The next two days were of the monotonous kind. Damien was busy searching for a way past the virus and that meant there wasn’t much for me to do during that down time. I would go out to keep an eye on the situation the best I could. Then I would come back and try to keep a very bored Sapphire somewhat entertained. Well, as entertained as someone inside what amounted to a dirt box could be.

We would talk a lot in some rather one sided conversations. She knew nothing of her life and I had all twenty five years of mine to tell. I normally wasn’t one to divulge my personal life, but there was something comforting in talking about my life with Sapphire. There was no judgment, just curiosity. Of course, I did leave out parts of my life, but unlike some people, she never called my current life boring. 

Being a curious person, however, inevitably meant that more prying questions would be asked. I always tried to dance around them, but there were only so many topics that could be discussed because things would wrap back around.

One question in particular gave me pause.

“Why are you so afraid of the Sunbreakers?”

She asked this while hanging off the edge of the bed, her body upside down with her legs on the bed. Her shirt was sagging down, revealing her surprisingly toned midriff. It wasn’t anything too muscular, but there were hints of abs poking through. 

“What do you mean afraid?” I said. I wasn’t deflecting here. The Sunbreakers didn’t scare me in the slightest. It was more of a matter of trying to protect Sapphire.

“You seem to know so much about them and all this gang, um, stuff, but you’re hiding from them. I think you can beat them.”

“I think so too,” I nodded. “It’s just not worth it. Getting involved with people like that is like quicksand. The more you struggle, the deeper you get.”

“How do you know so much, though?” she said, sitting upright now. Our hours of talking seemed to have improved her speaking skills.

“Would you believe me if I said it was because I’ve lived here for a long time?”

“No.” She said that without a bit of hesitation. I couldn’t help but laugh.

“Well, that’s honestly the truth. Of course, there’s more to it, but that’s a long story,” I sighed. “I’ve been in the Outer Districts for about twelve years now?”

“You weren’t born here?” 

“No. If you go around and listen to how the locals speak, you would’ve been able to figure that out. I’m from the City. At least, I was born there. That place isn’t something I would call home, nowadays.”

“Twelve years ago. So you were thirteen when you started living in this place?” Sapphire frowned. I gave her a nod. Her math was right. “Isn’t that kinda young?”

“Surprisingly, no. It’s pretty common for kids to be kicked out to the Outer Districts. I was just one of them. I’ve met younger. They don’t last long.”

“What do you mean?”

“City kids don’t have the skills to survive here. Most of them don’t,” I said, correcting myself. “They live a life that knows only the surface of suffering. Their days are filled with worry about what their friends are going to think of their clothes and whether or not their parents will be happy with their grades. It’s a simple life.”

“Is that bad?” Sapphire frowned.

“No. Not at all. If anything, it’s preferred by most. If you ask ten people in the OD, probably seven will take that life. Simple doesn’t mean bad. I would know,” I chuckled. “But there are things in that life, little footnotes and small text, that no one knows or reads. There’s a certain pressure that you never notice until you step back and take a look from the outside.”

“I don’t understand something. Why would kids from the City be here by themselves?”

“Like I said. Kicked out. They’re not here by choice.”

“So you were too?”

“Yeah, but it’s a bit more complicated than that.” I paused before looking her right in the eyes. “I can tell you if you want.”

She lit up at the promise of a story before hesitating for a moment. “If you want to.”

I smiled. She really was learning. 

“I’ll tell you. It’ll help you understand why we’re stuck here in this box as well. That was your original question anyway.” I laid back on the bed, staring up at the ceiling as I gathered my thoughts. “This might be a bit of a long story. Where to start.”

When you reach the age of eight, you’re expected to make a decision that determines your future forever. You declare your career and from then on, that is all you are allowed to do. Officially. 

There were certain careers that were restricted by the government and could only be pursued if you displayed great talent for it. The arts like music and writing were one. Another was joining the military and, in particular, becoming an officer. Of course, nowadays, talent is almost synonymous with money.

