Epilogue

My fingers are sweaty and warm as I tap my father's knee. The day is an inferno, and I glance at the ever-heightening red sun. The grass outside is beyond death, and the birds that used to sing their joyful songs around us are now too weak to do anything beneficial. These days are worse than they used to be. When I could barely walk, the grass was teeming with life, and cute little robots with WAL-MART stamped on their chests used to stroll down the street. Now, as we live in complete fear, we coldly await a weekly inspection by the deplorable XV7s they have issued out to roam the streets. They're horrible, unearthly beings that are almost all legs. Their metallic tentacles slither along the dry and dusty pavement as they trek across the landscape, hunting for anyone that will defy the heartless WAL-MART rule. It is the WAL-MART that ushers me to school and tucks me in to bed with its cold fingers of power. It can personalize my nightmares, and warp my life as they see fit. I'm nothing more than a piece of meat to them.

I turn my attention back to my father. He's working on something underneath his car, and I sway my flowery dress back and forth before he looks up and acknowledges me.

"Yes, sweetheart."

"Um… I have a question."

"Go ahead."

"Well, I'm kinda afraid to ask you…"

"Oh, don't be afraid to ask me anything, baby. Now go ahead."

"Well… okay."

"…okay, so?"

"Where… where do babies come from?"

He's quiet for a moment, then glances at the tool in his hand before sighing and looking back up at me. He has a worried look on his face.

"…ask your mother."