BAB-DNA

 BAB-DNA

“Welcome to the BAB-DNA store, build-a-being! Walk in and walk out with the baby/being of your design. You can make your little being however you want them to be. With our gene-editing software, it’s easy!”

Megan smiled as pictures of babies passed in front of her, some animals. The government had been allowing people to design their own babies. All they had to do was pay two million dollars to the shop.

“So it’s definitely going to be a girl,” Megan said to her husband, David.

“Yes! I’ve always wanted a little princess,” David said.

“Folks, come on over to your machine. We cleared you thirty minutes ago while you were in the coffee shop. Everything is ready to go. You only have to push a few buttons. Any questions?” The short man asked.

“No, we’ve gone through everything, and we’re so thankful,” Megan said.

David and Megan began to sort out traits.

“I think she should have blonde hair, maybe blue eyes.”

“I think that would be too Aryan, might confuse people,” David said.

“Oh, you’re right. What about green eyes?”

“I think so.”

“I want her to be an athlete and independent. Strong and proud.”

“But what about intelligence?” David asked.

“I think she should be bright, too, but we’ve got to pay extra for that trait.”

“It’s in her best interest. We could slot her for a truly good life with those traits. We’ve got another million before we go into savings.”

They hit more buttons. When finished they hit “enter” but forget to hit “human” and “age.”

A cat meowed while coming out of the machine. She had tan fur and bright emerald eyes.

She looked at her parents and said, “Now you have to feed me for the rest of my nine lives, or I’ll call animal abuse, and you’ll be the one in cages."

She jumped down and sat, looking at the world she’d been brought into. She liked the looks of the ice cream shop.

“Excuse me, sir, we did not want a cat. We wanted a baby.”

“I’m sorry, but I asked you about further questioning. You signed the papers,” the little man said.

“This is ridiculous.”

“She’s yours for the remainder of her life, or nine in reality.”

“We paid two million dollars for a baby and got a cat?”

“We hope you will grow to love her as any being in this world.”

The little man walked away shaking his head. Under his breath, he said, “The cat deserves better parents.”