Jasmine's Laboratory: unpublished

In poem, poetry

Seeking the Past

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, by Jasmine P. Antwoine

In feuilleton, short story

The Fruits of Earth - Part 17

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, by Jasmine P. Antwoine

In feuilleton, short story

The Fruits of Earth - Part 16

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, by Jasmine P. Antwoine

In feuilleton, short story

I can’t help but to crack a smile. I have made myself a new friend. Several, actually. I only know them through one voice, a voice whose name is Broda. She talks to me from somewhere behind the wall and she carries stories from mouth to mouth, to the other inhabitants of this place.

“Yes, Broda,” I answer.

“Have you heard the latest news?”

“How could I?” I reply. “You’re the only one who talks to me…”

Broda is able to speak to me and to the neighbor girl from her right, one named Ploya. Ploya has Rida on her right and Rida has Styssa to her right. To Styssa’s right there is Ewgenya and the last in the row is another girl: the nameless girl. Broda calls her Softy, because she never speaks. Apparently, we live in a row of cells, each with one occupant, one girl who has run out of luck. Seven broken destinies. I can’t hear them all, but I know they are out there: their thoughts, hopes and sorrows reach me through Broda’s whispers.

It calms me down to repeat the names of these new friends of mine. I recite them like a litany, in an attempt to conjure faces of fellow humans, to chase away this loneliness. In the total silence of the cell, they seem to offer solace and support. I know a few things about each of them and I have also recounted my story. Just another horror story to join the bunch.

Since starting speaking with Broda, I’ve heard numerous horror stories. Stories I should have known have I listened to Ladeena carefully. She tried to warn me, but I never understood. How could

I comprehend the entire horrendous truth? My entire life was a lie, a constructed reality far, far away from the real world.

We are nothing but products. The most valuable goods in the world, but still products. We are the produce of a farm, or several, who harvests children and puts them into categories: worthy and unworthy, seeds and fruits, fertile and infertile.

The girls are separated from boys from the beginning and raised within nurseries like the one I grew up in. Those who will become seeds and treated differently, kindlier, but only so that later, they will be sold into a life close to slavery, dedicated only to bearing children.

On the other hand, boys are raised for nothing more than to become human bulls. The so-called parents are actually buyers of the girls and they come to the Farm each year to select another seasonal seed for their next crop. They favor one or multiple boys that they use for breeding purposes, boys like Jull, probably.

The seeds and the bulls are forced together into this carefully constructed reality, in which the girls are attracted with the promise of a better life, while boys are manipulated by using their manly urges. All this for the continuous survival of the human race or for the profit of a few…?

And to think that I did everything in my power to become a seed… Unbearable. Other stories are even more unsettling and I haven’t decided yet to believe them or not.

They say that during the recent history of the humankind, something has shifted inside the normal human reproductive system. The humans have developed a rare disease that would keep them for having children anymore. Before this plague, a man and a woman could have children of their own, through a natural process called copulation. After this act was consummated, the female would turn out to be pregnant and her belly would become swollen with the future child. After a period of nine months, she would give birth to one or two, rarely three, infants and this is how a family was constructed. A family lived inside a home of their own and the parents would nurture and care for their children until the age of maturity when the young would move away and find mates of their own to start this entire process again.

This concept is so strange to me, used as I am with the idea that children come from incubators, that is hard to comprehend. But the worst part is yet to come. As I said, something has changed and humans could not have children anymore. Or the children would be monstrously malformed and would not survive infancy. The population of the Earth plummeted and for many years there was no hope of getting any better. It is said that the humankind once numbered billions of individuals, but that is difficult to believe.

Then, little by little, some of the children survived and started to regain a human look again. From those, many have perished, but some survived and there was hope once more. Only a handful of the children could grow into adults with reproductive functions and they become rare commodities. But the entire reproductive system shifted to something new. In order to be able to bear children, the young women have to be impregnated by men and then planted in soil, a process they call sowing the seed. After the sowing, the woman would turn into something totally different: a tree-like creature that would once again get deformed and consume itself as it gets into blossoming and producing new fruits – the future generation of children.
As I heard this story my heart plunged and I become miserable. Was this the fate that the Villa and Madame were preparing the seed girls for?

