This is fiction, a story written in 2023 about the year 2030 in the United States. 
Yet what is fiction? What is truth? What is a story? What is a lie?

Christian met Curtis’ truck at the curb in front of the Titus County Public Library. Curtis laughed to himself as he turned into the 5 min. parking slot. Christian looked like a 6’ tall nerdy kid, with green eyes and straw blonde, too long, hair blowing in his face. His backpack was draped over one shoulder. The other arm had a stack of library books two feet tall balanced by one hand and his chin.

“Have you been waiting long?”

Curtis reached across the passenger seat and propped open the door. “What’s with the books?“

“Nope. Just got out of work.”

Christian stepped up to the passenger seat and tossed his backpack and books in the back seat.

“Hey, thanks for picking me up. There’s a crowd gathering near the courthouse. None of the buses are running downtown. I have no idea what’s going on.”

Christian got the part-time library job soon after his parents and he had moved into the parish. He was elated when he got hired by the library. At first, he was told it would be a part-time summer job, but he was so well liked and had led in organizing the religious stacks of books that had been neglected, that the library asked him to stay on part-time, maybe two nights a week, and the weekends during the school year.

 

Christian couldn’t have been happier. The library internet connections had access to libraries all over the world. Books that were banned in some States were here, accessed by the library’s internet. Christian owned an old Dell laptop, but he soon mastered the library computers, even taught basic skills to many of the older citizens and was able to access pretty much any book referenced in the United States library system. 

“What are all the books for?” Curtis asked again, as he grabbed his phone off the passenger seat, making space for Christian to sit down.

“You know. Still looking for God in unusual places.” Christian just laughed. “I need to know more about these other Bibles. The King James Bible, is my Dad’s favorite version, and the major source my Dad uses for his services. This trip I’ve got a copy of the Catholic Bible, the Greek Orthodox Bible, the Christian Science Bible, the Mormon Bible and two books by Charles Filmore, who started the Unity Church. And here is a copy of the Course of Miracles, reaching behind the passenger seat, he pulled out two heavy volumes with a handbook. See, here? A miracle guide from an angel’s voice told to an atheist and transposed into book form.” Christian laughed again. 

Curtis was always amazed by Christian’s persistence to search for “What was the truth about God and Jesus and the Bible” and all the things he had been taught from as old as he could remember by his own Mom and Dad. Christian had this insistence to understand, to know with more than faith in what he believed. He wanted to know that what he believed in his heart and mind was the truth–God’s truth. This month Christian had decided to explore all the Protestant Bibles.

Curtis: “Being a son of the preacher and sitting through every sermon your father has ever preached, don’t you already know what you believe?” 

Christian: “I know what my parents believe. I know what the Baptist theologians call the truth. I just gotta know, inside myself.”

Christian gestured with his lopsided smile, touching his chest with his right hand as though he was pledging allegiance in class. He smiled, “And, don’t forget the dinosaurs. I want to learn all about dinosaurs.” 

Curtis laughed. “I don’t think you’ll find anything about dinosaurs in any of the Bibles. Hey, by the way, what is this meeting tonight about? Have you talked with your Dad?”

“Haven’t got a clue. This morning my father went to work at Ace after breakfast and I haven’t had a chance to talk with him all day. At breakfast he didn’t say anything about a meeting planned for tonight. This meeting was news to me, too. He sent me two texts about the meeting this afternoon. Guess, we’ll find out soon.”

“Yeah. I got two texts, too.” Curtis turned the truck onto highway 271 and headed towards the church. 

As they approached the city limits, they were greeted by three patrol cars parked across four lanes of the street, blocking entrance and exit into or out of town. Beyond the police cars, the boys could see several fires burning. Car fires, it appeared. Upside down, cars frailing on their roof, blowing flames out of the broken car windows, burning, popping noises setting off small booms, their tires smoking with thick nauseous black fumes smothering the air. As they got closer to town, they could see blinking warning lights in all four directions.

The officers wouldn’t explain what was going on. Tight lipped, the older officer who appeared in charge, looked weary from the prolonged shift, and now was expected to control the growing unrest on the street. He looked impatient and annoyed. The officers with flashlight batons motioned for Curtis to turn around. None of the vehicles in line were allowed to go further.

