Vitality [Teaser]

Chapter 3: Change of Plans

"Good morning, Salento! Please rise to your feet and repeat the pledge after me!" The announcer's voice rang out of the TV downstairs. "I pledge allegiance to the Resinix; our leader in knowledge, strength, and unity. We stand together under one lifeform, hand in hand, to seek power, control, and a better future for our planet Earth. Please remain standing as we honor our fallen troops." He paused for three minutes. "This concludes your morning pledge!"

Nikos woke up after the announcement ended and rubbed his eyes. He then glanced at his clock and saw that it was five o'clock in the morning. He looked over on the opposite side of the room. Orion's bed was empty. He sat up and tried to open his eyes, but he eventually closed them again. He then drifted back to his pillow and moved further into his blankets. After a few minutes later, his mother knocked on his door.

"Nikos?" She called.

She opened the door and looked at him.

"Get up. You're going to make me late to the factory."

Nikos groaned and rolled over facing away from her. She sighed and walked to Orion's side of the room. She picked up a watch lying down on his desk and threw it on top of Nikos' head.

"COME ON! GET UP!" She exclaimed.

"ALRIGHT, ALRIGHT!" He finally said.

She left the room and walked downstairs as he got up and changed into his Proditor uniform. He then walked across the hall and into the bathroom. He glanced at himself in the mirror and saw that his eyesight was still a little blurry from the left. He leaned in close to the mirror and poked at his left green eye. He tried rubbing water on it, but his vision did not improve. He then saw that his curly, wavy black hair was in a sloppy mess. He attempted to fix it, but it sprang back up at its original position. He rolled his eyes and sighed and made his way downstairs.

"It's about to be six o'clock. Are you ready?" She asked as she was packing her lunch.

Nikos didn't answer.

She shook her head and walked up to the front door as Nikos followed behind her. The sky continued to mimic the bleakness of night with the only light coming from the vehicles speeding by and the lamp posts that stood every couple of blocks. They walked out toward the main street and stopped at a purple and white holographic bus sign. She moved forward and activated the sensors that lined on the ground. Then in just a few minutes a purple and white striped bus suddenly elevated from the street floor. The vehicle was large enough to fit thirty people and was connected on a track that stretched out across the entire town through an underground tunnel. The tunnel was the most technologically advanced structure in that town.

"Morning, ma'am. This is the Hypersonic Speed Bus! Where you headed? Hold on now, wait just a minute..." The heavy bus driver said.

"What did I tell you about calling me, ma'am?" Nikos mother said as she approached the bus.

Nikos stood back and waited while her mother and the bus driver talked.

"It's just a habit, Alanis. Ha-ha! I go on automatic most of the time. Anyways, hop on in, and I'll take you to the factory." He said.

"Actually, I need you to take us to someplace else. You see that's my son over there." Alanis said.

"Oh, that's Orion, right?"

"No that's Nikos."

"Really? I thought Nikos was the older one. He looks like he's probably around fourteen years old."

She then quietly whispered something into the man's ear. He continued to nod and brushed his beard in confusion until his eyebrows suddenly raised up high.