Tangled Yarns: Monday's Child
It didn't take long for the conviction to come. The computer searched and registered all the log-on times, their duration and destinations. Chally was found guilty of trying to communicate with Other Day city units, and sentenced to three months isolation.
Twelve years is a long time to grieve. Terrag and Alecia felt each day as if it was a blow to their body. The child they had hoped for, prayed for, cried for, had died at birth. Died by being wrenched away from them in a few seconds of time by a gentle but unfeeling nurse. Ripped from their arms as brutally as if a cold-blooded Assyrian had gouged its eyes and impaled it on a spike.
"I'm going to try the bureau again," said Terrag.
"They will never allow it," said Alecia.
"What else can I do?"
Alecia said nothing. They had talked about this so many times.
"If I run the fence, I'll be shot," said Terrag, "And it is impossible to tunnel out, because of the seismographs. They can pick up the vibrations of a bird hopping on the grass!"
"We will never see him again," said Alecia sadly, "He is gone. He may not even know that the mother he has now is not his natural one."
"He will know," said Terrag firmly, and his wife knew he was right because the olive colour of their skin was rare. They were African-Asian, with some Dutch from Terrag's side, which gave them quite startling features. Blond hair, blue eyes, dark skin, and long, delicate fingers and the thin bones of birds. Beautiful slender people, and graceful as gazelles.
"I will try again," said Terrag. "One day they may grant us permission. The System is still run by humans, and they can sometimes show mercy."
"'Mercy!" scoffed Alecia, "That's what they called the Day Cities! They said it was the best way of controlling the world's problems. I don't believe it. They have taken away our freedom, and imposed on us a dictatorship."
"These are things we may think, but please don't say them so loudly!" warned Terrag, "The walls have ears!"
"I don't care if the walls hear me!" said Alecia, "They have taken my son from me. I am ready to die to get him
