Water Valkies

Kray lounged on the sofa and stared at the tv screen, entranced. He had been flicking through the channels aimlessly, trying out the shiny new remote that his mother had received in the post after ordering cable tv. The good kind too. Not the kind where you had over four hundred channels and a quarter of those played shows about the property market or reruns of Cops.
He had the fitness channel. And the best part about it? At four o' clock every day "Yoga with Lucy" aired. And Kray liked Lucy and her two lovely assistants.
Yes, Kray loved cable tv. He watched the screen greedily, and briefly considered moving his hand from its resting place on his knee. His fingers twitched and began to move north when the front door pushed in loudly. Kray leaped up from his seat and changed the channel with a flash of his hand. His mother entered the living room looking withered.
"Hello Kray." she greeted him with a yawn.
"Hey mom." he squeaked.
"Why are you home so early?" he prompted her. Both his parents worked for the Administration and they were constantly kept busy with paperwork and cases of infringement of The Company rules by young valkies, often working from the early hours of the morning to the late evening.
"My boss told me to take the rest of the day off, I ate some bad food at lunch and ended up decorating the ladies toilets with vomit."
"Hm. As graceful a lady as ever." he joked.
She settled herself into a floral armchair and stared at the ceiling.
"I was in the middle of an important folder of documents too." she huffed.
"A list of all Parents that have been assigned in the past three months. I have to review their progress with the children so far so that we can fully approve them as legal guardians."
Kray wriggled uncomfortably, once again on his sofa.
"What's the deal with those Parents anyway? They all seem perfect, like they came in a box ready made." "I'm not really sure Kray. I just fill in the forms. But from what they tell us they're fully rounded individuals with warm, loving hearts who have been chosen for each child with care."
Kray snorted as she quoted The Company's adverts.
"But honestly I don't know love." She continued. "But they do seem too good to be true."
* * *

Pheonix strolled lightly towards the main church. It was Saturday, five days before he was scheduled to meet Mr. Pernicious, but he had requested they meet earlier. He wanted to relay the previous days events in person. As he walked he spotted a young child hand in hand with an adult. Her Mother, no doubt. It was always easy to spot a child with Parents. They always looked too manufactured. Like the families in movies, but somehow detached from each other.

He turned the corner and walked towards the church entrance. Inside, the pews were laid out in neat rows. The church was shaped like a cross with the main alter ahead. The walls displayed images of worship and ornamented facades and the general hush that filled the high-roofed building compelled him to stay quiet. He made his way over to the closest bench and sat beside a familiar face.
Mr. Pernicious greeted him with a silent nod. Pheonix began speaking first, bringing him up to date on The Company visit.
"A risky game, but no doubt effective." he concluded.
Pheonix felt oddly numb when he visited Mr. P. There was no doubt he still disliked him, but he no longer held a hatred in his heart. Mr. P had shown him videos of Aurie. She was being held in a cell but was being fed regularly and even had a companion, a dark haired boy. Granted it wasn't ideal, but it was better than her being beaten. The other reason he was more amiable towards the man was that it was simpler. Mr. P preferred when he was mannerly and civil, and in turn, Mr. P kept Pheonix updated on Aurie.

"Mr. Pernicious?"
The beady eyed man cocked his head to one side to indicate he was listening.
"How do you choose the people to become Parents?"
"It isn't how we choose them my boy." Pernicious chuckled darkly.
"It's how we make them."
Pheonix swallowed a harsh lump.