Since Forever

Chapter 7

And here's your daily dose of chapter. :)

Smoke was everywhere. So gray, so open. It wouldn't surprise me to see the two boys have a coughing fit right in front of me, I was close to a coughing fit myself. This was pure smoke, the gray pollution that would have killed the world before and it still will.

I mentioned how global warming isn't a problem anymore. Existentially it isn't. No storms can break through our system, we grow plants in a control area with oxygen being pumped into every area. If the earth would burn, we would still live in our own small domes forever, without knowing. That was what was happening. The high class don't suffer or even know this is happening, but the low class. They live in it.

The boys were clearly used to it. A few coughs here and there, but they didn't seem bothered and as we breached through the cloud, I could see why. I had to move closer to Emilio before I lost them, it was a bustling metropolis. Building after building closed, but breached through by people who love breaking the rules. Homeless after homeless selling their merch like a true merchant and they all seemed cold but happy. It was a big crowd through the middle which was a true body of people. 14 people had already hit me in the shoulder four feet ahead from where we entered. Diego and Emilio held their head high. They knew how to break the crowd apart for them and stood next to me like bodyguards. No, the crowd knew to break for them.

Trackers beeped everywhere, but some never shown a light. Fakes. All types of people were everywhere. I hear all languages. I see all type of art. This was a city. A true city.

I loved it.

"Sorry, this can be a bit crazy the first time," Diego screamed over the crowd. I shook him off and moved a bit faster.

"Why didn't you get me to leave faster? This is amazing. I never thought I could see the world so vibrant like this." Emilio laughed almost expecting the answer and ran forward. I ran after him with Diego behind us and we rushed through.

People complained everywhere and conversation was the central diamond. I noted that all to memory as I rushed forward. Some turned to greet the duo and the rest cursed them off. Curses, who knew they were refreshing. I miss a lot of things from before the wars.

Someone bumps into me a bit too harshly and I stop suddenly a fall a bit backward. Diego catches me but I move back like it was nothing. I look at the person and recognize her almost immediately.

Descendant of the family of Russians, I met his father a generation back as war soldier. This must be his daughter, Agata. The coincidence.

There are no coincidences. She raises her hand and signals goodbye respectfully and runs away. Diego curses her off.

She knows who I am and she was clearly scared. Some others who were with her looked at me with the same eyes. I just hope Diego doesn't notice it.

The war was a harsh thing, mostly for those countries that were powerful. The minorities were special, being ignored and in hiding was their specialty so they caused the most damage. Killed hundreds. I witnessed this war from the sidelines and sometimes helped out from the background when I seemed fit. One battle was truly the worst. This is where the Russians were truly dying left and right. It wasn't good. I helped the Russian side because I noticed something weird with the other side.

I was right there in the front line, but the only ones attacking a foreign object like me were the Russians. The other side dodged me even greeted me and another thing was clear, they weren't dying. The opposing team couldn't breach through the defensive and even if they were right there in a bloody war, they overpowered the Russians. So I interfered. The balance was clearly not good and it wasn't brilliant planning because they let me kill them.

They were universe god worshippers. The most hated kind. They preach on how they gained their power from the god that could beat the sun. How angry I was. They refused to kill me knowing who I was. They thought I was their god's messenger, helping them succeed. How foolish.

It didn't matter in the end. I help the other side win the war and end of story. It wasn't like that battle could change the history though. Russia lost and became an almost European country.

This must be their descendants. I don't understand their fear though or why they are in England. They should be with their families as war heroes. This makes me think back on the beast surprisingly. Something is going on.

"You okay? Damn sun god worshippers." Sun god worshippers? That's an interesting curse word for them. Diego stays behind me as we move back to finally catching up to Emilio. More and more people look at me as I push through and it clearly isn't because of old lineage. I am a stranger and as we reach deeper into the low-class quarter, it becomes clear.

We slow down a bit to a slow walk as the crowd thins. I was in full tourist mode passing at the stores that interest me. One was of some old dreamcatchers.

"Aren't they called spider weaves or something?" Emilio asks dumbly. The old lady selling them snaps at him.

"How dumb are you boy and I thought I taught you better-" "-yeah, by beating me with a stick-" "shut it, boy. I'm with a customer."

I laugh lightly which I seem to be doing much more often lately and concentrate on the dream catchers. Maybe I could get one for my little sister.

'They're dreamcatchers, said to help with bad dreams created by the Native Americans before European colonization. It has been warped ever since by European culture and the dissociation of Native American people, but it is still a popular item to sell.' Emilio clearly didn't care what I was saying ignoring me. Diego seemed slightly interested but the lady seemed really proud of one such as myself knowing anything. I looked over the assortments of colors for many religions and animism ideas finding the section of the sun and universe god worshippers. The lady watches me as I look through the designs. 'Do you have a mix?'

She looks skeptical and narrows her eyes but like a skilled merchant brings a box out where she took a lone one out. "It's my only one. I tried selling it ages ago but all I got back was some serious whipping for breaking law. Haven't sold it since. You sure you want it?"

The pattern was simple. The universe and the sun in the same circle with both signified color feathers lining the bottom. It looked like the universe was begging the sun and the sun was crying at his mistakes. Perfect. I bring out my small pouch that I hid under my shirt and place the small coins in her hand with a smile. She hesitantly accepts it, wraps it up and places it in an old plastic bag for me. It was clear by the way she wrapped it and the others stare this was a black market. They were used to illegal buying that even Emilio was casually covering the view without a word like he had done this for Diego more times to count. Diego was secretly proud of me for becoming a delinquent I'm sure.

We kept on moving and more and more people started greeting us. The one holding guns moved a bit closer but one stare from Diego made them quiver. And he judges my stares to the guards at school. These guys were actually quivering, I just get a glare back.

We kept going, not stopping after a certain point. The stores slowly stop showing up. We were slowly arriving to our final destination.

The smoke returns, not as great and exciting as the cloud close to school, but still the same. The abandoned buildings started appearing and the homeless become more apparent, but those as well start disappearing. More and more different, rougher people start appearing. More armed appear, watching me most of all. Emilio doesn't rush forward and slowly settle next to me casually. His mood had gotten much better and it refreshed me a bit. His mood was getting my mood down and slowly Diego's was going down to, but we're fine now. They are happy. Happy that I am experiencing their daily lives with them and as we arrive at the final hidden door, I thought, maybe, just maybe, I'll devote my last week to them. To seeing them not from my information that I stalk for, but being friends with them.

The hidden door stood before us and with one synchronized knock slid open.

"Heyyyy, if it isn't the rich brats."