The Archer's Star

Chapter 3

"It's just a little owl blood," Siro shrugs. "Ask the custodians to borrow the Evap," he suggests, gesturing to the cart with the blue powder on it. 

I bite my lip. It's been drilled into us technicians not to let animal blood touch our skin, especially from risky outside animals. Even without a break in the skin, absorption is possible. Animal blood has been known to carry perilous diseases that the population of the community-villa has no immunity to fight. 

Few residents have ever been out of these glistening glass walls, and the risks of infections inside have been minimized over the past 100 years.

I don't want to tell anyone else I have blood on me. A medical quarantine could be ordered, so asking to use the Evap seems risky. I wipe the smear of blood off on my right hip, hoping my dark pants hide the stains. 

I can't help but think about how strange the entire situation is. So many thoughts are spinning through my head about the owl, the chaos it caused, the blood and... 

The arrow... my eyes widen in surprise. Who shot this owl from outside the building? 

"Let's go," I say as I start briskly walking toward the inner corridor that's bustling with people. "I need to get back to my room and change." 

I want to talk to Si about it, but I need to be sure it's in the privacy of my apartment and I won't be overheard. 

Si follows me, jogging a few steps to catch up.  We walk side by side quickly to the nearest lift. 

There are over 75 lifts in Saiph Building V, and they go both vertically and horizontally in a pattern around the circumference of the building. They move so quickly, passengers are required to sit on the bamboo seats around the lift's perimeter. 

I scan my wrist as the door to the lift slides open and speak my destination, "Floor 139, Southeast." 

We sit together, our legs touching as more people enter, squeezing in, and the elevator ascends. Within moments we've reached our exit. 

The floor in the resident's corridors is plush carpet, and we step off onto it quietly, alone.  The building is engineered to be as acoustically pleasing as possible, especially on the residential floors. The curve of the building helps sound dissipate and softens voices and footsteps. With almost half a million people living and working in close quarters, it's a gift to have space for peace and quiet. 

Our apartments are situated next to one another down the hall. All the doors in this hallway are made from renewable materials; sawdust and a man-made dissolvable concrete. They're all painted a neutral gray and are difficult to tell apart, aside from the digital numbers above the scan-lock. 

Si and I slow our pace as we approach our doors. I see him stop in front of his own and I frown.

"Come in with me," I say. I need to talk to him about the arrow and honestly, I need him next to me to calm my nerves right now. He takes a few steps towards me, sidling up behind me and I feel the warmth of his skin through my thin, black sweater. 

I pull up my sleeve holding my wrist in front of the scan-lock and the corrugated door rolls up into the ceiling panel. My favorite music begins to softly play throughout the house. That usually indicates that no one else is home. Perfect.

"Mother...? Dad...?" I call out. There is no answer, which is what I would expect at 4:00 pm on a Wednesday, as both should be at work. Siro follows me to my tiny bedroom.

My family has a standard apartment, like most in building V; two bedrooms, a bathroom, kitchen and small living space. The exterior walls are entirely made of sheet glass with panoramic floor to ceiling windows. I look outside and can see the sparkling ocean in the distance and a sea of trees in shades of green, orange, yellow and red. It's my favorite season of the year before the white snow covers all the colors.