Two as One United and Divided: Prelude

         Dierdre sat silently watching a colorful bird outside through window; ignoring her teacher’s lecture. She’d heard it before - matter-of-fact she hears this one every day in some form or another. Don’t touch men in any sexual form before your Second Coming or else you’ll be exterminated. You are lucky to be alive. Living is a privilege; don’t do anything to lose it. Not everyone is as lucky as you to make it past the First Coming. She sighed.
         The First Coming is birth. They’re told it’s rare that children live through their early stages because they’re so weak. That’s why women have to have so many children until they have exactly two healthy ones. Once in awhile someone has to have four children because in another family one parent dies after their Second Coming before they have two children. If that happens that family no longer goes on. The midwife of the village takes the singular spouse and child, if they had one, and goes away. The Second Coming is when puberty starts.
         Dierdre, realizing she wasn’t too clear on the system, tuned back into the teacher’s lecture knowing there would be a test soon. She only caught the tail end of the lecture. “Remember living-” the teacher was cut off by the class’ interruption.
“-Is a privilege” they all stated the familiar sentence with most of them smiling; the rest of them bored. The bell rang and all the girls stood and left. The schools are divided into two grades. The FCs, First Comers – the kids who haven’t gone through the Second Coming, and the SCs, Second Comers – the kids who have experience the Second Coming. Within these were the girls and the boys. For the first half of the day is co-ed school. After that the girls leave the boys have school for another hour. Once in awhile a brother of one of the girls in the FCs will get out at the same time as her. This happens when she’s moved up from the FCs to the SCs.
         Dierdre practically skipped out of the classroom. Today was her last day in FCs. She was going to miss her friends. But she would see all the girls everyday when school’s out anyways and the boys would move up eventually. Right as she left the classroom she heard her name and turned to see Hien coming up to her. “You’re supposed to stay in class. You’re going to get in trouble!” she whispered harshly.
         Hien looked taken aback but spoke anyway, “I’m not going to see you for awhile. I don’t know when I’ll be moved up. I wanted to give you a present. So you’ll remember me.” he reached into his pocket and pulled out a leather necklace with a beautiful stone in the shape of a tear in the center. On the back of the stone, inscribed in pretty handwriting, read “Paranoia is your only haven, keep your love. My porcine doll, don’t break.” He handed it to her. She looked down and read then looked up perplexed.
         “You always were an odd one. I won’t forget you. I hope you move up soon.” She begins to cry as she hugs him.
As they pull away he whispers in her ear, “Don’t show anyone the inscription, if they find it, I’ll be executed.” she looked at him, more baffled now. “You’ll understand soon. I’m sorry.” she smiled, tears forming as he began to walk back to his seat. She probably would not to see him for awhile. She was an early one to experience the Second Coming. She felt a tap on her shoulder and spun around, her long straight white hair spinning with her sharp move.
         “Why are you standing here all soggy eyed? We have a celebration to begin at home.” The person asked.
         “Devante!!” She gave her brother a hug and put the necklace in her pocket. “Yeah, let’s go.” She began to leave smiling, and didn’t notice Hien shaking his head sadley as she vanished. “So, straight home?” She questions her brother as they got outside. He smiled. “I thought you said we were going to do something special for my rising.”
         “We are, don’t you remember your celebration? Or have you already forgotten in the last few minutes?” He laughed knocking lightly on her head to see if it was hollow. She pushed away his hand and pouted. “Alright, alright, what do you want?” He smiles knowingly.
         “Ice-cream!!!” She practically shouts and he raises one eyebrow; he knew that was what she wanted. Ice-cream was a treat, they couldn’t afford it very often; no one really could.
         “Heh, ok Munchkin, if that’s what you want. I have enough money for each of us to have a double scooper.” He pulled out his wallet to make sure he did as they walk to Harmin’s, the Ice-cream and other sweets place. “Hey old man, you here?” Devante asked as they entered the shop.
         An old squinting man came from around the back, and leaned on the counter. “Maybe, what do you want?” The old man looked over at Dierdre and smiled. “I know what you want. I’ll give you a discount since today is this young lady’s Rising. A two for one special, how’s that?”
         Devante sighed; he didn’t have enough money it turned out. “Thanks Harmin.”
         “That one!!” Dierdre points down at a bucket of really colorful ice-cream from her spot at the counter. “And that one” she points at some chocolate colored ice-cream.
