as Kalan. I was at the Assembly when my son, the Speaker, implemented the new law making Humans the equal of the Kalan.

The End

472 Words

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