《There are no Gods, Only Pornstars.》 Jupiter FL, 1962: David I stared down at a piece of paper that I held.Sin''Clair Shelter 70-9.I glanced up at the painted sign confirming I arrived at my destination. I knocked on the worn out door and wait for a response, I knock again. ... I am not certain if anyone is inside considering the lack of response, I peered through the poorly boarded up windows trying to see anything at all. I did find a mess of cods and trash and a Category 2 plague. It was very dark inside, so much so I could see my reflection. Tan skin, green eyes, short hair with a fringe, and pristine, clean uniform. The streets are vacant, I do not see any public phones either. All I can do is wait for my master. ... The Prism Obelisk is about 200 miles offshore in its own island, it is a sight to behold from this point of view. I could see Jupiter from my chamber in the Obelisk and I never imagined I would be selected as a Serf. I am truly honored to serve my country, my military and soon my master. ... My watch tells me it is currently 1:43 P.M. I was supposed to greet my master at Noon. The bus dropped off at the stop 15 minutes prior and made it on time. Something must have occurred. ... The seagulls, the waves crashing, they sound much more clear here. I am possibly 180 meters away from the ocean, I can see and hear it with such clarity. I never heard it in my chambers in Prism. ... I hear music. A blue car cruised by with loud rhythmic sounds. The driver, a young male, approximately in his early 20''s is singing and jamming to the rifts of the instruments. My mind can''t help but wonder why is he so... ... I can''t fathom why, but he looks so... My brows knit involuntarily at the very thought I couldn''t articulate. I brush it off, it is a waste of time and thought process. I will continue to wait. ... I hear another car, this one a larger vehicle; a Prism Boogie, routine patrol. My heart raced, I stood up and held my left hand over my chest. The vehicle parked in front of me and a Prism Knight looked at me through the open window. "You, present your I.D." they requested. I quietly turn away from them giving them access to my identification number on the neck brace. I hear the dreadful beeps and whistles of the infrared laser, I can only shut my eyes and clench my teeth as if to muffle the pain. "M1-0001SiO," the Prism Knight said. "You are an active Serf, but I see you haven''t been registered in the system yet; still on a neutral status." He got out of the vehicle, I turned to them, keeping my eyes on theirs. "Affirmative, ..." I looked around his armor and found no tag or badge, it would be rude if I do not address them by their rank. "Is there a reason as to why?" he asked, his eyes are intense, perhaps it was the glass visor or how his iris didn''t move. "I attempted to contact them but no one responded. Location seems vacant." "Is it really?" The Prism Knight approached the door and knocks on the door. "Affirmative, I decided the best action for now is to wait." Also not receiving a response, the Prism Knight approaches me, "it would seem you are correct. But it is unwise to leave an active unit unattended in a neutral status." The Prism Knight''s visor glows a vibrant green and his eyes shift rapidly scanning for information. "Did you receive an emergency contact from your owner?" he asked. I looked at the piece of paper again and I scan for a phone number, I shake my head and hand it to them. "Unfortunately, only the address and the name of my owner Larry Sin''Clair, is printed."The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. He was slightly puzzled as to why a number wasn''t provided on the paper. "I noticed the system doesn''t have a number. My possible deduction could be that the owner does not have phone service. But I do see in the system you were ordered from a phone catalog..." The Prism Knight, while expressionless he was confused, it is evident in his voice. "Perhaps it could be a prank... but the fact they wired the money, which means the transaction was complete..." Another car approaches, my head turns to the street and I see a yellow car, it parked behind the Prism Boogie. An old white man gets out of the car, he seems irritated. "Might I ask as to why Prism is blocking my property?" he asked. "Sin''Clair, Larry, I presume," the Prism Knight said as his eyes scanned through the visor. "Yeah, who the hell are you?" He is pretty irrational if he thinks challenging a Prism Knight is anything but a good idea... "Lt. Erick Johnson," the Knight said rather calmly. "Can you confirm to me your transaction number?" he adds. "What the hell for?" the old man is rather unpleasant. The Prism Knight is composed but I can hear his tone shifting to retaliation. "Did you not order a Serf?" "What the hell is that?" the old man asked. "A laborer bound under the feudal system to work on his lord''s estate, in other words, a slave..." "Oh...!" The old man smirks deviously, "I did order a slave." He looked at me from head to toe. His stare made me uncomfortable in my own skin. Larry seems mildly disgusted with me and he saying, "you better be worth the time. You cost me more than my own life." I hold my heart with my right hand and bow respectfully. "Yes, Master Sin''Clair." Larry grumbles as he fishes his keys from his pocket and tries to open the front door. From the corner of my eyes I noticed another civilian, they wear a jean jumper suit and a gas mask shields their face. They seemed to hesitate when they got closer to us and gathered whatever courage they could. Once they were close enough they removed their mask, revealing their feminine face. "What''s going on?" the brunet asked. "The slave arrived," Master Larry said still trying to find the correct key. "Father! Don''t use such a foul language!" she said rather annoyed, seems as if this is a common thing. She then turns to us with a bright smile, "Good Afternoon, my name is Francine Sin''Clair. I hope my father is not causing too much trouble." "None at all," the Knight lied. "But before I do take my leave I will help register the Serf since you lack a phone line." "Oh, well--" before she could even speak, her father chimes in, "Don''t meddle in affairs that do not suit you, Francine." Master Sin''Clair said, and finally opens the door and turns to the knight. "What do you need from me?" "Right, I would need you to register a name for him." "He doesn''t need a name! He is a goddamned nobody," Master Sin''Clair shouts. "The Serf is a civilian regardless of its purpose, therefore the law requires a legal name to be registered," Lt. Johnson said. "Uhg..." Master Sin''Clair is growing frustrated with the circumstances. "Whatever, name him David." Lt. Johnson nods and his eyes scan through the terminal adding information. He approaches the boogie and after several minutes he comes back with paperwork. "Alright, here is his driver''s license, and his official birth certificate, along with an instructional manual on how to proper care and use your Serf." He then adds as he holds a transparent keypad. "By typing in your name and