The Partner

Chapter 11: As Time Passes

Lexus and I moved out of the room she owned and found a new place, further out within the slums, escaping the police. I've stayed with Lexus for about a month, slowly getting to know her and the rest of the humans. Every time I leave the house I have to put on my gas-mask, and Lexus robe. I haven't heard from Alexander for a long while now... I wonder where he is.

Maybe he gave up on me... but that seems cruel by his standards.

I came out to get some groceries from the small market here in the slums...

The food they grow here tastes good, but the majority of it is sent away for Valarian companies. As I continue to live with these humans, I realize more and more just how alike we are. My life before this... before this I never actually lived my life.

In Valarian society your parents must give you up at the age of five to a school, which then houses you, cloths you, feeds you, and teaches you for the next thirteen years until the day you get your human. Now as I look back on it, what life did I really have? All I ever did was school, then home, and then back to school. I had friends... but as I learned from Alexander, they have been raised to have an inherent prejudice for humans. I never liked seeing bad things happen to the humans... but I always walked away. I simply conformed to the world, and the world re-payed me by doing nothing. I was always alone, and to myself. I never shared with others how I felt, or what I believed-hell... I don't even think I had my own beliefs. I don't think any of the people growing up in the schools have their own belief's... it's simply follow the majority and you will be fine. In fact... that's how were raised, how were taught... Some do have beliefs though, right...? I know that one classmate of mine did... she believed that we were equal with humans... but I wonder how far she was willing to go to prove that.

Do I miss my past...?

I don't know. I don't believe so...

Sometimes I start to think about how I would have turned out if I got another partner besides Alexander. Would I be as open minded as I am now? Or would I simply be another Valarian who believes himself to be superior? Another Valarian to live life the way the Valarian Empire dictates it to be.

I don't know... but I like how my life has been this past month.

I've learned a lot... and I have also been through a lot. I killed two people... and I don't know how I would have gotten through, if not without Lexus. She saved me from myself... and helped me come to terms with what I did. The people I killed weren't good people... but to take away another person's life... I still did something wrong. Lexus helped me come to terms with it, and helped nurse me back to health from my wounds. Along the way... I think I might have...

I walked down the dusty dirt street towards the building Lexus and I are staying. As I made my way there I walked up four flights of stairs and unlocked the door.

As I walked in Lexus looked at me from her sitting position by a small futon.

"Hey Joshua, what did you get for us today?"

I dropped the tattered and worn brown bag with the groceries in front of her. I took off my mask from my face and sat down in across from her.

"Just the essentials. Half a loaf of bread, a few pieces of meat, and an apple."

Lexus smiled.

"You managed to get an apple...?"

"Y-Yeah, I know you like them so... I wanted to get you one. I had to trade with some of the merchants, but I managed it."

Lexus slightly blushed.

"I-I see. That's kind of you. You're really a good person, you know that?"