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, by Jasmine P. Antwoine

In feuilleton, short story

The Fruits of Earth - Part 14

free reading, book, e-book, download, fantasy, fiction, adventure

I wake up once more to the sensation that somebody is fiddling with the bandages on my legs, sending scorching arrows along my spine. My legs feel like being on fire. I peep and see a fruit-servant unwinding the bandages to reveal the horror beneath. My whole legs are skinless, just a bloody mass of red meat that looks horrendous. They hurt like nothing I’ve ever experienced before. A raw, thudding, protruding pain. I feel like the whole world has come down crashing on my ever so beaten body.

The fruit-servant rubs some ointment on my lower legs and this, in fact, feels even worse than before. I scream in pain and try to shoo her away. It’s the best I can do since I can’t muster any drop of force to kick her or to move away. Crying and screaming is my only option. Imperturbable, she continues to apply her foul-smelling paste on my wounds, not even looking at me. Surprisingly, the tincture has a calming effect. After a while, it gets better. I no longer feel my legs, they start to get numb.

I fall asleep.

I don’t know how many days have passed. They all seem the same to me. Locked in this cave, days and nights have no meaning anymore.

I have been moved to a different room a while ago. I no longer have the luminous, white room that looked so neat and aseptic. I am now living in a cave-like chamber, with grey walls and an opening through which I receive my meal. One meal a day! Long gone are the days with three delicious portions of meat every day, that I have lived in the Villa. They seem to belong to another lifetime, to another girl. Who was that Mya who enjoyed all those precious moments? Where has she gone?

My wounds are healing. I once again find myself in the position of observing the skin on my legs transforming, but this time to a very different circumstance. The new skin turns out white, patternless. The skin of a fruit.

I still have nightmares about that evening. The one I nearly died. I dream about Jull, eating my legs, tearing chunks of meat from me and then I wake up screaming. Sometimes I can almost feel him grabbing me, burying his claws into my skin. Other times there is a crowd of people that are ripping my clothes off and digging into my body, leaving holes inside of me. I wake up trembling and I can’t sleep anymore.

I’ve never seen any of the girls again, not Oleya, nor Madame or the Rands. I live in total isolation now and sometimes I’m grateful for it. Other times I get scared. It’s like my whole world has disappeared and instead I have this… blank existence that I can’t really call life.

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, by Jasmine P. Antwoine

In feuilleton, short story

The Fruits of Earth - Part 13

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, by Jasmine P. Antwoine

In feuilleton, short story

The Fruits of Earth - Part 12

young adult, free, fiction, book, download, read now

“Wait here, my dear, and Jull will come to you.”

I am grateful that Madame leaves me alone for a while. I started to get dizzy and a curios warmth has encompassed my upper body. I sit on the sofa and try to calm down. A good night sleep would be welcomed at this time, but I have to stay alert.

Five tormented minutes pass by and then the other door opens and Jull enters the room. He wears a robe now, but he is still handsome without the gala attire.

As I watch him, he moves closer and closer. I am fascinated by his looks. His glance is fiery and it has a paralyzing effect on me. He sits near me and reaches out with his hand. He touches my body and feels me all over. This is really unsettling and I’m starting to get nervous. I sit up and back away instinctually.

Jull follows me and holds my hand, then he forces a kiss out of me. He uses his tongue to touch mine and I can taste he’s been drinking the same amber potion I did. I wrinkle my nose and back away again. This is not going as expected.

Pleased with his deeds and with a smirk on his face, Jull uncovers himself naked and advances towards me. He has this… thing that looks like an extension of his body. The scene seems so unreal and I’m so scared that I can’t move.

When he is near me, Jull pushes me on the bed, in a kind of gentle way, and grabs my left leg. He starts to lick my foot and my calf and at this time I am so frightened I could scream. But then he stops dead in his tracks.

“What is this?” he asks, holding my leg in surprise. “Your taste is wrong.” He starts rubbing the skin on my leg feverishly, spitting on it. “What have you done?”

