Pastels and Colic
Jellia ran into the room and ran right into a Kesh-i. She frantically grabbed at the kesh-i to keep her from falling and, she realised frantically, her baby! After a brief dance the three of them stabilised, none of them having fallen and, she was shocked to see, the babe still busy at the breast.
“Oh, what a beautiful baby!” she said, staring at it. Him. “I’m so sorry, Kesh no En-kesh Jellia Kiladi, exo, and my first day, and I was afraid I would be late,” she finished, kissing the girl.
“Ska… obviously… Glorina Festin,” the girl said, kissing back. Jellia waited for her to introduce the kesh but she didn’t. No doubt some custom for nursing children.
“One of the most beautiful… no, I would argue the most beautiful sight in the universe,” she heard, and saw an older male coming up to them. “Professor André Engenué,” he said, kissing her while staring at Glorina. “I don’t know that I have ever read a study on the subject, but I doubt anyone will bother disagreeing. Would you mind, Glorina? I had planned on using a holo projected ocean scene but, since he is already at the breast?”
Glorina sighed but took a seat on what Jellia noticed was a stage, with easels and standing seats all around it. Jellia hurried up, but had to wait a few seconds until the professor waved her to an easel which, she really should have known was hers, as it was far less dusty than any other. She quickly took a pastel out and, in a few strokes, had the main form of the girl and her baby.
She hardly got started shading in, however, before Glorina said, “Oh, sorry, he needs to burp, and will be on the other side.”
Jellia and the other students changed paper. “Li-Kesh Bendon Greeson,” a male said, coming up for his kiss. “I suppose most of the others were in first class with you?”
Jellia looked around. “Oh, yes. Everyone but you and Glorina.”
“We have sculpture then,” he said. “Along with four others. Not a large class.”
“I’ve never done sculpture,” Jellia admitted.
“Well, it’s not at all archaic,” Bendon said. If she had been back on Ephemera she would have been ready to turn down his invitation. Or, then, maybe not. He was a bit short but, otherwise rather nice. But, of course, this wasn’t Ephemera.
“Oh, I do all sorts of art,” Jellia said. “I don’t limit myself to archaic. But, I will confess, I find it a bit more relaxing.”
“Yes, quite. I like both as well…”
“Ok, I’m ready,” Glorina said, taking the babe off her shoulder, where milk was dripping down, and putting him to the other breast. “I’ll try to hold still.”
The professor came up and looked over Jellia’s shoulder. “You haven’t done this much before?”
“Oh, no. I’ve done pastels some, but I’ve never been able to even draw a nursing woman.”
“Women used formula on your old planet?”
“Oh, no! No, oh, no. I can’t even imagine. But we hardly ever had any children, and the women mainly stayed home when they did, so unless you were good friends with the family you would never see it. Especially the boys… I mean kesh-u… I mean males, young males.”
“Oh? Why was that?”
“Oh, well, you see… It’s hard to explain. Boys, young males, weren’t really supposed to know much about, umm, birth and all. Well, girls either. And somehow nursing got tied in with that, somehow. For boys. Not for girls.”
“I see. Did your planet have a nudity taboo? Was it forbidden for boys to see the unclothed female?”
“Oh, no. Not… they wouldn’t see them every day, certainly. But beaches and all, no one wore anything there. I suppose they might see a nursing woman there, if they lived near the beach. The woman, that is. I never thought of that.”
“Well, you weren’t a kesh, so you might not have known all of the rules. Still, it is sad that kesh-u wouldn’t get to see a nursing mother.”
“Umm, yes, I suppose, well, yes. It is beautiful.”
“It is that.”
Suddenly, for no reason at all that Jellia could see, the kesh burst out in tears. Indeed in loud hiccupy wails. The ska put him on her shoulder. “Sorry, I guess that’s all for today. He’s been having stomach issues. I’ll work on burping him but I don’t think he’ll make a good subject for a while.”
She walked off to the back of the room, and then outside, the wails getting quieter as she moved farther away.
“Well, these are the trials of working with live models, espcially young ones. Let us return to our regular work.” He fiddled with his wrist and there was soon a large hologram of the ocean. Jellia gasped. It was beautiful! But…
“There are similar difficulties with any ‘moving target’ as you might say,” he said. “This is a beautiful scene, and very appropriate for pastels… seascapes are known for them. But, without taking a still, how are you to capture it? Well, the first…”
As Jellia changed sheets and started drawing, or pastel-ing, while listening to his lecture, she could still hear the kesh outside, still screaming. No wonder mother was worried about having another kesh. Had she, Jellia, been like that? Or was this kesh unusual? How would they handle, how would mother’s work, or Jellia’s education, be able to continue with young kesh-u screaming all the time? The girl was missing class, and not just because she had been asked to model.
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!
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Thanks again, God Bless, Soli Deo gloria,
Von
Links
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 // Podcast Version
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 // Podcast Version
Jellia meets her new Ska, who has business with her mother.
Ooops // Podcast Version
Jellia makes a mistake, gets chastised, and hates it here!
Neighbours // Podcast Version
In which Jellia goes off the cry, and meets neighbours.
Breakfast // Podcast Version
Jellia wakes up, makes breakfast, and runs off for a new day!
Kesh Liberty // Podcast Version
Jellia takes off for town with two younger kesh in tow, and has a fun time shopping!
Dinner // Podcast Version
Jellia comes home from her day in town, raced to unpack her new noodle machine, and cooks dinner!
Testing // Podcast Version
Jellia shows up at her new school, has to check herself it, gets tested for math, art, engineering… and whether she’s mature enough for a live in date.
Glorina? That name sounds familiar, somehow.🤔