Year 2318

“Congratulation, Sabrina! You’re pregnant!” Joy washed over Sabrina Gilman as she held hands with her wife, Grace. They were both relieved. They’re time was running out. Not only was it her biological clock, all of their friends were having little girls of their own right now, but soon Sabrina would almost past childbearing age. She was nearing the end 27. The government strictly enforced when the proper age to have a baby would be-- between the ages of 19 and 30. Grace was far fast that age limit. She was 32 and couldn’t possibly be put under the stress of carrying a healthy baby girl to term. That was the key to the government regulations. They wanted to encourage the population to create fully able and healthy babies. During the time of 19 to 30, a woman is in her prime and most likely to produce a beautiful, healthy baby girl.

Of course at first the regulations were just encouraged, but over time real statutes and legislature was put in place. The people didn’t protest the law because it simply made sense. Why risk the health and the wellbeing of the potential life you’re bringing into the world if you don’t have to? And obviously there was the aspect of population control. If women over the age of thirty couldn’t have kids, then a portion of the babies being produced would diminish.

“Have you thought of any names for her?” The doctor asked.

“Maybe Anna, after our lovely doctor,” Grace said slyly. Dr. Anna scoffed.

“Ha! Right. I’m just glad that this attempt finally did the trick. The Spermarrow doesn’t work for everyone. I remember for myself, when I was trying to get my own baby girl, my wife and I had to try eight times. She had to get her marrow removed twice.” Dr. Anna set down her stethoscope that she was previously using and scooted her wheely chair over the the trash can. She removed her latex gloves and tossed them in the bin

“Yeah, I guess third time’s the charm in our case.” Grace ran a hand through her curly hair letting it get caught on the tangles inside. She still couldn’t believe it, her girl, the love of her life, was pregnant. They were going to be mothers.

BONE MARROW TO BE USED IN ARTIFICIAL INSEMINATION

November 12, 2020

Ever since the beginning of mankind, babies have been created through the intimate interactions of one man and one woman. But what if scientists have found a way to do away with that?

One man, a Dr. Karim Nayernia of the North East England Stem Cell Institute, found a way to mimic the semen used to produce babies by taking bone marrow stem cells and introducing them to an environment similar to that of a testicle.

Many scientific critics are calling for him to stop his research, claiming it is unnatural. Religious groups are protesting his findings as an abomination of the devil. Yet Dr. Nayernia still has a job despite the unethical claims on his work and he will soon perfect what he is calling “Spermarrow”-- the bone marrow with the properties of sperm.

This can open many doors for the general population. Men who have had to get their testes removed can have children, and lesbian couples can have biologically related children. But this begs the question, will men soon become obsolete?

Year 2318

Sabrina was cooking dinner. A meal consisting of fresh green beans sauteed in garlic, tofu from the local market marinated in artificial chicken fat, and a hearty pile of mashed potatoes.

“You should sit down, angel. Put your feet up and relax,” Grace said. She was pouring a glass of wine for herself and a grabbing a ginger ale out of the fridge for Sabrina.

“I’m fine, really. I’m able to cook a meal,” Sabrina shot Grace a look over her shoulder. Grace had sat down at the kitchen table and was pouring over paint swatches and color schemes for their new daughter’s bedroom.

“Don’t you think it’s a little early to be looking at that?” Sabrina said. She sat down the wooden spoon she was using to poke the green beans around with and set the burner on low.

“It’s never a bad thing to be prepared,” Grace said without looking up from the swatches, “What do you think about yellow and green?” Sabrina mulled it over in her head for a second.

“Maybe not those, they kind of look like snot. What about grey and purple, but like, pastels?” she suggested. Grace peered up at Sabrina over the rim of her glasses.

“That sounds perfect.” She sniffed the air. “Babe, you’re burning the green beans!” Sabrina whirled around to find that she accidentally turned the burner up instead of down. They were a little charcoaled, nothing worth throwing out but probably not too appetizing either.

“Maybe you should be the one cooking tonight, Grace.” Sabrina sighed and absentmindedly rubbed her stomach.

“Yeah maybe I should.” Grace came up behind Sabrina, wrapped her arms around her waist. She rested her head in the crook of Sabrina’s neck.