Curtis backed up and turned the truck around. “We can still get to the church if we go on the backroads.” Curtis knew the way on dirt roads, common knowledge if you grew up on a farm. Other traffic was doing the same, trying to turn on to one of the dirt service roads to get home. It was almost 7 p.m. and both Curtis and Christian wanted to speed away from the traffic, but it just wasn’t possible.

They arrived at the church at 7:25 p.m. Curtis pulled into a parking space near the parish and Christian ran inside to drop off his books and backpack. The parking lot was filled with work trucks, farmers still in their workday overalls coming straight from the fields. Maybe it was the curiosity to know what the meeting was about, but a majority of the regular church goers were mingling on the church steps, waiting for Reverend Carlton to call them inside.

Just as Reverend Carlton waved for everyone to come in and to head down the stairs to the basement “community room,” the Roy brothers, also wearing their new Varsity jackets, stepped off the bus and joined the gathering congregation. Mrs. Carlton had baked chocolate chip cookies in the kitchenette oven. The aroma of hot coffee and warm cookies welcomed the group. Members poured coffee into paper cups which they carried to one of the metal folding chairs where the Carltons had arranged the chairs into rows facing the small stage.

Donny and Stone Roy had both received the texts from Reverend Carlton. Donny asked Stone, “Are we church members now?” Stone grabbed two cookies and a can of Pepsi and took a seat in the back row. Donny did the same and followed him.

“Why? Are you planning on becoming a believer?” Stone smirked, and turned to face his brother. “Donny, just because we got texts from the minister doesn’t make us members. Remember, we’re done here once we finish showing up for 100 church services and Reverend Carlton tells the Sheriff.”

“And Dad.” Donny reminded Stone. “Sheriff has to tell Dad, because we need our drivers licenses, or we’ll be on the bus all school year.” Donny stuffed a whole cookie in his mouth and cookie crumbs spurted out from the sides of his lips and fell all over his jeans. He took another cookie, took a bite out of its middle, then knocked pieces of chocolate chip cookie off to the floor with one hand.

“We’re almost halfway over with going to church. We’re at 42, 43, counting today’s meeting. It counts, right? This meeting, I mean. It counts, right?” Donny looked at Stone for assurance. 

Stone patted Donny on the back and smirked, almost laughing at his brother. “And once we attend fifty services, the Sheriff said we could apply for our driving permits, right? And that he’ll talk to Dad. After the meeting we’ll only have seven more services ‘til 50, ‘til we get our licenses, right?”

“So then, we’re not members?” Donny looks puzzled. “Then why did we come?”

Stone: “‘Cause when meetings are in the community room, there won’t be any preaching to have to listen to. We’ll get the Pastor to sign our attendance sheet and send it to the Sheriff after the meeting. Makes us one more church service attended and over with.” 

After everyone had found a seat, Reverend Carlton stepped up onto the wooden platform which was made by one of the church members for his daughter’s wedding reception years ago. The church once was the first pick of local patrons for pretty much every Protestant wedding in the area. Using the chapel for the wedding and then holding the reception in the community room, made weddings affordable for local families who never have had much in life, but still wanted their children’s wedding to be a major life event that they would always want to remember.

From the stage, the minister, Moses Carlton, waved his hands in the air: “Good evening, everyone. Let’s start the meeting with a prayer.”

“Thank you, Father, for this day and the great news it brings. Please help us always to seek truth for Thine glory. Fill our lives with love and gratitude as we begin to open our hearts to all lives that You protect. Amen.”

“Amen.” The group repeated.

“Thank you for coming on such short notice. I know this is unusual, but after the news this morning, I felt that it was important that we meet together and discuss what has happened and what to expect in the next few weeks.” 

“What happened this morning?” Donny poked Stone in the ribs, sliding his chair closer to his brother and whispered, “What is he talking about?”

Stone’s focus was on his cell phone. “Shhh. I don’t know. Shut up and let me hear what Moses is saying, and then I’ll be able to tell you.” Stone elbowed him back, then turned off his cell and slipped it into his Varsity jacket pocket.

Reverend Carlton began. “I don’t know how many of you have heard the news today, or have had a chance to check the internet this afternoon, but both the Associated Press and CNN have posted reporter’s stories about the manslaughter charges of a young woman who, according to Texas State Law, was tried, convicted and imprisoned for the death of her child. The State charged her with child negligence, child cruelty and manslaughter. She has been serving her ten year sentence in the Women’s Federal Prison Camp for four years now. Her lawyer appealed and the ACLU took an interest in her case. Together, her lawyer and ACLU attorneys worked her case through the court system. The case was eventually presented to the Supreme Court. This morning the SCOTUS surprised the World with their ruling of the definition of new life and the future responsibilities of sperm father and egg mother in the United States.

