The First

Chapter 13

Teagan's stomach ached. She held her belly, hoping the pressure would stop the churning. I shouldn't have choked down those Nachos last night. Knew the sour cream smelled like ass. Now she'd have to listen to some nonsense politics all day long because the only thing she could find on television was about the bouncing baby whatever. She figured she had some investment in the whole thing since they hired her mom to fix it.

The President stepped to the podium. For an old guy, Teagan thought he was cute. His dusty-gray suit tapered to his wide frame and thin waist.

"My fellow Americans. In times of crisis, we as a nation must take it upon ourselves to put a stop to tyranny whether it be foreign, domestic, or other. We are in crisis. That is fact. Homosapien life as you and I know it has come to a standstill. Every child born since Halloween night has been, for lack of a better word, mutated.

"Now, our nation's top scientists are working diligently to put a stop to whatever has altered our newborns. We can only guess that it is at a genetic level. That being said, desperate times breed desperate measures. Thousands, maybe tens of thousands of these children have been born in past days across the globe. By our calculations, at the rate they are killing off humans, these infants will repopulate the planet in a matter of months.

Therefore, I met with Congress and the Joint Chiefs of Staff this morning and it is with a heavy heart that I declare martial law. And it is my unfortunate duty to notify you that each and every pregnancy in the United States must be terminated, effective immediately."

Cameras snapped like strobe lights. The crowd murmured amongst themselves. Several people called out, "Mr. President! Mr. President!"

"Please, calm down." He put his hands in the air and waved the crowd quiet. "This is our only option until we can ascertain the root cause of these mutations. Martial law will go into effect immediately. All hospital and clinic databases have been searched by the CIA and all pregnancies have been logged. We implore you. Please, comply with our wishes. Lethal force will be taken if need be. Remember ... these are not your children anymore. They are vicious killers with a voracious appetite for human flesh."

"Mr. President! Mr. President!" The questions started.

Teagan decided she'd had enough. She felt sorry for all the excited, expecting mothers who would have to abort their children. What did he mean by lethal force? Would they kill women and girls who refused to have an abortion? Again, her stomach swirled, and she darted to the bathroom. As she knelt next to the toilet, she had a startling revelation. On the wall sat a calendar full of art from some of the greatest artists who ever lived. October had the famous picture of the alien looking woman with her mouth open, hands to her face. They called it "The Scream" for a reason. And Teagan wanted to ... she needed to scream at the terrible and startling realization before her. According to the calendar, her period was now two weeks late.    

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