inscribing your thumbprint, you are agreeing to the Terms and Services of owning your own Serf under Prism Status Quo (PSQ). Prism is not responsible for any accidents, misconducts or defects the Serf may have. You will be held accountable if the Serf is unattended, or used to retaliate any Prism Alliance or Prism directly. If a catastrophic event occurs, your Serf may be selected for active duty and will automatically respond to the Prism Call of Action (PCA). If your Serf dies due to reasons out of your control, or during any Prism related service & it does not have any defects caused during the time period of your command, you are entitled to a replacement clone or a completely different Serf. By signing this Terms of Service, you agree that your Serf is a blank slate and cannot under any circumstance develop free will. The Serf will be terminated upon self awareness. If the Serf becomes unstable under any or all of the Eight Errors: Gula, Cupidity, Ego, Apathy, Dejection, Avarice, Desire, and Inertia, they may be elected for a program and personality wipe only if the Error was out of the Possessors control, otherwise the Serf will be terminated and the Possessor will no longer be eligible for a new Serf. In addition, if the current Possessor dies, the surviving kin will be granted full legal ownership of the Serf. If you agree with the Prism Status Quo Terms of Service (ver. 1.12), please continue and type in your full name, timestamp and your thumbprint." Master Sin''Clair, didn''t seem too interested in the Terms of Service, but Francine was. Her expression slowly deteriorated from content to confusion to horror saying, "Daddy, I don''t think this is a good idea--" Master Sin''Clair interjects, "You don''t have a say in this." He typed in his name, my name, and pressed his thumb against the transparent screen. "You will also need to add your next of kin," the Prism Knight said. "Uhg, Francine, sign your name," the Master demanded and she complied. "Your registration is complete," Lt. Johnson said, "may your life be simpler with your Serf," and leaves the premises after placing his left palm over his chest. "Well, get inside, we got a lot of work to do," Master Sin''Clair said. "Yes, Master," I say and grab my trunk. I hear more music. It''s coming from the Prism Obelisk. This sounds much more raw than any compressed radio signal. ... My chest hurts. "David!" my master sounds very mad. "Hurry up inside I haven''t got all day!" I should oblige. My chest will alleviate the second I rest in the Stasis.Chamber. Jupiter FL, 1962: 0 Hz I settled my trunk in the living room as I took a look at my surroundings. Mold, plagues and clutter filled the space. ¡°You arrived at the best of times, for me to keep this shelter open I need to pass the health inspection,¡± Master Sin¡¯Clair said. ¡°I expect you to fulfill every task, David,¡± the Master said as he gave me the tour of the shelter, starting with the kitchen. This kitchen is a health hazard, I can taste the rat excrement and the moldy foods in the sink. There is barely any light in here too and with the humidity it is a perfect breeding ground for roaches. ¡°One of your main tasks is to cook 3 meals a day for 20 people and I expect you to clean every single pot, plate, cup and utensil. And I better not find anything unclean, is that clear?¡± ¡­ There is so much I need to complete in this small space. Clean the stacks of plates and store them, fix the broken table, eradicate the plagues, purge the fridge, replace the leaky faucet pipe. ¡°David.¡± Throw the garbage out, organize the pantry by order of expiration dates, disinfect and fumigate the entire space, polish the floors and surfaces, buy groceries. ¡°David¡­¡± Master threatened with gritted teeth. Plan meals for the week, prep them, clean the dishes, polish the floor and throw out the garbage. ¡°Yes, Master,¡± I finally answered. ¡°When I call you, you will respond immediately. Is that clear¡­?¡± ¡°My apologies, Master. I made a mental note on my task to restore the kitchen in a timely manner. However I must disclose with you my limitation to these tasks.¡± ¡°What the hell do you mean?¡± ¡°I am not certified to do basic household chores, nor am I certified to handle basic plumbing--¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care,¡± The Master interrupts me. ¡°Hurry up we got other rooms you need to tend to.¡± the Master walked out the kitchen down the hall into the bathroom. I can taste the human waste down my throat, my hand shields my nose and mouth but I need to breathe regardless. The toilet was no longer white, inside the bowl had rust and fecal matter stains. The shower is covered in grime and the shower head by the way calcium collected will not spray normally. The sink basin was cracked and broken and a bucket rests beneath it to collect water. I can see the antennas of a roach peaking through the drain hole of the sink. ¡°Making another mental note I presume?¡± I heard the Master say. ¡°No, not yet. This one will take a bit more time,¡± I say as I look to the floor, which the tiles were broken or loose. I stepped on a loose tile and many small roaches scattered across the bathroom. ¡°Hey! be careful!¡± I can hear the panic in the master¡¯s tone, I can guess he is afraid of roaches. The Master rushed out the room trying to get the roaches off him. There is a lot of work to do here, I need to remove all the tiles and replace them, replace the sink and the pipes, replace the toilet, remove the grime from the shower, disinfect and fumigate. I do wonder why I was chosen to do common household chores his eyes are soft¡­ ¡­ I turn but the Master is no longer there. No one is in here. I am not sure who said that or where it came from but I do not hear any radio or television signals. Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. ¡°Hey!¡± I look back to Francine who wandered down the hall. ¡°David, how are you holding up?¡± ¡°I am faring well, I lost track of Master Sin¡¯Clair. Have you seen him?¡± ¡°I did see him rush out the front door screaming about roaches, I¡¯m guessing you stepped on a nest?¡± ¡°Affirmative. Your entire shelter is a health hazard,¡± I say and Francine sighs while shrugging. ¡°I warned him about the roaches and the rats but he doesn¡¯t listen to me. I guess it¡¯s because I don¡¯t have a Y chromosome.¡± Francine crosses her arms and looks towards the bathroom. ¡°I¡¯m sure he will listen to you.¡± ¡°Unfortunately, I warned him about how I am not a certified plumber or electrician. I am designed for combat and scouting.¡± ¡°Oh don¡¯t worry about that, I can definitely deal with the plumbing at least.¡± ¡°I get the sense you are more than qualified for his needs.¡± ¡°Yeah, well¡­ He doesn¡¯t trust my girl brain to do male work. He thinks I can only cook and clean. And even then he doesn¡¯t even let me do it¡­¡± Francine obviously didn¡¯t agree with how her father treated her but his word is law. ¡°I must ask, he mentioned I must cook for 20 people, who are the other 18 people in the shelter?