His tone is now louder. His hand is nearly crushing my calf. The look on his face has changed. He now resembles an angry, monster-like creature. I start kicking my legs so I can get free but I can’t escape his grip. He’s furious now. He grabs my other leg, too, and starts sniffing and licking it. He’s so gross, my stomach turns. I instantly relive the moment Ladeena told me about how seeds are really treated. Could that be true?

“What have you done?” Jull screams, totally transfigured. “You mindless twat! What is this?”

The noise attracts somebody outside the room. They start pounding at the door, shouting words I can’t understand. I am too nauseated, trying to defend myself of this sudden burst of rage that I don’t understand. Jull has since grabbed my hair and slapped me over the face numerous times. I try to scratch his skin into letting me go, but to no avail. He knocks me to the bed, rolls me down, drags me to the floor holding my hair and kicks me hard, over and over again.

I nearly lose consciousness.

In a blur, I see the door opening and the Rands bursting in, followed by Madame and some of the girls and guests. Jull is still holding my hair and starts shouting about me being a fraud and trying to trick him. He points at my legs and tells everybody that my signs are fake. Everyone looks at me in an unkind way, almost disgusted. They start vociferating and pointing fingers. I search among the crowd for at least one friendly face, but see none. Wait, there’s Oleya. I reach my hand toward her.

“Oleya, please help me!”

She is frozen in place.

“Oleya,” I beg. “Please tell them…”

I’ll never forget her reaction. She makes a step further and spits on me. My best friend! She spits on me and turns away.

“Whore!” someone barks.

“Whore! whore!” Others are picking the pace.

More people are entering the room. The crowd becomes more agitated, now resembling an angry bee’s hive. Some are spiting with disgust, others slap or even kick me. They pull my hair and my clothes. I watch all this through a curtain of tears and I beg forgiveness, but no one is impressed. They are beating on me, pulling and throwing and slapping and kicking.

In this moment I faint.

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, by Jasmine P. Antwoine

In feuilleton, short story

The Fruits of Earth - Part 11

short story, free, e book, kindle, fantasy, fiction

After about ten minutes, I am again bored and decide to go back to the Rands. While I was away, their group was joined by a young man. I instantly feel revigorated and I put back my best smile. Missis Rands sees me and reaches over.

“Come dear, meet Jull,” she says. “He is our most beloved son. Jull, this is Mya, the girl I’ve told you about.”

Jull seizes my hand and kisses it, looking me straight in the eyes. He is a very sharp and handsome young man, with an electrifying gaze.

“Hello,” he says and his voice is rasp.

My cheeks start burning and I look away. I can barely say a “Hello” myself and retrieve my hand from his. Thank goodness the conversation starts again and it’s not about me. I get the pause I need to recompose myself, but my heart is bumping in my chest.

The evening moves on with idle discussions and furtive looks towards Jull. I am blushing every time I encounter his gaze upon me. We have yet to move past that first hello we’ve said, but I can’t muster the courage to open my mouth. I try not to look in his direction, especially since I can feel he’s looking at me intently.

Then the music is interrupted and everyone pays attention. This is the moment of the event. Madam will announce the first girl that is invited to spend time with a family. She is up in the balcony and looking down on the audience.

“I praise Mya,” she says, pointing in my direction, “for being the first seed from her season, ready to blossom.”

Her last words are almost covered by the swarm of applause. I can only hear and see people around me through a cloud of haze and tears of joy. My heart is racing. I can’t believe it: I’m the Queen on the night!

After the announcement and all the clatter, Madame makes her way towards our little happy group. She congratulates the Rands for the good choice they have made in picking me as their seasonal seed. Then she continues the dialogue with them in a more hushed voice so that other people can’t hear.

In the meantime, two fruit-servants bring plates with glasses filled with some amber liquid. Madame invites me to be the first to take a glass. I sip the liquid and it is sweet and flavored, and also a little spicy. Everybody is looking at me, smiling with affection, and when I put down my empty glass, my gesture is met with applause.

After that, Madame comes to me and takes me aside. She explains to me that it is customary for the girl which was first chosen to spend some time alone with a member of the family. The Rands have designated Jull for this honor.

