THEY — Chapter 2 — Growing
What follows is chapter two of my book “THEY”. If you are looking for a different chapter, check the INDEX — or check the rest of my stories on my MEDIUM profile: Caralynn Scott — Medium
All material is original and I own the copyright. Subsequent chapters will be published (as long as Medium allows). Your comments are VERY welcome below, so please let me know what you think. Although the book is completely written, your feedback may help to make improvements to future chapters of the story which may (hopefully) be actually published at some point in the future!
CHAPTER 2 — Growing
Reality is by definition more visceral and grueling than the concepts and theories lead one to believe. In theory, having a baby is a romantic and euphoric experience, but in reality, it can be utterly exhausting. It was not long before the calmness and reverie of Navlin and Praija’s existence was broken by relentless crying and endless feeding and cleaning.
Friends already navigating parenthood had warned the new couple, sleep would be difficult for the first few nights as the new family addition adjusted to their new situation, but no new parent can really be prepared for the actual experience. Those days and particularly the nights were far more difficult than either Praija or Navlin could have imagined. It not only tested the limits of their exhaustion, but also their will and their commitment to each other.
“It’s your turn.” Navlin grumbled as they rolled over in bed and nudged Praija gently. Praija did not move, but instead, answered with an embarrassingly loud snore.
Smiling and shaking their head, Navlin rolled off the side of the bed. Blood rushed to their feet as they tried to stand, almost making it upright before dizziness toppled them over again and they fell back onto the edge of the mattress, still only partially awake. Every muscle wanted to lie down and join in the chorus of snorts and wheezes coming from the other side of the bed, but instead, they dutifully shuffled snail-like toward the egg, which was charging quietly on the floor at Praija’s feet; its occupant very much awake and crying hoarsely.
Navlin picked up the swaddled treasure and whispered, “My you are an exceptionally alert one, aren’t you?”
Shaking their head and laughing sarcastically they glanced over at Praija, still unmoving in the bed. “You certainly don’t get that from Praija.” then, more affectionately, “And YOU must be REALLY tired!”
A household Arti rolled quietly into the room. It was learning the new patterns of behaviour from the previous few nights, and it was beginning to anticipate the best way to help. Tonight, with nourishment in a bottle pre-warmed to human body temperature, it glided across the floor wordlessly offering its cargo in anticipation. Navlin never took their eyes off Jennic as they reached down, retrieved the bottle, and found a seat on the recently added recliner in the corner of the room. The Arti retreated quietly to an opposing, empty corner, standing at attention, waiting on additional instructions.
Jennic took to the bottle immediately, calming quickly as they began to suckle. Wide awake, the child stared back at Navlin and their eyes locked. The elder looked deeply into the younger one’s soul and a bond between them crystalized; a connection only a parent can understand. Navlin dreamed about their future together and wondered what wordless, experience-less dreams this innocent little being might be having.
Life was good. Navlin felt certain Jennic would have a wonderful future. Of course, this little one had no concept of the world yet and could not have known that “need” no longer existed in the world. Poverty was eliminated Millennia ago.
The Arti’s and ARI were developed to take care of humanity. They coordinated and facilitated all food production and distribution; they provided the homes humans lived in and the furnishings within those homes. They maintained the systems necessary to provide fresh water and energy and then clean up the waste products people left behind.
Collecting wealth was also a concept long forgotten; no more necessary or attractive than gathering the biggest pile of rocks. Currency was deemed obsolete thousands of years ago. Any need could be supplied with a simple request to the governing intelligence, eliminating poverty and greed, which in turn eliminated divisions within humanity, finally ending wars and conflict. There were no more reasons to fight.
One might think this would make people lazy. True, there are always a few who chose not to contribute, but no one seemed to mind. If that was how someone wished to live their life, that was their choice. It does not cost humanity anything to let them be. Eventually everyone found a purpose, or simply enjoy “being.” In fact, some of those who would have been considered lazy millennia ago were actually some of the deepest thinkers, most profound philosophers, and the greatest artists of the day; their musings publicised regularly for both enlightenment and entertainment.
Discovery and creativity knew no bounds, and while a great deal of the physical universe has been explored and understood, there will always be vast areas of knowledge and places remaining untouched. Everyone is free to choose their own path, whether that be science or exploration, or the Arts and Entertainment. And no one is stuck in one place, either. One can choose to be and do anything they want, without limit, and at any time. Just because one chooses one path does not mean they cannot choose another at a different time, though most are comfortable staying in their chosen area of interest. Someone who finds themselves a concert pianist one day might leave that behind to pursue astrophysics while another who explores dark matter might choose to become an expert chef. Life is a constant ebb and flow, brimming with twists and turns on the path of one’s personal happiness and growth.
The lifespan of the average person continued to gradually be lengthened by Technology and medicine until one can now reasonably expect to live well past 130 orbits. Some even approach two hundred before their bodies break down and their mind deteriorates to the point where the organics can no longer support consciousness.
