Toys

Chapter 28

Normally, I despised sentimentality-except when it came to Lizbeth and my girls-but I found that I couldn’t help myself. Maybe my own recent circumstances were teaching me some compassion. I certainly hoped not.

The girl’s teeth were broken and decayed, and her skin pockmarked by some childhood disease, probably treatable at the time. Sad to say, but hospitals and other medical care for the humans were substandard at best. It was a policy I didn’t approve of, but the president had never asked my opinion on the subject.

“Can’t b-believe you got ’em all,” she stammered, with the slangy inflection of so many humans in these slums. “How’d ya do it?”

“Just dumb luck, I suppose. But I’m sure there are others lurking around. You should go someplace safe. Don’t depend on me, girl.”

She laughed, exposing several more infected teeth. “Safe? In Beta-Town? You’re not from around here, are ya?”

“Yeah, I guess you could say that.”

“Come with me,” she said. “Going to storm hard soon. I got a place.”

She was right about the weather. The sultry air was thickening and held the promise of rain, and this was the time of year that flash floods were common. I was bone tired too-my body wasn’t through with its healing.

Still, I was about to politely decline her offer when she moaned in pain and doubled over, clutching her swollen belly. Then she started to fall.

I caught the girl in my arms and eased her down to the ground. After a minute, her face smoothed out. Actually, the face was rather pretty, so long as she kept her mouth closed.

“When’s the baby due?” I asked.

“Few weeks yet. But those Betas, they punched me here.” She clasped her hands tighter around her stomach, cradling what was inside.

I let out a sigh. “How far is your place?” I asked.

“Not far. I’ll show you. Don’t be afraid-you can trust me.”

As I scooped her up in my arms, I felt wetness drenching the back of her thin skirt.

Good Lord, the girl was bleeding badly. Her baby could die.