¡± Francine sighs again, ¡°they are working in the factory, they get out at 6:00 P.M. Some of them have children so they will arrive around 4:00 P.M.¡± My watch says 2:13 P.M. I wasn¡¯t expecting such a time crunch on my first day. ¡°Master Sin¡¯Clair will need to forgive me, for I won¡¯t be able to complete my task as soon as he wants.¡± ¡°I am aware, what he wants is impossible. Let¡¯s tackle the kitchen together, what do you say?¡± She says as he flexes her left arm and winks. I nod and walk with her to the kitchen to at least clean it. The first thing I do is to pick up all the garbage and put it in a bag. I sort the dishes and start to wash them. I hear the radio static, Francine is possibly looking for a clear signal. I hear a giggle right before a song starts to play and Francine sings along in content. That laugh was not the same tone Francine has. Francine has a curtain masculine form but her voice is higher than the one I heard. ¡°What?¡± Francine stares at me puzzled. ¡°You don¡¯t like the song?¡± ¡°Hm?¡± I looked at her, puzzled. ¡°You¡¯ve been staring at me, everything alright?¡± ¡°I am quite alright, my apologies.¡± I turn back to the pile of dishes to wash them. I am not quite certain if Francine heard it too, maybe she did but it is a normal occurrence. I never partake in radio. Prism forbids it so I am uncertain of the culture. But I did hear something else earlier down the hall, His eyes are soft¡­ ¡­ Soft eyes? ¡­ Thinking about this is making me feel uncomfortable. ¡­ Why does it make me feel this way? ¡­ ¡°Hey! I will take out the garbage! Be back in a bit!¡± ¡­ My eye doesn¡¯t feel soft when I touch it. ¡­ The radio is giving me a headache, I should shut it off. I turn one of the many knobs and I hear a plethora of white noise, faintly though, I hear a giggle. I attempt to locate that giggle between the channels. ¡°Hey, I think we can start dinner. How does a roast chicken sound?¡± I found the station. ¡°David? What are you doing?¡± I can hear it clearly, the giggle. ¡°David, what¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡­ that is not a giggle. ¡°Hello, Earth to David!¡± Francine shook me. ¡°Do you not like music?¡± I can¡¯t hear it anymore. ¡°Hm? No, I just thought I heard something.¡± ¡°You mean the static¡­?¡± ¡°Yes, there was a laugh in the static.¡± Francine doesn¡¯t look too comfortable with what I said. She took several steps away almost nearing the doorway of the kitchen. ¡°I didn¡¯t hear anything, all I heard was broken static. You sure you¡¯re okay?¡± ... ¡°I am positive, my apologies, we should start the meal before everyone gets home.¡± If francine cannot hear it, then that means there is an anomaly in the frequency, I must be cautious about it but for some odd reason, my chest hurts when I think about it. I think I should study this anomaly before I confront it. In the meantime I have pending tasks. Jupiter FL, 1962: Pearl I find plastic carry out boxes on the shelf, perhaps it is a good idea to portion the meals. I heard laughter. ¡°You can¡¯t catch me!¡± ¡°Hey! You¡¯re cheating!¡± ¡°Gerald! Arnold! Stop running around the house!¡± Francine shouts. She groans, ¡°I¡¯ll be back,¡± she sets a timer for 40 minutes and wanders into the living room. ¡°Can you guys behave for once in your short lives?¡± ¡°Come on, Francine! Don¡¯t be a drag!¡± ¡°Where is Kyle?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, he was with us just a second ago.¡± ¡°What?! He is younger than you! How can you lose track of him?!¡± ¡°Next time he should be faster. We told him to hurry up or we will miss dinner, we thought he was running with us.¡± I walked in the room, two boys were sitting in front of a television screen watching a children¡¯s movie. ¡°Who is that?¡± I looked at one of the boys, both were staring at me almost flabbergasted. ¡°Oh wow! Are you a Prism Soldier?!¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Why are you dressed like a knight in shining armor?¡± ¡°It is the uniform of Prism. The color represents neutrality, the iron plates offer protection from any pending threat,¡± I say. ¡°Cool!¡± Both boys chimed with excitement.¡±Are you gonna fight the monsters that come from outer space??¡± one of the boys asked. ¡°Possibly,¡± I reply. ¡°David, I¡¯m going to look for Kyle, please look after the kids for me.¡± Francine geared up to head out. ¡°Do you rather I go search for him?¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, I think I know where he can be--¡± ¡°Please, I am skilled in this. Just tell me any useful information so I can locate him,¡± I insisted. Francine paused to analyze the circumstances, only briefly. ¡°Okay, Kyle is a Latino child and he doesn''t know how to speak English.¡± ¡°What language does he speak?¡± ¡°I think it was Spanish? I am not sure, I do not speak the language.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine, I am proficient in languages. Where was he seen last?¡± I asked the boys. ¡°Well, we were getting off the bus stop, I do remember seeing him get off but we started a race and never thought he wasn¡¯t following,¡± one of the boys replied. Something doesn¡¯t sound right. There is a certain nonchalant tone to their voice giving me red flags. ¡°Did you not just mention he was behind you just a moment ago?¡± I asked the boys who were growing nervous. ¡°And you also mention you were racing to get home but you last saw him getting off the bus, did you see him?¡± ¡°Well¡­ u-uh¡­ Y-yeah we did see him on the bus¡ª¡° ¡°But did he get off?¡± ¡°We think¡ª¡° ¡°Answer the question with a straight answer.¡± ¡°No..! We didn¡¯t see him get off!¡± ¡°We¡¯re sorry!¡± ¡°I am very angry with both of you, You should be more considerate! What if something happens to him?¡± Francine scolded the boys, meanwhile I left the premises to find Kyle. I do not see many civilians out, but I do see a lot of children heading home. ¡°Hey¡­ Look. a Knight¡­¡± ¡°We should go¡­¡± They ran off down the street, hopefully Kyle will be on his way home. If the child stayed on the bus that means he continued to a different destination. Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. ¡­ I see a woman watering her plants and a young girl runs up to her showing her a page. I should ask them. ¡°Good Afternoon.¡± Both the mother and the child stiffen. ¡°Go back inside, Clarissa¡­¡± ¡°Mommy, what is happening¡­ Is daddy coming home?¡± ¡°Just go inside, I will be joining you in a bit.¡± The girl rushed inside but I can see her peeping through the window. ¡°How can I help you¡­¡± her voice quivers. ¡°Thank you, I am looking for a missing child.¡± Her shoulders drop. ¡­ ¡°I, what?¡± ¡°I am looking for a missing child, his name is Kyle, I am not sure if your daughter knows him.¡± ¡°Kyle? You mean the little sad boy that hangs around Arnold and Gerald?¡± ¡°Sad?¡± ¡°Well, he barely speaks¡­ I honestly know nothing.¡± ¡°Do you mind me speaking with Clarissa?¡± ¡°W-well¡­¡± ¡°I am certain you rather I don¡¯t but she may give me clues as to where he may have gone.¡± ¡°...Clarissa! Come out!¡± ¡­ The door slowly opens and the girl, Clarissa, nervously walks over. ¡°This man is looking for Kyle, he needs your help to find him.