Shadows Ablaze

Chapter 6- Shyah

I step out from the car and into the late afternoon air, offering my mother a parting wave before turning to the red brick house. I follow the driveway as it curves, then walk up the three wooden stairs and pass between white pillars that stand two stories high. I stop in front of the bright red double door, taking a deep breath before pressing the latch to enter.

I don't bother knocking; I know it will be unlocked. I'm greeted by bright lights and the scent of cookies, which tugs me down the hall and toward the kitchen. I can hear voices coming from the basement, but I ignore them.

I round the corner of the kitchen, striding into the room and coming to a stop at the marble island. A woman stands over the stove, observing a tray she just pulled out of the oven. A white apron covers the front of her silky, light pink blouse and dark jeans, protecting the outfit from flour and other ingredients. Her slender neck twists to glance at me as she slides the tray back into the oven.

"Shyah!" she exclaims. "It's so nice to see you, Honey. How have you been?" She walks over, wrapping her arms around my shoulders.

"Hi Mrs. Nitoba," I greet, hugging her for a moment before breaking from the embrace. "Baking your famous cookies. Must be a special occasion." Cookies are a novelty we only get when there are celebratory events. The ingredients are scarce and expensive.

Mrs. Nitoba observes me with a knowing smile. "Of course it is! It was your and Danise's first day shadowing. How was it?"

She asks the question to be polite and probably because she's curious. After all, I am arranged to marry her son in a couple years. It was something our parents set up a long time ago to ensure traditions would be upheld and the Apex Elite class would remain superior. Elite children are arranged when it benefits their status, meaning that not all Elites are given a partner. None of my friends are arranged, but there is still time. Our parents have until our eighteenth birthday to find us someone if they decide it is beneficial.

Bennet, my boyfriend, and I are lucky in that way. We've known we would be married since the day we were born. We are the children of four of the most powerful politicians in Quince City—and maybe even the entire northeastern region, not that there's much competition. It was an easy decision for them. By matching Bennet and me, they set us up for a lifetime of success.

"Are you okay, Honey?" Mrs. Nitoba prompts.

I cringe as I think. Am I okay? How did my first day go? A lot happened. All the new lab terminology and equipment. The new faces. And the one thing that caused me to question this path: the death of a woman. Sure, she was a Skiddy, a member of the poor caste. Not many people will miss her, as she didn't play a vital role in society. But still, she had a family. Maybe a husband, or a kid or two. She definitely had parents at one time, although I doubt they're still alive now. The poor don't tend to live past the age of forty.

I plaster on a fake smile for Mrs. Nitoba's benefit and say, "It was good. I learned a lot." My voice comes out steadier than I expect it to.

"That's great! I'm glad to hear that." And I'm sure she is. After all, her son's future depends on my success as well. The oven timer goes off. Her attention remains on me for a moment longer as she adds, "all the kids are downstairs if you want to join them." With that, she spins to the oven and begins working on the cookies.

I accept my cue to leave and follow the wooden stairs as they twist downward. The voices grow louder, the giggles and mock screams intensifying with every step. A group of five teenagers come into view as I descend the last step and glide into the large, open room. Light green eyes meet mine just before a shrill shriek fills the room and the girl flails toward me, dark red hair trailing behind her.