My family was not what you would call wealthy in terms of City life. They tried, but when I was born, they could only afford to do the very basic modifications. Those born in the Outer Districts would laugh, saying how much they would kill for any kind of genetic modifications, but life in the City is different. Everyone has mods and they determine how successful you will become. Who the smartest and who the strongest are is set in stone the moment you are born. 

In order to succeed, I had to use other means to stand out. Unquantifiable means, unaffected by genes and upbringing. I had to use my creativity. I had to think outside of the normal, come up with ideas that no one in the City would create. It was a dangerous prospect, but it was the only way. And it worked.

At the age of eight, I was evaluated and given a seat in the military academy. It was one of the happiest days of my life. My parents were so proud of me and for the first time in my life, I felt accomplished. Of course, getting into the academy and succeeding within the academy were completely different matters. Even if I graduated, coming out as the bottom of the class only proved the assumptions others would have of me. 

It was a struggle in the beginning, especially the combat training. Fighting against others who were quite literally superior to you in every physical attribute was not a great foundation for success. I struggled endlessly, day and night, to carve out my space. It was nothing new; it was the story of my entire life. Eventually, I began to climb the ranks, building a name for myself. In combat, few could best me, and in strategy, I excelled.

That went on for five years, and though it was a harsh five years, I had never felt more fulfilled in my young life. Soon, I would have been graduating from the academy and beginning my practical training. I had hope. And that hope would come crashing down one afternoon. 

In the City, the roads operated on MagLev technology. The name itself was trademarked. Vehicles floated off the ground and were guided around by a system of roads that wove through the City. No need for steering or brakes. Accidents were near zero. However, there is always a small chance. Nearly zero is not the same as zero. I happened to be lucky enough to experience that small chance.

I was returning home after a trip to the store. It was the weekend, I believe, and because of that, the sidewalk was filled with people going about their day and the streets were buzzing with zooming vehicles. My body reacted before my mind could process what happened next. One moment, I was walking among a crowd of people and the next I was balled up in the rubble of a collapsed wall. I don’t remember much of that moment other than trying to get up but my body failing me. The next thing I can recall was waking up in the hospital.

The nurses and the news filled me in on what had happened. A car malfunction happened, causing it to veer off the road and into the sidewalk. Other than me, there were five others who had sustained injuries though none were as severe as mine.

Speaking of which, the injuries I had were quite extensive. The summary was that I broke many bones with my right arm being pulverized and had several damaged ligaments, tendons, and muscles. The actual list of injuries was given to me with every part that was damaged, but the thing that worried me the most was the price. 

My body wasn’t the toughest. I wasn’t given such benefits at birth. I had to take care to prevent sickness or injury more so than the average person. It wasn’t just out of safety for myself though. The cost of care would be higher for everything medical related when it came to me. You can imagine what the bill was like for an accident like this. There was no way my parents could possibly afford the recommended treatments. We had received some compensatory payments from the company that manufactured that vehicle, but it was merely for PR and was nowhere near enough to pay for the bills.

Because of that, I was stuck in the hospital for an entire month. Most would have been gone in a few days. They would have gotten a shot of medical nanites to assist their genetically modified immune system. Bones and muscles would have mended themselves in a matter of hours. All for the low low price of an entire month of my parent’s salary. And that’s only for the shot. It wouldn’t be nearly affected given my body.

Another complication was my arm. It was beyond repair even for the greatest of medicines. It would need to be replaced. A trivial matter for others as they could just pay for the growth of a new arm. My parents had to choose. Either pay for a new arm but have me bed ridden for months at best or compromise. They chose the latter and I received a prosthetic.

All this was disastrous for my military dreams. I couldn’t participate in any training during that entire month, but most importantly, I no longer met the requirements to attend. By law, I was no longer considered wholly human anymore. My new arm classified me as a cyborg and with that classification came a veritable tsunami of consequences. Besides me being disqualified from the academy, many universities had policies that refused accepting cyborgs and many jobs and companies were the same. Something about safety and not wanting to put others at risk. It’s really just because of their image, but that’s the official answer.

