Cell Bank is a novel I ever wrote in mid-2021. It was inspired by my scientific upbringing and education in my life, and the film In Time.

I stopped writing it to pursue FeatherWings, which would eventually become These Alien Dragons.

CW (content warning): profanity

Prologue

In the beginning, cells brought life into existence. 

And life sprang from these cells. 

Animals and plants. 

It is these cells that allow life to exist. 

It is also these cells that destroy life, through the proteins they produce. 

Life is a cycle. 

But the balance of life was disrupted in the Mutated Days. 

In those days, hell was loose. 

In those days, fear was worshipped. But out of that hell and fear, where we are now emerged. 

We live in a world of cells.

Part One: The Wnt Pathway

Chapter 1

"That'll be 100 cells", the checkout person says.

I sigh, and hold out my wrist for the Pipette, a short, thin needle used for extracting the precise number of cells like a citizen using money as payment.

Money.

An antiquated term I like.

Mother loves pastries, and this one is her favorite: a chocolate-filled croissant. It's for her World Entrance Day, which is coming up in exactly five hours.

The Pipette inserts itself into my wrist, where there is a small red dot on it. This was a scar I gained from payment encounters over the years.

The transaction is quick and painless, as it detects and withdraws 100 cells from my body.

As soon as it's over and the Pipette disappears, the checkout person hands my the clear biodegradable container which the croissant is packaged in.

I thank them, and leave Glucose Treats, a cheap, delightable bakery that serves Tatum's lowest caste - the Cancers.

Cancers. As if calling us "Tumors" wasn't enough.

I check the street as I leave. At least the Statins are off-duty right now.

I hope.

See, here's the thing about Tatum: it's divided.

No, it's not divided based on immutable characteristics or the antiquated terms of "religion, race, politics, ethnicity, gender, sex".

It's divided by who we are.

There are two classes - the Normals, who are the most materialistic people you will ever meet; and us Cancers, those who struggle and claw their way to survive.

The Normals can go fuck themselves. They spend their time inserting cells into their bodies to buy more things.

As I walk down the city's streets, I notice that the unitless people still crowd the walkways.

The unitless were not assigned somewhere to thrive, and instead were dumped out here because they were deemed physically and/or mentally unfit to do so.

One of those I pass daily is Moon, a girl around my age. She was rendered unitless because of social deficits, something dubbed as "autism" in the Mutated Days.

Moon sits on the corner near an abandoned education center on Polymerase Street, a few miles from where Mother and I reside.

Her pale moon-white skin was the probably origin of her name. She wore dirty clothing, and the scrap-made necklace she wore resembled a masterpiece that should be put on public display.

I turn onto her corner on Polymerase Street, she notices me.

"Ally!" she exclaims.

"Hey, Moon", I reply and stop in front of her.

"Do you have any cells for me today?" She looks up her wide, light blue eyes.

I shake my head. "Not today. Mother's World Entrance Day is coming up."

She looks down, disappointed. "Oh. Well, tell your mom I said hello and Happy World Entrance Day."

I chuckle before moving on. "I will."

Walking down Polymerase Street, which is a long thread-like road lined with grey houses, you get a sense that this is a residential place.

Mother and I's unit is close to the new education center, across from the abandoned one.

And here it is.

Our unit.

I open the door by showed the scanner the same wrist I used to buy the pastry, which scan my genetic information.

The lock on the door clicks, telling me I can enter.

When I enter, I see that Mother isn't home. I place the package onto our clay kitchen table.

Everything us Cancers use is made of clay, save for our personal belongings.

I put my stuff down and head to my room, where my nest is.

I sit down and lay on the tattered blankets that make up the nest, and fall asleep.

Let's hope Mother arrives soon.

Originally published: 02/24/2024 (typed up written work I had to page): edited: (WIP)