Breakfast
Jellia rolled over in bed, looked out at the room, dazedly wondered where she was and then, panicked, leapt out of bed and down the stairs. Ska-drek had told her, yesterday, to have breakfast on for everyone but she, fool that she was, hadn’t asked when.
She slapped the light pad and went to the statis box, pulling out milk. She had seen that they had cold cereal… not the breakfast she would have wanted to fix her first day but, any port in a storm.
Seconds later she had the cereal, bowls, spoons, milk out and had started a brew. She hoped Ska-drek liked dark brew but, she would learn. Then she put the milk back. She could take it out when Mother and Ska-drek came down. Milk should stay in status till the last minute… Mother had told her that often enough.
“Good morning, Daughter,” she heard and turned, saw Ska-drek, and turned back to her job.
“Good Morning, Ska-drek. Did you sleep well?” she asked.
“We did indeed, thank you. Your Ska-drek-a will be down later, I think. She is quite tired.”
He went over and looked at the cereal and bowls. “Not very ambitious this morning, are we?”
“I, umm, I forgot to set my wrist-comp so I was worried I would be late.”
“Well, it isn’t like we gave you a time. But I think you can put this back and make something more elaborate and hotter. We all have the day off today. Your ska-drek-a and I will enjoy our privacy, I will expect you back in time to cook dinner. As I say your ska-drek-a will not be down for a while and I will suffice with… Dark Brew? Excellent.”
“Very well, Ska-drek,” she said, and, as she put the cereal away, thought about what she wanted to make. She had read about this thing called ’23’ that was a popular breakfast. She didn’t think it would be too bad and, as an added attraction, she was sure it would surprise Mother. It was kind of grain porridge, she could use the leftovers from yesterday, with egg in it. She would taste it before Mother came down to be prepared for the taste, and then pretend that she was eating it for the first time and just enjoying it.
Oh, this was going to be such fun!
After breakfast she ran upstairs and pulled out the skirt that she had packed, and then pulled on the stockings and boots that she had gotten at the shuttle port yesterday. Then she stared down at the shirt that she had also packed and, for the briefest of seconds, thought about going out without it. But she knew she would just come racing right back in and, besides, Mother would have a heart attack and she was having a hard enough time already. Sufficient unto the day.
Then she left her room and ran downstairs, giving a quick glance at Mother and Ska-drek Iloh who still sat in the dining room. “Bye!” she yelled. “I’m off to Kesh liberty, I’ll be back in time to make dinner!”
She thought maybe she heard something from them but she was out the door without bothering trying to hear them and then she was outside and off the opposite direction from the store. She hadn’t gone this direction yesterday and, besides, it was the way to town. She still had all that money from the trip registered in her comp… unless Mother… she opened her account and almost choked. Not only hadn’t Mother taken it away, she had added to it! A whole slew of money and a note ‘have fun shopping’. Oh, Ska-drek Iloh must have made her do that… well, no, Mother had said that she was going to let her go shopping! Oh, this was such joy! It was almost worth getting physically chastised for ‘interrupting instead of obeying’. Almost.
And if she had to choose she would rather have gotten chastised than be walking around with a stupid punishment bracelet. No one (except Mother) would even have known she had gotten chastised if she hadn’t been stupid enough to bawl about it.
Thank you for reading Von’s Substack. I would love it if you commented! I love hearing from readers, especially critical comments. I would love to start more letter exchanges, so if there’s a subject you’re interested in, get writing and tag me!
Being ‘restacked’ and mentioned in ‘notes’ is very important for lesser-known stacks so… feel free! I’m semi-retired and write as a ministry (and for fun) so you don’t need to feel guilty you aren’t paying for anything, but if you enjoy my writing (even if you dramatically disagree with it), then restack, please! Or mention me in one of your own posts.
If I don’t write you back it is almost certain that I didn’t see it, so please feel free to comment and link to your post. Or if you just think I would be interested in your post!
If you get lost, check out my ‘Table of Contents’ which I try to keep up to date.
Thanks again, God Bless, Soli Deo gloria,
Von
Contract Marriage
Contract marriage is an adult dystopia examining the issues of marriage. Like 1984 and Brave New World, Contract Marriage treats the relations between the sexes as a fundamental aspect of how a society is formed and, thus, how a society can go wrong.