¡± Clarissa is sweating, she is avoiding us both. ¡°I¡­ I wouldn¡¯t know¡­¡± This is very odd, every child involved tends to avoid or fear talking about Kyle. ¡°Honey, anything you can tell him can help find Kyle. Don¡¯t be shy.¡± Hopefully the mother¡¯s encouragement makes Clarissa cooperate. The child¡¯s face wrinkles and turns red. She trembles as tears spill from her eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t want him to get in trouble¡­¡± ¡°He will be if we do not find him. My priority is his safety,¡± I replied. ¡°No! The moment I spoke the truth they took daddy away! I won¡¯t allow that to happen!¡± Clarissa screams and runs back to the house. ¡°Clarissa!¡± the mother is about to lose her composure, ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± she said before chasing after Clarissa. There is something strange which is not at all clearing up the circumstances. His friends know something and are too afraid to tell. ¡­ I¡¯m closer to the stop, and just in for the boarding of new passengers. Many of the civilians are wary of my presence. They either move far away from me or they stare. ¡­ I see a piece of cloth snagged on a tree by the stop. It is a fluorescent red tarp material. This color is illegal in Jupiter, in every Prism territory. I am not liking this. I can only hope Kyle didn''t own anything red. I should keep walking to see if I was able to see him. ¡­ ¡­ ¡­ Check Point No.4, You are now leaving Little Jupiter. I have gone too far, I should walk back. My ears pick up a heavy drone. I scan the horizon beyond the beach and I see 5 Patron; Heavy Areal ships piloted by Special Space Ops. Normally those are common for critical invasions from Ozone Dwellers. They are also very close to shore, I should take proper measures of precaution for Kyle¡¯s sake and see if anything is going on. ¡­ Blood contaminates the ocean, and there are also blood trails on the sand. Not too far I see a small boy watching the Patrons surround a incapacitated creature, possibly an ocean dwealer. I hold the cloth up and match it to the ripped backpack the boy has. His skin is much more rich in color, It is Kyle, this I am sure. Upon closer inspection, Kyle had terrible injuries and his clothes were ripped, almost to shreds. ¡°Are you hurt?¡± I asked him, but he never responded. His shoulders quivered, and I can hear him sob quietly. I kneeled beside him to see his wounds, and I see him holding a massive pearl in his bloodied hands. He seemed catatonic, his gaze stared endlessly at the Patrons gathering what was left of the threat. From what I can gather, the creature was a rare albino Void Dweller. The creator had massive wings over their head and their tail measured approximately 30 feet. I am not close enough but I can safely deduct it is no longer a threat. ¡­ I look back to the boy. ¡°Can you hear me?¡± I ask. My chest pain is becoming a problem. It was difficult to even form words. No response. ¡°Kyle,¡± I called. I kept a firm gaze on the child, but I needed to reassure what I saw. For some unreason, my heart rate is¡­ accelerating and slowly crawling up my throat. ¡°No¡­¡± His voice is strange, it has a strange distortion. ¡°No¡­!¡± He shudders and his face crinkles when tears spill from his eyes. ¡°No, what?¡± I asked. ¡°N-no..!¡± he gripped the pearl, holding it into his chest. ¡°No! No te la lleves!¡± he screams before collapsing into the sand. ¡°No! No! Mama!¡± he screams again and I catch him in time before he makes a grave mistake. ¡°Dare not interfere, proceed by showing sympathy for the creature and Prism will associate you as a trator and will be terminated on sight,¡± I warned. The child leaned onto me and cried. ¡°You, Identify yourself,¡± I heard. I turn to look and see a troop of Knights securing and closing the beach. One in particular stood before me expectantly. ¡°I am, M1-0001SiO, Active Serf registered as David,¡± I replied. ¡°Who is this child?¡± They asked and checked the sensor on the back of my brace. There was a black feather on that Knight¡¯s shoulder. I am slightly perplexed as to why that is. ¡°His name is Kyle, he is under the care of my Master, Larry Sin¡¯Clair,¡± I replied. ¡°This child is wounded,¡± another Knight added. ¡°Take him to Jupiter Sanitorium,¡± the knight instructed and a pair of soldiers dragged Kyle to an ambulance. With the child¡¯s wailing he dropped the pearl into the sand. ¡­ ¡­ ¡­ I picked it up and stored it in my pocket. ¡°David,¡± the paramedic called. ¡°Will you escort the patient?¡± I can still hear Kyle screaming in the ambulance. ¡­ I walk to the ambulance, and take a seat next to Kyle. Jupiter FL, 1962: Memoir I waited in reception for an hour and have yet heard the status of Kyle from the medical staff. I patiently will wait to take Kyle home. ¡°Hey! Josie!¡± I hear a staff member. I look up and see a blond man with white eyes talking to another team member, he had black hair and the same white eyes. ¡°What do you want, Darrell?¡± his tone sounded rather hostile and dry. ¡°You heard what happened at the beach?¡± The blond staff asked. He must be talking about the removed threat. ¡°I don¡¯t care¡­¡± the other staff replied. He busied himself with the clipboard in his hands. ¡°What do you mean? You should care!¡± ¡°Keep it down, Darrell¡­¡± The member glanced at me for a moment and then at the staff member. ¡°I know¡­!¡± he whispered excitedly. ¡°But, the source of the sound was apprehended¡­!¡± The black haired staff member¡¯s eyes widened and stared at the floor in silence. He seemed much more alarmed than ecstatic. He finally faces the other member, ¡°what do you mean, apprehended?¡± he asked. His tone now is more nervous than hostile. ¡°They found the siren that sang Prism Soldiers into comas...! They found it dead, however. There is something stronger than it. Hopefully it can¡¯t sing us to death,¡± the blond staff member laughed. The dark haired staff member had a hard time breathing, almost as if he was trying to process it. Why would he be scared of something that benefits Prism? ¡°What did it look like?¡± ¡°No clue, they haven¡¯t given us the details. I will let you know with the updates. By the way,¡± he held up a file to the other staff member, ¡°Little Kyle is ready for discharge,¡± he said before leaving. He stiffened, still processing what he heard. He finally read the files, he is sweating¡­ and his body barely can contain the adrenaline. We both locked eyes, and he composed himself. He then asked, ¡°Are you David?¡± I stand, ¡°Yes.¡± He nodded, ¡°I am Nurse Farnsworth, I am not certain if you could hear but Kyle is ready to be discharged.¡± ¡°Excellent.¡± ¡°There are a few things I need to ask you, do you comply?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Are you his official guardian?¡± ¡°I was ordered to find him by my masters, so in a technicality yes.¡± ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°I found him that way, to my understanding he was attacked by the threat found on the beach.¡± He didn¡¯t like my response, he closed his eyes and looked uncomfortable. He drew a breath and asked, ¡°do you know who his parents are?