So now there I was. A thirteen year old who couldn’t attend school or obtain any work. You could call it unfair. But that was how things went in the City and not without reason, though you can argue whether or not that reason is a good one. There I was though, useless as can be. So where else could I have gone except the Outer Districts.

“But your parents just left you here? Did you leave on your own?” Sapphire asked as I finished. 

“No. I wouldn't leave my parents unless I was made to,” I sighed. The story was bringing a torrent of memories I had pushed away in my mind. Faces of the friends I had and the family I knew flashed before me. I layed back on the bed, covering my eyes.

“Then they made you leave?” she said, a tinge of anger rising in her tone. 

“Yeah. I was mad as well. Angry for a little while. I understood why they did what they did though. There was no other option in a place like the City.”

“But still. Your parents just let you go? They didn’t try to keep you?”

“I’m sure if there was a way for me to stay, they would have found it,” I replied. “When something like this happens though, there’s no chance.”

“Are you really sure?” Sapphire asked, her voice filled with doubt. I didn’t like it. It reminded me of myself.

“That’s what I like to believe.” She didn’t respond to that.

“You haven’t answered my question, you know?” she said after some time. I admit, I didn’t remember what that question was.

“Can you repeat it?”

“Why do you know so much about gangs?” she said. “Is it because you were training for the military?”

I wanted to say yes and be done with the conversation, but there was something about Sapphire that made me feel terrible whenever I lied to her. Maybe it was those innocent blue eyes that just believed everything that I said. It was like tricking a puppy. An adorable little puppy.

“No. The military doesn’t handle gangs. That’s the job of the police,” I said. “The reason I know so much is because I was a part of that world. I lived that life for eight, almost nine years as a member of the Serpents.”

“So you left?”

“I did. I didn’t want to live that life anymore. Not after, um, certain events,” I replied. My jaw tightened as those memories. “There were some irreconcilable differences between me and the new leadership.”

“Do you miss it?” Sapphire asked, staring at me with those deep blue eyes.

Did I miss the gang? I knew the correct answer. They are a group of criminals that went around bullying and stealing from people that were not better off than them. But deep down I knew. 

“Sometimes,” I sighed. “Sometimes I think to myself, what if I just went back? Those were my teenage years. They were my family. We partied and pillaged together. We sang songs as we drove around in the middle of the night in obnoxious cars, disturbing the sleep of everyone unfortunate to be in our way.” A smile crept onto my face. “I remember one night I was out with a, um, with a friend. We spotted a car—a fancy one that just told you the owner was rich and loved showing it. It gave me an idea. You see, Triston wasn’t the most cautious of people. He was impulsive, boneheaded, and sometimes just plain stupid.”

“You don’t like him?” Sapphire asked.

“Hardly,” I laughed. “He was my brother basically. We came to the Serpents around the same time. I knew him well. One of his biggest weaknesses was not being observant. I decided to play a little prank and bet that he couldn’t steal the car and bring it back to the base. He didn’t notice there were bodyguards of sorts watching the car. So when he took the bet and broke into the car, As soon as he began driving off, there were cars chasing after him. He crashed not long after and I helped him get away. The boss got mad at us, but it was worth it. His face when he saw all of the guards surrounding him was priceless.”

“Do you still keep in touch with him?” 

The smile melted off my face. “No. He’s gone.”

“He died?”

“The boy I knew died.” The mood in the room fell. Sapphire looked away, staring at the ground. I couldn’t help but feel guilty despite her being the one who had asked. I tried to force a smile, but it probably looked more like a grimace. “But enough about him. That was my life. The ways that gangs move and work is common knowledge to me. And my time with the Serpents have made me a wanted woman. So I was kind of the worst person for someone like you to run into.”

“I don’t think you’re a bad person,” Sapphire frowned. 

