The Baxter Family

In the past, humanity had strict ways of raising children based on their gender: boys played sports, and girls played with dolls. However, far into the future, this practice is seen as a hard lesson in the dangers of limiting people based on their physical appearance. Children are now raised as human beings, free to play soccer, console games, or even with dolls and toy houses.

Charles didn't have the luxury of a carefree childhood.

His earliest memory is of hiding under the bed, pressing his fingers into his ears to block out the sound of his parents screaming at each other.

"You're crazy!"

"You're dramatic!"

Believe it or not, even young children can be perceptive enough to understand what's happening around them. Little Charles could only imagine what was going on in the living room when he heard thuds, crashes, or the sound of something breaking during their arguments. Often, a child's imagination is more extreme than reality, intensifying their fears.

But no matter what they fought about, Charles's mother always won.

It wasn't because his father was weak or timid. Tyler Baxter was a big man with a beer belly and hairy arms. He had tattoos scattered across his body, giving the instant impression that he wasn't someone to mess with. But he was naive. Tyler often spoke to his friends about the "power of the mind":

"If we believe something is true, then it will come true. So, if we don't believe in bad things, they won't happen. It's all about mind control."

When his friends told him his wife had been unfaithful during his interplanetary expeditions, Tyler refused to believe it.

"No, my wife loves me. She wouldn't cheat on me. We married for love."

Camila Baxter could only laugh when Tyler's friends confronted her with accusations. She laughed because, even with picture and video evidence, Tyler still refused to believe them.

"That's just AI-generated. Deepfake," Tyler said dismissively, tearing up photos that showed Camila with another man. He said the same thing when watching a video recording of Camila in their bedroom with someone else.

"Tyler, you're an idiot! Just because mind power exists doesn't mean you can control how other people behave!" one of his friends shouted in frustration.

"Relax! Nothing's happening. I know she has a lot of guy friends, but they mean nothing compared to me. If that weren't true, why would she marry me?"

"She married you because you're easy to manipulate!"

"Nah, you're just a loser who can't even get a girlfriend," he laughs.

One day, Camila came home with a man who kept touching her inappropriately, even in front of 4 years old Charles.

"So this is why we bought the pizza? To bribe the little man?" the stranger chuckled, his unnaturally white teeth making his smile even creepier.

"I warned you," Camila said, unfazed. "I remember what my parents did when I was younger than him. Never underestimate children. Here, Charlie-boy, enjoy your pizza. And if you stay quiet, Mommy promises to take you to Circlenix."

Who wouldn't want to go to Circlenix? The heaven of gamers!

While Charles ate his pizza, his mother busied herself with the stranger. She claimed they were practicing Muay Thai. She always practice Muay Thai with several different men, in different times. This is not the first time it's happening.

"In the bedroom?" Charles once asked.

"Yes!" she replied without hesitation, polishing her nails.

As Charles was eating, a large shadow loomed over him.

"What do you have there, son? Care to share some with me?" Tyler's voice boomed. Charles's face lit up, and before he could react, his father pick him up.

"You're getting bigger every time I come home. Where's your mom?" Tyler asked.

This was new. Mommy always told him never to tell Daddy about her "Muay Thai practice." Charles's eyes darted around the room, his little mind racing; how to answer this? What to say? I don't want to lose my trip to Circlenix! But Mommy was too loud this time, her moans echoing from the bedroom.

Tyler's face darkened. He gently set Charles down, marched to the bedroom, and slammed the door open.

That was the day Tyler Baxter realized his "mind power" theory might need some serious adjustment.

The fights always ended when Mommy said, "Fine! I'll leave you! I'll leave everything! I deserve a better man than you! Someone with money, a real job, and someone who's always there for me and my child!"

And Daddy's voice would lower as he begged for mercy. Charles could easily imagine Daddy kneeling on the floor, pleading with Mommy not to leave.

"Camila! Please! Don't leave me! What will everybody think of me if you do? They'll laugh at me! Tell them it wasn't an affair, and let's forget everything. I'll find a better job, I promise! Just don't make me feel ashamed in front of my friends! They already think of me as an alpha!"

Everyone knew, of course, that no one actually saw Tyler as an alpha—except for himself. But Camila loved nurturing that self-delusion because it gave her control. She could pull the strings with ease, manipulating him like a puppet. Tyler cared too much about how others perceived him, and Camila took full advantage of it.

After their fights, peace would always follow. The next day, they'd be holding hands, looking so romantic it confused Charles to no end.

"Why are they so friendly now, when just yesterday they claws each other's eyes?" he often wondered.

And then, like clockwork, another fight would erupt.

"Are you dumb?! You quit your job?!" Camila screamed at her husband, her voice sharp with fury. This time, she was angrier than ever—so angry that not even her thick makeup could hide the monstrous expression on her face.

Of course, she was mad! How could she practice her Muay Thai techniques if Tyler was always home? He had to go back to his old job! She was already sick of his groin smell and couldn't wait for his next expedition. And now, he had the audacity to announce that he'd quit because he wanted to stay home for his wife and kids?! Why does he think she agree to married him?!

"I want to be there for you and our kids! I can find a better job!" Tyler argued, confusion evident in his voice. Just the other day, during one of their fights, Camila had accused him of never being there for her, saying she felt lonely and scared and needed the protection of her male "friends."

"There's no better job!" Camila snapped back. "Do you know how hard it is to find work these days? Every job has been taken over by AI—even trucking!"

"That's not true," Tyler replied, trying to remain calm. "Look, I already got a job as a trucker. I know it's not interplanetary like before, but think of the bright side—I'll be home more often now."

Camila rolled her eyes and muttered something under her breath, too quiet to make out, but it sounded suspiciously like a complaint about how she wouldn't be able to have as much "fun" as before.

Little Charles, watching this exchange, was smart enough to grasp the underlying tensions between his parents. But as perceptive as he was, this dysfunctional dynamic was all he knew about love: a game of feminine domination.