We Bleed the Same, Why Don't You See That?

Chapter 1

Name: Grenaet Deoresh. 

Occupation: Head of Effeant entry services. 

Age: 20. 

Status: Widower. 

Gender: Cis Male. 

Behaviour Marks: homosexual activity, curfew breaking, disobeying parents and The System, partaking in disruptive behaviour.

Sexuality/Romantic Orientation: Asexual, Homoromantic.

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The sound of yet another child's cry pierces my ear. My heart throbs in sympathy. I hate this job. I hate having to see young children ripped from their families who reside in the main colony. It's not their fault. They're different, they had no choice in it. While I understand that, it still aches me to see such heartbreak, day in and day out. But it's my only option, I also have no other choice in being here either.

As I finish up closing yet another teen Effeant admission, I spot my next youngling to console. A young girl about the age of five, blonde hair, rugged and dirt-covered, clothes ripped and torn, her face covered in scars. She looks oddly calm as she stands off the side of the daily crowd.

I meet her by the edge of the forest, kneeling down to reach her eyesight. "What's your name?" I ask the girl in a soft tone.

She looks at me, eyes sparkling with innocence. "Anderian." She looks me in the eyes, not wavering her gaze.

"That's a nice name. Do you know where you are, Anderian?" I smile at her, her face stays calm, unwavering.

She shakes her head as I put out a hand for her to take, she holds onto my hand with a tight grasp. I smile. This is what I like about my job. The little ones I can help. I lead her over to admissions, look up her name and find where her residence will be. I furrow my eyebrows as I gaze down at today's sheet.

I look over at my colleague (and best friend), Dereaah, "Can you look at this?" I slide the book over to them, their eyebrow raises as they read it. "What is it?"

"There isn't anything here for residency. She's a hutless. Looks like you're a dad." D smiles at that thought then slide the book back my way. They go straight back to their own work, smiling, as I look behind me to the small girl.

For a hutless adult, protocol states for the admissions officer who started admitting them, to take said Effeant into their own hut until more suitable arrangements are made. But that's for adults and teens, Effeants who can soon after provide for themselves, not a small child. No one really wants to adopt Effeant children, which in turn makes housing much more difficult to find. I sigh and close the book, going to grab the protocol book from the shelves behind me. I quickly grab the large book from the shelf, dropping it on the admissions counter, dust going everywhere. D and I begin coughing.

"Heavens, this book needs to be cleaned more," I mutter as I turn to page 756, protocol on child hutlesses.

Any child whose housing is blank on the admissions sheet immediately goes under the guardianship of the officer who admitted them. Guardianship is permanent until further arrangements can be made.

Like hell that'll happen. The book states nothing new, giving me zero hope for something better for Anderian. I sigh, closing the book.

I turn to Anderian and catch her gaze. I smile softly as she smiles back. I kneel to her height. "Did you come here with anyone?" I question, trying to find any other solution than taking her in as my own.

She shakes her head. "Alone," is all she says. I nod.

"You stay here, okay?" She nods, sitting down cross-legged on the dirt floor.