         “You sure? That one’s coffee flavor. Black coffee, I didn’t think you liked that one.” Harmin questioned.
         “Yeah! I’m mature now; I think I’ll like it, especially with the rainbow melon one.” She squeaks.
         “Okay here you go. And I’ve made your lemon one for you Devante.” Harmin served the ice-cream.
         “Yay!” She takes a lick and makes a face of disgust, but forces herself to eat some more.
         Devante laughs and takes the ice cream from her, replacing it with his. “Here you go Kiddo, I like coffee and melon.” She smiles and gratefully accepts the new treat. They leave the shop and wave to Harmin. “Now to home, I think mom’ll be worried.”
         “Nah, I never go home right away. I hang out with the other girls first.” She admits.
         “You little vagabond. Well, either way, I need you to tell me something, I need to know you were paying attention in class. Think of this as a graduation exam. Give me a summary of the history you’ve learned in class, from world war three.” He orders in a camouflaged tone.
         “After WWIII the entire world was sent into Chaos for awhile from all the radiation. After a long time the world healed itself and the humans had created a new government with the few survivors.
         “The oldest Generation that lived was the most affected by the radiation of our nuclear holocaust. Many of them formed what seemed like immortality. A ritual was quickly brought into place. One Elder was assigned to each civilization around the world. Because of the radiation and how people were put into shelters from the war classed by generation, all the ancient survivors had caught a telepathic connection with all in their generation. The Elders (being the only ones left of the ancient survivors) were the only ones always intact.
         The ritual took place every time a child was born. The Elder of the civilization, when the child was born, would be the first to see it. The Elder would christen a name.” She finished proudly while staring at her birth mark. A strange fireball shape black spot on her right wrist. It had long been habitually her point of concentration. It was a bright contrast on her deathly pale skin, smooth as her hair. She didn’t need to concentrate though, she had rehearsed every word perfectly and she knew it.
         Devante patted her on the head. “Congrats, you pass. Now tell me one more thing, what is our number one rule?”
“Don’t touch men in any sexual form before your Second Coming” she parroted, he shook his head, yes that was the number one rule, but he meant a different rule. “The Tyreted forest is forbidden. It is the center of the world and entering it is punishable by death. Only Baron Samedi Vodou, the first and most powerful of the Elders, is allowed in there, for his domain is the radioactive, man made “mountain” Mt. Yucca. That is where he is able to connect to his inner mind and commune with every Elder at once.” She replied.
         “And why is this even more important for you to know?” He asks the final question.
         “Because we live right next to the forest and even an accidental entrance is punishable by death and living is a privilege not to be thrown away lightly.” She smiled; she had gotten it all right. He petted her on the head again as they entered their house.
         “Very good. Now go sit on the couch and we can begin your celebration. Mom won’t be home for hours. She probably just left knowing you usually take forever getting home.” Devante said as he moved to close the door. “No, not the couch, I have something better.” He moves over to her and gently takes her hand moving to her room.
         When they entered the room he set her lightly next to her bed. He moved to close her curtain so it was pitch black. She was going to say something but he softly shushed her. He lit a candle in the corner of the room, and slowly moved over to her. He moved behind her; held her in a warm embrace. Something was strange about this. She felt a sense of uneasiness, but she couldn’t place why. “Brother?” she said weakly, was that really her own voice? He moved in front of her and moved closer, his leg was between hers. He touched her arm gently and a shiver of something close to fear, shot through her spine. “D-Deva-” she was cut off by her brother’s lips on hers.
         “Shhh…” he whispered in her ear as he pulled away. “Just trust me” he leaned her back on the bed and was now over her, straddling her hips. She opened her mouth to protest, but her cut her off with another kiss, shoving his tongue into her mouth. He slid one of his hands under her shirt and began gently fondling one of her small breasts. He pulled away and removed her shirt.
         “Wha- what are you doing? S-stop!” Dierdre shouts, but no one can hear her, their house is far from others, even if someone did, no one would help her. He puts his hand over her mouth and with his other hand he slides up her skirt and under her panties. He gently slid one finger inside her. She bites his hand and he pulls away.
         “Bitch! I’m your master now!” he commands as he backhands her. Where did this harsh person come from? Could he really be her brother who would beat up anyone who hurt her? She closed her pale peach eyes and the tears come as he has his way with her.