“That’s not exactly what I meant,” I said, a real smile spreading on my face. “But thank you. Let’s head to bed. It’s getting late and I’m a bit tired.”

We had already eaten, so all that was left for us to do was to sleep on the bed. As we laid down, Sapphire cuddled up to me, pressing her face into the side of my chest. At this point, I had gotten used to her doing that. There was no point in telling her otherwise and when I first tried, she gave me such sad eyes that I couldn’t help but give in. And though I might not admit it, a part of me enjoyed the warmth. It was different. A nice different.

The dreams came later that night. I was outside, staring at a pillar of smoke that rose into the sky like a warning beacon. Below me was a flaming mass with sirens surrounding it as firefighters got to work. I knew what that pile of smoldering wood and ash was. It was the base of the Sunbreakers, at least, the former base. 

If I was here, then that meant someone else was watching this scene. I looked to my left and spotted him. He stood there, staring down with the flickering flames reflecting in his cold green eyes. His black hair was a bit disheveled but that didn’t detract from his stoney yet handsome visage. Both of his arms were mechanical with wires and pistons left out in the open for the world to see. He turned to me and gave me a crooked smile.

“I told you,” he said, his tone smug. There was a small edge to it, almost accusatory. 

I remember this scene. I remember it all. It was the day I decided to leave.

“This isn’t right, Triston,” I replied. I knew it wouldn’t matter what I said. He had long made his decision. I had tried to convince him a long time ago, but he would never listen. “Cobra taught us better than this.”

“And now he’s dead,” Triston spat. He thrusted out a finger, pointing at the destruction below. “Because of them. He taught us cowardice.”

“He taught us rationality.”

“You know what’s rational?” he growled, stepping closer to me. “That the strong will stand above everyone else. We are the strongest in the OD. We have the manpower. We have the firepower. You and me, we can run the entire OD. Or even more. You know how it works out here. Fairness is governed by the conquerors, and I’m not going to stand here and wait for someone else to do what we can do right now.”

“This isn’t why I joined,” I said with a shake of my head. “I came because Cobra gave me a family. A loud and annoying one, but a family still. I’m not going to sit and watch you let that all go to waste because of some crazy dream you have.”

“Crazy?” His voice started rising in pitch. “CRAZY? Look around you, Fae! Beyond us. Look at the streets and all those who are suffering. Do you think I’m crazy for trying to save them?”

“No. You’re crazy for thinking that you’ll be the one to save them,” I said, raising my voice to match his. “We’re just a gang, Triston! All we know how to do is steal and party. And now you sound like you’re talking about some revolution.”

He stepped up to my face, staring me down with glowering eyes. 

“You’re just a coward then.”

“And you’re crazy.”

Then he punched me. It was a solid hit right into the face. It didn’t hurt, the blow itself, but it did more than leave a bruise. It left a crack in my heart as that was the moment I knew that the boy I knew was no more.

“LEAVE THEN!” he screamed. “I DON’T NEED YOU! LEAVE!”

And I did just that. I turned and walked away as tears began welling up in my eyes. For the second time in my life, I lost my family. 

My eyes snapped open. The room was dark, but I could still feel the tears that threatened to fall. A small breath caught my attention. Looking down, I saw the outline of Sapphire as she snuggled up to my chest. My arms were wrapped around her, but she didn’t seem bothered. She slept so peacefully, her breaths slow and steady and she breathed in and out. Staring at her, I felt my heart steady and a sense of calm wash over me. I pulled her closer and hugged her, placing my chin on top of her head as I closed my eyes again.

“Fae?” she asked in a small voice. She didn’t sound mad, just a tad confused. “Is everything okay?”

“It’s fine now,” I replied softly. “Go to sleep.”

“Okay.” 

There was a hint of something there, a smile maybe, as she pressed herself into me. Then sleep came to claim me once more, but this time, no dreams came to visit.

FriendlyDragon

I might be publishing something else for a little bit. Chapters have been pretty slow for this, but we'll see what comes in the future.