This is not supposed to be all about big political debates (or little ones for that matter ^^), but it does have a message. You can chose to pay attention to it or not as you please. I just hope you enjoy the story and more importantly review! ,,^. .^,,

-The Defendant

PART I

‘Again, Li. Tell me again!’

‘You’ve heard it so many times. Surely you’re bored by now.’

‘Please. Please tell me your stories, Li. I will listen to them until I drown in your words!,

‘All right, my little swallow. I’ll tell you of the world again.’

‘The world is nothing but concrete stuffed with dead souls!’ Li sobbed as Aara stroked her sweeping black hair, ‘Oh, Aara, why is the world so cruel?’ But Aara could not answer, because she knew nothing of the world but what she had heard in stories. She wiped away the tears running crooked paths over Li’s battered cheeks.

‘Do they hate us. . . our kind, Li? asked Aara. Li pulled her sister to her and wrapped two bruised arms around the skeletal frame,

‘I don’t know. . . I just don’t know. I don’t understand much of anything any more.’ it was true. There had been a time when Li knew everything, and Aara slept peacefully in the assurance that whatever happened, Li knew. Li knew what to do. Now she was very small in Aara’s eyes. So small, hunched in a defeated ball underneath a world which was so wide. ‘They’re advancing so fast, Aara. The more intelligent they become, the less human they become. They work by a system, an unbreakable code into which they are locked. we can’t keep up with them. They are so smart now, so fast and efficient. Do you understand what I’m telling you, Aara? We are dying out. The last survivors of the human race are all but gone.

We may be all that is left.’

Aara shook her head, ‘No. No, that can’t be! You said we were fighting back. You said our numbers were growing!’

‘I’m sorry, Aara.’ whispered Li, ‘But we are the descendants of a doomed race.’ Aara swallowed. Gulping down her sorrow disbelief.

‘Don’t fret, little swallow!’ Li said, smiling weakly. Get some sleep and I’ll try again tomorrow.’ Aara said nothing. She padded listlessly to her bed of sand bags and old tea towels where she lay down, too deep in mournful musings to say goodnight.

Li turned to face her little sister, Aara was trying hard to muffle her sobs in her pillows. Li’s own had lost the will to escape hours ago. She walked across the cold concrete to the ball of blankets and laid a shivering hand on Aara’s shoulder.

‘What’s the matter, little swallow?’ she asked, leaning over the whimpering child. But she received no answer -- the look on Aara’s face was all she needed to hear. Aara nuzzled into Li’s lap, muffling her tears with the ragged shirt.

‘Tell me again, Li.’ she whispered. Li brushed her finger’s through the girl’s tangled red curls, once vibrant with life, now dulled by years of suffering. She swallowed a sob and said,

‘I’m going to tell you a different story tonight. One I should have told you long ago.’