Dear Akin,
It seems like only yesterday that I was awakened into a world that I did not know. I was afraid, confused, angry, and a whole other gambit of emotions. It took me some time but eventually I became accustomed to this new world around me. Before I knew it, I was awakening other humans and preparing to return to Earth. After many years of learning and rebuilding, I was blessed with you. You are to be the first male construct and I am more than excited and a little nervous. I’m excited to see what you become and what talents and abilities will grow with you. I hope that you will be able to live peacefully with both Humans and Oankali and that no harm will come to you. My biggest hope is that you will be in appearance as close to human as possible. This is not because I will not love you unconditionally but because I fear those who have resisted. I consistently play this over in my head and in an effort to prepare you if I’m not around, I want to pass it on to you, Akin. Always remember humans fear anything that is different. What they cannot understand seems more dangerous to them than any of the animals that now walk the earth. That’s why some have chosen to resist the Oankali and strike out on their own, free from our co-habitants on this new Earth. Most of the resisters just choose to live peacefully but some are much more dangerous. This is why I pray for you to be as human in appearance as possible for fear the resisters will take you. I do not want to give them any reason to take you, my dear son, away from me and your Oankali family. You must remember to always keep what I have said in mind and if the worst happens to not give any outsiders a reason to think that you are not 100 percent human. They are not bad people but just frightened and scared like we all were at some point during the process of rebuilding our species. I do not want this letter to frighten you but to prepare you for the worst because it is when you are not prepared that the worst happens. I hope that this situation will never be an issue and that we will live and learn together as a family. I love you Akin and, while I’m afraid, I’m more excited to see they type of man you grow up to be. I feel you are destined for great things and that you will be beginning of new and wonderful things. Always remember Mom loves you and I will always be with you.
Love,
Lilith
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