The Hunter's Pet: A Scifi Dystopian Romance

“Excuse me, sir.” A woman was approaching, her nose so high in the air Sarah immediately assumed that she was scenting something. When the woman's nose failed to lower at any point, she concluded that it was just how she carried herself. Strange, but no stranger than anything else people in the city did. “You cannot bring pets in here.”

“I'm looking for something for Sarah to wear,” William said, putting a hand on Sarah's shoulder. “She needs a few dresses, something nice.”

“I'm afraid we don't have anything that would suit her,” the woman insisted, looking at William, not Sarah. “Please take her out of here.”

“Yes,” Sarah agreed. “Please take me out of here.”

The saleswoman looked at her in surprise. “Oh, she talks, that's funny. I didn't know they could speak.”

“I'm a person, you idiot,” Sarah snapped. It was one thing to be thrown out of a store because she was a feral wretch frightening the other customers away. It was quite something else to be treated as if she wasn't even human.

“Sarah,” William said warningly. “No need to be rude.”

“She's being rude,” Sarah pointed out.

The saleswoman looked surprised, offended, and shocked in equal measures. “My, she certainly thinks highly of herself, doesn't she?”

“That's funny, coming from a woman who looks like the ass end of a forest bird.”

William snorted with what was probably amusement, but he covered it up quickly. “Sarah, please.” He turned to the saleswoman. “Please, ma'am, I just need something for her to wear.”

“I'm afraid we have a strict no pets policy,” the woman insisted. “Please leave, or I will call the authorities.”

“They have a strict ugly dress policy too,” Sarah said. “And an ugly person policy as well.”

“Sarah!” William's scowl was almost believable. “Behave yourself.”

The woman was moving away, presumably to contact the authorities.

“Come on,” he said. “Let's go.”

Sarah allowed herself to be tugged out of the store. She was not sorry to leave, but she was thoroughly annoyed at the reason for her leaving.

“Everybody in this entire city hates me,” she complained as William quick marched her out of the store.

“You didn't do a whole lot to change their minds,” William said. “You were rude.”

“She was rude. And anyway, she didn't like me before they knew I was rude. She didn't want me there because I'm wild. Because I don't have the right color hair or the right color eyes. Nobody wants me here.”

“We're going to try another store,” he said. “And this time, you're not going to insult the staff.”

Sarah thought that was a bad idea, but her opinion didn't matter. William was on a mission and he wasn't going to leave without a dress.

“Maybe you should just buy the dress for yourself,” she suggested. “They might actually sell one to you.”

“Cute,” William said. “Try not to annoy the people in this store.”

They entered another store with a similarly garish range of clothing options. Sarah had long lost interest in the possibility of actually getting something to wear, not that she wanted to dress like a citizen anyway. They all looked utterly ridiculous in her eyes.

“What about this?” William pointed to something gauzy and soft. It didn't look like it would do much in the way of covering anyone's body. She could see right through it to the disapproving face of the citizen beyond. This time it was a man, whose brown hair had been sculpted into a wave atop his head. It didn't move when he did, it was somehow stuck together in one large clump. Very civilized, unlike her own loose, green locks which moved with every little wisp of wind.

“Sorry, sir,” the salesman said, plucking the item from William's fingers. It was a bold move, especially given that he was about half William's size. “Our clothing is designed for citizens only. It is unlikely to accommodate your pet.”

“How would it not?” William inquired. “She has the same measurements as any other woman.”

“No, I don't. Citizen women have big, fat butts,” Sarah interrupted.

“You're about to have a very sore butt if you don't cut this out,” William growled at her under his breath. She didn't know why he was so annoyed with her. She wasn't the one refusing to serve herself. She wasn't the one treating others as less than human.

“This is a very fine fabric,” the salesman explained. “It is not suitable for... pets.”

The inflection he put on the word 'pets' was enough to convey a sense of complete disdain.

“I don't think it much matters who wears the clothing, does it?” William's voice was strained. He was trying to be reasonable.

“We cannot have word getting out that our finest items are being worn by a pet,” the salesman said. “It would not be good for business.”

“I see,” William said. Sarah could sense the tension rising in him. He was getting annoyed, maybe even angry. His tension made her tense in turn, made her angry at the salesman who insulted her and William in equal measure.