Numbers: Illegal Stories from the Forest

Chapter 2 ~ Subtle Injuries

  I sat on the grass, looking up at the roof of leaves and branches above me. I rubbed the scrape on my knee with a sigh. It still hurt a little when I touched it, but it had basically stopped an hour or two ago. This was a good place to sit and take a break. There were no stairs near by and it was a good distance from both the city. There was a school right on the edge of it, so I had to stay far from it. That area was watched more closely. I ran my fingers through my pale hair and stood up. There were more grass stains on my pants now, so I guess I had to clean them again, which was pretty bothersome.

I walked a little farther out, still looking up. I was pretty much covered with cuts and scrapes after running away from that wolf. It's not like it attacked me or anything, I just panicked and ran, which wasn't very smart, I guess. Now I'm covered in these damn injuries that hurt when I walk because I kept falling. The worst one was the one on my knee, and that was getting better, but still. It was starting to get dark... That wasn't good. I shouldn't have left the clearing...

This may seem, um, kind of stupid, but I don't know my own name. I know my last name though. Wakahisa. I'm not exactly sure what it means, but it sounds pretty cool. It keeps bothering me that I don't know my name... I was just always referred to as Wakahisa, which I know was the last name my dad and mom had, so it's not like it was really my first name and I didn't know it. I wasn't that dumb. I was still dumb, but not that dumb.

I couldn't afford to go to school since I came from a family of 11s. My grandmother taught me everything I knew. Mom and Dad had died five years ago and I was already basically over it. That sounds kind of cold, but it's true. I wasn't meant to spend my whole life moping over it. That would be pointless. I still had my nana and the rest of the village.

Then Nana died and no one in the village wanted me because I was apparently a trouble maker. Because of that, I took it upon myself to take care of... myself. I'm pretty aware that living out here in the middle of the forest is illegal, but I would probably end up as a slave if I didn't run away or find a home. I'd positively be a slave if I were caught out here, but I was willing to prolong my time as a free boy and take my chances. I was only ten, so I probably still have more to learn.

Like my own freaking name.

Even though things are kind of hard for me out here, I guess I like it. It's find of nice just being outside all the time and the adrenaline rush is kind of cool too... I decided to walk back to the clearing I was in before, since it was probably the safest place for me at the moment. Sleeping was always the scariest part, because anything could happen while you aren't paying attention. Someone could find you or you could get attacked by something... Way too many things could go wrong, but just like running away in the first place, I'd rather take my risk and prolong my time than give in to fear.

I don't get lonely out here. I never really had friends to begin with so I wasn't really leaving anyone behind. I never really knew what it was like to have someone around, so being alone isn't a horrible thing for me. It's just natural. It's pointless to hope for a friend, because I'm not going to find one out here. I'm going to live a lonely existence and that's totally fine with me. I was pretty much always a misfit and, in my mind, this is kind of where I belong, isn't it?

I found what I think is the clearing I was in prior and sit down, looking up. The stars are just little specks of light up there... They're pretty cool, to be honest. Before I can lay down, I heard a little noise. It was kind of like a meow, actually. I looked around for where it could've come from. Not surprisingly, there was a gray cat perched on one of the rocks. At least... I think it was gray. It might be white and just very dirty, not to mention it's pretty dark out. I walked up to it slowly and quietly, putting my head down. It hopped down from the rock and walked a little closer to me.

Eventually, I got close enough to pet it, so I did.

"You're just a sweet cat, aren't you?" I said as it let me scratch it's head. From the sound of it's meow, it didn't sound feral and this was just further confirmation. It probably had an owner at some point, poor little thing... It purred a little as I scratched under it's neck. I wonder if it's a boy or a girl... I'm not going to try and figure out.After a little while, I fell asleep next to the cat, which probably not a smart idea, but I was tired, what can I say?

When I woke up, the sun was glaring in my eyes. Well, it seems like no one found me. That's another day as a free man, or... boy. The cat wasn't here any more... That was too bad. I was looking forward to seeing it again, but, whatever. I was okay with animals in general, but I really liked cats. They were just so bad ass... But they also let you pet them, which was cool. They were also pretty cute, I guess... Cute things weren't that bad.

I kind of had a soft thing for cute things, but not all cute things. I'm still a kid, so who knows how I'm going to turn out. That is, of course, if I turn out. The way I'm living, I'm lucky if I don't die or get caught by the time I'm caught. I may technically be an 11, but right now, I'm a 0.

0 isn't a real number, exactly. It's more of a slang term for someone who's either in jail or off the grid. I think I'm off the grid, but I can't be sure. If I'm lucky, everyone's forgotten about me and they won't make a fuss. It's been a couple of months already, so if someone hasn't found me now, they've probably stopped looking for me specifically. I doubt anyone ever made a fuss anyways. People didn't really like me. The people that stuck with me through everything they could were my parents and my Nana, but they all died. They couldn't help anymore.

Mom and Dad died when I was five. They were told to come to a meeting overseas in America. I'm not totally sure what America is like, but it seems like a really bizarre place. Apparently they screw around with the rules and they usually hold meetings there. The Oligarchy member that comes out of there is rather bipolar, apparently. That's what Grandma would tell me. Anyways, it was an official invitation to attend the meeting and give the point of view of 11s. They paid tickets were in there and everything because the Oligarchy member that sent them the invitation was sensible enough to know they couldn't pay for plane tickets.

No, the plane didn't crash or anything. The plane landed safely and they went to the meeting. Not only my parents were there, but my cousin's dad was there too. She's back in Africa, so I never get to see her. There was a giant massacre and my parents died with Kuniko's dad and a lot of other people at the meeting. According to Nana, the guy who shot up the place was arrested, which was good.

I lived with Nana for a while in the same village before she died too. She was just old. I feel bad for her...

I got up and continued walking. If I was lucky, I'd be able to find food or something for breakfast. The easiest thing to do would be to walk back over to the city and snatch something from the edge, but I won't get there until noon. Well... Whatever. I'm going with that plan and no one is here to stop me.

I'm independent.