“They don’t look that bad,”

“Don’t be nice, they look awful,” Sabrina chuckled. She turned around so she was facing her wife. Sabrina planted a little peck on Grace’s freckled cheek.

“Why don’t you finish up cooking and I’ll look at furniture for the room.” Grace took the wooden spoon from Sabrina’s hand and scooped the green beans onto a plate. The smell of charred vegetable matter was mingling with the lavender scented candle on the windowsill, offering a strange combination that made Grace want to turn up her nose.

Sabrina perused through the virtual catalog sitting on the counter. She didn’t want anything metal even though that was the new trend with all of her friends. They were buying metal and chrome cradles that self-rocked and sang to your baby. They freaked Sabrina out, made her feel that she had to compete for her motherhood. She wanted something simple-- old-fashioned, if you will. Maybe something white and wooden, or even a dark Cherry would be nice,, but of course those would be just as expensive as the fancy new ones, seeing as they’re antiques. But Sabrina wanted nothing but the best for her little girl.

She found a nice Oak cradle with adjustable bars on the sides and a hanger for a mobile overhead. She called Grace over.

“This is it, look how elegant!” Sabrina was in love it. Grace, being a bit more cautious of what they can afford on their newlywed budget, pushed up her glasses and looked at the price.

“Yikes, that’s a little steep, don’t you think, love?” Grace’s eyes dropped down to the scary price of $300, “You know what, our bundle of joy only deserves the best. Get it before I panic and change my mind.”

Year 2319

Sabrina was getting ready for work. She had an important executive meeting with her superiors about something stupid that she wasn’t looking forward. She to but had to go before maternity leave to discuss her replacement. It was extremely difficult to look professional while carrying a living being inside of you, and all of her business suits didn’t fit anymore. But nonetheless, the weekend prior she waddled herself down to the mall, Grace in tow, and picked out a pair of grey tailored pants with an elastic waist and a blazer that she couldn’t dream of buttoning.

Sabrina was standing in front of her bathroom mirror, belly pushing slightly up against the counter, applying a thin coat of mascara and a bit of concealer to her under eyes when she felt it. A sense of panic flooded her. She wasn’t even due for maternity leave until two days from then. She was only 34 weeks along, but her baby was ready-- she wanted out.

“Grace!” Sabrina screamed, “It’s time!” She heard the slam of porcelain on the linoleum tiled floor. Most likely her bowl of cereal crashing to the floor. In the back of her mind Sabrina hoped Grace hadn’t made a mess.

“What?” Grace yelled back, panicked.

“My water broke! It’s time to get this show on the road!” Sabrina teeter tottered her way down the stairs, her new pants were soaking wet, but she wasn’t even thinking about that. Her brain was on high alert. This baby was coming now.

Grace was panicking. She was rushing around for the keys, for a spare change on clothes, for her coffee even.

“They have coffee at the hospital. Let’s go!” Sabrina whined as she was throwing on a winter coat. Right then the first lurch hit her. She swayed under the pain and groaned a guttural sound.

“Hospital. Now.” Sabrina demanded.

Sabrina was pushing, she was completely numb from the waist down, but she was pushing with what she thought was all her might. She knew she was cut open, She had the vague feeling her groin area was looser, but nothing was hurting. Grace had to stay above the waist, she had fainted when they were dilating Sabrina’s vagina.

Dr. Anne was down there making sure the baby was crowning correctly. She had blood and what looked like internal bodily matter of some kind on her jacket and she kept scratching her cheek, which was getting blood on her face too.

“Just a little bit more, Sabrina! You’re doing a great job!” With one growling yell, she pushed with everything she had left in her and their baby popped out.

Sabrina collapsed under the pressure and strength she exerted. Sweat was running down her neck and her mascara she had applied thirteen hours earlier was now streaked down her cheeks.

“Is she beautiful? How is our little girl?” Sabrina asked. She looked at Dr. Anne through her fluttering eyelids. Something was clearly wrong. Sabrina bolted upright causing her insides to lurch and a wave of exhaustion to hit her.

“What, doc? What is it?” Sabrina demanded. Grace was standing next to the doctor, her face mimicked Dr. Anne’s. Shock. Horror.

“Your baby is a boy, Sabrina. You gave birth to a boy.” Dr. Anne muttered.

