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Short Story:
Left Ajar...
"Tumble outta bed and stumble to the kitchen/Pour myself a cup of ambition." Dolly Parton woke Ana from a beautiful slumber, reminding her of another sweltering day at the grind. In addition to the Wednesday hum-drum of bulldozing, pedicure and hardware store, today was to be a fabulous and miraculous day."Congratulations!" cried the bus driver.
"Well, it hasn't happened yet," Ana blushed, feeling the women's eyes on her as she joined them in the morning commute.
"Well, close enough." The bus driver pushed her dark curls out of her eyes and gave a hearty laugh.
It's going to be like this all day, Ana thought.
Sure enough, the forewoman, demolition team and three engineers made lascivious and excited remarks of congratulation. At lunch, the hot dog lady gave her a knowing look, as she handed Ana the frankfurter, pretending to forget the bun.
Ana giggled. "I'll take that as a compliment." Ana rolled her eyes a lot that day.
Her coworkers had left early that day to celebrate Ana's strange victory. Somehow everyone found out that she had decided to start a family.
Walking home from the bus stop, the street was quiet and the school was boarded up. There was some talk about turning it into a women's fertility clinic, but resources, especially equipment and the necessary cells, were scarce and competition for these necessities was extremely volatile.
Scenes from the 20 Minute War flashed in Ana's head. Like many of the husbands in North America's Business Belt, Ana's had gone to the International Business Men's Convention. The agenda was concerned with Japan's virtual overhaul of the global economic system, and the resulting fade of the North American Empire. Despite tight security and outrageous border control, someone got in - or out.
Before rescue units arrived, most of the Wall Street Complex had been all but vapourized: the Triplet Towers collapsed, the expansion bridge and deck that spanned the city was reduced to a shell, and only the lower sub-terrain levels has somewhat withstood the blast. With advanced technology crafted in response to previous catastrophes, it only took 20 minutes for the teams to extinguish the fire. Then again, it only took 20 minutes for the flames and gasses to have their fill.
In the construction business for many years, Ana was ready for the call from the capital. She and her team spent labourious weeks sifting through the rubble, until they broke through the surface. Many bodies were found below, businessmen in shiny suits, faces now humbled from seeking futile shelter in the sub-terrain. They had found her husband and several others cleverly hiding in the meat freezer that supplied the kitchens. His body had been preserved by the deep cold - only his pale features showed that the life had gone weeks prior. While the others returned to the surface for air, Ana said her good-bye.
Now, he shall never be forgotten, she thought to herself as she put the key in the door.
In the cold, still apartment, she made herself a drink. Also from the refrigerator, she took a jar containing a strange liquid and headed upstairs, ready to make a family. In the jar, floated an all too familiar penis and testicles. ¤ Meredith