We are the outcasts

Part one

"Good morning, city of Perfectus. It is 8:00 AM on a beautiful Wednesday morning. Today's weather forecast: sunny for most of the day until 5:30 PM where there will be a light rain shower. Make sure to bring your umbrellas. And have a lovely, Perfect day."

I groan as the sickening sweet voice as the intercom speaks out to the whole city, the curtains opening to have the sun blind me. I slowly slip out of my silky smooth sheets and go to the kitchen, making myself a strong coffee. Lord knows I need it. I step out on the balcony, leaning against the railing while sipping my drink.

Everything was the same. Same perfect sky, same perfect streets that are cleaner than a rich mans home. Same perfect houses that are not too small or too big, just the perfect size and shape. Same perfect people, same perfect city. Same perfect fucking everything. 

And if you didn't meet the standards of perfect, you were name 'The outcast'. They would color your hair an exotic color to show you didn't belong. Before finally banishing you from the city, leaving you to fend for yourself in the dead lands outside the walls of Perfectus.

I'm sick of it. Everything, everyone in their place. Never out of line, never out of step. No kids running around, laughing with scraped knees and dirt on there shirt. Nothing colorful or creative, banned from the city as any form of art was seen as 'imperfect' and 'chaotic'. No homeless or poor people. We all just live comfortably in our little bubbles, never leaving then and therefore staying perfect.

I take in a deep breath of the air and scoffed. Even that smelt perfect. There was no such thing as hot or cold temperatures, it was always the same. 

I finally leave the balcony and get dressed for the day. Black jeans with a maroon t-shirt, black platform boots, black beanie and black trench coat. Wearing this might get me in trouble since it had 'too much color'. But I don't really give a damn. I dare not look myself in the mirror as I pass it, not wanting to see the perfect little cube that I've been molded into.

I grab my keys as I leave the apartment, hands in pockets as I walk to the book shop. One of the only ones that survived. I'm pretty well known, I look like I should be an outcast but haven't done anything bad enough to be kicked out. Yet.

"Hey you!" Someone called from behind me. I froze and slowly turned to see one of the many guards that roam the city, looking for any kinds of imperfections before reporting to the king. "Yes officer?" I ask cautiously, getting ready to make a run for it.

The guard looked me over before chuckling kindly, "smile! It's a lovely day today here in Perfectus!" I internally sigh in relief, relaxing my clenched teeth to give a crooked smile. I haven't exactly done that in a while. "Close enough," he said with a bit more skepticism. He patted my shoulder as he walked past, "have a wonderful day."

"Go suck a cactus," I murmur under my breath before continuing my journey to the book store.

"Good morning Miss Jane," I say warmly as I enter the store. Miss Jane is probably the only person I like in this hellhole. Because like me, she was an outcast in disguise. "Good morning Sean, how are you today?" Her soft, old voice said kindly.

"Perfect as always," I say with a sigh and she lets out a croaky chuckle. I come in closer to her and lower my voice, "have any new books come in?" She nods with a sly smile and points to the far corner of the room, "there are a lot of nature and history books this time. Which I know you love."

I smile brightly and give her a quick nod before disappearing into the back of the room, somewhere where hardly anyone went to so it was safe to store the books there. These kinds of books are banned, therefore very hard to come across. Miss Jane has a supplier that sneaks around the city and sometimes into the dead lands to find them.

I pick out a magazine that looked like it was about all the different types of trees in the world. I plop myself on the bean bag couch and let my mind get lost within the pages.

--

"Sean sweetie, it's late. Time to go," I'm snapped out of my trance and look up to see Miss Jane. It was almost completely dark outside and light raindrops were pattering on the window. "I did it again didn't I?" I sigh, looking down at all the books that I must've read throughout the day, not even realizing that I did it. Miss Jane chuckles and nods, "yes you did. I hate to take you away from your knowledge but I have to get home. It's almost curfew."

"Fuck curfew," I grumble and get up, my legs a bit wobbly. She slaps the back of my head gently which makes me yelp, "I know. No swearing. I'm sorry." She smiles happily and gives me a tight hug before grabbing her bag.

I follow her to the door, "do you want me to carry that for you?" "Are you saying I'm too old to carry my own bag?" She raises a brow at me and puts a hand on her hip. "N-no! Not at all I just..." Miss Jane chuckled and ruffled my hair, "I know I'm just teasing. Don't worry about me, get yourself home safe."

We both said our goodbyes with a quick hug before parting ways. I jog back to my apartment and close my door just as the curfew siren rang throughout the city. I sigh in relief and drop my keys onto the coffee table, walking into my room. The view outside showed a few stars beginning to pop out of the clear blue sky. They seemed to be the only imperfect and uneven thing that could be seen.

I slowly peel my wet clothes from my cold body and walk out onto the balcony, not caring who saw my nakedness. I lived in a place where I could just see over the borders of the high walls that confined us in this place like cattle. 

My brows furrow in confusion as I spot what looks like a figure, sitting in a tree in the dead lands, staring right back. I could make out the faint color of red in the darkness and tilted my head. The figure copied my actions. I suddenly felt quite uncomfortable standing there stark naked, feeling like the figures eyes were studying each curve of my body.

I shiver a little and slowly back into my room again, away from the figures line of vision. Was that an outcast? It must've been, I've never heard of an animal that looked so human that had red on it. Well whatever it was, it definitely saw me, and knows I saw it.

I decide to let my weird encounter slide and have a shower. I step into the warm stream of water and let my tense muscles relax. I couldn't help my mind going back to that figure and the way it stared at me. I couldn't see it's eyes, but I could feel them, roaming my body.

I let myself get lost in my mind, thoughts of those eyes swarming me as the water became somehow hotter and the room became steamier.

~~~