“What? A boy?” Sabrina wasn’t sure if she heard the doctor correctly. The drugs were making her woozy. She was told her whole life that two women could never produce a male-- that it was biologically impossible. But Dr. Anne was handing Sabrina her bloody baby, and sure enough, Sabrina saw with her own two eyes a small penis. She and Grace gave birth to the only boy on the planet.

NEWS BROADCAST EXCERPT FROM CNN NIGHTLY NEWS AT 8

May 4, 2024

It’s time for CNN Nightly News with Josie Freeman and Nick Walsh reporting.

Good evening everyone.

Tonight’s top stories:

1. Aftermath of past President Trump’s assassination, how his family is coping
2. McDonald’s introduces new interactive toys in their happy meal, what does it mean for kids’ meals in the future?
3. An off-duty D.C. cop held at gunpoint in a Wells Fargo, he died heroically killing the shooter

But first, we have received new information about an airborne virus found in the east coast that, strangely enough, targets only men. We are joined with Scientist and Professor of Infectious Disease at NYU, Dr. Hollis.

Hollis: Hi, thank you for having me, Josie and Nick.

Nick: The pleasure is all ours, Doctor. Please, tell us what you have discovered about this virus. What are we up against here?

Hollis: It’s really a bit of a concern. The origins of the disease is unknown, but it has caused a couple hundred men on the east coast of the US to get fatally ill, ending them in the hospital in solitary confinement. It is being studied closely, and we have determined that the women who have been exposed to it can act as a carrier for the disease, but it does not attack and harm them in the way that it does men-- or at all.

Josie: Fascinating, Dr. Hollis. So I have nothing to worry about?

Hollis: As far as my colleagues and I can tell, none whatsoever.

Nick: What are we doing about this? How can we combat it?

Hollis: We aren’t quite sure yet. Definitely if you’re going into a city, such as New York or D.C., wear a mouth cover. They can be purchased at any drug store. All the best scientists are working on discovering what makes this virus tick, but not much it coming out. It looks man-made, but we’re not 100% sure. There is a vaccination in the works, but so far it seems to be problematic. There are many, um, unsavory side effects that need to be worked out before it is given to the masses. But the sharpest minds in the world are working around the clock to figure it out, so expect a vaccine within the next month or so.

Josie: Does this have any correlation to the drop in population of males worldwide? There are currently 23% more women on the planet than men as opposed to ten years ago in 2014.

Hollis: This could be a factor, although no one has died from this virus yet, there is likely to be many deaths. In the past, a large part of the growing population gap between men and women have been attributed to the interest in Dr. Nayernia’s Spermarrow and the use of artificial insemination and the growth of the LGBT community. This virus is projected to have a sizable impact on the male population.

Nick: How does this virus manifest as symptoms?

Hollis: That is an excellent question. First, it appears like strep throat. Then, you get a deep red, almost purplish, rash on your neck and shoulders. Then, you have fainting spells, and lastly, your fever climbs so high that some people claim to feel that their insides are melting. I think our record case is 112 degrees.

Nick: That’s quite terrifying. Tell your buddies to get moving on that vaccine, Doc!

Hollis: Like I said, my colleagues are working as hard as they can.

Josie: Thank you for your time, Dr. Hollis. I know it is precious in this stressful time.

Hollis: Thank you for having me, guys.

Year 2319

Dr. Anne wouldn’t let Grace and Sabrina go home. She had locked the door with just the three of them in the room. She was pacing and occasionally stealing glances at Sabrina, who was cradling her baby boy. The squeaks of Dr. Anne’s orthopedic shoes on the tile floor made Grace flinch.

“I have to take the baby to do the Apgar assessment,” the doctor said to Sabrina. She went to pick up the baby. He was laying across Sabrina’s bare stomach. Grace stepped protectively in front of her family. Her arms were crossed firmly over her chest.

“You’re going to give him back, right? You’re not going to let anyone take him from us?” Dr. Anne wasn’t sure what to say at that moment. Chances are, if she told any of her colleagues, the police would be called and the baby would be removed from the family. But he was just a baby, as of right now he posed no threat.

