by Zara Zenia
Betty’s mind wandered as she walked along the path leading toward her dorm. All her life, she had been determined and strong willed. In a family where neglect was the only form of love, Betty had decided at a very young age that she would do whatever it took to get out. For her, that meant a scholarship to college.
She worked with a single mindedness toward that goal, excluding anything and everything that didn’t help achieve that goal. When all the other girls were talking about boys, and sex, Betty had never even been to second base.
For several months now, Jenny had been pushing Betty to date a guy named Warren. He was good looking, smart and for some reason, interested in Betty. The fact that Warren was going to be at the spring fling party was another reason why Betty was contemplating putting her books aside for the evening.
She opened the door to her dorm room and came face to face with Jenny who was half naked in bed with a blond haired boy Betty didn’t recognize. She dropped her bag of books in embarrassment and began apologizing. Completely oblivious, Jenny popped up from the bed and sauntered over, leaving the blond boy in her bed.
“Betty, I’m glad you’re back. Warren is really looking forward to the party and I told him you would be there. I set up an appointment at Family Planning for three o’clock today for you,” Jenny said joyously, as if she were not exposed.
Betty felt her face flush as she tried to keep her eyes off of the boy in Jenny’s bed who had begun to slowly masturbate himself. “Why would you do that?” Betty asked feeling confused. “I’ve never even had sex, what would I need to go to Family Planning for?” Betty asked in a hushed whisper trying to avoid looking at the blond.
Jenny giggled. “You’re so funny, Betty. You need to get protection of course. Warren really likes you, and you don’t want to have your first time delayed because you forgot the pill.”
Betty felt her face turn an even darker shade of red. She had no intentions of having sex with a guy she didn’t even know, especially for her first time, but she was so anxious to get away from the scene in front of her that she found herself agreeing.
Jenny squealed with delight and hugged Betty tightly. “Oh, you’ll be so glad you did. Warren is a real catch. Trust me, you’re going to love it.” At that Jenny pulled away and ran back to her bed leaping on top of the blond boy. In a matter of seconds the two had resumed as if there had not been an interruption.
Betty backed out of the dorm as quietly as possible and closed the door behind her with a sigh. She hated to admit that seeing the act made her body feel alive in a way she had never paid attention to before. Suddenly, Betty wanted nothing more than to be able to feel what all the other girls her age felt. She wanted to know the sensation of another person being inside of her.
With a tingling sensation in between her legs, Betty headed out of the dorm and called an Uber. When the driver arrived, she slid into the backseat and gave the man directions to the off-campus Family Planning.
Once she was dropped off, Betty stood in front of the building trying to build up the courage to go inside. It had been one thing to feel bold in the moment, but now that she was here she was second-guessing her decision.
After all having sex was a big deal, especially for someone like her who had so much at stake. She couldn’t afford to get pregnant, or contract some sexual disease. There would be no support system for her should that happen, and she would run the risk of losing everything she had worked so hard for.
As the thoughts ran through her mind, she almost turned around and called for another Uber, but something made her stop. At least if she had protection, she could afford to make the decision later. Without anything, she was certain to place herself in a position where the results could be even more detrimental.
At last, Betty drew in a deep breath and pushed open the door to Family Planning. Her mind made up, she didn’t waste any time looking around, and instead headed straight for the check in counter.
She was surprised when a young man turned to her from behind the desk. She was immediately drawn to his rock hard muscles and unkempt hair. His eyes seemed kind, but there was a roughness and attitude about how he carried himself that pulled her in like a magnet.
“Can I help you?” he asked in a deep rich voice.
Betty shook her head trying to pull herself back to the task at hand. “I have an appointment,” she said softly.
He stared at her intensely for several long moments. “Are you here for an abortion or birth control?” he asked abrasively.
Somewhat taken aback by his overly personal question she stuttered slightly, “Uhm, birth control, sort of. I mean, I don’t really need it, but…” Her words trailed off as she tried to figure out why it seemed so important to explain herself to him this way.
He was a complete stranger after all, and she didn’t owe him any kind of explanation. For some reason she could not explain though, his opinion of her mattered very much.
Betty cleared her throat and laid her hands on the desk in front of her, trying to regain control. “My friend made the appointment for me,” she said softly.
The man behind the counter softened his eyes slightly. “You are a very pretty woman and should follow your own mind, not the minds of your friends.”
Betty stared at the handsome man for several long moments trying to decide if she was captivated by him or infuriated with him. With a wave of his hand he sent her with the nurse and she hesitated before finally following after.
Betty breathed a sigh as the bright and cheerful nurse who prattled on about how busy the clinic had been, due to the upcoming spring fling led her into the room. After checking her height and weight and answering some basic questions, Betty sat down on the cot for an exam.
“The guy at the front desk, is he always so abrupt?” Betty asked out of the blue.
