2 Ruby District (1)

Sixteen years later

3010, July 31

Chapter One

aloysia

I crouch on the edge of the roof of an abandoned, crumbling concrete building, perched like a bird. I scan the ground below me again, although nothing is very alarming. Only three chickens pecking at crumbs and grit in the middle of the small road. I frown and tug my black mask higher over my nose. My mask will hardly be of any use if I encounter a sick person, but it's better than nothing.

I find myself gazing into the distance, which is not very far. The fog of smoke and dust hide the gray ocean and sleepy forest a few miles away from here. The blood-red sun hangs in the sky. Nightfall is nearing, and she was supposed to be here thirty minutes ago. Worry starts to creep beneath my skin and I shiver.

This abandoned neighborhood is one of the few places in the Lune district that is not overcome with the plague yet. In the daytime, nobody bothers to show their face around here, but at night, the place is crawling with criminals and homeless teenagers, even some kids, and fights break out and illegal drugs are dealt. It's an ugly place, and it's called the 'plaza'.

While there are the bad drugs sold, there's also medicine. When I was just an baby, my dad was overcome with a terrible disease, one of the main genetic mistake outbreaks, and my mom was so afraid he would die that she went to this place to get medicine. She was killed here. At least, that's what Kennedy tells me.

The back of my neck starts to prickle with anger. I look at the broken beer bottles scattered on the ground, the empty dirty syringes. Who would kill a mother just looking for medicine? Why?

The three chickens find a piece of ham. I watch as they peck at it furiously, squawking occasionally and fluffing out their feathers. My gaze slips to the figure innocently making its way through the darkness of an alley. I squint at the shadow. Doesn't Kennedy know to travel by rooftop? I make out baggy clothes and floppy black hair. It's Liam, with an envelope in his hand.

I curse and sprint to the right, and leap onto the next building's roof soundlessly. I've had enough practice. Before Liam can walk into the open, I scale down the building quickly and grab Liam, covering his mouth.

He screams shortly into my hand until he sees it's me. His light watercolor brown eyes widen. I lower my hand and let go of him. "What—"

"Shh," I warn him. "Don't let your guard down. This place is worse than it seems."

Liam nods silently. He hands me the envelope. "Where's Kennedy?" I murmur quietly.

"She couldn't make it. Work is busier than ever. So she sent me."

Liam's only twelve. I grin and pat his head. "Well, good job. You survived." Liam grins back.

"Let's go to the roof," I whisper, and motion for him to start climbing. I want to climb behind him, just in case he falls. He understands and starts to climb, gripping his hands on the old window frames and the crumbling concrete that sticks out.

We sit with our legs crossed on the roof, and I open the letter. Inside are papers for my identification, fake history, and "proof" that I've been to school for eight years. Wonder and awe blooms in my chest as I look at the papers, amazed at how official it looks. I grin and side-hug Liam. "Thank you so much," I murmur. "Tell Kennedy thanks too. I'm so grateful for you guys."

Liam just gives me a thumbs-up. He's afraid to talk too loud.

"Really," I say with a big smile on my face, ruffling Liam's floppy black hair. "I really appreciate it. Thank you." In the side pocket of my belt, I pull out a pouch of gold coins. It's pretty much all I have. "Here. Take this."

Liam's eyes widen. "Oh, no no," he says, his voice faltering. "It's fine."

"No, take it," I say more forcefully. "Please. It's the least I can do."

Liam hesitates, bites his lip, then grabs the pouch carefully with delicate fingers. "Thanks."

"If you ever need help in anything," I say, standing up and brushing off dust from my pants, "you guys ask me. I'll do my best to help out in anything."

Liam scrambles to his feet, and hugs me. He's only a little bit smaller than me. He's grown so fast.

"Be careful," I murmur in his ear, patting his back. "The world's a big, dangerous place. Be careful about your actions, your words, and try to blend in. Even if it feels like there's a hole of rage burning in your chest."

"I know," he says softly.

I exhale. "Stay safe," I say, and he nods, flashes me one last smile, and scurries away. It's already pretty dark. I should walk him back to the city, I think hesitantly, then shake my head. He can do it. Kennedy trusted Liam enough to come here, she knows he can do it.

I travel by rooftop back to my home, the second floor of an old building. It used to be Kennedy's home before she moved to the city. Almost everyone left, except me. And some criminals hiding from the Centre.

There are also a handful of kids like me that still linger around here. Orphans afraid of the rest of the world. In a way, it's more peaceful here, less stressful. But I can't keep on hiding.

I light the lamps with a match, and the room fills with a warm glow. Humming, I pull out a packet of instant ramen from the cabinets, my savior for the past few years.

Amazingly, the water pipes still work in this old place. No heat or electricity, though. I make a fire in the stove and heat up water for the noodle. I alternate dinners with mostly noodle, dried meat and rice, and bread and jam. 'Very' nutritious. Sometimes I steal it from the city, sometimes Kennedy comes by and brings me stuff.

Kennedy was my mom's best friend. After my mom died, and my dad shortly after, Kennedy took me under her wing. But a better life seemed to shine in the city, so Kennedy and her son Liam moved there. They brought me too, and I became a foster child that lived with abusive parents. Kennedy found out and helped me run away. The Centre didn't let Kennedy adopt me for some reason, and I suggested to live on my own back here. It took a lot of convincing, but finally Kennedy helped me settle back here.

Now, I turn sixteen in two days, and I'll be allowed to live legally on my own without parents, and find a job. Or maybe go to school and learn something.

I don't know. I just don't want to rot in this forgotten place until I die.