PROLOGUE: LIFE

~~Their fate was to be no one’s son or daughter, no one’s brother or sister, no one’s father or mother, no one’s kin.~~

NATURAL DISASTERS. Disease. Climate change. War. In the last three centuries, the world’s population has been on a drastic decline. In an attempt to combat these issues and preserve themselves, Humans created those they call Cresecren. The name stems from the Latin word crescere, which means to grow something, to cultivate. Although not Human, they were created in the likeness of Humans. However, they do not share the same privileges. They are prohibited from choosing a life of their own but instead are assigned a set path to serve Humans.

Cresecrens were originally developed for the military to decrease the number of Human casualties, for scientific studies conducted to prolong Human life, and for high-risk jobs such as hazardous material disposal and underground construction to decrease the number of Human deaths. In more recent years, privileged Humans who were motivated by greed or an increased sense of entitlement began using Cresecrens as domestic servants.

Cresecrens were designed to be distinguishable from Humans. Their eyes were genetically engineered to be a striking deep violet, unlike those of any Human. In later years, they were also given plainly visible permanent markings on their jawlines so there is no mistaking or confusing who they are. These markings are codes the color of coal that show their birthdate down to the exact second.

Humans implemented a lethal plan to discourage Cresecrens from removing their markings. If that should happen, either accidently or intentionally, the Cresecren would suffer an untimely and agonizing death. Additionally, this plan insured that Cresecrens would never forget who they were.

All Cresecrens follow the same twelve-year developmental process. They spend the first five years of their lives in a life-sustaining cocoon. This coma-like state is referred to as “Limbo.” While in Limbo, they develop physically in the same way as any Human. Feeding tubes provide sufficient nutrients, and electrodes attached to the brain feed them knowledge of their own existence. In addition to basic life needs, they develop motor skills and speech during these important Limbo years.

At the end of the fifth year, Cresecrens are released from Limbo to a secure facility and allowed to interact with Human researchers and scientists. This is when they first eat solid food and learn to balance themselves. These years are also vitally important because they learn all that is necessary to prepare them to be released into the real world to their assigned placement.

In their eleventh year, Cresecrens learn the identity of the Human organization or family they will serve. The next twelve months are dedicated to studying all there is to know about being a valuable Cresecren to this particular organization or family.

Then they receive their birthday markings and become a permanent part of the organization or family. By this time, they should be fully aware of their sole purpose for existence: to spend their lives serving Humans by doing what Humans could not or would not do.

Cresecrens who did not fulfill their purpose—by becoming too old or maimed to continue to be of service or too stubborn to mind who they were meant to serve—are cast out into Cresecren camps where they will remain until they die. These camps are self-governing and are periodically monitored externally by Humans via surveillance cameras. In the remnants of the Northwest region of North America, those camps are Gavaron and Solitare.