The Assignment

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First week of school and I already have an assignment. Dad came into my room with a chocolate almond milk carton and a cookie to encourage me to finish my work. He patted me lovingly on my head and planted a kiss on my forehead, and without a word, he went back to the kitchen.

Hmmm, now how do I begin? I thought to myself, unable to focus. I stared hard at the two pictures in front of me, hoping they would give me an inspiration to write. They seemed to be happy and were smiling broadly. How is this of any help?! Old photographs are not going to do my homework. I was beginning to feel frustrated when it struck me.

I started jabbing the keys on my laptop.

"LIFE CYCLES OF STILTERS AND WINGRESSES.

Most species begin life as a single egg cell fertilised by a sperm cell. The growth of these cells to form into a live young takes about 280days. Some of these young ones turn out to be stilters and the others wingresses.

The Assertives, also known as the Stilters, are a species of the originally found higher animals which are scattered all over the globe.

Classification:

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Mammalia

The Assertives are typically defensive by nature, react to disturbances faster than other species, and have established their dominance over other species. They undertake and practice invasions, annexations, and occupations. The Assertives display certain behavioral traits that make them superior with the ability to out-compete their counterparts. These Assertives are commonly referred to as the Stilters, even though they are not born with Stilts, they are bred to adopt as early as infancy. The stilts are poles which allow the Stilters to stand at a height above the ground. As the Stilters grow, the height of the stilts increase. At the prime vitality of most Stilters, the stilts are of maximum height one can balance on.

The Stilters are smothered and curbed by the community to adhere to the practices and not to throw down the gauntlets. Regardless of the leg sores acquired by prolonged use of the stilts, the numbness the stilts cause, the smarting they leave on the limbs, the lacerations incurred, the aches induced by the lengthy usage, the Stilters are not permitted to step off. Sometimes even during the nighttime.

As the life cycle of the Assertive progresses, the stilts taper off in congruence with the age and influence of the Assertive. The demands of social and physical environment increase, inversely proportional to the Stilter's strength.

Certain Assertives go through the entire life cycle without ever having used a stilt which are exceptions and scarce in number.

The Diffidents, also known as the Wingress, are a species of the originally found higher animals which are scattered around the globe along with the Assertives.

Classification:

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Mammalia

The Diffidents are typically demure, unassertive, modest, and timid in comparison to the Assertives. They are unassuming and effortlessly homebound. Their ability to bear offspring and care for the offspring is a powerful and substantial contrast to the Assertives.

Unlike the Stilters, the Wingress are born with small bud wings. As they progress through various cycles of growth, the wings become more pronounced, and at menarche, the wings become fully potential for flight. A large percentage of the Wingresses are strained to endeavor a Stilter when their wings are showing optimal vitality. Consequently, this results in the clipping of the wings or in some cases completely severing from the Wingress leaving just the vestige remains on the Wingress' backs. The life process for the Wingress runs remodel, persisting the Stilter and trailing at the stilts. The Wingress forfeits distinctiveness and assumes enduring, and abandon pursuit.

Even though the vestiges throb from time to time and yearn the wings to grow back, the community prescribes otherwise. Here too, the exceptions can be found, with Wingress going through an entire life cycle never having the wings clipped or severed.

The Assertives and the Diffidents are sociable species and spend their lives in groups. The average life span of a Stilter is about 80 years whereas the Wingress lives up to 95 years. Although there are many differences in the basic life cycle of Wingress and Stilter, the similarities create a relationship between the two.

The Stilters cannot live to maturity without the support and aid of the Wingresses and the Diffidents are heavily dependent on the Assertives for care."

I stopped hitting the keys feverishly and looked down again at the two photographs of my great grandparents, my great grandfather was standing on stilts with his arms out stretched and grinning down at the camera, my great grandmother with her back to the camera, half-turned face smiling pretty, in a lovely satin backless gown. I could see two faint bumps on her back.

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