Reverend Carlson continued. ”This morning the Supreme Court has answered our prayers. They announced a ruling that I know we have prayed for for many years. The Supreme Court has ruled that all abortions, except pregnancies by rape, incest, or with a doctor’s decision that the pregnancy would endanger the life of the mother, are illegal and abolished in the United States. There is also a provision for those fetuses that are not viable, as diagnosed by a physician. There were no exceptions by the number of weeks that new life was not life. The Court has ruled that according to science, human life begins the moment the sperm successfully penetrates the egg. In that sex act a new life is created.”

Someone in the third row of chairs lets out a hoot. “Praise the Lord.” Followed in unison, “Amen.” A gray haired man in overalls let out a whistle. The church members sitting on the metal chairs sifted their weight. Some of the older couples were uncomfortable with the talk of sex. Some men were mumbling. Women looked at each other, not sure the reaction they should show at church. No one looked particularly like God had just answered their prayers.

Pastor Moses continued, “I worked until two this afternoon at Ace, so I haven’t had much of a chance since the ruling was announced to sit down and slowly read the judges’ written opinions.” Moses explained. “I really want to review each judge’s comments. Now I know that many of us have prayed for years that an anti-abortion law would become the Nation’s law. Today the Supreme Court answered our prayers.”

“Now we know that God works in mysterious ways. We know He doesn’t wear a watch, time is His to mold. He has perfect timing and if we are patient and have faith, all things work out for good when He is in charge. Can I get an amen?”

Amens were heard, most in unison. More support from the audience. “Praise the Lord.” “Praise Jesus.” 

“Praise the Supreme Court for doing what is right.” A general consensus within the basement meeting attendants was expressed as positive.

 “Praise President Trump,” a voice from the back row of seats called out. “He was the President who added five judges to the Supreme Court. He promised us a National anti-abortion law as part of his legacy, and by God, he did it.”

Moses looked across the faces of members of his new church who he will try to lead, wishing he could end the meeting right then while everyone was still feeling that their prayers had been heard and were answered, and all those unborn babies will be born because of their petitions to God and Jesus and the Supreme 

Court. 

“There is more to the SCOTUS’ ruling than I have told you, but let’s take a break first before we learn of the particulars. Everyone, please get more coffee and cookies. Freshen up. And, we’ll return in ten, fifteen minutes. Like I said, there is more to this new ruling. Get some refreshments. I still see some cookies waiting to be eaten.” He pointed to the kitchenette counter.

Mrs. Carlton headed up the stairs to work on the church computer in the minister’s office.

Chairs squeaked and scraped across the linoleum floor as neighbors in rows turned to talk with their neighbors. A hum of voices talking in different conversations at once released the early tension of not knowing, fearing the meeting was to report bad news. They were relieved and ready now to listen.

Mr. Haines, the oldest deacon of the church, leaned back with his arm resting over the back of his chair and whispered, “The new minister is working out okay, don’t you think?” Mr. Chin, the neighborhood pharmacist, and his wife nodded in agreement.

At eight fifteen, Moses Carlson stepped back on to the stage and motioned for everyone to take their seats. Metal chairs scraped the floor as people twisted back to face the stage.

Pastor Carlton:  “Now, before I go any further, I’d like to point out that never before has the United States truly been forced to embrace the equality and shared responsibility of father sperm and mother egg in the creation of new life. It takes two. Both are essential yet the courts, historically, have laid the responsibility of birth only upon the woman. But I’ve got to tell you, after reading some of the judges’ logic, this law may be the first time the Supreme Court has made a definition of new life and declared the responsibilities for new life clearly. This is the first time the Court’s ruling has recognized that man and woman are equal and necessary in the creation and preservation of new life. Whether or not we like it, according to the SCOTUS, man and woman are now more equal then the Nation may be prepared to accept and to obey as law.”

“Our divine Father is infinitely patient and listens to our prayers. We know that God also has His perfect interpretation of the answer to our requests. And sometimes, even when He answers exactly as He should, we don’t particularly approve of His solution. Yet, He always answers our prayers for good.” 

Moses moved to another side of the stage. “I believe that God has worked through these judges to present our Nation with a clear definition of new life, and as clear, a resolution on abortion.”