¡± ¡°Today is my first day as a Serf, so I never met them.¡± He wouldn¡¯t stop staring at me. ¡°I see¡­ May you Identify yourself?¡± ¡°M1-0001SiO.¡± His eyes blew wider than before. ¡°They made you a Serf¡­?¡± he said below a whisper. ¡°Affirmative.¡± I wasn¡¯t understanding the context, I was made to serve my master and serve the military. Why would he be surprised at such an obvious statement? The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. ¡°I can¡¯t believe it¡­ Follow me¡­¡± he finally said dejectedly and walked me down the west wing. There was silence, and mild whispers of jargon echoing through the hall. At my feet I see a black feather and pick it up. This is the second feather I see and there is something very¡­ peculiar about it. I follow the trail of feathers leading me to an empty care unit. The bed sheets were stained with blood and urine¡­ To my left I see an uncovered vent. ¡­ I can¡¯t breath. ¡­ Run. My body wants to run but I cannot move. I shake the thought from my mind, but now the scene is more distorted. A bloodied arm dangles from the vent and a body lies on the tousled bed. The taste of vomit soured my tongue. This sensation is unnatural and perturbs me¡­ ¡­ I approach the body, the body is covered in scars and bruises. It is a male with a peculiar moon on his forehead. His hair is black and his eyes... eyes are bloodshot and soft, all 7 of them. ¡­ Soft eyes¡­ ¡­ Oh¡­ ¡­ I hear a giggle. ¡­ It¡¯s coming from the vent¡­ ¡°David.¡± ¡°Yes, Nurse Farnsworth?¡± I asked and turned to him. ¡°What the hell are you doing here?¡± ¡­ I don¡¯t know... ¡°....My apologies, I thought I saw something and decided to investigate.¡± He stays quiet and gestures for me to follow. ¡­ ¡°You look live and well,¡± the nurse said. ¡°I beg your pardon?¡± We make a turn and we enter Kyle¡¯s room. The boy was startled, and the way his face pruned and swelled he had to be crying. ¡°Why are you crying? Are you feeling pain?¡± the nurse approaches Kyle and checks his bandages. Assuming he didn¡¯t reply because Kyle may not understand English, I stood by the nurse and translated, ¡°?Por qu¨¦ lloras? ?Sientes dolor?¡± ¡°Quiero ir a mi casa, no quiero estar aqu¨ª¡­¡± Kyle replied. I imagined that would be the case. I translated to the nurse. ¡°I want to go home, I do not want to be here.¡± The nurse seems disturbed. ¡°...You are extremely fluent.¡± I have a feeling that was not what he meant to say by the way he hesitated. ¡°I am proficient in 20 languages,¡± I said. ¡°I must apologize, but I do need to bring him home. How much longer does he need to stay?¡± ¡°I do not see anything wrong for him to stay the night, I will be visiting to check on him. I am sure you are already in the system?¡± ¡°Yes, I was registered today.¡± ¡°Alright, he should be medicated for the pain so he can sleep the night comfortably.¡± The nurse said and walked over to the seat where his belongings were, in a new Prism approved blue color backpack. ¡°I do understand he was found with a red backpack,¡± he said. ¡°I won¡¯t report it because he is a child and I would rather not get him in trouble for something he may not understand still.¡± That was a very strange thing to do, but I am imagining nurses do anything to protect their patients. ¡°I will visit one week from now to monitor his recovery,¡± he added. I nod. ¡­ His stare can almost pierce my mind. There was a lot of hesitation, and finally he managed to mutter, ¡°You may take Kyle home, I will add in the system you have authorization to escort a civilian during curfew.¡± ¡°Thank you, nurse Farnsworth.¡± ¡°Please¡­ Address me as Josiah¡­¡± I was taken aback with how informal he was towards me. I am a Serf, I shouldn¡¯t have that privilege, but I must oblige. I held my palm over my chest and bow. I throw Kyle¡¯s backpack over my shoulder. ¡°Nos vamos,¡± I said to Kyle, he didn¡¯t seem too thrilled at the idea he needed to go home with me. ¡°?Puedes caminar?¡± I asked, before he was standing despite the wounds he suffered but I wasn¡¯t sure if his legs were damaged. He nods, and tries to lift himself off the bed. ¡°Let me help.¡± The nurse was very gentle helping Kyle out and dressing him in temporary clothing. Perhaps it was my lack of familiarity with the Prism medical staff but I am not used to the informality. Maybe it was his presence itself that tightened my chest. ¡­ I pick Kyle up and carry him out of the room. As I walk down the hall I hear a very faint sound followed by, ¡°what the hell did they do to you¡­?¡± It came from Kyle¡¯s recovery room, the nurse never left. I do not know who was talking to, but my ears were out of range to pick up any other sound coming from that room. Jupiter FL, 1962: Ice I am surprised by the lack of patrol during curfew. I was expecting to be escorted home by the military if they found me outside, but there wasn¡¯t a single person. I can¡¯t hear a single alarm either, not a single frequency. ¡­ ... It''s rather cold. I must admit it is rather jarring to feel after a long day under the Sun. ... Kyle must be cold, too. "?Tienes fr¨ªo?" I ask, he shook his head. Perhaps it were the effects of the medication that helped dull the senses but I should make haste regardless. ... I heard voices, they sounded like children. ¡°...Boy! Allison! Can you believe it?¡± ¡°To think that color is so evil! We have to discard it all!¡± I stop for a moment, but it seems to be a television. Perhaps it is coming from the second floor of this building. The tone is too pitched to be children. ¡­ ¡°...Remember children! If you see a man with red hair you must run and report him to the Prism Military!¡± ¡°But what if I am too scared to do so?¡± ¡°If we continue to let him roam free he will eat us! The red demon feast on children''s blood!...¡± ¡­ Kyle is asleep. He doesn¡¯t feel cold¡­Could be a fever. ¡­ I stop and take my coat to wrap it around the boy¡¯s frame. ¡­ It¡¯s getting colder. The shelter is not too far. ¡­ I see lights coming from inside. I knock on the locked door¡­ ... I knock again. ¡­You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. I hear a shuffle. ¡­ ¡°Kyle!¡± I heard from behind the door before it opened. Francine shouted, ¡°oh dear God, Kyle, what the heck happened?!¡± she asked as she took the child from my arms. ¡°I found him on the beach by the shore,¡± I replied. ¡°He¡ª¡° ¡°Is this what you were designed for!?¡± Francine screamed. I am confused, she seems to be upset with me and I fail to understand why. ¡°My apologies¡ª¡° ¡°Did you take him to the hospital and never told us!?¡± ¡°I did escort him to the hospital¡ª¡° ¡°Then why the hell didn¡¯t you tell me?!¡± ¡­She¡¯s loud. Kyle seems stressed, too. He is covering his ears and by the way many buildings around us flicker with lights, she was loud enough to disturb the neighbors. ¡°Francine¡ª¡° ¡°I knew you were a bad idea, this could all be avoided!¡± ¡­ ¡°I disagree,¡± I say. Perhaps I spoke out of line because Francine was taken aback by my reply. ¡°It would have required me to return to the shelter by foot.