Brown Girl in the Ring by Nalo Hopkinson

It might bring Angel of Mercy good business if we're the ones to pull it off.

'And it looks like she's not leaving a lot to chance, either.' More softly he said, 'Somebody's quietly going to a lot of trouble to have the hospitals procure a human heart for her. She might actually get voted back in next year.' Baines pursed his lips, shook his head. Polls are tipping in her favour since she started up this 'God's creatures' thing. But her position is pulling in the voter support. Fat chance, when almost no one in the world runs human volunteer donor programs any more. Says she's confident that if she's meant to have a new heart, it'll come from the human population. You know the line: human organ transplant should be about people helping people, not about preying on helpless creatures, yadda, yadda, yadda. Says the porcine organ farms are immoral. 'Well, yeah, it's Premier Uttley all right. Baines babbled, 'This is all on the q.t., you understand?' As he expected, his silence seemed to fluster Baines even more. 'Is Uttley, ain't? Oonuh need a heart transplant for she, and she nah let you put no trenton in she body?'īaines looked troubled, then gave a resigned shrug and said, 'Fuck, I hate this. The man was spouting someone else's party line. Ethics, you know?'Īs he heard that spluttered word 'ethics,' Rudy was suddenly sure that he knew what this was all about. 'Well, ah, I'm afraid that porcine material just won't do in this case. Rudy leaned his elbows on his desk and steepled his fingers, making the gold ring on his thumb flash. The way he using all them ten-dollar words, this one go be big. 'Yes, well, of course the Porcine Organ Harvest Program has revolutionized human transplant technology….'Įh-heh. 'And how come oonuh nah use a swine heart? Ain't is that you have all them pig farms for?' Something didn't sound quite right to Rudy. We're hoping that your people can help us locate one.' His own chair was a plush upholstered leather, the colour of mahogany.īaines sat, fiddling nervously with the case of his palm-book. 'Sit down, man.' With his chin, Rudy indicated the hard plastic chair on the other side of his desk.

His ostentatious lack of protection against attack carried its own message. Rudy picked at a nonexistent bit of fluff on the sleeve of his own tailor-fitted wool suit. Underneath it he was wearing a poorly made jacket and a cheap white shirt. Rudy watched Baines give Melba the bulletproof.

He looked foolish, and he looked like he knew it. The pudgy man had shown up in a cheap, off-the-rack bulletproof that dragged along the floor, his barrel chest straining at its buttons. Douglas Baines had obviously never ventured into Rudy's neighbourhood before. 'Is what you a-say?' He stared at the scared-looking man from the Angel of Mercy transplant hospital up by the Burn. As soon as he entered the room, Baines blurted out, 'We want you to find us a viable human heart, fast.'

Brown Girl in the Ring by Nalo Hopkinson