The audience of church members were in rapt attention, yet there was this feeling that Moses was about to tell them something they may not be so happy about. Moses looked nervous. 

He continued to move, walking from side-to-side on the stage, looking for the right place to stand for this next announcement.

“The SCOTUS presented with their written opinion, a definition of this ruling they have named ‘The Personhood Bill of Rights for the Unborn.’”

“The what?” An anonymous voice from the second row burst out. Mr. Dodge, still in his bib overalls, stood up from his chair, which caught on his buckle and knocked the chair down on the floor. He waved his arm like he was erasing both, the noise of his chair falling and what he just heard. “A what?”

“The Personhood Bill of Rights for the Unborn.” The minister took in a big breath and repeated, feeling the tension in the room growing impatient. “Please, I’ll try to answer all your questions, one by one. Please sit down and I’ll try and explain.” 

Mr. Dodge recovered his chair, set it upright and sat down.

“Briefly, I will try to answer everyone’s questions once I’ve had some time to review the individual judges’ opinions. Basically, the ruling announced ‘The Personhood Bill of Rights for the Unborn.’

It goes like this:

1. Every ‘person’ deserves the right to be born. Therefore, all abortions in the United
   States are banned, with the exception of rape, incest, or a pregnancy which endangers the physical life of the mother. The viability of the fetus is another exception.
   

2. Every ‘person’ deserves to be financially provided for from the beginning of his/her life (from the moment sperm father penetrates the egg mother) until his/her eighteenth birthday. If born in the United States, the ”person” deserves the right to grow up in a stable environment, to grow up in a home of love and financial security, to pursue and be provided for a public education in a safe and reputable environment. As a future citizen of the United States, this person should be allowed to grow and to learn without censure of history and taught a clear knowledge of verified truth.

3. As no ‘person’ can be created without a 50%, 50% involvement of his/her biological parents, both components, sperm and egg, must parent with the commitment: 1. Mother egg must birth the child person, 2. Father sperm must provide financial support for this person from sex act to person’s 18th birthday, meaning the sperm father must provide financial support for the mother egg while she is pregnant, and also, when the child is born and then, continue that financial support until the person’s 18th birthday.”

The room first went quiet, like the stillness before a hailstorm. 

Suddenly a cacophony of voices then exploded from the metal chairs. Some looked self-righteous and angry. Others looked confused. Most looked stunned like the minister hadn’t explained it right–the father sperm had to pay the ‘person’ still unborn, while inside the mother throughout her pregnancy?

“Now how do they expect to know who the father is?” Mrs. Cummngs, the church pianist, grimaced while dabbing mascara from below her eyes with a kleenex. She tucked the used kleenex up the cuff of her sleeve.

“Now just how are you going to narrow down which son slept with her, a loose woman making a living on her back?” Mrs. Cummings nearly spat as she said ‘loose woman.’

(Now, this is the same Protestant attitude that secretly considers all girls who get pregnant out of wedlock a slut, even if it was their son who got her pregnant.) 

“Slut is the word you’re looking for.” Someone in the back called out. “There’s just no righteousness in helping out a slut.”

Mrs. Cummings straightened her posture as she continued. “Slut.” (Even if it was one of her sons who got her pregnant. Another story.) 

“Even worse are those women who kill their baby person by abortion. They deserve jail, or worse.” Mumbling was the general sound of voices puffing themselves up in self-righteousness as it appeared that the congregation on metal chairs hadn’t quite understood the Pastor’s explanation fully.

Pastor Moses tried to get the group to quiet down, pressing his hands down like he was pushing the volume switch on the dial to quiet. “One question at a time, please.” He pointed to an agitated Mrs. Cummings.

“How are they going to do that? I mean, figure out who the father is.” 

Moses: “The Supreme Court has laid out an outline of sorts which includes creating a new Federal Department of Personhood that will be responsible for compiling all birth records that include a DNA test which, by the way, provides an exact identification of both mother egg and father sperm. From now on every newborn will have a copy of their DNA as well as their birth certificate and social security number stored as part of their complete records in the United States. The Department of Personhood would include an administration for collecting DNA from all persons born in the United States. The States who have already created and managed a system of bounty hunters for pregnant women who seek an abortion can now expand to include bounties set forth for father sperm, who have been found delinquent of child support by abandoning his financial responsibilities.” 