“I’m only taking him over to the counter right here, nobody is leaving the room just yet.” The doctor spoke carefully. Sabrina permitted Dr. Anne to pick up the baby and do the test. After assessing the baby’s respiratory strength, coloration, heart rate, response to stimulation, and muscles, she deemed him an extraordinarily average baby-- especially for being three weeks early.

“So here is what we are going to do,” Sabrina spoke up from her spot in the hospital bed, “We are going to take our baby home, name her Lizzy like we had planned, and carry on with our life as if he was a she. We will tell no one. That means you too, doc. This is to never be spoken of again. We are not losing our baby.” Sabrina sat up and glowered at Dr. Anne from across the room. She had a definitive gleam in her eyes.

“But what about when Lizzy starts to go through puberty, when he starts to grow hair on his face, and certain areas start to develop?” Grace asked, “What are we going to do then? Lock him up from the world like some kind of monster?”

“He’s our baby! What else are we supposed to do? Are you ready to go through the pain of donating marrow all over again, the fears of miscarriage, the let down hopes and the tears? Because I am not. We have our baby. He might not have been what we imagined, but we owe it to him to offer him the best life possible under the circumstances. Whatever happened to a mother’s unconditional love?” Sabrina was tearing up. She looked over at her little boy. He was the length of the doctor’s forearm. He was a lump of pinkish red wrinkles with a little purple cap placed on his head. His blue eyes, just like Grace’s, stared back at her. Sabrina couldn’t abandon her baby.

“But is a life being denied his sexuality and being forced into a role that he clearly won’t fit a life worth having?” Dr. Anne offered. The baby squirmed gently in her arms, as if he knew they were speaking about him.

“Well what’s our alternative? What will happen otherwise? Will the government take him? Will the do experiments on him like some sort of alien?” Grace was on the fence. She understood both sides of the issue, but after all, this baby was also hers. She also helped create this life and felt the irresistible pull of motherhood.

“Can you live, knowing that you’re responsible for the torture and possible death of a child?” Sabrina sobbed. Her tears were following the paths made earlier down her cheeks by the sweat that ran into her mascara.

“You are not taking out baby, and that is final, Doc.” Sabrina said. Grace took the baby out of Dr. Anne’s arms and rocked her wiggling son.

“He deserves a life, just as much as any other baby girl.” Grace proclaimed.

LAST MAN ON EARTH PASSES AWAY THIS MORNING

January 3, 2075

The last man to walk the face of planet earth has passed away due to complications in surgery. Zhang Wei Li, a 67 year old man from China, went into surgery yesterday afternoon due to a collapsed artery cutting off blood flow to the heart. He was in surgery for seven hours and passed shortly after while in recovery. He left behind two daughters, Chen, 30, and Hualing, 25. During his time as the last man on earth, he lived a quiet life, away from large populations. He rescued stray dogs for a living from the inner city and brought them to his country home; he had approximately 15 dogs. Li showed compassion for all creatures and urged the women he met to do the same. His legacy will forever live on as the last man on earth.

Year 2319

In the days following the birth of Sabrina and Grace’s baby boy, Dr. Anne wasn’t feeling like she made the right decision.

She sat at the breakfast bar in the faculty cafeteria sipping her coffee. She was munching absentmindedly on a bagel with cream cheese, reflecting on the decision she had made earlier that week. Her mind tended to wander while she was in solitude. She found herself often thinking about little Lizzy and the life he would lead as a girl during her breakfasts.

She thought about how he would constantly be questioning who he truly was, why no one else was like him, where all of the people like him were. And then he would find out that they were extinct. He wouldn’t be able to feel secure in his own identity. What if he lashed out on his mothers? What if he decided he wanted revenge? After all, men were unpredictable back n the old days. They were the cause of the wars and the hardships women had to face in the past. Dr. Anne couldn’t get the idea out of her brain that keeping this baby boy in society would eventually lead to a dangerous situation; and her being the doctor that birthed him, and agreed to hide him from the world, she would receive the backlash. She could lose her job, lose her pension, and maybe even go jail. God knows more women have gone for much less.

There was nothing about his situation that she agreed with. She felt that Sabrina and Grace were being selfish, they weren’t thinking about the good of their own son, the good of society.

It would have to be her job to think about that. She needed to do something.

Sabrina was sitting on the couch breastfeeding her baby and Grace was flipping through channels on the TV. The two of them had just finished dinner.Wild rice, broccoli and tofu-chicken breast, while their baby was just getting his dinner now.

