Author: Rachel Sievers

The strangeness of the moment could not be understated; the baby had been born with ten fingers and ten toes. The room was held in complete silence as everyone held their words in and the seconds ticked by. Then the baby’s screams filled the air and the silence was destroyed and the cries and caused a catalyst of movement in the room.
The doctors and nurses moved in quick succession as each tried to do something for the screaming baby and still not touch it. The new mother and father moved their heads so they could see what was going on as they exchanged worried glances. It was clear to everyone that there was no leadership or progress being made by any of the moving pieces.
The slamming of the doors drew everyone’s attention in the birthing suite and in came a team of six men. They were neither in civilian clothes or hospital uniforms and consisted of suites of black outer jackets and white button ups that covered them from tops to bottoms. Their eyes were covered in black glasses and atop their heads were matching fedoras.
“Who is in charge here?” The front man asked, reaching into his suit jacket with his foremost part. When no one replied to his question he drew his attention from his pocket where he took out a white piece of paper, and repeated his question, “I asked who is in charge here.”
Everyone looked around until a small doctor stepped forward. He held, in two of his parts, the tools of his trade, shaking with fear. Of the men or fear of the child, one could not know. “I am the head doctor,” he said but his voice was wobbled and full of unsure hesitation.
The suited man turned from the tense doctor to the couple on the bed, “are you the parents?” The couple nodded in unison. The baby still screamed in the corner frantically moving its useless two arms and two feet. The ten fingers and ten toes stood out as abominations on the ends of the four limbs.
The suited man nodded and then looked down at the paper he held. “In accordance with statute four section thirty-three we hereby take over jurisdiction of this hospital room.” There was an obvious sigh of relief from the hospital staff.
The parents of the crying child were still wide eyed as the man continued, “in accordance with the great book of Tritiya the abomination will be sent to the work camps to live out the remainder of its days serving in its limited ways.” Everyone, including the parents, in the room sighed in relief as the man read out this statement. He paused for a moment and nodded to one of the men next to him who grabbed a white sack and walked to the crying infant. Using large tongs, he lifted the baby and placed it into the white sack. Again, the room was notably relaxed. The baby still cried but not being able to see it seemed to put everyone at ease.
“Furthermore, in acting in good faith we give this couple the option to break their bond or to be sterilized so that no more abominations will be produced in their union.” Here the man in the suit looked at the couple who looked at each other.
A moment of understanding passed between them and then, “we would like to break our bond.”
The man nodded and then waved a man over who produced a tablet that both parents quickly tapped out a few buttons. “This completes our business. Any questions or concerns?”
No one spoke as the man looked at everyone in the small birthing room. He nodded and turned on his heel and marched out the room carrying the crying sack of white.