Species Traitor: A Science Fiction Dystopian Novel by Kate Mary (books to read to get smarter txt) 📕

the District is more serious than I first thought and will require my immediate attention. I am going to do everything in my power to make sure this problem doesn’t get out of hand, but as you know, I am limited. Even as the mayor of this great city, I can do nothing without approval from the council, and so tonight I ask that my supporters contact their local representative and urge them to help me in this fight to save the human race. Now I will take a few questions.”

Someone shouted from off screen, “Can you give us an idea of the numbers?”

The mayor’s lips twitched, concealing a satisfied smile, but just barely. “I need to take some time to look over the information and verify it is, in fact, up to date, but I can tell you this,” She paused for effect, working her mouth into a frown that didn’t match the triumphant gleam in her eyes, “there are nearly two hundred humans living in the District at this moment.” Gasps moved through the crowd, and Mayor Waters lifted her hand. “I know, I know. It’s shocking to learn there are so many species traitors. Trust me, I’m struggling to absorb that number as well.”

“What about halflings?” someone else shouted.

“As far as the number of halflings,” the mayor looked down, “it’s going to be a little more difficult to determine. I have an initial number, but that doesn’t include women—human or Veilorian—who are expecting. Plus, I suspect not all halflings have been reported. It wouldn’t surprise me if down the road we discover some have been hidden. Possibly even in our own city.” Once again murmurs and gasps moved through the crowd, forcing Mayor Waters to raise her voice so she could be heard over the noise. “Right now, the number of halflings looks to be nearly two hundred, and the Veilorian population has soared from the original number of two hundred to over six hundred in just twenty-two years. As we’ve long suspected, the visitors not only procreate more often than humans, but are also able to have children at a much older age. This explains the population explosion.”

It didn’t totally explain it, but thankfully, the mayor didn’t seem to know that.

“Are you saying there are nearly a thousand people living in the District?” someone asked.

“Yes, there are at least a thousand humans, halflings, and unwanted invaders,” she emphasized the word, letting everyone know she didn’t consider them people, “living in the District at this very moment.”

A murmur moved through the crowd as a man standing at the mayor’s back stepped forward. She leaned toward him, allowing him to whisper something in her ear. Her mouth turned down and her lips pressed together in disappointment.

A second later she called out, “That will be all for today. I’ll keep you informed of any pertinent information. Don’t forget to contact your local representative, and thank you for entrusting me with the safety of the city!”

Then she turned, her head bent close to the man who had spoken to her a moment ago, and hurried off, the armed guards at her back.

“Well,” Mom got to her feet, “I just can’t believe there are that many species traitors. And the idea of sleeping with one of them—” She shuddered. “I’d drown anything that came out of me and then myself rather than live with the shame.”

“Ione’s pregnant,” I snapped, forgetting I’d been determined to keep the news to myself. “You think that’s what she should do?”

Shock and disgust crossed Mom’s face and her upper lip curled. “If she had any self-respect, she’d kill herself before the abomination was born and save her family from having to live in disgrace a moment longer.”

“You’re pathetic.” I jumped to my feet, shaking from anger. “What’s wrong with you? What happened to make you so ugly and hateful?”

“What happened to make you so blind?” Mom spit back.

“I’m not the blind one. I’ve been in there; I’ve met them.”

“You don’t think I’ve met them?” Mom hissed. “Have you forgotten that we had two years of integration? Two years where I gave them the benefit of the doubt, something they squashed. Those things you keep defending are here to destroy us. Mark my words. If something doesn’t change, humans won’t exist in another ten years.”

“Maybe we don’t deserve to exist,” I shouted. “Look at what we’ve done to our planet, to our own species, to the millions of animals we’ve hunted to extinction. Then there’s the species we’ve held prisoner for the past twenty years. Maybe the galaxy would be better off if the Veilorians did breed us to extinction.”

She was on her feet so fast I barely registered she had stood before she slapped me, her bony palm stinging against my cheek and sending me reeling back in surprise. My hand went to my face, cradling my throbbing cheek, while Mom stood in front of me, her expression as shocked as I felt.

“I—” She swallowed. “I didn’t mean to do that.” Her surprise melted away, leaving her looking broken and sad. “Maybe I should have hit you more. Maybe that would have kept you in line. I don’t know.”

“You’ve done it plenty of times with your words over the years,” I murmured. “What difference would a few slaps have made?”

“You’re probably right.” She looked toward the viewing screen, which was replaying the mayor’s visit to the District. “They deserve whatever she gives them.”

She left the room without saying anything else, leaving me alone to nurse my throbbing cheek.

It had been a long time since I’d felt any real affection for my mother, but in that moment, I hated her. Hated her even more than Veronica Waters, which I hadn’t thought possible.

Chapter Fifteen

Thousands of people took the mayor’s suggestion and called their local representatives, so that a week later her proposed bill of reducing both rations and electricity to the District passed without a hitch. Everything was cut in half, and even