“What are we going to do? Are we going to move to the country or something once Lizzy finally gets old enough? We definitely can’t stay here, right in the middle of the city.” She was right, but Sabrina didn’t want to admit that.

“I guess that’s our only option,” sabrina said. She could feel the baby breastfeeding on her. It wasn’t all that comfortable, in fact, the little infant’s gums had quite the clamp on her.

“Are we horrible for wanting to keep Lizzy to ourselves?” Sabrina was peering down at their little boy. He was wearing a onesie with red and yellow stripes. He looked so innocent. She was wrapped up in her little world. Her own problems.

She almost had the wind knocked out of her when the door was busted in.

Black men in kevlar broke down the door. They were screaming at the family, little Lizzy burst out in tears. Something about locating the baby. Five, six, seven people filed in the room, bearing guns and other unusual weapons. They were wearing UGIC emblem on their chest. Bewildered, Grace stood up in front of her family.

“We’re here for your boy ma’am,” One mask said. Another shoved Grace aside, knocking her into the TV stand and onto the ground. The one that spoke pried the child off of Sabrina’s breast, out of her screaming hold. Sabrina thrashed around to attempt to get a better grip of her child but the intruder was just too strong. Sabrina screamed and wailed at the people marched single file out of their house, leaving their family in shambles.

Grace could hear their baby screaming as he left through the front door. Tears welled in her eyes. She stood to go after them, but stole a look at her crippling wife. Sabrina lay on the couch where she had been with their son only moments before. She screeched and screamed; her son was gone. He was ripped from her arms. All Grace could do was join her wife, wrap her up in her arms, and cry with her. Their front door lay on one working hinge. The happiness and hope for a family and bright future escaping through it.

EXCERPT FROM A LOOK IN THE PAST: WORLD HISTORY HIGHLIGHTS

Written by Ellen Jones, Kelsey Gomez-Sanchez, and Ellie Wright

Copyright August 29, 3101

The Creation of a Uni-Governed World-

After the extinction of the men in 2075, women found men’s old ways of ruling to be outdated and fit only for them. They felt the need to create a ruling body that reflected the unified needs of their combined societies and women globally. Since women have been in control of all the world’s governing systems, war has been nearly eradicated, trade has flourished, and crime has been desecrated.

We can thank the UGIC, the Uni-Governed International Council. They are a collective of all the world’s powers; they are elected officials from every country on the planet-- all 195 of them. Each have their own voice and can use it in a creation of world laws. Communication is always respectful and ideas are never put forth to forward one’s own agenda. They are always in the best interest of the population.

Even though the UGIC works on an international level, it also functions locally. The police and judiciaries are also under the same title. They are members that are both parts elected by that country’s President and by the people, each get a 50-50 vote on public matters.

The UGIC has been instrumental in controlling the population, and in doing so, has replenished our environment by diminishing the world’s carbon footprint. They have constructed the restriction on childbearing years to ensure the health and prosperity of our offspring and our futures. The UGIC is good, they are put in place to help the people, to guide the people, and to be the voice of the people.

Year 2319

The baby traveled without anyone to hold him. He sat alone in the backseat of an SUV. He had stopped crying for his moms, the loud noises had subsided, and he sat quietly as the dark suburban neighborhoods outside gave way to glimpses of illuminated highways under sparse flood lights. There wasn’t a moon out that night; the man up there was dead too.

There was a two women up front, one driving and one passenging.

“Did you see the look on her face? The one feeding the baby? I couldn’t imagine being her.” The one driving said dismally.

“Yeah, I know. But we have orders. The baby had to be brought in. Even though he’s an infant, one day he won’t be he’ll be an adult. There’s a reason we had to do this. He’s a threat.” The other one stated. There was a long passage of silence. Who knew how long they were driving.

Highway morphed into freeway which led to a city. The lights made the final minutes in the car almost unbearable for the infant. He attempted to toss and turn. He made a noise to try to get the lady's’ attention, but they ignored the pleas.