The nurse chuckled softly. “Oh you must mean Brian. He has views about women sometimes. We’ve had numerous complaints already, but he refuses to quit, and the boss won’t fire him. If he made you feel uncomfortable, I can help you fill out a complaint.”
Betty shook her head back and forth as the nurse finished the exam. She didn’t want to file any kind of complaint, she was simply curious about his behavior. In some strange way he intrigued her.
The nurse let her know that everything was working just fine and that Betty would have no problem starting on the pill for birth control. She gave instructions to start the first pill on the first day of her period and to check back after a month for a follow up appointment.
Betty thanked her, but explained that she really had no use for the pill. She was after all still a virgin and had no prospects of that changing. The nurse smiled knowingly as if she had heard the same line a million times before and went to fill the prescription.
Chapter Three
Barsork
Barsork continued his job, but his mind kept wandering to the woman he had seen. She captivated him in a way he had not experienced so far and he felt an intense desire to get to know her better.
When he had first come to Earth, he had expected to find his brother’s words were lies, but in fact he had found the opposite. He had seen women doing anything and everything in their power to avoid having a child and he simply couldn’t wrap his mind around why.
Everywhere he searched on this planet were unspeakable atrocities. Babies being left in dumpsters, on doorsteps, or even killed. On his home planet the birth of a child was a planet wide celebration. A new child was revered and loved by all, and each citizen participated in the protection and support for the child’s growth and well-being.
Since coming to Earth, not only had Barsork changed his mind about what his brother was doing with the auction house, he had even begun helping with the abductions. In his mind, at least on his planet the children would be cared for, and obviously these women were abundantly fertile since they often went to great lengths to avoid having children.
Even so, he had his doubts and was constantly searching for proo
f that the women here were better than what he had seen so far. For the first time since arriving, Barsork had seen a spark of hope and it had been with the woman from earlier. He had looked up her name in the database and read it as Betty.
He looked up to see the nurse walking toward him with a steely glare. “Brian, I don’t know what is wrong with you. For such a good-looking guy you sure have a bad mouth on you. You’re lucky that girl doesn’t want to file a complaint on you.”
Barsork looked at her appraisingly. “You mean Betty? Is she still here?”
The nurse stared at him as if he had lost his mind before shaking her head and walking away.
Barsork wasted no time. If he had any chance of catching up to Betty he would have to do so soon. Once she was gone, he might never see her again. Barsork quickly grabbed a brown paper bag and rushed out the back door, knowing that most of the women preferred to go out that way.
He pulled a piece of fruit from the bag and leaned casually against the brick wall. After several moments he heard the soft footsteps he had remembered from earlier and knew that Betty was coming. He waited until she was about to round the corner and then he stepped from his place, purposefully bumping into her.
“I’m so sorry,” he said apologetically as he bent to help her pick up the bag she had dropped.
Betty
Betty began frantically tossing things back into her bag in embarrassment as she realized that the man was the receptionist from the clinic. He seemed to be genuinely sorry for bumping into her and once again she found herself drawn to his penetrating eyes.
He handed her a book that had fallen and she slowly took it from him, her hand brushing his. For some reason his touch felt like electricity and she drew in a sharp breath.
“My name is Barsork, I mean Brian,” the guy said somewhat awkwardly.
Betty continued to stare at him as she wondered why he had given two names. “I’m Betty,” she answered softly as she stood up, slinging her bag back over her shoulder.
“I know,” Barsork answered. “I read your file.”
Betty stepped backward quickly and began looking around to see if she could scream for help. He must have seen the look in her eyes because he put his hand on her arm.
“I’m not going to hurt you,” he said quickly. “I just wanted to get to know you. You seemed so much different than the girls who normally come in. Do you have a boyfriend?”
Betty stared at him dumfounded. He was by far the most abrasive and discourteous person she had ever met, and yet somehow his forcefulness captivated her attention in a way that no one else had been able to do. Suddenly for no apparent reason she burst out laughing.
Brian looked at her with confusion on his face before he too began chuckling. “I guess that did come out a little strange,” he said through his chuckles.
Betty continued to laugh as she shook her head.
“Look, I think I like you and I guess I’m not very good with showing that. Could I get you a cup of coffee or something? We can go someplace very public if you want.”
Betty ran her fingers through her hair softly as she contemplated his strange behavior and his offer. After several thoughtful moments, she at last agreed, “I’ll go have coffee with you, Brian, or Barsork, or whatever your name is.”
Barsork smiled warmly for the first time. “My name is Barsork, but people here seem to like Brian better. You can call me either one,” he said as he held out his hand for her and led her out onto the side street.
Barsork
As they walked, Barsork continued to ask her questions about herself. He felt an absolute need to know everything he could about this woman. For him, he felt like she held the last bit of hope, and he clung to it savagely.
When they got to the coffee shop, he paid for her drink and they sat at a table in the back somewhat secluded.
“Can I ask you a personal question?” he asked hesitantly.
