1. Visitors

I was in my room studying for my next exam when I heard multiple car doors being opened and closed. I didn't pay any mind to it as I thought it was the neighbors. I flipped to the next page of my history textbook. I already went over this two times, but I had to make sure I knew everything. I had to get an A on this, I had to.

As I was reading the text intensely I heard people entering our house. Voices were heard from the hallway. Had father and mother invited people over? That couldn't be. They never liked having people over to our house. They were quite introverted and there weren't many people who could meet up their standards to be considered by them as their friends. 

If you weren't educated the way they were, you failed. If you could only focus on your own field of expertise, you failed. If you were too poor, you failed. If you were too rich, you failed. If you were too nice, you failed. Basically, you had to be exactly like them to pass their friendship test. Only one couple I could think of they were considered friends by my parents. It was my mother's colleague and her husband.

But if they were to come over I would always be notified in advance. So, who was downstairs visiting my parents? No Alice, you should focus on your schoolwork. I had to get an A. Therefore I didn't pay any attention to the noises, coming from downstairs.

I was going over the First World War when I heard my name being called from downstairs. I put my pen down and stood up, making my way to the living room. When I entered I saw multiple people stand in our living room. People who I didn't recognize. They were all men and were wearing black suits. The moment my presence was known all their heads went my way. It was my father who spoke up. "Alice sit." I came over to the couch and sat down.

Confusion was written on my face and I looked at my parents for an explanation, but all I got was their stone-cold faces I was grown used to. I think the last time I saw them smile at me was when I was six years old.

It was one of the men in a dark black suit who gave me the information I needed to know.

"So Alice right?" He asked me with a friendly face. I nodded my head and he continued, "My name is Mr. Carter, but you can call me Jim. You're probably wondering why I'm here. Well, I work for the government and I'm currently your caseworker." His friendly face never leaving his little talk.

"Caseworker? A case for what?" I asked with worry. Was I in some kind of trouble? Did I break the law without knowing? Did they know I had cheated this one time on a test when I was ten years old? More and more doom scenarios wondered in my head. I panicked.

Mr. Carter caught up on my behavior and tried to calm me down. "No need to worry. Caseworker sounds very serious, but it isn't as bad as it seems. I'm here to help you."

A feeling of relief went through my body as they weren't here because I did something wrong. But then questions filled my mind. "Help me? With what are you going to help me? Help me to get better grades?" I asked. I knew there were some institutions where you could go to get help with building a good resume for top universities, but most of the time that were private organizations with no connections to the government.

So maybe that was a stupid question and it was. The moment that question left my lips I heard an irritable sigh coming from my father. A sigh I knew too well. My parents would make that gesture when they thought I was either acting stupid or dumb.

"No we're not here to help you with your grades," Mr. Carter said with a sad face. He looked at my parents and asked, "Do you both want to get through with this? You can change your mind now, but not later on."

I furrowed my brows, going through with what? I looked back at them again and it was now my mother who responded. "Yes, and Mr. Carter if you will, can you please stop asking that question. You know what we want, now do your job!" She was irritated and when my mother is irritated you do not want to be in the same room as her. Fear consumed me. I was afraid of what was going to happen and I was afraid of my mother.

"Yes my apologies Mrs. Brown, it won't happen again." Mr. Carter then turned to me and he sighed. It sounded, sad? No rather tired, I think. "Alice you know that we have a population problem right? That humans are procreating too fast?" I nodded my head. Every day on the news there was an item on this severe problem we as humans were facing all around the globe. "And have you heard as well that the last two decades a couple of countries have managed to get their numbers down?" I nodded my head again, but I didn't know why. The cause to why the numbers went down was never mentioned on the news or the news articles for that matter. It was always silenced.

"Do you know why?" Mr. Carter asked me a question again. This time I shook my head.

"Well, you are about to find out. You see I'm from the DPO, Depopulation Organisation which is set up by our government. In this organization, we come up with ideas to get the number of people down in our country and we execute them. One department within this organization is responsible for one programme in particular. It's called the Rehabilitation of Children Programme or how we call it as well the Baby Programme."

He paused for a couple of seconds to let the information settle with me. I could follow him but I still didn't know the meaning of his words so I waited for him to continue. Only he looked troubled like he didn't want to continue with his story so I asked, "What does that programme do?"

Mr. Carter remained quiet until one of the other men coughed to get his attention. "Yes well... The programme selects children, from the age of eleven to seventeen, who have troubled homes and gives them new ones. By doing this more and more couple's rather adopt than get children of themselves. This is one of the biggest reasons why the number of people in our country goes down."

"Oke, but how do I fit in the equation? I'm not a child in a troubled home." Mr. Carter's face didn't show his friendly expression any longer, it was only filled with sadness. I didn't understand what was happening and my parents didn't help as well. They were even more distant than they normally were. Something was not right. My body tensed, waiting for what was yet to come.

"Yes indeed, but not only children from troubled homes are selected. Most of them are, but parents can sign their children up as well. If they think their child will be better off with... someone else."