Avril O'Neil: November 2009

Charlie watched his carer place Matthew’s feeder in, from across the kitchen table, intrigued by the way Matthew gnawed away at the plastic teat, whilst sucking a meal from it. Charlie Smith O.H. had lived at number 467 Brackley St, London, Unit 5, for the 10 years of his life. He lived with his carer and 2-year-old brother Matthew Smith O.H. Unit 5 was where the young ‘Old Humans’ were raised and preserved. No one but the carers were older than twelve.

There was a frantic banging on the front door. As Carer went to open the door a little girl ran into the room, heaving her breath into her chest. Charlie had never seen another fleshy before, let alone a female; he and his brother were the only fleshies in his house. Carer was still holding Matthew close to his chest, keeping him safe next to his plastic contami-skin. The girl frantically jumped up at Carer. She was hysterical, screaming “He ripped it off!… He ripped off his plastic skin. I ran, help me… Please, he’s after me!” The girl turned to Charlie ran at him and grabbed his hand: “Run with me, you’re just like me, they’ll come get me otherwise… after this they’ll get me and take me away.” Her hand was soft, the touch of it felt like touching his own hand, just like his own hand, the same size and everything. It felt weird, awkward and uncomfortable, not anything like Carer’s skin. It felt nice to Charlie to be near Carer, his contami-skin was clean, smooth, the girl’s hand felt squidgy, it was moist to touch. What if she wasn’t clean? What if she’s infected?

Charlie ran to the other side of the room and hid underneath the kitchen table. He could hear sirens outside. The girl clung onto the plastic exterior of Carer’s leg, crying as he tried to shake her apart from him. Carer struggled, as he tried to keep Matthew safe from the frantic girl. Armed men stormed through the door, dressed in black contami-uniforms. Charlie was terrified and grabbed the table leg, clutching onto his life as he knew it. One man peeled the girl from Carer’s leg, as another reached forward to take Matthew from Carer’s arms. Carer held Matthew close to his second skin but the man forced Matthew from his grasp, then struck carer across the face. The force of the man punch was felt threw Carer’s second skin and onto his real skin; the pain was something which had grown so unfamiliar that it momentarily felt like soothing touch. “These children are now infected! In disobeying me you are disobeying our future. We need the past to survive. You know that!” the man said with authority to Carer. Charlie looked at Carer as he sat on the floor staring at the doorway as the men carried to two children away.