Betty laughed and he couldn’t help but notice how comfortable and happy he felt when she laughed. “You don’t seem to have any problems with asking personal questions, Barsork. I guess I should thank you for at least asking this time. You can ask, but I may not answer.”
Barsork nodded his head and sipped his drink. He had found that coffee was a true indulgence of people on Earth and it was one of the few things he had found to appreciate so far. “Betty, if you don’t have a boyfriend, why were you at the clinic? Do you sleep with lots of people who aren’t your boyfriend, or are you pregnant with a stranger’s child?”
Betty
Betty spilt her coffee and began coughing at the unexpected and intrusive question. What right did he have to be asking her these things? She didn’t owe him anything. Yet as she prepared to scream at him, something on his face stopped her. He seemed to have a real curiosity. He didn’t look at all like he was judging her, he simply looked curious.
After getting herself under control, she finally allowed herself to speak. “Why do you ask such inappropriate questions, Barsork? Why do you work at Family Planning, if you have such a low opinion of women? Are you some kind of religious fanatic who’s going to blow up the clinic or something?”
Barsork shook his head as he grabbed several more napkins to clean up the coffee spill. “No, nothing like that,” he said softly. “Look, I know I come off weird, it’s just that I really don’t understand. I see so many women come into the clinic for so many reasons, but all of them seem to have a serious desire not to have children. I don’t understand why women here don’t want children.
“I see a beautiful woman like yourself and I think to myself, I would love to make this woman my mate and have a family and a life together. Yet, you say you are not with anyone, and you come for pills. Please explain to me why you do this.”
Betty sighed and looked deeply into his eyes. He seemed completely sincere in his request and she felt oddly compassionate towards him. Even though they were complete strangers, she wanted him to understand the person she was.
“I do not have a boyfriend, and I have never been with anyone in that way before. My best friend and roommate wants me to hook up with a guy during spring fling because it’s unusual for someone my age not to have had sex before. I’m not really interested, but I came to the clinic today to make her happy, and to protect myself just in case.”
Barsork reached his hand across the table and touched her fingers. “I do not want for you to do this. I want for you to be with someone who will take care of you and then you can have a child that you will want to keep.”
Betty couldn’t help but notice how nice his hand felt in hers. She still didn’t understand his obsession with children, but what he thought mattered to her. “Barsork, I would like my first time to be with someone I care for as well. Don’t worry, I will wait.”
Her answer seemed to please him greatly, and he smiled warmly. “Come on a date with me this weekend, Betty. I will take you to a movie and we can have coffee. I very much want to know you more.”
Betty couldn’t help but smile in return. Without any thoughts about school, or responsibilities, or parties she found herself saying yes. She felt giddy that someone as handsome as he would ask her out.
She wrote her phone number on a coffee shop napkin and handed it to him. “Thank you for the coffee, Barsork. I can’t wait until our date.”
Betty picked up her bag and left the coffee shop with a smile on her face. Jenny was never going to believe that the most handsome man on the planet had just picked her up at a Family Planning.
Barsork
Barsork watched Betty leave and he couldn’t help but smile. After months of being on Earth, he finally had a reason to hope, and he couldn’t wait to see her again.
Chapter Four
Barsork
Several days after meeting Betty, Barsork felt his communication badge vibrate. He checked his calendar to make sure he was not mistaken and then stepped outside with a deep breath. He wasn’t due to contact his brother for another twenty-four hou
rs, and the fact that he was being called early made him nervous.
As soon as he was out of danger of any human’s over hearing him he clicked his communication badge on. His brother’s ruff voice could be heard loud and clear as if he were standing directly beside him.
“Well Barsork, have you put together my list for the week yet?”
Barsork cleared his throat and pulled the paper from his jacket pocket. “I have the list, but why are you asking me for it now?”
There was a long pause before Carzon’s voice came through. “It is my prerogative when to call upon you, my brother. You are lucky that I let you live after our last encounter. As punishment for your doubt, you have agreed to provide me a list of women when I desire it.
“The women you have provided so far have done much better than I anticipated. They are very fertile. Some of them have even been known to have more than one child at a time, brother. Can you imagine such a thing? The demand for such women has brought in the wealthiest of clientele. Once again my name and the name of our planet is being spoken around the galaxy.
“My brother, we must meet these demands at any cost. That is why I have contacted you early. I am sending another abduction team for another ten girls. We are moving the frequency up.”
Barsork ran his fingers through his hair in angry frustration. There were reasons why things were being done the way they were. No matter how many times he tried to explain things to Carzon, he never seemed to make any progress. Earth was not like other planets. There were strange laws here, and abductions of this nature would bring suspicion.
On other planets things were not done this way, but on Earth crimes were set in stone and carried horrid punishments. If a crime was committed on Barsork’s home planet, death was the sentence. Here people were locked up in cells, many of them tortured, starved, and left to stare at walls for years on end until insanity sunk in.
