[XII] - Crowded Composure

Outside, it was an early night to begin with. The cloudless sky was changing from a pale scarlet into a royal blue color. The pinkish barrier, that changes the hue of the sky, was created to protect us from the dangerous radiation from the meteorite that has fallen all those years ago. Who knows, do people in this metropolis still remember that our sky in reality is ice blue? Is this radiation still there?

Do people know that there once were fluffy clouds, like a foam from a soapy bath? Rains, cold, but sincere, with the wonderful smell of moist soil? Thunders, dark and fearing, showing the great power of nature? Freezing blizzards and refreshing rainbows? It really was like that. The amount of wonderful experiences, each of the people could have with the weather. But in our metropolis there is no weather, nor a normal sky to look upon. Day and night are opposites, but they only differ in colors. Not like the life at day and at night. Those two are the polar opposites, attracting people of many contrasts.

At night, I have to fear less about the wolf like villains dressed in sheep's skin, roaming in the day. Acting like they are righteous and obeying the law, while hunting for any tiny thing an innocent person does wrong. They pursue the narrow shines of light that appear for only a few hours a day, and try to shine the brightest, not knowing that every object in the light also creates an evil shadow.

When the sky falls dark, in the already black city, the double darkness is the perfect camouflage for a shadow like me. Good people rest in their homes now. The less good step out of their hideout and just start their parties. Now I know that everyone I will come across will not act politely. The night people care about their own business and don't like to be interrupted. I need to be careful at all means. My head is much lighter now. I feel like I can think better.

I stepped out of my home building, and went deep into the alleyway, buried between enormous concrete walls, trying to remember how to get to the headquarters of my organization. If I remember correctly, they are located somewhere northern east, hidden near the corner of a wall. The walls of the fourth division of our Secundus district and the Fourth division of the Tertius district. Approximately, if I take shortcuts, and nothing unwanted stops me, I will arrive at the place of my destination in an hour, maximally two.

Our metropolis is great in size, every district is dozens of kilometers long. Getting on the metro is dangerous, walking is less, I guess… There are no other forms of transport that get to my mind… People are sometimes using those weird contraptions called… nomocycles? They look like a bent pipe between two propellers that make them levitate above the ground. I've never tried them out, so there is no need to think about it now…

My aunt told me that in the old days of the previous era, there were things that were called "cars". They were used to traveling quickly long distances. It's such a pity we don't have anything like that here.

While walking carefully, I searched around me to look for any potentially suspicious people. But none of them were. There were barely any people on the first street of my journey. Just some locals I already know from their faces. I was glad that nothing occurred on the alley adjacent to my home. When I went out on the busier street, I felt safer than expected. Melting in the dusk crowd, this feeling is priceless. Now, in clean and different clothes, with my hair making me look like someone else, there is less to worry about while traversing the city.

The crowd was more lively than usual. Everyone seemed to be in high spirits today. I heard many cheers and laughter among the strong lights of the neons and e-screens, flickering with colors, shining on the skins of many. Today's night appears to be unexpectedly joyful. The vibe is truly different. None of those hypocritical workers, blinded by the governors, are to be seen. I let out a soft sigh out of me, and smiled under my mask. I flew with the crowd, admiring the sights of the imprisoned humanity, happy with the least freedom they have. But not until the midnight, where officers come out of their nest and start the seize. I need to hasten, before they start catching their prays.

I tried to stay at the larger, crowder streets, to avoid stumbling at anyone bad at the smaller alleys. But the sky was getting darker, and I was still a few blocks away from the place I thought was the hideout of the RR. Honestly, I don't even know if it's there anymore. They change their places frequently, to avoid being caught and tracked. I was there only twice. At the time when one of them rescued me from the times when I was in danger, and the second time…

My throat started to burn with fire, and my stomach felt heavy. I prefer not to remember that time. The heavy burden that, I thought, was forgotten, started to weigh on my heart again. No... I did the right thing… There is no need to regret…

I tried to forcefully forget about that night and a choice I had to take. I don't have the time to remake this story in my head again… Maybe next time.

I walked in a steady pace with my hands deep into my pockets. Every minute I was checking if the footage was still at its place, safe until I deliver it. Every step I got closer to the place, my heart started racing more and more. Finally, all my efforts and pain, I've endured it all to this moment. I want to feel the blissful feeling of getting everything out of your mind, and resting, floating in the waters of peace. I have high hopes for the RR, I have my hopes in their power. Power of changing the future with making people realize the present. They helped me so many times, I wish they can help my aunt and the rest of the world.

I entered the plaza where the entrance to the East Metro Station was. It was also a passage for those who wanted to enter the Division of the sector, that was adjacent to ours, Fourth. The two districts were repelled by a huge, almost 100 meters tall and 25 meters thick wall. Indestructible and impenetrable. An architectural masterpiece of humanity. From the place I was standing in, I could already see it very well. Its sight freezes the blood in your veins, yet everyone around is unruffled by it. The birds unaware of the bars of their cage. Anyone who tries to pass it, despite the prohibition, will be shot to death in the right place where they were. Anyway, who would have enough strength and abilities to cross it anyway? Over, under or through, it's impossible to pass and remain unnoticed. The only way to cross it is to gain the special trespass card, that can be earned only by being the "polite and obedient" citizen of our city. And you know what kind of polite people I mean?