The SUV, with its black exterior and tinted windows, had rolled up to a large white building. There were more people with the helmets and kevlar outfits, police from UGIC, but the baby wouldn’t have remembered or known that. The lady passenger grabbed the carrier that the baby was in and lugged him out of the back seat. The night bit at his exposed head, someone should have grabbed him a hat. The driver woman met the other one around the side of the car and the two of them, along with the baby, were escorted up the front walk of the building.

“This is so unnecessary. He’s a baby for heaven’s sake,” The driver mumbled under her breath just loud enough for the passenger to hear.

“Stop it. We have a job, and we are doing our job. Stop getting your emotions involved.” The passenger growled. The two made it to the front door and, with their brigade of armed bodyguards, were escorted to the second floor where they were told to wait.

That was the first time the women were able to get a good look at the infant. He was reddish. His skin looked hot to the touch. His eyes kept looking at them, almost inquisitively. The driver almost had the desire to rock the carrier, and fix the baby’s small patch of blonde hair that was awry. Almost.

The women were called in to drop off the baby sooner than they thought. A pair of intimidating wooden doors swung open and a woman in a stiffly pressed pantsuit asked the passenger to bring the baby in.

The room was a conference area. An oblong table stretched the whole length and a large TV screen sat opposite the wall they entered. Sitting at the head of the table was the leader of the UGIC.

“Thank you for delivering the baby, Priscilla.” The president said. Her thick greyish brown hair was pulled back into a low bun utilitarian style. Her eyes never met Priscilla, in fact, she never even turned around to look at her with her sharp grey gaze.

“Delivered, as promised, Mrs. President,” And with that, Priscilla was escorted out of the room.

The TV screen in front of the president lit up and a voice spoke. “All right, let’s see this supposed boy.” It was the other members of the UGIC.

“As you wish.” The president picked up the baby out of the carrier and held him in her arms. Her blazer was uncomfortable to the baby; he attempted to squirm out of her arms.

“Now that we have him, what are we going to do with him?” The screen lit up with the buzzing of other country’s input. Her screen was divided into 195 small squares, the elected officials of the UGIC were meant to vote on the outcome of the baby’s life. Their choices were to either donate it to research and let the world’s best scientists rediscover the male body and what makes it tick, or eradicate the baby.

Taken from The People Aren’t For You: A conspiracy blog on UGIC

By, Julie Santiago

March 11, 3189

“To help the people, to guide the people, and to be the voice of the people.” Those are the words written on our Declaration of Cooperation. Our government-- the snobs and one-percenters of the UGIC-- do not really mean the words that they so lovingly parade around.

They pretend to be the voices of our mothers, to be compassionate and get the rest of the world to do so by leading by example. But what is so compassionate about denying a woman the right to have a baby, just because she has had lyme’s disease, or is over the age of 30? What are they afraid of? Their pursuit of perfection will crumble. There is no guarantee that there will be anything wrong with our child-- but less that they will pop out a godforsaken boy!

Their matriarchy is built on the suppression of the plebs, the everyday citizen that doesn’t understand the big picture. Why are men extinct? Why do we never hear about the history of men in school Before they were eradicated, they are an incredibly large part of our pasts. There has been no research that looks into the so-called virus that wiped them all out, nobody understands it to this day. Is that because UGIC pays off all the scientists brave enough to try? They were behind the engineering of virus the whole time. That’s why the disease later broke out across the whole world, why it wasn’t just in a few areas.

The forefathers of UGIC wanted to create an all powerful state. Of course the best way of doing that that is in the most demure way possible. Have the “motherly” and “saintly” women in power do it. They world won’t suspect a group of women to have the guts to kill half the population.

UGIC is not for the people in any sense of the word; they have their own agenda. They just know how to twist it so it appears to be in the peoples’ interest as well.

Year 2319

The president sat in the silence of the early morning, still in the conference room, waiting for every official to choose the baby’s fate. Two countries left… now one… now none. The president held the baby in her arms still. He had since calmed down. She noted that this was the most mild-mannered baby she had seen in years, he hadn’t cried once since being brought to her.

“Has everyone voted?” There was a resounding ‘yes’ from the screen.

“It has appeared that we have decided to,” The score was being tallied, “euthanize the baby. Thank you all for your decision. Goodnight.” The screens went black.

“You didn’t even stand a chance,” the president whispered at the baby. A man in a lab coat entered the room and picked up Lizzy from the president’s arms.