“You will get to know each other in a special way,” she says, “and there is a room that was specially prepared for you for this occasion.” While she tells me all this, she walks me to a side entrance and into an adjacent room.

The room is not very spacious, but it is nicely decorated. It has two entries but no window. The lights are emitting a misty yellow glow, just enough so that the room is not in total darkness. There is a large bed in the center of the room and also a sofa by the side. The room has a cozy air and seems comfortable.

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, by Jasmine P. Antwoine

In feuilleton, short story

The Fruits of Earth - Part 10

young adult, fantasy, short story, fiction, free, download, read

We are eating our breakfast when the supervisor in charge for today tells us that there will be an announcement in the parlor in ten minutes. We finish our meals and get to the parlor where Madam is already waiting for us. She looks even more ceremonious than ever, with an ample violet dress and a matching corset that compliments her body.

“Girls, today is a very important day,” she says. “We have a very special event in the evening, called the Seasonal Ball. We will meet some very important people, and I want you looking your best. You have an entire day at your disposal to get ready for this event. More fruit-servants will come to help you prepare for tonight.”

From my left, Oleya winks at me.

“We’re going to meet boys,” she whispers under her breath.

I feel excited at the very thought. We have never met any representant of the opposite gender, though we know of their existence. We heard stories, romantic tales of love and splendor. To be honest, in the past I dismissed these stories as mere fantasies, as I did with the story about princess Belle. But seeing all these wonders around me, I started believing in fairy tales.

It is evening and the Seasonal Ball has started. We are in the vault of the Villa, in a place I’ve never been before. It is a grandiose ballroom, illuminated by massive chandeliers with sparkling crystals. In the center, there is a dance ring surrounded by sculpted columns. On the sides, there are sofas and armchairs where people can sit and rest and chat. An unseen orchestra enchants the atmosphere by playing soft music in the background of the grand hall.

Everybody is dressed for the occasion. Black frocks and bow ties for men, while women are wearing their best dresses and accessories. I wear a marvelous turquoise dress of chiffon and silk veil and high heeled shoes. My hair is tucked in a bum, leaving my shoulders bare. A fabulous necklace, borrowed from Madame, is adorning my neck and I have also chosen a feathers fascinator to complete the attire.

The event has started only a few minutes ago and it went as planned. Every girl has made an entrance in the hall. While we were descending from the top stairs, Madame - gorgeous in an ivory dress - said a few words about us, presenting us to the audience. We have met a lot of new people, women and men alike, older and younger. We’ve been told these couples are potential parents looking into adopting us. I am thrilled at the idea of encountering my future family and I pray I’ll make a good impression.

Madame presented me to an older couple, mister and missis Rands, and they invited me to sit by their side. Right now, they are chatting with other people and pay little attention to me. Listening to their conversation isn’t as interesting as I have thought. They are discussing mostly business - crops, fertilization, weather and harvesting - things that I don’t understand and, to be honest, I have no interest for. Soon I become quite bored and start looking around the hall. I see Oleya in a corner, chatting with somebody, and I decide to go and talk to her.

“Excuse me,” I say and I sit up. “I’ll be right back.”

The Rands smile at me as I leave but they don’t break their conversation.

I approach Oleya and her new acquaintance, a man she calls Caleb. She introduces me to him and we chat a while until I get the feeling that I’m not welcomed. I sense that Oleya wants to be alone with this man so, again, I make an excuse and let them to their business. I wander around the hall aimlessly, listening to music and eavesdropping on different group’s conversations.

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, by Jasmine P. Antwoine

In feuilleton, short story

The Fruits of Earth - Part 9

free, short story, fiction, fantasy, sci-fi, free, ebook, download, read now

Days went by.

I seem to be living a dream. Everything is just wonderful: our rooms, the clothes we wear, the meals they serve us, the lessons, the books I get to read, the long walks in the Villa’s gardens, the evening gatherings…

Oleya and I are now best friends. I misjudged her when we were in the Nursery, she is really very nice. She’s not arrogant at all, she just knows her true value. Nothing wrong in that! We are confidants and we share the same dreams of having a family and do something great with our lives. Her room is right across the corridor from my own and we often get together in the evenings, just to chat or to comb each other’s hair. I appreciate her company very much and she feels the same about me. We even hope to be adopted together, it’s been known to happen before.