         Finally when it’s over he gets off her. She’s sore, hurt, emotionally and physically. He gets dressed, kissed her once more and whispers in her ear, “congratulations” then leaves. She lies there in the dark. Crying until the tears run out she lies in a ball on her bed. She grabs her pillow and throws it across the room. How could he do that? Sleep takes her.

         Hours late Dierdre is woken by her mother. She’s dressed now. She figured He did it to cover up what he’d done to her. Her mother would make things right. “Mom!” She tries to say more but the words are choked away by tears again. She clings to her mother but is thrown to the ground.
         “Get up, you have things to do.” Her mother commands. She looks down at her daughter. “You have nothing to cry about, be grateful I kept your brother in such fine shape. He’s a good looking lad. Your father was fat and lazy.” Dierdre looks up at her mother in disbelief. “The Second Coming has been complete your ritual is done. This is the fate of all women, and a glorious fate it is. You’re lucky you weren’t killed with the rest. I had five other children; you’re the one they kept.
         “Don’t you realize the potential of incest? That’s how we were shaped. You’re the generation that will produce the next evolution! Years and years of glorious incest have created today, and those of tomorrow are what we are to achieve! There have been generations of careful inbreeding, deciding who lives and who dies! Now we are finally coming upon the generation of the world! The next evolution! Your child is the result of our work. Don’t screw up. You may have as many as ten children before you get the right two, but they will be our highest achievement. This has been your fate since you were born, your destiny. Cherish it, it’s glorious!” Her mother smiles and helps her up. “Never mind, you have a big day tomorrow, go back to sleep.” He mom leaves the room and Dierdre is once again left in solitude.
         She lied on her bed; her brother betrayed her, her mom lied to her. Tomorrow? What more? Is this her new life? Is this the reality? She shakes her head violently, this room smells like him. She began to cry, feeling violated. What’d Mr. Harmin say? He knew this was coming? She brought out the necklace in her pocket. Hien knew too… ‘Don’t let anyone see this or I’ll be exterminated…’ She knew what that meant now. He couldn’t tell her this would happen, but he tried.
         How could she live with this? How did anyone live? They were all done by their brothers? Violated, betrayed, her life was gone, it was broken, and the past was just that, the past. Everything she knew was dead. Now it was her time to join them, join everything she knew. She kissed the necklace, a kiss goodbye, a final piece of her old life. All of her love, she watch it shrivel, she felt it die. She took the dagger from its place on the wall, this was their father’s. A fitting end, she decided.
         She places the necklace on her neck and drew the dagger high. Everything was gone, and now was her time to join them she brought the dagger down hard, it hit it’s mark, her heart. Pain, it destroyed her life, and now, as she watched her blood drain, she realized, this was the best pain she’d ever felt. Soon blackness began to take her and the pain was gone.

         The next morning her mother came in to find her dead on a bloodstained bed. Around her neck she saw the foreign necklace. Carefully she removed it, was this all that was left of her daughter? A single tear found its way down her face. She turned it over and read the inscription. Who could have written it? The cryptic phrase; that quiet boy… Hien. Later that day Hien was executed for treachery, breaking two laws both punishable by death: revealing a girl her destiny before her Second Coming, and revealing feelings for a female outside of the family.
         He looked out grimly, seeming more like a man than a boy of twelve. They put the noose around his neck and read him his rights. The lever was pulled and the town had a grim reminder of the rules.

This was later known as The Paxton incident. Never before had the idea of suicide cross the minds of these humans, nor the idea of revealing a girls destiny, it simply never happened. After that there were only two more incidents similar within the next year, but more were sure to come. The girl from the small Paxton town started a downfall.