The First

• Jeremy Cains, Grade 9
• Short Story
• 2017

The giant, 6-footed transport plodded along rhythmically through the night. On the top was a city full of genetically modified beings, going about their night, doing what made them happy. One of those was Martin McQuiggin. He had the scales and eyes of a chameleon, a monkey’s feet, and the tail to match. His arms were long and hands were clawed. Martin was not different from anyone else in the city.
The sun came over the horizon, but Martin had decided to sleep in that morning. When he got up he cooked himself an extremely scrumptious, yet unhealthy, breakfast. This was not unusual, and he did not get much enjoyment out of his meal. The problem was, anything less was boring. He then took a tablet that made sure that he wouldn’t get overweight.
Then he got ready to go to work. One cannot be happy without money. He decided to take a different route today, along the side of the transport. He walked along, content, yet not fulfilled. He only did things that made him happy, but he felt empty and lonely.
He walked thinking life couldn’t be better, looking across at the city. Houses surrounded the inner city, full of gleaming skyscrapers like blades of grass that had long vanished. Over the side of the transport the bottom of the legs weren’t visible from the height. On the railing stood a part man, part bull looking down. Martin tried to ignore him. He looked tough, but looks had become especially deceiving since the invention of the animal-human gene combination.
The man stepped outwards closing his eyes, and Martin couldn’t stop himself. Something woke inside him: the care for others. It had been lost in society. He rushed over and pulled the being back.
“Get off me”, the man grunted, as he struggled to get out of Martin’s hands.
“Wait, wait! What’s your name?” Martin asked while he tried to think of something to say.
The being stopped and answered, “Oren.”
“Well, Oren, you shouldn’t jump.” He hoped it was enough. He was becoming red with worry now.
“Why not?”
“Because you can still do things. Things that make you happy.”
“You can think it makes you happy, but it doesn’t.”
“Come on, you’re unique, you’ve a lot to give!”
“Everyone’s the same. They choose the best genes and act like you.”
Martin’s mind raced, trying to think of what to say.
“Aren’t you Martin McQuiggin? The reason nobody’s anybody and the reason we are moving this city?”
Martin went blue. He wanted to jump off now as well. He had tried to forget that he had in fact been the first to genetically modify humans. In his work, he drove many animals to extinction for their genes. Ecosystems collapsed, their old home became devoid of life and they had been searching for a new home ever since.
But a thought struck him. “This is the first day of the rest of your life.” It effected Martin the most.