The Beauty of the End

In this provocative work of speculative fiction, two sisters navigate the complex moral terrain of reproductive ethics, individual freedoms, and society’s duty to a future facing imminent extinction.

Charlie Tannehill and her twin sister, Maggie, are just eight years old when an unfortunate scientific discovery upends their world—and the world order. The revelation? Extinction, encoded in every creature’s DNA. The expiration date for humans? Only four generations away.

A decade later, unsure of what tomorrow holds, Charlie and Maggie enroll as counselors in a government-run human-husbandry program. By offering cash rewards for reproduction, they hope to forestall humanity’s decline and discover a genetic mutation that might defeat it. While Charlie struggles with the ethical implications of the work, Maggie makes unspeakable sacrifices to improve her odds of success—but such unchecked ambition could come at a greater cost than even she realizes.

Torn between her own morality, her love for her sister, and the pressures of a vanishing civilization, Charlie must search deep within to decide what she’s willing to sacrifice—for herself, for Maggie, and for society—to salvage hope for the whole of humankind.

Lauren Stienstra’s professional life in government has been instrumental in shaping her literary voice. From the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic response to addressing the critical issue of climate change, Stienstra’s lived experiences and deep-rooted commitment to public service have informed and inspired her prose. She holds degrees in physiology and crisis management, has studied creative writing at UCLA Extension, and is currently completing her doctorate in public health at Johns Hopkins University. These endeavors have not only broadened her understanding of the world’s most pressing challenges but also fueled her passion for resonant stories that weave together the complexities of the world she knows so intimately. Based in Washington, DC, Stienstra is the mother of two children and two cats, both of which challenge her equally. For more information, visit www.laurenstienstra.com.