Off Planet (Asterism Chronicles Volume One)

Chapter 4

The Highlight District is as it sounds. Everywhere things are highlighted in neon. Neon signs, neon billboards, even the people dress in neon colours. Jack and I set up at the busiest place, in front of a high rise business complex. As soon as we set up we were surrounded by business men and women in expensive leather shoes. Most of them were in a hurry so as soon as we finished they would throw money at us without counting. We worked until the traffic died down and everyone was at work.

"I think we did good," Jack said counting the credits.

"How much more do we need?"

"We are still about two thousand short."

"So we just need to do this again." I said stretching as Jack put his supplies in his backpack.

"No, plan b." Jack stood up and motioned for me to follow.

"What's plan b?" Confused I followed.

"This." He said standing in front of a pawn shop. "I didn't want to do this, but we can't risk leaving Eskran until we leave. I have this old heirloom from my family that is worth 3500 credits."

"You don't have to. We can just wait another day and make more money."

"It's fine, I was told once to let go of the past and I will be better off."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes" We walked into the pawn shop and up to the store clerk.

"You ready to sell that yet?" He said to Jack.

"Yeah, I have to." Jack pulled a small trinket out of his pocket. As I looked at it, I realized what it was.

"Is that a winding pocket watch?" I said amazed.

"Yeah, I was told I'm one of the last people to have one. After everyone who fixed them died people just threw them away."

"They are a rare collectable. So, are you going to sell?" His greedy hands reached for the watch.

"Yeah, I guess."

"I can't let you sell that." I said. "We can make more money tomorrow."

"It's fine. I need to get rid of the past. This is the first step." The heirloom was placed on the counter and the money was given to him.

We left the shop and Jack stuffed the money in his inner jacket pocket and left the Highlight District.

We went to Martha's house to have what she called dinner. It was a cup of broth with a piece of chicken in it.

As we finished eating Jack told her our plan. She looked heartbrokenly at Jack as she hugged him.

"You better come back and see me sometime." She told him. "Take care of him, Rae. He's a troublemaker."

"I will." I told her.

"We aren't leaving yet, Martha." Jack cut in. "We need to get tickets still. And for that, we have to wait till Jun comes to town."

"Okay," Martha said hugging us both, "Make sure you come say goodbye before you leave."

"We will." Jack and I told her as we left the house.

"I love her," I told Jack as we stepped into his house. "She's sweet."

Jack smiled and nodded. "That's what's going to make it hard to leave."

Jack went into the back room while I sat on the couch. Next to me was a box of papers. I picked them up and looked at the amazing artwork done on each one. I flipped through the pages and noticed almost all of them were of the little girl I saw in the photograph. She was bigger here, but not by much, maybe two years older. As I looked through the photo realistic drawings of her, Jack came and ripped them out of my hands.

"Those are my private property." He threw them back into the box and walked into what used to be the kitchen.

"Who is she?"

"Someone I used to know. I need to let go of the past." He picked up one of the pictures and looked at it with deep longing. He set the picture down and looked at me. "you should get some sleep. It's getting late."

"Okay, " I said softly.

I walked into the bathroom and looked at myself in the broken mirror. I've lost a lot of weight since I was put in that jail. Martha's soup was the first time in a while to eat meat. I picked up a lock of my blond hair and let it fall. I need scissors, laying on the floor by the bathtub was a dull pair. I picked up a hand full of my hair and chopped it off just below my ears. That's better. Outside the bathroom, Jack was still looking through the box with a sigh. I placed the blanket back on Jack's bed so he wouldn't freeze again and fell asleep in my new bed.