Riley stood in line with the others, itching his beak as he tapped his foot impatiently. In his left hand, he gripped his Ration Book, its blue cover emblazoned with white stripes and the words DRRC STANDARD ISSUE ADULT RATION BOOK. He scratched at his neck, fluffing the crow-like feathers that covered him from head to toe. Thankfully, he wore a simple black sweater and khaki pants, which helped him blend in better with the rest of the crowd.
At last, it was his turn. He walked up to the counter, where the clerk, a wolf-like figure, greeted him with a tired expression. The clerk had a snout, wolf ears, and a bushy tail.
"Please present your Ration Book to the scanner," the clerk said, his voice flat, emotionless. His face looked exhausted, likely due to the grueling, low-paid work that awaited him each day.
Riley handed over his Ration Book, and the clerk scanned it without a word. After a brief pause, he asked, "What do you want to spend your tokens on?"
"Two pounds of sugar, a half-pound of butter, cream cheese, and chocolate," Riley replied, his own voice weary. He felt just as drained as the clerk.
The clerk handed him the items, and Riley made his way out of the building. As he stepped into the street, he glanced back at the sign above the door: Department of Rationing and Refugee Control.
He continued down the street, passing the long line of refugees—humans and subspecies alike. He quickly averted his gaze and headed back to his apartment.
Inside, Riley paused by the door to check his neck. He gently reached for the locket hanging there. He opened it, revealing a photo of himself and a woman, Jessica—his late lover, who had tragically passed away in a car accident just two months before the Bio Diffusion. The memories came flooding back.
A tear slipped down his cheek, a tear that had long been dried from the nights of grief he'd spent after receiving the news of her death.
He sighed and turned his attention to the television. The news anchor's voice echoed through the apartment.
You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.
“On tonight’s news, we have reports of increased Red Hand members kidnapping people—most of them subspecies. Emily Parker, a Homo-Felinus female, is one of the latest reported missing, possibly taken by the Red Hand Cartel. This group remains the largest suspect in the trafficking ring targeting these cat-humans. Stay tuned for more updates.”
Riley turned off the TV, feeling the weight of the world pressing down on him. He checked his phone and then suddenly remembered—it was the day before Autumn’s birthday. He had to bake the cake.
With a deep breath, Riley stood up and made his way to the kitchen. The ingredients were simple: six bars of dark chocolate, Oreos, and cream cheese. He cracked the chocolate into chunks, adding them to a bowl, along with flour, two eggs, and the cream cheese. He mixed the ingredients slowly, watching as it turned into a dough. After a few minutes of careful stirring, the mixture was ready.
He poured it into a pan and slid it into the oven, setting the temperature to 350 degrees. The timer was set for four hours.
As the cake baked, Riley returned to the couch, his mind a whirl of conflicting thoughts. He undressed, revealing his black, fluffy feathers, but kept his locket on—he couldn’t bring himself to remove it, even as he moved forward with his life and his relationship with Autumn. Jessica had been the first to truly love him, despite the prejudice against his subspecies, and that bond would always hold a special place in his heart.
He lay down on the couch, covering himself with a blanket and quickly drifting into a dreamless sleep.
The shrill beep of the timer jolted him awake hours later. He stretched and grabbed the oven mitts, carefully opening the oven door. The cheesecake had turned a rich brown, thanks to the dark chocolate. He pulled it out and set it on the counter, preparing to finish it.
He retrieved a bowl of melted chocolate and spread it evenly over the surface of the cake, making sure to cover every corner. Then he carefully placed strawberries on top in a neat pattern, finishing with two cherries in the center—a reminder of his love for Autumn amidst the chaos of the Bio Diffusion, the day when humanity was suddenly divided into five subspecies: Homo-Corvus, Homo-Felinus, Homo-Verminus, Homo-Canis, and Homo-Saurus.
Riley shook his head, reminding himself that there was no time for brooding. He quickly added the toppings, then placed the cake in the fridge to cool, picturing Autumn’s delighted expression as she took the first bite. Her mouse ears would twitch with excitement—he could almost hear her voice in his mind.
But for now, there was nothing more to do. He needed rest.
Riley returned to the couch, grabbed the flask of water and sleep medication from the side table, and took a sip. The meds would help him sleep through the night, despite his constant battle with insomnia.
Laying down on one of the pillows, he closed his eyes and drifted into another dreamless sleep.