“It is recommended by the Court that errant missing father sperms have the equal amount of fines and jail time as has been dealt to pregnant women so charged. In addition to garnishing wages, each State can enact a weekend working jail for fathers who are more than $10,000 behind in monthly support for each child he has sired. 2030 statistics figure that it costs approximately $2,000/month to raise a child. All income earned in working jails will be sent to the pregnant mother egg while the person is unborn. Confiscation of existing property, including homes, vacation homes, all vehicles, including recreation vehicles, stocks, savings and checking accounts may be used as money owed to the pregnant mother until birth. Then support money will be controlled by the parent, or individual caring for the person until his/her eighteenth birthday. States can coordinate with the Federal Department of Personhood to set up bounties for DNA collections.

“What about those citizens already born? Does the Supreme Court think that men will just hand over their DNA?” Mrs. Thomas called out from her chair.

Reverend Carlson could feel the elevation of frustration in the group growing. People twisted in their chairs, some mumbling, some downright angry.

“Isn’t that against our rights of privacy?” Mr. Thomas called out from his chair.

Moses: “Well, I’m not an attorney so I don’t know that the right of privacy is a fair statement in this situation. For the past eight years, women have had their rights of privacy invaded by the States. In some State governments, their medical records are shared with other States to determine whether or not one of a State’s physician may have provided the woman with an abortion. In some States where abortion had been denied as a woman’s choice, States have tried to arrest women who traveled to another State with less stringent laws. Doctors, friends, anyone who has assisted a woman to travel outside their State are now arrested, fined, even jailed. Some doctors who perform an abortion for necessary health reasons that, otherwise, would endanger a woman’s life are threatened with loss of their medical license.”

Minister Moses pointed out, “Many States pay bounties for information regarding a woman who may be pregnant who seeks help in ending a pregnancy. In some States, where young women play sports in high school, college–in fact, any professional female athlete, now, in that State must now report their menstrual cycles, when it began, when it ended, to a coach or school nurse.

A coach, a teacher, a grocery stock boy who witnesses a pregnancy test purchased, your best friend who you trust with your most private secrets, a neighbor who reported that you are gaining weight and are likely pregnant, are encouraged by some States to turn these women in for reward money. Bounty increases if they successfully report a woman seeking information about ending a pregnancy. Even if they don’t follow through, the pregnant woman becomes a possible bounty.”

“Some of the Red States have even created bounty hunters using neighbors and friends as informants. Even children are asked to tell about classmates and classmate’s mothers. Women are fined and jailed, bounty hunters concocting trumped up charges for any woman of birthing age. Any suspicion that you are pregnant and want to end the pregnancy, will turn your best friend into a bounty hunter. Women’s privacy no longer included the functions of her body. Since 2022, when the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, women’s personal items like tampons, condoms or pregnancy tests were considered valid clues in a woman’s private life. Bounty hunters paid junior high students for any information about another student’s possible pregnancy.”

Now errant sperm fathers will confront a new order of bounty hunters. In some States, like Texas, the State will pay a bounty hunter $10,000 for each successful sperm collection with two witnesses to sign the bounty retrieval form. 

“Texas does what?” Donny, half listening, suddenly perked up, and turned to Stone. “Did I hear him right?” Donny is now alert. “Ten thousand bucks! We could buy a new truck if we caught four or five men who are on the list. Forget the tithing thing. We keep all the money.” Donny slapped his knee for emphasis. 

“Texas only pays $10,000 if you collect actual sperm.” Stone read outloud the small print along the bottom of the form Mrs. Carlton had set out on the counter. “No DNA on a cigarette butt, or a cup he has drunk from gets the premium money. Two signatures with each collection is necessary to be paid $10,000. Otherwise, the bounty is between $2,000 – $4,000. Two witnesses are required, nonetheless.”

“We can do that.” Donny looked at his brother for approval.

Stone nodded. “Yes, we can.“

“You know, Stone, that I never told anyone about Dee Dee.”

About a year ago, Dee Dee, a shy, pretty, 14 year old freshman in high school, started dating Donny Roy until one night Donny lost control during a kiss and pinned Dee Dee down in the back seat of her mother’s car and date raped her. A couple months later, Dee Dee and her family moved out of Mt. Pleasant, Texas. No one knew why the family left town so suddenly. No one has heard from them since.

“Stone, I promise, I’ve never told on Dee Dee. And, I never spied on Dee Dee. I never told a soul. I just don’t know if she had a baby, or whatever. I never told anyone, except you.”