¡± ¡°You--¡± I won¡¯t let her finish. ¡°You didn¡¯t register a telephone number for me to call from somewhere to update the situation,¡± I replied. ¡°We don¡¯t have a telephone! Do you think we have money for glamorous possessions?¡± A serf is a glamorous possession. ¡°I wasn¡¯t going to leave him alone because of simple incompetence beyond my control. My best option at that moment was to escort him to the emergency room.¡± ¡°Incompetence?¡± Francine repeated as her brows furrowed. She slams the door to my face and locks it. ¡­ The lights turn off. ¡­ The wind is very cold, and despite how far away the beach is I can hear the waves crashing on shore. ¡­ ¡­ Snow? It is not the correct season for this weather. I hold my hand out to catch a flake in my hands, it feels natural as it piles on my skin. It¡¯s cold. ¡­ Cold, frigid cold. It is a constant reminder of my predicament. It wasn¡¯t the annoying beeping of the machines, the loud technical jargon of the staff, or the agonizing pricking of the skin drawing blood for daily samples. No, it¡¯s the awful sensation in my nose when my mucus freezes, how my joints freeze and I barely can move-- I hear the giggle. I turn, it came from behind me but I do not see anything. The laugh is much different than the giggle¡­ it¡¯s very loud almost like a crown of madness. ¡­ Screaming¡­ coming from the Prism Obelisk. ¡­ It¡¯s getting louder. ... Perhaps I am very tired, and sluggish. I have to sleep. ... I don''t think I even remember the last time I slept¡­ The mechanical locks from the shelter door click open, behind stands Kyle, Gerald and Arnold. The screaming does not stop. ¡°Come on,¡± Gerald urged, ¡°before the monsters get us.¡± ¡­ The moon is blood red. ...That beeping¡­ hurts¡­ ¡°Oye¡­¡± I hear the sirens coming from the Obelisk. ¡°He doesn¡¯t look so good¡­ Get mom.¡± My pulse is out of control. I need to get in my pod. Now. I step inside-- rapduewvt¡­ ¡­ ¡­ ¡­ Jupiter FL, 1962: Nemo Hello. ... Good Morning, David. Today is Tuesday, May 1st, 1962. It is 6:00 AM Today¡¯s weather is Sunny, 0% chance of rain. Body conditions: 100% Mental Stability: 100% Immune System: No ailments found. ... Proceeding draining Stasis.Chamber. 5 minutes and 30 seconds remaining. ¡­ Unlatching drainage and feeding tubes. ¡­ As a Serf it is your duty to Serve Prism and their allies. You are under the servitude of Prism first and foremost, your country next, and lastly your masters. All Prism and Prism Affiliate sectors will be under lock down for the next 72 hours, Please be reminded to remain indoors until then. All Serfs will be on standby for the remainder of the event. For further instructions please keep all televisions and radios active. ¡­ Please exit the Stasis.Chamber with caution. Thank You for using Stasis.Chamber_XP-002. Have a pleasant day. ¡­ I step out, the floor is very cold. The mineral gel used for the stasis.chamber makes the floor slippery, too. I should add a mat before I secure a full night¡¯s rest. I see my uniform hanging over a chair along with a few piles of towels. There is a note resting on the towels. ¡°Gracias.¡± That is rather strange, why would they thank me? Shouldn''t I be thanking¡­ The snow. The threat. The alarm. I do not remember accessing my chamber. I do remember trying to get inside the shelter. ¡­ I took one of the towels to clean off the mineral gel from my skin and hair. It is very much thick and sticky, I should shower and remove it but it is currently out of order. ¡­ I hear footsteps a floor above me, the floorboards creak slightly as a door opened and a staircase dropped down. I cover my modesty by wrapping a towel around my hip. Kyle climbed down with his arms filled with fruits. ¡°Buenos d¨ªas,¡± he greeted. ¡°Buen dia,¡± I replied. Judging by how active the boy is, I can safely say he is recovering. ¡°?C¨®mo te sientes?¡± I need to be reassured. He seemed slightly startled with my question. He leaves the fruit over the table and turns to me, ¡°me siento bien, solo son rasgu?os,¡± he says. While he may think they were just small scratches, he had too many of them. I am surprised he didn¡¯t go into shock when I found him the day before. He is recovering, that is good. ¡°Que bueno, me alegro mucho de que te est¨¦s recuperando r¨¢pido,¡± I say. ¡­ He stares at me, and I stare back. Kyle then sits on the open chair, swinging his legs back and forth. ¡°?Hay algo en que pueda asistir?¡± I asked. It seemed strange to me this child wanted to stay in my chamber. He perks his head and shakes it, no. ¡°?No me puedo quedar aqu¨ª?¡± Kyle asked. ¡°?No tienes responsabilidades para hoy?¡± I ask. ¡°No, hoy no ir¨¦ al colegio.¡± It made sense that Kyle had to stay home due to the lockdown, but I still can¡¯t understand why he needed to be here.Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. ¡°Oy¨¦,¡± he snaps me out of my quick thoughts. Kyle stands and fishes a pearl from his pants pocket. ¡°Gracias por guardar la perlita, pens¨¦ que la desechastes,¡± the boy ads. I don¡¯t see anything special about the pearl, perhaps the color is rather rare, but it was still a pearl regardless. ¡°De nada. Me imagin¨¦ que era especial para t¨ª.¡± Kyle smiles and clutches the pearl close to his chest, ¡°si, es cierto!¡± His voice¡­ ... That was very odd¡­ it sounded like a sound breaking through water, like an aquatic chirp. ¡°O-oy¨¦¡­¡± Kyle hesitates, ¡°?Estas bien?¡± He asks. ¡­ ¡°S¨ª, me tengo que vestir. Por favor, dame un momento de privacidad.¡± The boy seemed suspicious of my intentions to ask him to leave, but he does so anyway. Kyle is a strange kid, his voice was bizarre and somehow familiar. Everytime I hear him my chest hurts and my head aches. Perhaps my hearing aids are not functioning. I should report this in my next sleep cycle. For now, I have some responsibilities. I leave my quarters to find little to no residents in the shelter. I see Francine speaking with another woman in the hall. ¡°Do you really think the red demon will come?¡± The other woman asks. ¡°No, I think that red demon thing is a hoax to scare us¡­ Prism thinks we¡¯re dumb¡­¡± Francine replies. At that moment I think they both noticed me, Francine not too happy with my presence. ¡°Who the heck let you in?¡± She asks. ¡°Is that a Prism soldier..?¡± The other woman asks. ¡°The children did. And no, I am not. My name is David,¡± I bow to them. ¡°I am a Serf. We never were acquainted properly. I assume you are one of the 20 members of this shelter¡ª¡° ¡°I don¡¯t think you fully grasped yesterday that I kicked you out¡­¡± Francine said. ¡°I don¡¯t want you here. Your services are not welcomed anymore.¡± I honestly couldn¡¯t fathom why I angered her, but she clearly dislikes me for some reason unbeknownst to me. ¡°My apologies, however your father has full authorization of me, only he can dismiss my services. If under any circumstances Master Sin¡¯Clair dies, you have full power over me and may dismiss me officially¡ª¡° ¡°For someone designed to follow orders you seem to talk back a lot¡­¡± Francine remarked. ¡°I only clarify. It is in my best interests to please my master and his community,¡± I don¡¯t know how else I should respond. Perhaps I am speaking out of line. ¡°If you really want to please us then get out of our sight¡ª!