Emily Black returned home and went to her room. On the way, she saw her half-brother Bryle. Both of them glared at each other and passed by. They didn't even exchange greetings.
Typical.
'Should I really do this?' There was a lingering question on her mind. She was about to do something rather controversial.
Her hair was long, and it got in her way, as she lay down. Her eyebrows twitched slightly. She was looking at something. And that something was very important.
In this age, marriage between family members wasn't illegal but frowned upon in society. The Black family as a whole was against Emily's will to marry Theo. Even Theo himself was against the idea. Hence Emily thought of something rather ominous. 'If he won't take me, then I will take him by force.' There was a look of madness in her eyes: the madness of love.
She started touching herself.
***
Emily Black was in love with Theodore Black. But that wasn't always the case. Three years ago, when Emily was thirteen, she went out with Theo to the supermarket.
"Why the hell did you have to come along?" Emily hissed.
"Mother told me to come with you. She says these streets aren't safe. There are some thugs out here who can fool R.I." Theo smiled and tried to laugh it off.
"But why you!?"
Emily had issues with Theo. She didn't want to be near him. He was inferior to her in every possible way. He even looked average: how was he supposed to guard her? Just walking with him was humiliating for her. She hated it.
"Anyway, walk ten steps behind me. 'Never come more than seven meters to my proximity.'" Emily made her intentions very clear. She had no need to sugarcoat anything when it came to her worthless half-brother. In fact, she never once called Theo 'brother'.
Theo already knew his little sister, well enough. Although she was his half-sister, he never felt that way. 'A sister is a sister,' that was Theo's motto.
"Sure." But more than anything, he was patient when it came to family.
The road wasn't crowded and they were basically the only ones out. Normally they'd come by using the home teleporter or maybe even hovercrafts. But today, their mother forbade them.
They needed some experience.
"We could have just used the teleporter. This is pointless!" Emily didn't like the idea of going out, let alone with someone who was so incompetent.
"But walking around is a good exercise and-"
"Shut it, moron. No one asked your opinion."
Theo wasn't hurt but it didn't feel great to be insulted by his sister either.
They reached the supermarket. Both of them went in and bought everything they needed to.
The Blacks had a family rule of making every member of the family independent by seventeen. Of course, they were free to choose where they'd spend their days afterward: maybe even in the Black mansion. But for that to happen gradual exposure was necessary.
This was one of those exposures.
"I'll confirm the bill. You can just wait outside."
"I was going to do that anyway." Emily snorted and walked out.
Theo wasn't particularly offended, but his chest ached a little. Ever since childhood, he had a weak heart. For that, he had to take a lot of medication. Even modern technology couldn't fully cure him. Or so he wanted to believe but he was fully cured and his pain was something called 'phantom pain'. A pain that never went away.
So, with a sigh and a hand on his chest, he went for the counter.
Emily was outside the store. She stood in the sun, hair flowing with the wind. She didn't look like a thirteen-year-old. She looked older. Her slender petite figure gave her the image of someone in their late teens. Her face had the expression of annoyance. But even so, she looked beautiful.
"Miss, are you alone?"
Emily looked to her right without moving her head. A tall, thin blonde was there. He was much older than Emily; probably in the late thirties; clothes, flashy. His tongue was hanging in the wind.
"Do you have any business with me?"
"I was just wondering if you'd like to have some tea with me." The blonde grinned and pleaded.
Emily took a step back in disgust. She didn't know how to react in these situations. She was like a sheltered child.
"N-no thank you. I have to return home."
"It won't take long. I'll make it quick." His intentions weren't as pure as drinking tea.
Maybe Emily had figured that out too. "I already said I have to return home. Did you not understand?" She raised her voice.
"I did. But-" The man raised his arms. "I'll have you come with me."
Two men approached them; one bald, the other, a scar on the forehead. Both of them had a taser rod in their hands. All three men had vulgar grins plastered on their faces.
Emily had superior genes than most humans but even so, she couldn't hope to win against three men and she knew that. Besides, they had weapons.
The men closed in and the blonde one grabbed Emily by her shoulder. Emily screamed for help.
The R.I in patrol came close.
"Is something the matter miss?" the R.I said.
"Help me!" Emily cried.
"Nothing is wrong here. Please return to your duties," the blonde said.
"As you wish miss." The R.I left.
Emily couldn't even understand what just happened. The surveillance cameras, the R.I weren't a help. 'This is what he meant by fooling the R.I?' She had no choice but to scream for help. "HELP!"
But there was a problem. There weren't many humans around. Humans didn't need exercise anymore. Only the poor were out. And the few that were near, didn't want unnecessary trouble. Such was the nature of human beings.
The blonde licked Emily's neck while Emily struggled.
She tried to elbow him, kick him, but nothing worked.
Struggling was futile.
"I'll take my precious time with you, little missy. Ah, such delicious skin!" He exclaimed with ecstasy. "Such fragrance." He sniffed her hair and underarms.
"Get away from her!"