THE BROODER

EPISODE 6

THE BROODER

6.

***ASHLEY***

Years later

At twenty-five, I've had twelve babies that I don't live with. I don't even know where my children are scattered.

Over the years, we've lost many Brooders and new ones were brought in. I now have new roommates. Amara and I were the only Brooders alive in our room. We've lost the others during childbirth. Amina died in her second semester. Both mother and baby didn't survive.

After the Nonuplets, I had two other babies, I lost one of the Nonuplets at birth...she had no breath in her. Business has been slow over the years for the factory. There's famine here in the factory. Our food ratios has been reduced. I think the factory is facing bankruptcy. I've never been happier hearing this... just maybe there'll be freedom for us soon. With the business crashing, the factory will definitely close and we'll be free at last. I'd find my kids and we'll be united at last.

Amara : Those young brooders have been taken away. We're now only Ten brooders remaining.

" I think they're being sold out. They'll never return here again." I overhead Makosa, a guard telling the new guard that those girls are being sold out to the highest bidder on the dark web. That's my assurance that the business is truly shutting down.

Amara:" Maybe they are been assigned to a newer branch Ash. I am so confused!" She shouldn't be ...I can feel our freedom, it is very close.

" Oooooooooooo No! no! Jesu! " We heard cries outside and we both rushed to see for ourselves.

I saw a covered body on a stretcher and two guards carrying them away.

Amara: Lesedi, what is it? Who's that?

She tried consoling Lesedi but she didn't want to be consoled.

Lesedi: Mamacita have left me!!!! Why God? Whyyyyy?!

Immediately, I became blinded by tears. My legs were weak to move, I fall to the floor and hugged myself as I cried out. Mamacita, was a mother figure to me here at the factory. She took care of me when I had my Nonuplets through caesarean section conducted by some experience surgeons. After doctor Segundo was relocated, the nurses also stopped coming. No-one was there to help me with the eight babies but Mamacita. She took good care of me and the babies. She even assisted me in carving the usual initials to all of my babies.

She was my mother here at the factory. We shared a very interesting bond. She'll entertain us with tales of her youth, her late husband and life experiences. She was a very nice lady.

I couldn't believe that she had to die without meeting all her Ten babies. She even had a daughter before she was abducted.

"Everybody inside now! Go inside your rooms now! Move! Move! You move!" They can't even mourn our loss here.

We came inside our room with Lesedi. Our hall like room has become too big for just Amara and I. Just three days ago, we shared the room with new brooders but now they've been taken away. Lesedi decided to move in with us. She was the only pregnant one in the entire factory. Mamacita was her only roommate and we're now nine brooders remaining.

Later at night, we all scooped at my bed and comforted ourselves.

Amara: Do you think they'll sell us too?

" No they won't. We're old and used cargo. No man in his right senses will buy old brooders like us."

Lesedi: they're probably keeping us here forever. Discarded forever! We may even die of hunger. This pregnancy has me on huge appetite yet my ratios are small and can't even sustain me. This baby will probably be prematured or sick or ...

" We will freed at last! You can have your baby outside this godforsaken factory with your family and friends in the outside world."

Amara: you're always positive ash. Sometimes I think it's maybe because you came here as a kid. You didn't experience life a bit Ash.

And yes, I'm still the youngest here but I've had children more than some of the old Brooders.

" I think positive to keep myself sane. It's the only way I escape reality most times. I came here as a spoilt loved child. I miss home and I know I'll return home alive one day probably soon" Amara is thirty years while Lesedi is Thirty- two. They were both abducted at their adults age.

" I overhead the Makosa telling his colleague how the new Brooders were sold out on the dark web. He mentioned that the business is crashing and soon the factory will be closed down" I saw the look they both gave me. I saw hope flashing in their faces.

Lesedi: oh my goodness! Freedom at last.

She sounded very excited about this news.

Amara: I think we should tell the others about this. This news will cheer everyone up. I am feeling a bit hopeful myself.

" No, let's keep it down for a month first. With the way the food ratios are going, very soon the workers will start pulling out."

Lesedi: It was only one cook who reported to work today and I haven't seen the nurses for days now.

" I'm hoping the guards will pull out soon. So that, we can think together of a plan to escape. For now ladies, let's keep mute about this! Please " i hold their hands together bringing us together as a team.

Lesedi: sure. My only pain is that Mamacita had to die without gaining her freedom first. She shouldn't have died...' I think so too. She should have waited. We don't even know the cause of her death. We only know that she lost her womb during the last child birth complications and she's has been complaining of pains in her stomach. The doctors ignored her and no one bothered to help her cause they find her useless to the factory.

Lesedi found her cold dead in the morning.

**RICHARD**

" Matt, did you see the file I sent you? That's the brooder I want! "

PLEASE REACT READERS