ONE GENDER 

A world dominated by man,

is a world ruled by violence!

Fem-Minister for Defence and Astrology,

Raleigh Truscott 
 
 CHAPTER 1  

A TRIP TO WORK 
November, 2040-Sydney, Australia. 
Mark Wilson boarded the shuttle to travel to work. He found a window seat occupying a view; it was a bleak, dismal day. The sky appeared threatening, with fierce dark clouds gathering in the distance. Squalling winds buffeted the carriage, jolting the shuttle with sudden blustering gusts. The wind blew stronger still; whistling its haunting tune for the audience of uneasy passengers who were patiently waiting for the shuttle to depart from the platform.

      Mark’s window endured constant drizzle as the shuttle glided quietly along the tracks. He wiped the mist from the glass with his handkerchief and peered outside. It would be a wet, miserable day wherever his journey ended. A day preferably spent under the blankets with a warm partner would be a more agreeable experience than travelling on a train into a hostile city, he imagined.

      The grey sky coincided with his emotions of lonesomeness and gloom. The despair was evident in his teary eyes as he pondered upon recent events in his life. His world was shifting, changing and collapsing. He could not grasp or accept the changes enforced by politicians’ that had affected his job and threatened his family life. He was alienated and he was consumed with heartache and fear. The fate of his family, who he had so vigorously guarded throughout his marriage, was in jeopardy, influenced by policy. Would his marriage slide to the depths of despair like so many others?

Good Morning. Simmering tensions between the US and the united Arab Council (UAC) regarding worldwide gender issues continue to intensify. The Chief Fem-Minister (US President), dismissed rumours of a secret weapon. She denied accusations by UAC leaders that America is developing a laser satellite. Good day.

      Mark sneered at the women in the carriage who were gathered around the didgitext to watch the morning news. The didgitext was a communication device embedded in the wall of the carriage. Mark was sick to death of the ‘news’.

      As the shuttle gathered lightening speed, it left the menacing storm in its wake. It was Mark’s first day back at work after a two week annual holiday. He wanted to have more time off to be with the family. He momentarily snarled at the fact that women enjoy a six-week annual break as a matter of company policy.

      Many images passed in and out of his mind on the journey, but one in particular had brought a smile to his lips. He recalled his recent break and how much his wife and kids had enjoyed themselves. They had had a wonderful time experiencing Italy from their lounge room. They stayed at a five-star motel and had eaten at the finest restaurants Rome had to offer. All via their pay-per-view interactive holiday- about the best innovation Sarah has had since taking charge of fox, he mused.

      Then he recalled the vision-gram that had spoilt his holiday. His good friend Oscar had called on the emergency screen. Oscar claimed that the newspaper had made him redundant. He sobbed uncontrollably, blubbering about how a young girl just out of university had replaced him as head reporter on Mark’s staff. He rambled on a little longer before apologising, “after ten years Mark, ten years!” Oscar wiped his eyes with the back of his hand before his image left the screen.

      Emotions rushed through Mark’s body as if a knife had been suddenly thrust into his belly. He felt sick to the stomach with the injustice that consumed his workplace and society as a whole. His friends, who were once proud working family men, were reduced to pathetic emotional wrecks. Over the years, so many good men had been sacked to fill the ‘Young Women Quota’! 

Copyright. Greg Gardner.