The Mating Season

By Allan Banford

In the gleaming metropolis of Crandon, citizens' lives revolve around the all-important mating season under the watchful eye of the authoritarian government. Jona and Remi, two young administrative clerks, feel the first stirrings of unease as oppressive new ovulation regulations are handed down.

When the long-awaited mating frenzy finally descends, instinct overrides conditioning and chaos erupts! Crazed citizens roam the streets desperately seeking partners. Behind closed doors, primal urges are indulged. Will Jona and Remi give in to temptation or follow protocol?

At the sterile government mating center, potential pairs are algorithmically matched based on genetics, not affection. Jona and Remi are disillusioned by the lack of genuine connection. Amidst the pandemonium, their eyes meet and a spark ignites.

Finding refuge in an abandoned building, Jona and Remi explore their illicit feelings. Outside, dissent brews as citizens protest for autonomy. The regime responds with brute force, but a secret resistance movement gains traction.

As the exhausting week draws to a close, Jona and Remi make fateful decisions that will shape their futures forever. Paired with incompatible mates, they conform under societal pressure. But a lingering longing for freedom remains.

Can Jona and Remi break Crandon's vicious mating cycle? Will they find purpose beyond reproduction? Their simmering discontent is about to boil over, threatening to dismantle the fabric of their dystopian society. Is an uprising on the horizon?

This electric page-turner paints a vivid portrait of individuality versus conformity, desire versus duty, and the spirit of youthful rebellion in a futuristic world gone mad. With bated breath, we wonder - will the flames of insurgency ignite Crandon forever?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Allan Banford
• Release date: Feb 29, 2024
• ISBN: 9798224722242

Book preview

Chapter

I

Crandon

The sun emerged over the gleaming skyscrapers of Crandon, bathing the futuristic metropolis in a warm golden glow. Crandon was a city of order, efficiency, and purpose, where every aspect of life was meticulously controlled. Through the orderly bustling streets, we observed the citizens beginning their day with robotic precision, following the same routines day after day in complete harmony.

We meet Jona, a young administrative clerk. She begins her day with practiced efficiency in her compact apartment, ingesting a series of nutrient pills specifically formulated by the government for optimum productivity.

After closing the sleek sleeping pod that all Crandon citizens use for strictly optimized and efficient sleep, she makes her way to work.

Upon arriving at the large government building, Jona immediately joins her colleagues in discussing the latest decrees handed down regarding mating cycles and genetically ideal pair assignments. Did you hear about the new ovulation regulations? Jona casually mentions to her friend Remi, who works beside her as a fellow administrative clerk. Remi rolls his eyes in response, playfully exasperated by the government's constant micromanaging of reproduction.

The two spend the day processing paperwork, analyzing statistics, and filing reports, contributing to the smooth bureaucratic workings of the city. Everything is perfectly controlled and scheduled, with no problems or unpredictability. At the end of the strictly regimented workday, Jona and Remi part ways, heading back to their government-assigned living quarters to follow the pre-planned routine until the next workday.

Remi smirked in response to Jona's comment about the latest reproductive decree, quipping that it seemed like the government was trying to micromanage every detail of their love lives. Jona chuckled lightly in agreement - at least all the rules kept things interesting. In Crandon, reproduction was viewed not as a matter of personal choice, but as a civic duty.

Inside the sterile government office, Jona worked diligently at her desk, though her thoughts occasionally drifted to the upcoming Summit of Ministries, the final bureaucratic step in Crandon's highly-engineered reproductive process. Every detail was planned out months in advance to ensure the success of the mating cycle. 

As the day progressed, Jona felt the familiar lifeless lull of the dormant period settling in. For now, life plodded on in its predictable, orderly fashion, just as intended by Crandon's authorities.

Later, during their break in the cafeteria, Jona and Remi sat together watching a lone aircraft pass by through the window. Jona pointed out the plane, remarking on how surreal it seemed, a rare sight of individualism against Crandon's perfectly uniform backdrop. Remi smirked and commented that perhaps it was a sign - a sign that things in their overly-controlled city were about to change. Jona laughed at her friend's fanciful notion and dismissed it, returning to eat her strictly nutritious, government-formulated meal.

Little did the two young clerks know, but Crandon's calm facade was indeed about to be shattered...

Eight months passed. The city buzzed with activity as preparations for the upcoming highly-regulated mating season were underway. Every minute detail had been planned out months in advance to ensure the cycle's success.

Inside the government building, Jona and Remi were immersed in paperwork related to the mating season protocols and procedures. Jona reiterated the importance of adhering to the mating guidelines set by the Ministry, and Remi readily agreed - in Crandon, strict adherence to regulations was paramount. Even the smallest deviation from the rules could disrupt the delicate balance of their precisely engineered society.

Inside the sterile research labs, scientists worked tirelessly conducting experiments to optimize fertility rates and genetic compatibility amongst Crandon's inhabitants. One scientist remarked to his colleague that they needed to ensure the genetic pool remained diverse - the very future of their city depended on it. In Crandon, reproduction was approached with clinical precision and scientific objectivity. Emotional factors like love and attraction were considered secondary to the need for genetic compatibility and maximum productivity.

At the city's Education Center, young adults attended mandatory classes on reproductive health and genetic screening. The instructor drilled into them that their primary civic duty was to mate and produce offspring in order to ensure the continuation of Crandonian society. They were told to choose their mates wisely, based solely on scientific criteria rather than passion or romance. 

That night in her compact apartment, Jona reviewed her own genetic profile, carefully analyzing the potential mates that had been selected for her by the government's complex matching algorithms. As the mating season approached, individuals awaited the revelation of their assigned reproductive partners, knowing their mating decisions would impact the collective future of Crandon.

At the government office, Jona and Remi attended a briefing on the final preparations leading up to the highly anticipated mating period. A Ministry official stressed that the success of the mating season was crucial for maintaining Crandon's societal stability into the next generation. He ordered staff to ensure all protocols were followed to the letter during this sensitive time.

When the long-awaited day finally arrived, the entire population of Crandon gathered together in the central city square for a ceremonial event marking the official commencement of mating season. As the city prepared to embark on another round of scientifically engineered reproduction, a heavy atmosphere settled amongst the inhabitants, all bracing themselves for the inevitable changes that lay ahead.

In the days leading up to the mating period, a nervous energy charged the air of Crandon with anticipation. The looming event cast an ever-growing shadow over the routines of the city. Beneath the veneer of order and control, anxieties brewed amongst the populace.

Alone in her apartment, Jona paced back and forth, consumed by conflicting emotions regarding the impending assigned mating that would shape the rest of her life according to Crandon's design.

Alone in her apartment, Jona spoke aloud to herself, questioning why she felt such unease rather than excitement about the impending assigned mating. She glanced anxiously at the government dossier containing clinical details about the stranger chosen to be her mate. For Jona and many others, the prospect of mating with someone selected purely on genetic metrics rather than actual attraction triggered uncertainty.

In his own living quarters, Remi sat troubled as he contemplated the regimented mating season

Reviews for The Mating Season

[Allan Banford · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

"The Mating Season" is an engaging exploration of love and rebellion in a dystopian society. Jona and Remi's forbidden romance amidst oppressive regulations creates captivating tension throughout. It's a thought-provoking read that explores themes of individuality and freedom, leaving a lasting impact on readers.