Congratulations, miss! It's a hea…-The doctor stopped.
Sir?-Tara Osun asked, concerned.
Dr. Gawin was speechless, but everyone in his position would be the same.
— Doctor?-A worried nurse got closer and looked at the child.
— My, my God! — She screamed, and the child started crying.
Dr. Gawin quickly put the infant down and took a few steps back
— W, What's wrong?
Everyone, except the clueless mother, started calming down.
— Miss, this will be very hard to explain.- Someone on the medical team started slowly speaking to explain their predicament.
“Is the child dead? Or maybe She's gravely ill?” — Tara couldn't stop thinking about how bad can the news be.
— Umm, Your child—He exhaled, and, after a few seconds passed, started speaking again.- She doesn't have a tale
— Sorry, what?
Zharians are the Apex predators of planet Zhar. They are similar to humans, but they differ in a few ways. For example, zharians have tails.
A male specimen has a single tail that can extend and retract at will. It fills the role of a reproductive organ and is necessary because of Zhar's dangerous environment.
A woman has two tails that extend only for 20 months (18 earth months) after becoming pregnant. They have the same purpose as a human's breasts.
— But how is that even possible?!
Unlike humans, zharians have very stable DNA, which causes birth defects to be very rare.
— I don't know myself, and I doubt anyone would.
Because of that, a civilization with technological advancements on the level of Earth's XXI century has next to no research in genetics.
— What will I do now?
This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
And birth defects, especially serious ones, are not tolerated.
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Etia entered her workplace, the local convenience store called “Steady and Ready”.
She fixed her always wet hair (a characteristic of all zharians), put on a name plaque, and positioned herself behind the counter.
After idling by for a few minutes, customers started walking in.
The day was mostly uneventful, but she had a conversation that made her very sad.
— Can I have two small bags of pink grass? — An old lady asked Etia for a rarely used but very common herb.
— That will be 1 cin and 56 kam. — Etia answered. She was happy whenever someone who didn't know her come because these were the only times she could have a normal talk.
— May I ask why a young lady like you works instead of learning at school? — The old woman asked a question that Etia hates.
The reason she wasn't attending university even though she was only 16 years old was because of her tails.
Or, more specifically, her lack of them. It's very hard to hide such a disability when surrounded by hundreds of people.
— Umm, school life wasn't for me. — Etia lied because whenever she told someone about her flaw, they would isolate her. The only person who she could talk to was her mom, and it was still very uncomfortable.
— I know it's not the whole truth. I'm old, so no matter what you say, I won't laugh at you. — Even though the old Ms. said that Etia knew how it was going to end.
But the small chance that it will work out was enough to compel Etia to confess.
— I, I don't have tails. — Every time she says the truth she feels better for a moment only to have her heart crushed again.
The customer didn't say anything. She took her pink grass and paid 2 cin, then she left without taking the change.
This time, Etia didn't even cry. She was used to this, so she bought herself a bottle of beer for 44 kam and went home.
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This was her everyday life. Go to work, get depressed, and go back home.
The only two things that gave her enjoyment in life were alcohol and romance books, because, at least for a moment, she could imagine herself not being a nature's abomination.
Etia desired to be loved. Not by the masses, not by every man. Just one person was enough to make her happy.
But that was impossible. She was a freak of nature and didn't deserve happiness after all.
— I should stop thinking about things like this. It'll just get worse.
She took her tried and tested bottle opener, opened the floodgates of happiness, and started reading today's book.
“Tiarra - White and gray” “It's new, so I will have to see if it's good.”
She read for 5 hours and went to sleep
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The bell rang, and everyone went to get dressed for PE.
Etia started undressing, but made sure to have her back against a wall. If someone found out her secret, it would be the first school all over again.
“I just have to attend for a month, and then I can leave. Just a month.”
— Oh, you must be the one that didn't come to school for the last two months, right?
— Yes. — Etia answered her. She knew that her secret was in danger.
— I was wondering why you never came, especially since you're so beautiful.
The girl was confused, since she thought gorgeous people rarely get bullied. Etia would be one of the most beautiful zharians, if not for her disability.
— I just didn't want to learn. That's all—Her life was dangerously close to being destroyed.
— Really? Don't worry about it! I'm sure the issue can be resolved. — She hugged Etia tightly, putting one hand on her wet hair and the second one on her butt.
She was probably trying to make a move on Etia, but then her hand ran over the spot where two tails should be.
— Wait, You don't have tails? — Before Etia even heard her name, the girl already distanced herself.
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She woke up with tears in her eyes.
“It's just a dream. It's just a dream.”