Chapter 4: The Selection

Lily had been in the Dairy Collective long enough to understand the rhythm of life within its sterile walls. She had adapted to the regimented routine, the constant surveillance, and the invasive hormonal treatments. But nothing could have prepared her for the day she was selected for the breeding program.

It began with a routine medical examination. Lily was led to the clinic, where a stern-faced doctor scrutinized her charts and nodded approvingly. “You’re in excellent health,” the doctor said, her voice clinical. “Your genetic traits and milk production capabilities make you an ideal candidate for our breeding program.”

Lily’s heart sank. She had heard whispers of the breeding program, the clinical efficiency with which hucows were paired and impregnated. The thought of being reduced to a mere vessel for reproduction filled her with dread.

Over the next few days, Lily underwent a series of tests and screenings. She was poked, prodded, and examined, her body reduced to a collection of data points and genetic markers. The process was dehumanizing, stripping her of her dignity and autonomy.

Once selected, Lily was moved to a dedicated breeding facility. The environment was sterile and controlled, with rows of examination rooms and clinical equipment. She was paired with a breeding partner, a man chosen for his genetic compatibility and reproductive health. The breeding process was efficient and clinical, with a focus on maximizing the chances of conception.

As the days turned into weeks, Lily’s body began to change. Her stomach grew rounder, her breasts engorged, and her hormones surged, leaving her emotionally volatile and physically exhausted. She found solace in the company of the other hucows in the maternity ward, women who understood her pain and shared her fears.

— The day of the birth arrived with a mix of anticipation and terror. Lily was led to the delivery room, a sterile environment filled with medical equipment and bustling staff. She was positioned on a birthing table, her legs secured in stirrups, her body exposed and vulnerable.

The contractions came in waves, each one more intense than the last. Lily gripped the sides of the table, her knuckles white, her body convulsing with pain. The medical staff moved around her, their faces impassive, their voices clinical.

“Push, Lily,” the doctor instructed, her voice firm. “You’re doing great.”

Lily bore down, her body straining with the effort. The pain was all-consuming, a primal force that threatened to overwhelm her. But beneath the pain, there was a spark of hope, a glimmer of the new life she was bringing into the world.

As the calf emerged, Lily’s heart swelled with a mix of joy and anguish. She had contemplated a name for her calf, a symbol of hope and love amidst the darkness of the Dairy Collective. But as she opened her mouth to suggest the name, the medical staff laughed, their voices cruel and dismissive.

“A name?” one of the nurses scoffed. “This is a hucow calf, not a pet. It gets a number, just like the rest.”

With that, the nurse took a large, numbered ear tag and pierced it through the calf’s ear, the metal cold and unyielding against the delicate flesh. The calf cried out, its tiny voice filled with pain and confusion. Lily’s heart shattered, her dreams of naming her calf crushed beneath the weight of the Dairy Collective’s brutal efficiency.

As the calf was tagged, the medical staff began to celebrate. The birth of a new calf was a reason to rejoice, a symbol of the Dairy Collective’s continued success and prosperity. The staff threw themselves a party, their laughter and cheers echoing through the delivery room, a stark juxtaposition to Lily’s anguish.

Lily watched in horror as the calf was taken from her, its tiny form swaddled in a sterile blanket. The medical staff carried the calf away, their voices filled with excitement and anticipation. Lily’s cries of protest fell on deaf ears, her pleas for her calf ignored.

As the delivery room emptied, Lily was left alone, her body aching, her heart broken. The celebration of new life continued elsewhere in the Dairy Collective, but for Lily, there was only pain and loss. She lay there, her tears mixing with the blood and sweat of childbirth, her spirit crushed beneath the weight of her new reality.