“You knew about Dee Dee and never reported her? Do you know where she and her family moved to?” Stone studied Donny’s face.

“Out of Texas, I guess.” Donny whispered. ”I won’t ever tell.”

“I know, Donny, and you won’t ever speak of it again. Ever! And, you’re going to keep quiet, less you send yourself and Dee Dee to jail. Do you want that? Just be cool and keep quiet.”

“I never told on Dee Dee. I hope she didn’t get caught.”

Stone loved his older brother, but he was exasperated sometimes, as Donny had so little good sense. He couldn’t stay focused on most anything academic, and he depended on Stone to help him do his homework to keep up his grades so he could play football.

Donny was dyslexic, but he was never tested or treated. He couldn’t read which made him angry in class if called upon to read from the blackboard. He couldn’t understand complex sentences. He was secretly lost in history, in government and social studies. Teachers just passed him year by year, partially because they were afraid of him, his anger, his size.

Donny had been held back twice in school. Most teachers passed him to get rid of him. He was held back in 5th grade. And, again in 7th grade. This year Stone and Donny are both juniors, in the same homeroom, in three classes at the same time. This made it easier for Stone to help him, but without Stone overseeing his homework, Donny would eventually fail or drop out. Football was his only interest in his school life. He needed to keep his attendance steady, and his grades high enough to play. He needed a C average to continue through high school to remain on the team. 

Donny weighed 235 pounds at age 18 and was as strong as any full grown pro football player. He was described as the ‘brick’ if you were an opponent who had to defend against his weight, or to get tackled by him during a game. He had played junior varsity football and was considered a possible draft pick when he graduated from high school. If he graduated. His only incentive to keep up his grades was to play football. Otherwise, he was like thunder before a rainstorm– a forewarning of danger to come. 

Except about cars. Donny could hot-wire any vehicle and drive off with it within three minutes. He was amazing at it. Stone could not compete with Donny and his knowledge of cars. Donny loved cars and their father owned the only garage in town. If Donny wasn’t with Stone, he was in the garage. He absorbed knowledge from his father and the other mechanics through watching them work. His desire to learn everything about cars was unequaled in the shop. Everything in his father’s garage was everything he wanted to know how to do.

(Back to the meeting.)

Donny was getting restless, twisting in his chair as he surveyed the community room. “When do you think this meeting will end?” Donny turned to Stone. “Let’s get out of here.”

“We can’t leave until we get Moses’ signature on the forms.” Stone wanted to leave, too, but the brothers must wait until everyone has started to climb the stairs and the minister was alone. (No one but Moses Carlton, the Sheriff and their Dad knew about the 100 church services instead of jail deal.)

Stone looked across the room and watched Mrs. Cummings climb the steps. 

“I don’t think I believe in DNA.” Mrs. Cummings announced outloud as she pulled out her kleenex from her sleeve and dabbed her face again. As she climbed the steps, Mrs. Cummings paused to repeat the words again to Missy, her neighbor’s daughter. “Just can’t be true, that DNA knows who the father is. It’s a lie.” Mrs. Cummings formed a semi-smile and said good night to onlookers.

Some of the members now had their phones out, looking for information about the Supreme Court’s ruling. Slowly moving up the stairs to get better reception, church members found scenes of street crime, men rioting, angry men carrying signs “My body, my DNA.” “I am a free man. This is not freedom.” on their cellphones.

Women watched from their desks that afternoon as the men disappeared from work. Women watched the men in amazement. The SCOTUS had already taken away their freedom to control their bodies eight years ago. And now there were many women watching, unmoved by the men’s reaction to their plight. 

Donny turned to Stone again, “If this is good news, why is everybody upset?” Stone looked across the room, waiting for a clear path to Moses.

Pastor Moses stepped off the stage. Immediately, half of the people there approached him with new questions. Moses was tired, but he continued to listen patiently to each congregate.

“DNA is truth. It cannot be manipulated.” Pastor Moses looked across the rows of congregants, and continued. “Each State will be allowed to set up preferred methods to collect DNA, and any bounty contracted continued to grow bigger for those men who chose to defy collection. You could no longer get a driver’s license, hunting, or fishing license without providing your DNA. You cannot buy a gun without providing your DNA. You must have DNA collected and identified to board a plane, to travel out of the country, to apply for a passport, to apply for entrance to higher education, or to receive any diploma from any high school, college, university, technical college, or medical school in the United States.”