Unlike those dystopias, Contract Marriage isn’t all horrible all of the time. The characters for the most part have a good time and get along in their society. But the issues of sexuality, of marriage or not, monogamy or not, faithfulness or not, and gender roles… keep coming up and causing tension and conflict and joy and pain.
My desire is that my readers would be thinking along with my characters about these issues and perhaps even arrive at the same place (minus the flying cars).
Introduction // Podcast Version
In which I lay out the themes that I intend to explore in this light Dystopia, and ask others to participate.
Trade Master: First Chapter // Podcast Version
In which Fenestra, our heroine’s mother, puts in her application for the job of 'Trade Master’ on the planet Libertas, and finds out that it isn’t that easy.
En-Drek Contract // Podcast Version
In which Fenestra finds out that, on Libertas, everyone must be in an ‘En-drek’ contract… a long-term, live-in, heavy date between a man and a woman for the purpose of producing one child after the other with one date after the other.
Disappointment and Meditation // Podcast Version
In which Jellia, the daughter and our heroine, finds out about her mother’s job opportunity, including its difficulties, and commits herself to meditating on the situation. (And internally commits herself to encouraging her mother to take the job.)
Decision Reached // Podcast Version
Jellia tells her mother that she thinks she should take the job, and so her mother puts in her application… and gets the job!
First School // Podcast Version
Jellia goes to school and gets to tell everyone about her new adventure.
First Work // Podcast Version
Fenestra goes to work, and tells her coworker about her new opportunity.
Writing Class: Podcast Version
Jellia writes a poem (a limerick) and tells her classmates more about her new adventure.
Trader Galloway: Podcast Version
In which a man comes over for a ‘date’ (Ie to sleep over with her mother) and to tell them all about his time as Trade Master for their company on Libertas. And as how he was almost executed for asking a woman out on a date.
Shopping: Podcast Version
In which Jellia and her mother go shopping for the last time, and we explore some of the nature of the planet she is leaving.
Language: Podcast Version
In which Jellia starts using some new words at school, and everyone gathers round to find out what they mean.
Kesh-i Cooking Class: Podcast Version
In which Jellia finds out that children (Kesh-i) on Libertas are expected to cook.
Trade Master Training: Podcast Version
In which Fenestra begins her training for her new role, with an old enemy.
Two Week Date: Podcast Version
In which Fenestra and Alex decide to date for the next two weeks.
The Facts of Life: Podcast Version
In which Fenestra brings Alex home, and Jellia isn’t impressed. Although she is interested in how dating works for boys.
Snips: Podcast Version
In which Jellia spends time snipping with a boy, and brings him home.
Kissing: Podcast Version
In which Jellia and her mother both have a sexual ‘last fling’ before they leave, and Jellia practices the new kisses she will need for her new planet.
Off Ephemera // Podcast Version
In which Jellia and her mother arrive at the shuttle port, go through some annoying formalities, and take off!
And Fly! // Podcast Version
In which Jellia and her mother board their spaceship, and Jellia starts doing her homework.
Abstinate // Podcast Version
In which Jellia gets bored, rejects an older gentleman, and rejects her mother’s idea of dating.
Older Kesh-u // Podcast Version
In which Jellia learns more about what Kesh-u (children) are allowed to do on Libertas.
Fertility // Podcast Version
In which Jellia and her mother are taken off birth control by an odd doctor.
New Girl // Podcast Version
-Added out of order- Jellia meets a new girl on the shuttle, from a strange culture!
Decon // Podcast Version
Jellia and her mother arrive on their new planet, go through an awful decontamination, get sent to a briefing, and receive their first kiss/greeting!
Briefing // Podcast Version
Jellia and her mother are warned that the laws on Libertas can be very serious.
En-drek File
Fenestra reads up on her new ‘en-drek’.
Justicia // Podcast Version
Jellia rejoices in the new planet!
The House // Podcast Version
Jellia explores her new house.
Shopping and Greeting
Jellia uses her new ‘kesh liberty’ and runs off to do some shopping. And has to kiss everyone all the way home.
Ska Illoh Kiladi
Jellia meets her new Ska, who has business with her mother