Ladeena is no longer with us. She had been moved somewhere else when she refused to participate in the activities at the Villa. In fact, she had only spent a couple of days here, before they took her away. Madam said she was an ungrateful brat and did not deserve to live in the Villa. I’m actually glad she’s gone because she made me uneasy. Ever since our encounter in the shed, she had that special way of looking at me, like we shared a secret or something. She tried speaking to me but I avoided her every time she approached me. I didn’t want the other girls to associate us or to think we are friends.

Without Ladeena we are eight now. It’s like a family and we are like sisters. And Madam is our model, our guiding beacon. She is so kind, graceful and so beautiful. She is stylish and her every move is elegant, her voice is soft and warm and she always has the right reply. Every girl wants to be like her.

I like the other girls and I feel I belong with them. We learn to sing and dance together, we read out loud in the class and recite poetry. We are allowed to get together and try on clothes made from vaporous fabrics. We are allowed to taste infinite numbers of cakes and other sweets treats. We like to assemble in the gardens just before twilight, admiring the sun at the horizon, basking in its orange-red glow.

Nothing is disturbing these sunny days. Our every need and desire are met by the fruit-servants that are assigned to us. They are more than double in number compared to us, so that puts them at our disposal day and night, should we need their assistance.

The supervisors are there with us but we don’t feel their presence. They are only assigned an administrative role. They are discrete in guiding us and we seem like their equals, if not their superiors. We are free, able to develop, to grow into fine women.

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, by Jasmine P. Antwoine

In feuilleton, short story

The Fruits of Earth - Part 8

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, by Jasmine P. Antwoine

In feuilleton, short story

The Fruits of Earth - Part 7

free reading, ebook, download book, fiction, fantasy, young adult, sci-fi, adventure

They are showing us inside the Villa, the one every nursery girl dreams to enter. The Villa where they are taking the seeds to be cared for and nurtured until adoption. It is in the western part of the Farm, right near the access road and quite away from the Nursery.

It is an imposing structure of two stories, beautifully painted on the exterior and decorated with long silky curtains in red and orange, shiny steel furniture and intricate looking wall art in the interior. The walls are a pure white and ivory color and they have a golden stripe across, at hip’s height. The lighting compliments the room with its soft, warm glow. It’s just perfect!

Some girl servants are also waiting for us here. They help us settle in this new facility. I seem to recognize some of them, but I’m not sure. They are several seasons older than me. They are chosen from the fruits, no doubt, judging from their haunted looks. Curious, I thought all the fruits were going to the Labor camp. Well, I guess some of them are allowed a better living, probably for good behavior. Who knows, maybe Tina is also here. Would be nice to reunite with her, even if she’s just a fruit and I’m a seed now.

There are also supervisors here - I saw their blue coats - but they seem to not pay attention to the newcomers. Even better, I appreciate liberty.

The servants guide us to our dormitory. Actually, to our rooms, because each of us has a separate room! A separate room with a huge bed and a wardrobe for clothes, a lavatory and a toilet table with a big shiny mirror. And in the corner, the wonder of wonders: a bookshelf full of volumes. I could just faint of happiness.

I remember one of the elder supervisors told us a story once, when I was younger. Something about a young girl, Belle, a princess who had everything she ever wished for and lived in a grand palace full of wonders. It made little sense at the time, but now it starts to sound convincing. This must be how it feels to be a princess.

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, by Jasmine P. Antwoine

Pages

Seeking the Past

The Fruits of Earth - Part 17

The Fruits of Earth - Part 16

The Fruits of Earth - Part 15

The Fruits of Earth - Part 14

The Fruits of Earth - Part 13

The Fruits of Earth - Part 12

The Fruits of Earth - Part 11

The Fruits of Earth - Part 10

The Fruits of Earth - Part 9

The Fruits of Earth - Part 8

The Fruits of Earth - Part 7

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