Herández

After his tenth lap, Sheldon always got into the zone. Back and forth, back and forth. The steady rhythm of his strong limbs moving through the water had a hypnotising effect. Soothing. It had taken him a couple of months to get used to the strict mandatory laps rules of the Colony; back on Earth he hardly left the bed for any other reason than to change the Battery Regulation System when it was down. Life had been so easy. His bed had everything he desired, from refrigerator to ISL. He had Instant Social Life here too, but who needed to connect digitally when you lived together in a sphere with fifty other humans on their first mission to AK-9854271.

Or Knightfivor, as the locals called this planet.

One of the two Suns shone directly into the pool. The beams burned uncomfortably into your eyes when you swam back. Sheldon didn’t mind. He simply closed his eyes. He was grateful for the Morning Sun, for it allowed him to have the water to himself during the morning laps. Fifty in the morning, fifty in the evening – a necessary contribution to the sphere’s energy station by each and every individual. He still had to get used to being around so many other people.

Sheldon quickly checked the ceiling: twenty more to go.

Suddenly – a splash.

Sheldon turned his head and saw an animated object moving into his direction. It took him a few seconds to recognize its shape. He stopped and frowned. There was a strict ‘no pets’ policy on the Colony; to see a dog in the water was therefore rather disconcerting. It wasn’t a big dog. It was a tiny one. A teacup, he believed they were called. Still, an animal nevertheless. He looked around to see whether its owner was anywhere to be found. They’d be in a buttshit of trouble!

He decided to pause his laps and rescue the dog. It didn’t look like it was going to last much longer and he had more heart than to watch it drown. Gratefully the little thing grabbed hold of him and licked his face.

“Hey now, bugger,” he laughed, “I already have a girlfriend in my pod! We don’t want to make her jealous, now do we?” 

The thought of his assigned roboïd contracted a yearning in his lower abdomen. Jilly was everything he could ever desire in a woman. As a single man, the Colony had no use for his genetic contribution (he told himself; in fact, the acceptance letter had been abundantly clear about discouraging any hopes for his evolutionary potential). This was not a time to think of Jilly though. Get your mind out of the sludge Donnie, he told himself firmly.

With a few strokes he got to the edge of the pool and climbed out with the miniscule dog in his arms. It looked pathetic, with big eyes, drenched through, and a tiny wagging tail. Then he noticed her.

“You’re Lucia Herández, aren’t you?” he smiled at the young girl hidden in the corner.

Lucia nodded slowly. Her eyes resembled those of her dog.

“Is this yours?”

Sheldon could tell she wanted to affirm his question but was scared about the consequences. He sat on the floor and gently pet the dog he was still holding.

“What’s his name? He’s cute.”

Lucia hesitated. Then she took a step out of the shadows.

“Thatcher. It’s a girl…”

The dog squirmed to get to her caregiver and Sheldon let go. Thatcher jumped into Lucia’s arms. The little girl beamed of happiness. She reminded him of the Sundaes he used to have as a child, before the cows died. Happiness in a little cup, sprinkled with joy and heart.

“Thank you,” she whispered, “she got away. No one knows…”

“Not even your parents?”

She shook her head, the ponytails on the sides of her head sweeping in the air.

“It will be our little secret, okay?”

Her smile got broader and she ran forward to give him a hug. Excited, Thatcher barked.

“REPORTED DISRUPTION; CAUSE FOUND.”

The guard interrupted the moment. In a few steps he closed the distance. Lucia didn’t let go. Scared of being found out, she hid behind Sheldon. The guard was merciless. He replied to the command only he could hear through the implant in his ear.

“AFFIRMATIVE.” He turned his attention to the little girl behind Sheldon.

“Hand over the animal.”

Lucia shook her head. Sheldon felt the urge to help her. As a lottery winner, he had no status, but he hoped the guard was open for some good old-fashioned reasoning.

“Listen, man. It’s just a little dog. No one needs to know.”

“Rules are rules. Now hand over the animal.”

Lucia obeyed. She moved around Sheldon and gave her dog to the guard. The man took out his gun, adjusted the volume, and pointed the barrel at Thatcher’s head. There was no sound, no shock, no blood. Within seconds the happy teacup lay lifeless in the guard’s arms. Silent tears ran down Lucia’s face. She knew better than to scream.

The guard took a moment to look over the girl. She brushed away her tears and looked back defiantly.

“Do you have anything to say for yourself?”

Lucia shook her head. Her lips were trembling, yet her voice was clear.

“I have no regrets.”

The guard nodded. He adjusted the gun and pointed the barrel to Lucia’s head.

“You broke the rules. Such as it is, so it will be done.”

Sheldon looked away. The sound of the lifeless body hitting the green tiled floor chilled him to the bone. All he could think was that he had moved up a rank; no longer the 51^st member of the Colony, there now was room for him at one of the tables in the canteen. Shame flushed through him. He stared at the guard, who was leaving the pool area.

“What about…,” Sheldon called after him, his gaze involuntarily falling on Lucia.

 “Medical will pick up her body in a few minutes,” the guard replied without looking back. “I need to incinerate the animal.”

Sheldon nodded, though there was no one there to see. He wondered if he should stay until the Medical team came for Lucia. He called after the guard.

“Herández?”

Written as a prompt suggestion from Julianne Tom:

Name main character: Sheldon // Location: Space // Activity: Swimming