¡± The woman interrupts Francine. ¡°Hold on, Francine you need to calm down¡­ If he is here to help then we should accept it. Especially if we put money into him¡­ even if it was unbeknownst to us.¡± ¡°No, because of him Kyle returned home hurt hours after lockdown,¡± Francine said. ¡°And failed to tell us he was in the hospital.¡± The woman looks at me, ¡°did you hurt him?¡± She asks. ¡°I did not. I found him on the beach. To Prism¡¯s understanding, he was attacked by an ozone dwelling threat.¡± The woman looks at Francine. ¡°Francine I don¡¯t think he is at fault. If anything you expected too much for what little he could offer. I think we should give him a second opportunity to redeem himself.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t trust him¡­¡± Francine said, ¡°if you want to trust a goldfish then go for it. I refuse to participate.¡± She turns away from us and leaves to a different room and locks the door behind her. The other woman sighed, she seemed stressed. She looks at me, ¡°do you know anything about the lock down?¡± ¡°It is currently active for the next 72 hours, as for the information as to why eludes me. My apologies if I did not answer your queries to your liking. Once I get the information I will happily share.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. Look, don¡¯t worry about Francine. She lost her boyfriend to the Rapture, so she¡¯s a little sensitive. Especially with this lock down.¡± ¡°My condolences,¡± I say. ¡°But Raptures only occur during night time while we sleep, this must be a routine Prism lockdown.¡± But it is in all of the Prism Territories. Why would they be active? ¡°I suppose so,¡± the woman sighs again. ¡°I will, I don¡¯t know. I suppose I should watch Television¡­¡± the woman turns and leaves to the living room. I still have chores pending since the day before. So I stepped in the kitchen and I saw a mess of food and plastic containers all over the counter. I should clean it and then at least start the bathroom. I should tune in to 491.58 on the radio as I cleaned the dishes. ¡°Kkzzz¡­ ah¡ª kkz- to all Pris¡ªkzz yesterday a sky dweller was found on the shores of Jupiter¡¯s beach. The monstrosity was dissected in Prism labs and they concluded that the monstrosity was female and pregnant. Some eggs were found but as to the rest of the clutch it is believed to be circulated to the shore lines. These eggs are fertilized and there is no confirmation as to how these creatures will respond. These eggs seem to simulate pearls,¡± ¡­ ¡°If you or anyone you may know has possibly come into contact with these pearls please report it to your local Prism Knight, Domestic Serf, or please reach out to the Prism line 762-0097-12. That¡¯s 762-0097-12¨C¡° ¡­ I look back, seeing Kyle sitting in the living room with others, in his hands¡­ a pearl. That has to be an egg, I am positive. ¡­ I could be wrong. A pearl could just mean a pearl. ¡°...All Serfs will stay on high alert and wait for further instructions. The eggs are ready to hatch at any time, please proceed....¡± ¡­ Kyle waves at me and approaches. ¡°?Hola! Ya veo que te vestiste, ?quieres jugar conmigo?¡± ¡­ ¡°Desafortunadamente, estoy pendiente al c¨®digo de acci¨®n en el momento que me digan.¡± ¡°?Tan¡­ Tan mala es la situaci¨®n?¡± Kyle seems nervous and pockets the pearl. ¡­ ¡°No, al momento no.¡± Kyle was quiet for a moment, ¡°Tengo mucho miedo, ?Me puedo quedar contigo?¡± I do not comprehend why this child needed to be near me at all times, but it is best if he did for now so I can watch the pearl. ¡°Si.¡± I turn back to the sink and scrub the black pot clean. ¡°?Te puedo ayudar?¡± Kyle asks. ¡°Es probablemente mejor descansar, otro d¨ªa que est¨¦s en mejores condiciones de salud f¨ªsica me puedes asistir.¡± Kyle should be resting but instead he wants to assist me. I should be sure about that pearl, ¡°?Donde encontrastes esa perla?¡± I ask. Kyle is hesitant, his breathing pattern changed. ¡°La encontre..¡± ¡°?En donde?¡± ¡­ ¡°...¡± The child is avoiding my eyes, I have a feeling he knows he shouldn¡¯t even have that. ¡°La encontr¨¦ en la playa el d¨ªa que mi mam¨¢ muri¨®¡­¡± he finally speaks. I hum in acknowledgement and proceeded with my chore. ¡°Disculpa por traer un tema sensitivo para usted.¡± ¡­ He didn¡¯t reply, he just stayed quiet. I should take the pearl and terminate it. ¡°... in other related news, new pilot tech is in development to eradicate void dwellers. Prism estimates it¡¯s completion in the next 2 months..¡± ¡­ I set the pot to dry and dry my hands. I take some boric acid, flour, and sugar and make a dough when mixing. ¡°Voy a fumigar el ba?o,¡± I say and as I leave Kyle follows. Jupiter FL, 1962: Alien ¡°?Por qu¨¦ es esencial dormir en ese mecanismo en el s¨®tano?¡± Kyle asks, he sounded muffled but not too difficult to understand due to him wearing the only filtered gas mask. I suppose it is natural curiosity since normal civilians sleep differently from Serfs, albeit very complicated to explain. I continue to scrub the grime of the bathroom floor on my hands and knees, ¡°Es una encapsulaci¨®n de agua mineral para mantener mi cuerpo en perfectas condiciones,¡± I dipped the tile brush into the black waters of the leaky bucket to rinse some of the dirt of the bristles. While yes it is a mineral bath, a lot more happens during my sleep cycle, but it is best to keep it brief. ¡°?Y duele?¡± he seems to cringe at the question. ¡°Ten¨ªas muchos tubos saliendo de la boca y la nariz y¡­ de¡­ abajo¡­¡± Very common practice, feeding and excretion tubes. ¡°Los tubos est¨¢n dise?ados para reemplazar nutrientes y antibi¨®ticos que mi cuerpo haya perdido durante el d¨ªa.¡± The water is too dirty, I pour it down the drain and then fill it up once more with clean water from the broken sink. I turn to Kyle while I wait. Now that I think about it, if the child himself had no idea how the stasis chamber worked, who volunteered to help? ¡°?Acaso no me ayudastes a montar mi cuerpo?¡± Kyle was white as a ghost when I asked. ¡°N-no, empesastes a convulsionar en el piso¡­ En verdad que no sabemos quien fue¡­¡± A stranger helped them hook me up to my stasis chamber, how dangerous. ¡°...?A qu¨¦ te refieres? ?Un extra?o entr¨® al refugio?¡± I can hear the bucket almost full, I turn off the pipe and mix bleach solution. ¡°Por lo que tenemos entendido si, pero te conoc¨ªa a ti.¡± Someone who knew me? ¡°Quien?¡± I ask. ¡°?Era alg¨²n hidalgo?¡± ¡°No vi su rostro. Ten¨ªa armadura rara¡­ No parec¨ªa nada a tu uniforme.¡± How peculiar, it could be a different ranked knight. ¡°Y, ?qu¨¦ fue lo que dijo?¡± ¡°En verdad que no entend¨ª mucho¡­ Lo ¨²nico que reconoc¨ª fue pap¨¢. ¨¦l cantaba mucho y muy bonito.