One might think that this would cause an overpopulation on the planet, but this too was strictly controlled by the application process for a neo-natal. While the population supported on the planet had grown incredibly, it was now considered stable and managed.
Certainly, Jennic would enjoy a long and happy life, just as Navlin would. Just as Nanya, Navlin’s grandparent had. Just as generations before them have, and generations following will.
Navlin looked over at Praija, thankful they had found such an agreeable and compatible partner to share life with. Even the sounds of sucking from the bottle and Praija’s snoring could not break Navlin’s reverie of blissful happiness.
The days turned into weeks and the routines became increasingly familiar. It became easier to cope with the changes the young one had brought to the family. By three months, Jennic was sleeping long enough that their parents felt better rested, By five months, they were all sleeping through the night again. At six months, they had to start moving objects out of the way as Jennic began to crawl, exploring their surroundings. At eleven months, delicate or dangerous household objects were placed further up the walls as Jennic began to walk and reach ever higher. Interesting trinkets and reminders gathered from work and travel were replaced with educational toys designed to stimulate and encourage inquisitiveness and teach basic skills like communication, mathematics, and rudimentary science. Time seemed to move quicker now that they had a child, and before they knew it, Jennic had circled the sun twice.
Over centuries past, cultures had melded, re-formed, and morphed, and so did their traditions. Some things, however, remained constant; common things that transcended cultural distinctiveness, things that were part of the shared human experience like friends, food, joy, sadness, and the passing of time. Rituals and celebrations that surrounded those events had changed but in one form or another they existed in virtually every unit of humanity. Celebrating one’s trips around our star was one of those common experiences and celebrations that had, in one form or another, remained since before humanity could remember.
Jennic’s first orbit celebration was a quiet one. The young one was not old enough yet to understand what was happening and so, only they and their parents celebrated. But now, after making two orbits together, things were different. Jennic was grasping basic concepts, had a rudimentary understanding of the passing of time, and was communicating with others. On this occasion, Navlin and Praija decided it was time to invite neighbours and friends to their home to celebrate the happy milestone in Jennic’s growth and development.
Praija, who was more creative than Navlin in many ways, and admittedly the better host, had been preparing all week; inviting guests, making plans, collecting foods, and finally, this morning, waking early to complete the final few details. Navlin was charged with the task of moving furnishings in the living space to make room for guests who began to trickle in mid morning.
In spite of the lack of need, the tradition of bringing gifts had somehow remained. Guests brought an assortment of small offerings for the child and for their parents. Clothing, more educational toys, and a few oddities. Some even brought more food, which Praija gracefully accepted but set aside to be preserved and eaten at another time.
At first, it was wonderful to see so many friends joining them and sharing in the day, but as Praija circulated among them, they quickly became tired of hearing the same phrases; “My, how Jennic has grown!”, “Where do you find the energy to keep up with them?” and most saccharine of all, “So cute!”
Many guests, those who were also parents, brought their children too, who being uninterested in the “adult” conversations, congregated in a corner of the room where Navlin had piled toys and blankets to create a “child zone” of sorts. In a tangled jungle of interwoven arms and legs, piles of children sat in small chairs, or on the floor, lay on their stomachs or on their backs and played with toys and each other.
Some of the older children began making nests and tents with the blankets. One child held an eBook in the grip of their chubby hands, listening intently while the book quietly read itself aloud. Another held a small tray with the light from a holo-story danced on their face. Others stacked small blocks of odd shapes and sizes, forming vehicles, or buildings. Actually, Praija had a challenging time discerning what these shapes represented, and when asked, their loving parents could not provide any clarification, so in the end they all agreed to simply call it art.
Jennic knew many of the children, having met them at various times in a variety of places under a number of circumstances, but never had they all been together as one large group as they were now. Wandering away from Navlin who was chatting with a friend, the toddler made their way toward the children’s corner.
Avoiding interaction with anyone specifically at first, Jennic stood looking from child to child, studying each one carefully, eventually settling on one with their back on the ground and their feet flailing in the air. Jennic looked at them quizzically and then lay down beside them, mimicking the action. After a few seconds in that position, Jennic seemed to grow tired of it and noticed the child holding the eBook. Picking themselves up, Jennic moved to their side, studying the book intently and listening. After a few moments, however, Jennic moved on to yet another child who was stacking blocks. Jennic helped for a brief time, but quickly became disinterested and moved on to the next, and then the next, eventually arriving at the child with the holo-story on their tray. Jennic waved a hand through the hologram and made it flicker, which annoyed the child, who abruptly turned their back. Jennic seemed unphased by this, however, and moved on. Throughout all of their journeys, they never uttered a sound, ultimately sitting down in the middle of the group of children watching the others play.
Navlin, who was watching from the other side of the room while talking to a guest, excused themselves from conversation and crouched beside Jennic. “Not interested in playing with any of your friends?” They asked.
