CAZADO: BOOK ONE (WATTYS 2023)

Chapter 17

We finally reached the ground floor and stepped out onto the smooth, metal road. The sun was unusually bright. Well, not the sun. The artificial light that seemed to shine a never-ending glow over the whole city. We quickly separated from each other as Shaki made her way towards the women's dormitory and the rest of us made our way towards our building, past the man with the parasite beard, towards our own separate rooms. I finally reached my own room and fell onto my bed as my machine quickly brushed my teeth. It felt weird. I was so used to doing things again on my own. It did not feel right to have someone else doing these things for me. It was close to feeling violated but I guess everyone was experiencing this so it must have been normal.

"So, what do you think will happen to you tomorrow, human?"

"What do you mean? I asked 4536, confused.

"The Quimeeraa. I wish you had some brains in that head of yours," 4536 said with an eye roll.

"I wish you had anything special at all in you," I shouted as I threw a vase at the machine which only bounced off the wall.

"Great aim. It's a wonder why I have to brush your teeth for you. You'd probably end up brushing your right knee with your coordination."

"Machine!" I raised my hands, exasperated. "What is it that you wanted to tell me?"

"Yes, human! So, there will be a ceremony tomorrow for the four of you. Supposedly, this was one of the first significant findings made by a Pariah student for this university, and as there are many all over these continents, you four will be greatly rewarded in dineros and awards."

"Hmmm...I like the sound of that, machine. What time is the ceremony?" I asked.

"It will be some time after the artificial light comes up, but I will wake you when you need to get ready. You can sleep in."

I decided to end the conversation there and turned my head towards the other wall, moving my hands towards the sensors to cool down my bed to the right temperature. My mind went over the events of the last few weeks. The people I had met, my father's cooking, the fish, the Behemoths and even the girl, although that part was still a little fuzzy. I could not remember fully what had happened in that moment though I knew she had passed away. Then everything seemed to disappear as sleep fell upon me.

I woke up the next morning feeling refreshed. My machine was already fast asleep as well. I could tell because his back side was hanging out the wall. He was recharging for the day. I knew I was up too early but decided to get up and brush my teeth, shower and get dressed. I strolled over to the kitchen and gently tied a durag on my twists so that they would not come undone. I was about to relax back on my bed when I heard a knock on my door. I was unsure who it could be at this early hour. I moved over to the door and pressed a small panel on the side that made the door transparent. It was my three friends. I swiftly pressed another panel that caused the door to slide open and Shaki, Carlos and Maverick all came in, waving hello and fist-bumping me, carrying food they had brought with them from my father.

They placed all the ingredients on the table then pressed some buttons on the machines that I did not really use and the machines in the kitchen began to work. Soon there were all sorts of smells that I remembered from my dad making food at home. Every once in a while, Maverick would add something to the food when the main machine was not paying attention that only intensified the sweet aroma that blanked the whole kitchen. All four of us sat down upon the couches that I had arranged in the living room and I asked the wall if it could give each of us our daily water, vitamin pills and the pill to decrease poisons in our bodies. The pills always made me feel a bit weak, but it never lasted that long.