“This is God’s work in action.” Pastor Moses emphasized. “This will end, at least, 90% of child poverty in the United States. This will provide financial support to the abandoned children on the street. The Supreme Court strongly urges State governments to gather homeless children and find their DNA father sperm. If these children are under age 18, they may be owed thousands of dollars in unpaid ‘person’ support.” 

The pastor tried to tell the group about some of the positive good works through the collection of DNA. “Child poverty would pretty much end in the United States. Those who have committed crimes where DNA has been recovered, will be caught. This is God’s work, and we, as church members can help the State of Texas by participating in gathering DNA from suspected sperm fathers who have been identified as the sperm father of an unborn child, or who has abandoned the mother egg during pregnancy, and forgotten the child support owed until person, although still unborn, is 18 years old.” 

“There is a grace period of two months from today’s announcement for all men and boys of sexual prowess, boys aged twelve or older, voluntarily to provide a sample of their DNA. Each State will announce DNA retrieval sites. Voluntary DNA retrieval is free of charge.

Mrs. Carlton came back into the basement with a new handful of copy paper in one hand. During the break, Mrs. Carlton had been working in the church office on their church computer, compiling lists already posted since this morning’s SCOTUS ruling. 

Each list contained the names of men in Titus County that are possibly delinquent in child support as specified by SCOTUS. Each list is unique so that all members participating could have sole access to every name on their list before these names are posted on the net for public access in the morning. As new information comes in, the State will post the new names of possible delinquent fathers. On the bottom of each list are directions on how to procure new lists. Also, where to apply for bounty payment.”

“This is God’s work, and we have a chance to help find these missing fathers. If you believe in tithing, 10% of these bounties could come into the church coffers and we could fix the roof on the chapel. If enough of us participate, we could conquer some of the other repairs that would help keep our church buildings safe and help to attract new members. The rest of the money would be yours to keep.”

Pastor Moses looked across the audience. The bounty money could help all of these members attending with personal needs of their own. None of these people were rich. The idea of tithing helped to sell the idea of hunting errant fathers down for back pay for street children. “This definitely is God’s plan. And here again, God provides new opportunities and answers to our prayers for abundance.”

The meeting evolved into an overload of the frightened church members’ questions, calling up memories and new fears of past lovers.’ The minister was asking good people to earn bounty for their church, for their children already born, and the unborn persons that will be directly affected by a DNA alert consciousness. Both Roy brothers grabbed a list, then when no one seemed to be watching, grabbed half a dozen more.

“Is my name on any of them?”

Donny tried to read the list, but dyslexia made it nearly impossible for him to comprehend the names when he was anxious or emotional.

“Do you see my name?”

“Gimme your lists.” Stone said. Running a finger down each list, he smiled. “Nope. You’re not on any of these.”  

The Pastor ended the meeting by promising everyone that he was available during the week after his shift at Ace, after about 2:30 p.m. He suggested that people reserve some time to read “The Personhood” themselves, and then if anyone wanted to reserve some time in his office, he would accommodate all who wanted to talk. Thinking to himself, he wondered how many of his congregants would be directly affected by this SCOTUS ruling.

For the first time in history, men and women were truly equal according to reproductive responsibilities, now as defined by the Court. The SCOTUS created the perfect equality in the Personhood Bill of Rights. The foundation of life in the United States had suddenly changed into a DNA identity test. The two-edged sword of justice had pierced through prejudice against unwed pregnant women to an ideal of fair play.

Bounty hunters who have made their living by hunting down pregnant women in the past eight years, now have the same opportunity for additional bounty income by hunting down sperm fathers. SCOTUS’ verdict was finally a guarantee that the Trump anti-abortion bill would be permanent law. The past became a chapter closed in the history of women whose medical records now were government knowledge. Gossip where rumors about a neighbor’s daughter, now were shared about a neighbor’s son.

“Anyone who wants a list that my wife has kindly organized for us, is welcome to take a list with them as they leave. It is imperative that you follow the rules with two signatures. I suggest that you work in pairs, as the form requires two signatures to begin validation.” 

Back pay requests by a woman who was forced to remain pregnant had a new life force–the SCOTUS. There were no longer “ifs” or excuses for a man to deny his responsibility to the woman he impregnated and the unborn person whom he is now responsible to support. DNA tells only the truth. Soon all will be caught.