¡± My eyebrows furrowed, perhaps it was the fumes of the chlorine affecting my migraine but I couldn¡¯t at all fathom who this individual was. I am not a father, nor did I father any child. I was simply created to serve my master and Prism. I am at a loss. It had to be a trained technician, but to address me as papa or father is rather far fetched. But Kyle did state he did not recognize the language, perhaps in his urgency to try and understand some phonetics, he may have misunderstood. I can¡¯t really deduct anything at all from what he said, but I should be able to ask other witnesses. ¡°Por lo que entiendo tu no estabas solo, qui¨¦n estaba contigo que te pueda corroborar lo que dices.¡± Kyle nodded, ¡°Arnold y Gerald estaban conmigo y ellos entendieron lo mismo.¡± ¡°Y los adultos?¡± I ask. There had to be some other person around at the time. ¡°Eso era lo raro tambi¨¦n¡­¡± Kyle looked to the floor with his hand in his pocket. ¡°Cuando fuimos a decirle que te iban a llevar al s¨®tano encontraron a la mam¨¢ de Gerald y a Francine durmiendo en el piso de la cocina.¡± ¡°Francine o la mam¨¢ de Gerald sabe de esto?¡± ¡°No saben de nada. Las levant¨¦ temprano. Solo Gerald, Arnold, yo y ahora tu conoces de esto.¡± ¡­ I scrub the basin. This is a bizarre series of events. Someone the children do not know about helped me get on my pod, singing while this all occurred. Francine, and to my knowledge, everyone in the shelter but the children fell asleep. While that all occurred someone who has extensive knowledge to operate my stasis.chamber with my identification number to help me get on my next sleeping cycle. ¡­ Someone addressing me as ¡°father¡±. ¡­ This character may have something to do with this lock down. Whoever this is, might have been a threat but acted as an ally. What could they gain from helping me inside the stasis.chamber? To my understanding I was incapacitated, they had all the opportunity in the world to strike, but instead they assisted me. It eludes me and it makes me uneasy. ¡­ Regardless, I have a task. I look at the shower head covered in soap scum. ¡°Si eres amable, p¨¢same la llave inglesa.¡± I heard him shuffling through the tool box and held out my hand ready to receive the tool. Making sure he gave me the correct tool, I then unscrew the bolt to release the head¡­ ¡°Corre,¡± I tell Kyle. Once I hear his foot fall further down the hall I drop the shower head and step away.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. Roaches scatter all over the bathroom, most of them collected in the half filled tub. I shake my hands and kick the wall to shake the ones on me. I leave, close the door and cover the bottom of the door with a rag so they won¡¯t filter out the hall. ¡°Hey! David!¡± Master Sin¡¯Clair called to me. ¡°Yes, Master?¡± ¡°What the devil are you doing?¡± He seemed agitated. And very sweaty. ¡°I was instructed to clean the bathroom, and so I decided to tackle the fumigation¡ª¡° ¡°Are you stupid!? How are you going to use the bathroom if it¡¯s currently out of order!?¡± ¡°Master, it would only take 45 minutes for the roaches to die. In that process, the bathroom is also bleached floor to ceiling. If the urgency is too great, I suggest using a disposable cup or to go outside¡ª¡° ¡°What!? Are you brainless!? We can¡¯t go outside!! Your stupid military put us under lockdown!!¡± Like daughter, like father¡­ ¡°Get rid of the bleach and wait till we finish our daily use of the goddamned lou!¡± ¡°... I have no issues Master, however, to my understanding you have a phobia of roaches. I can certainly rinse the bleach and fumes so you can comfortably use the toilet, but I cannot control any aftermath that occurs.¡± For a moment he stops to think. Master grumbles and goes back into the kitchen, I hear a symphony of pots and pans and then he walks back down the hall with a paper bag and some toilet paper. I take my boots and head towards the basement. I haven¡¯t heard any signals of duty yet but I must be ready for anything. From my trunk, I find my assigned weapon and assemble it. Four cylinders, 10ft of iron chains, and a diamond sickle forming a scythe. ¡­ ¡­ ¡­ ¡°A-ah..!¡± Kyle. ¡°N-no! Eso es mio!¡± Backyard. ¡°Suelta me!¡± Kyle is floating 3 feet above the ground, arms extended as a pearl gravitates towards a figure armor clad in illegal tones, they are holding their hand towards Kyle and taking the pearl. I run towards them, ready to swing. They are aware, they just smile as they flip backwards into the air before flying away. I swing the scythe upwards and press a button to extend my reach to propel me up on the roof of the next building. If not for their ghastly red armor I would have lost them. They were gliding not too far away facing towards me. There is a grin tugging ear to ear. They are taunting me. I throw my scythe at them-- ? What? I cannot move¡­.? My feet are no longer on the ground anymore, I felt lite but pinned in the thin veil of gravity. How are they doing this? They giggled. ¡­so¡ª wish... I¡ª sta¡ª.. Kio.. ¡­! My head¡­! ¡°You look very sick¡­¡± they said. Their tone¡­ It is so similar to Kyle''s chirp yet this one feels far more... different? They are so close, I must take action.. they must be apprehended for trespassing..! I swing. They float away too quickly to get caught in the blade. They just smile. ¡°You would really raise a weapon against me¡­?¡± His tone is soft and almost hesitant. ¡°I will retaliate with violence if any in my circle is threatened. You are violating the law by wearing the color red, you are the enemy.¡± They cock their head, ¡°I am aware you rather blue colors, but red is not as bad as one thinks,¡± they chuckle. ¡°To think you sang to me everyday¡­¡± ¡°I do not sing, it is a violation of Prism Law.¡± ¡°How silly¡­!¡± they laugh. I really do not understand why they are laughing. But¡­ the laugh¡­ ¡°The last song you ever sang for me was the last time I saw you¡­ Do you remember how it went?¡± ¡°I already told you, I do not sing.¡± ¡°But you sing! So beautifully, too!¡± ¡°I do not¡­¡± He laughed again... ...Why? ¡°Beyond the glass, through the void, I hear the faint song of gleaming.¡± ¡­? He is singing¡­ ¡°Autonomous, in the stagnant as my soul breaks to prisms.¡± T-that¡¯s¡­ why is he singing¡­? I feel like I know this... ¡°Quiet settles in the nowhere that once used to be me.¡± My head is hurting¡­ ¡°Stop it¡­¡± They smile, remove their helmet. ¡°I dream of stars, and seek the Sun, We''re slaves in this truth-omitted cage.¡± Wild long red curls bloomed from a messy bud. Natural red hair, it is unheard of¡­ he is the Red Devil Prism was after... His skin almost glistened like a diamond under a direct light, very similar to scales. His complexion is so pale his green eyes stood out. He just seems to smile, his shoulders drop, too, ¡°you really don¡¯t remember anything do you¡­?¡± the Red Devil grabbed my shoulder, ¡°I was too late¡­?¡± he must have asked himself that question, because it didn¡¯t feel as if it were to me. ¡°You.. won¡¯t tell anyone about this, right?¡± he asked and getured to the pearl in his hand. He did not give me time to even think, the Red Devil floated elegantly, giving himself a headstart for more than 2 miles. The further away he was, I slowly descended from whatever gravitation pull I had. I was never going to catch up to him, I never could. He was almost as unreachable as¡­ ¡­ ¡°The Sun¡­¡± ¡­ My head hurts...