Jennic shook their head sadly, tucking a tiny chin into their chest.
“Not to worry, it’s almost time for eggs. Come on…” Navlin reached down and offered a finger as support. It was all that was needed to boost Jennic to their feet and help them toddle over to an elevated chair.
Navlin’s family had a tradition which had been a part of every orbit celebration for as long as was known, passed down for generations. It involved scrambled eggs and candles. Of course, the eggs were synthetic food replicas, and the candles were electronically lit with holographic flames, but as with all traditions, it was the meaning of the ritual that was important.
Synthetic eggshells floating in water representing the baby delivered in the floating bassinet. Scrambled eggs inside those shells represented the mixing of the DNA used to make a new creation. And the candles, of course, represented each orbit the child had made.
“Everyone, gather around!” Navlin shouted as they hefted Jennic into the raised seat and placed a small table in front of them holding a plate of synthesized scrambled eggs. “We’re about to light the third candle.”
The group gathered quickly. Children pressed between and around legs to get a better perspective. “In just two minutes, Jennic will have been part of our family for two full orbits.” Navlin recited what had become a traditional speech, “They have been a bright star glowing in our darkest night and our joy and happiness in our brightest day. We love them, and we look forward to the years ahead, watching them grow to become a healthy and productive member of our world.”
“Now, we mark the end of Jennic’s second orbit and the beginning of the next by lighting this third candle.” With that, Praija stepped forward and touched the top of the candle which remained unlit until that moment, then continued where their partner left off, “May Jennic’s light shine brightly and their future be filled with joy and happiness.”
Everyone cheered and clapped, then grabbed a shell full of eggs. They all encouraged Jennic to dig into their portion. Navlin and Praija smiled happily as holo-photos were taken, and the guests began to demolish the plates of food they had been eyeing lustfully since arriving.
Navlin and Praija made the rounds one more time, bowing slightly to each friend as they greeted them until eventually, they stood before Nanya, one of Navlin’s own parents and Jennic’s grandparent.
Nanya was a keen observer — Praija had frequently commented that Navlin had acquired this trait from them — but they were also never one to hold things back. They did not know many in the gathering, and so they had been watching Jennic as keenly as Navlin. Much to Navlin’s chagrin, and for no apparent reason, Nanya decided this was a good time to give a report on their observations. “Strange one, that Jennic.” They said.
“What do you mean?” Asked Navlin, though they had already formed their own impression of Jennic’s emerging personality and had a keen idea where Nanya was going.
“They’re not like the other children at the party, and it seems they know it too. Jennic observes and imitates, but never really participates. Somehow, they sense they are different; they don’t seem to fit in. The good news is it does not seem to bother them.”
These comments perturbed Praija. When the couple had first formed their union Nanya had interfered in the pairing’s relationship more often than Praija liked. Nanya and Praija had never really developed a good relationship, though they were cordial for Navlin’s sake. “Nanya, Jennic is a perfectly normal child! I don’t know why you worry so much. How can you even think such a thing, that she might be odd somehow?… and about your own grandchild!” This last statement was delivered with no small portion of self-righteous disdain, cast down ostensibly from a perceived moral high ground.
“Oh, they are not normal… I guarantee you that!” Nanya shot back, but flatly refused to engage in the argument further or discuss any reasons why.
Navlin was not as sure as Praija about Jennic’s regularity, but in deference to Praija decided it was better to change the subject, and the matter was dropped. Secretly, however, Navlin knew Nanya understood something they themselves were starting to suspect. Perhaps Nanya had noticed something during the time they spent looking after Jennic while the couple were busy with other tasks. Navlin made a mental note to talk with them more about it later, when Praija did not have to be involved.
Gradually the guests said their goodbyes and made their way home. Nanya was the last to go. “Take care of that one.” Navlin’s parent offered with obvious caring, “They are destined for something great… or they will cause no end of trouble. You can be sure of that.”
Praija smiled politely but was glad when the door finally closed behind Nanya.
When the couple were finally alone, after Jennic had been sent to bed, they were entertained by the Artis as they cleared up from the party. It was almost hypnotic watching them travel back and forth picking up items and returning them to the utility closets where they would clean, recycle, and store the items — at least that’s what Navlin imagined they must be doing in there. They never really gave it a great deal of thought.
“You don’t suppose Nanya could be right, do you?” Praija asked in a tone of voice which said, “I don’t want to believe Nanya, but it might be true.”
“I don’t know, Praija. I cannot see any reason to believe they are not just like every other child, and yet they exhibit behaviours that have me baffled. It is probably nothing to worry about though. I’m sure they will grow out of it.” But Navlin was just trying to be kind. Deep down, they knew there was something “off” about Jennic. They were certain that whatever it was, it would either reveal itself eventually, or disappear as Jennic grew older. They hoped it would be the latter, but either way, Navlin was comfortable with being patient as they waited to find out, and resolved that no matter what, they would always stand behind Jennic and support them. They would always be their child.