The plaza attracted most of the local people, as it was the place of gathering, meeting the people from their travels around our division, it was wide and could fit many. It was lit by a huge, golden hologram in the middle of it, above, a small, beige stone building with an impressive architecture. Between all those impossibly big concrete blocks, lifeless walls of gray, gorgeously carved columns were supporting its roof. It stood, with its large, brown doors open, the entrance to the underground traveling lines. Even the north station isn't as beautiful and detailed as this one. Maybe that's the reason why people hang out here more than there. But still, it's an entrance to one of the most important services out city provides — transport. You can ride freely from here in four directions, The North, South, West, and Center. To ride a metro, you need to have an Authorized to Pass Identification Card —APID for short. But I know they use it to track others, that's why I'm not an owner of it. Being followed and observed, that's the least thing I want now.

I moved to the corner of the plaza, near the wall. Now I had to enter one of the side streets, unattended by the people. But I know I'm near my destination and that's making me feel okay, despite entering the shady area. I changed my pace now. From a steady walk, into a light rush, to pass as quickly as I could. I moved my head right and left, to seek any suspicious enemies that might approach me. But none were detected, just some local people doing shady business in the darkness, as usual.

It's so weird. The fear of getting caught was covering my entire mind, but nothing was actually happening. No one even noticed my appearance in the backstreet. How could it be? I…

The thoughts of exaggeration came to my mind. People always gigantify all the problems they have, don't they? A little cut changes into a severe and unhealable wound, a little lie turns into a deception everyone's following. Is this situation similar? Maybe there is no threat at all, I've been given up on as I don't bear enough value to bother the minds of powerful criminals and officers. Humanity bears their worries, not knowing they are not a threat…

So, why did my aunt react like that? Is it really a situation I should not worry about? Maybe I'm not as important as I thought?

I felt stupid all of a sudden…

The thoughts were going through my head as I entered a street with an extravagant red lighting, reflecting like a sunset on every surface, brightening up the nearest surrounding. Has this kind of street always here before? It gives me mysterious, thriller vibes. The red color, it emanates with such an emotional energy… Love, Passion, Pain… I liked this color, but after today… I looked down, at the dark concrete road. This lights… Are too bright for me…

I squinted my eyes, not to let the scarlet breeze burn my eyes from its flames. The quiet chatter of the nearby people got to my ears. In the distance I heard the buzzing of the working factories in the other districts, ringing noises of the near electrical cords in the great wall. There were also other unknown to me sounds, a low frequency sound that seemed to be coming from the ground. The city has a vibrant variation of sounds coming from every direction. An orchestra of powerful technology and unprivileged society. It created a background noise everyone is used to, ignoring the real meaning behind it.

The shadows of people passing me were synchronized with the black unknown spots which show when you narrow your eyes. Sometimes I think that those are visions of something, they move, change their shapes and blend with each other.

This city is truly beautiful, as a physical creation of the humanity, the narrow streets, colorful displays, feelings it gives you when you don't expect it. That's how a visitor would describe it. I got sick of it a long time ago, but sometimes, at moments like this, I like to forget that I've been imprisoned here for all my life. Not seeing anything else with my own eyes, the same sights every day, this kicks in at the moment you don't expect it to do, knowing that you will never get out of the same small district.

But I know one day we will, and we will be treated as equal. Going to whatever district we like… Will there be districts at that point? There will be no division to poor and rich, healthy and ill, every place will be open to everyone. Walls will be torn down, and the sight of never-ending streets will make my heart race. We will create Unity to revive the deserted world outside the barriers. Or… What if it isn't like that? No one has even put a head above the Great Wall that surrounds the whole city. That's another mystery on my list to be revealed!

I marched forward into the red street, floating in the clouds of my dreams and goals. The night chills started to rush through my clothes, it was really getting cold. But I was feeling well, hoping that the moments of my complacent wonders won't end. I smiled. Being near my first goal, with no obstacles on my whole way. Feeling of luck and happiness in a situation like this, I'm truly a weird person, am I not? There is only one street left from the place, where people similar to me are. When they get the footage into their hands, I will rest easy and slow with my risky life. In the times I've been escaping from the officers, I have forgotten how much peace is valuable. Maybe resting will give me new ideas, how to change the world…

Bump!!!

Out of the blue, I felt a hard object on my way. Walking quickly, I strongly collided with it, to the point where I lost my balance and painfully fell on my back. Aghhhh… Normal people walk with their eyes open! Why do I constantly make the same mistakes? Isn't there a saying, that we learn from them?

I raged, lying on the hard ground, not realizing that the object I rudely run into, was actually a person. This human, wearing weirdly familiar clothes, was standing tall above me, waiting for no reason.

I… Bumped accidentally… Shouldn't he just curse and move on?…

Shivers went down my spine as the person was gradually coming up closer to me, to the point he leaned towards me in half. What the hell does he want? I wanted to crawl back a little, but the close presence of this person made my muscles freeze. I was just left with an occasion to take a closer look at his face.

A face covered with a dark mask, and long, wavy strands of hair coming out a hood. The person I haven't stumbled upon for the first time.