CLOUD NINE

Chapter 8

"Nina," Alizeh grabbed the petite figure in the dark.

"Alizeh?" she whipped around.

"Where were you?"

"I came out for some fresh air when everything went dark and I guess I loitered far away. I didn't bring my phone either. Oh God! I was so scared. I thought I would get lost and fall off the edge of the cloud..."

"Hey, you're okay now!" Alizeh put a hand on her shoulder, gently turning her back to the route she came by. They both stopped short.

"Umm, do you know the way back?" Nina's voice sounded dry.

Alizeh didn't answer.

"Why did you come out in the dark then?" Nina whispered.

"I had to find you and make sure that you're all..." their conversation was interrupted by a flash of light somewhere in the dark. The microphones again crackled.

"ALL CITIZENS ARE REQUESTED TO STAY INDOORS UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE. WE'RE GOING UNDER LOCKDOWN."

"Wait why?" Nina wailed.

Her voice was answered by a sharp crackling sound like burning wood in a bonfire. A transmission pole in front of them lit up in flames which quickly rode on the electric lines and began spreading fast.

"What the hell!" someone exclaimed in front of them. They had no time to be shocked before a human figure erupted in flames just like the pole and crumpled to the ground in a ball of seething fire. They could barely register a scream before it was all over.

Alizeh glanced at Nina. Her face was ashen in the mellow light. Pure panic ensued in her eyes. They both tightened their grip and began backing off, wordlessly. The one look at Nina's face was enough to communicate the fact that whatever they were facing attacked in the direction of the sound. Their sneakers were soft on the CloudWay as they slowly moved further away from the spot and turned around.

A blinding light flashed in front of them as a huge ball of lightning dropped in their way. It glowed blue and sparks galloped over its body. It was nothing but pure energy, fueled by a core. And it was lethal.

The ball stayed still, appearing to sway from side to side. They both stilled, holding their breaths.

A flash of electricity shot from its surface hitting the CloudWay just where Nina was standing. Alizeh had tackled her to the ground just in time. A shocked Nina screamed and another bolt came rushing as they rolled away. Alizeh clapped her hand on Nina's mouth in a desperate attempt to quieten her. The combined lubb dup of their heartbeats were the only sound in the vicinity as they lay very still. The ball advanced, rolling steadily forward. Just when it was almost to their right, it stopped, as if listening. The two girls were sweating by then. Alizeh felt her glasses sliding off her nose as beads of sweat appeared on her face.

Suddenly a dark cloth dropped over the ball and expanded like a balloon, wrapping it from all sides and tossed it into the air. The light vanished in a second as the balloon held it suspended in midair.

"Are you both crazy? I told y'all to stay inside," an angry voice was hoisting them up on their feet. Just then the lights came back and in the neon sign of a storefront, Alizeh caught a glimpse of a male figure. A tight set jaw and coal-black eyes — Ash.

"Ash!" Nina gasped, "we came out of the house and we got lost. Oh, I'm so sorry."

She dropped to the floor and started sobbing hysterically. Alizeh looked at her wondering what to do. Ash was quicker. He perched himself beside her and silently slid his hand around her waist, helping her stand up.

"This place is not safe. We have to get her out of here," he said to Alizeh.

"What was that?" she asked, pointing to the globe which had annihilated a person before their very eyes. It was lying passive and inert like an innocent metal ball.

"That's an Electrobot," he jerked his head in disgust, "Once you wrap it in rubber and take it off the cloud, its source of electricity is cut off. The more it rolls on the surface, the more static and power it gathers and gets bigger."

"It's our good luck that we caught this in time." another of Ash's mate's commented, tightly securing the rubber sheath around it.

"But it burned down a whole person," Nina wept.

"It can burn down whole buildings," Ash's voice was calm but grave and mature. He didn't let the sorrow creep into his voice.

"So they come out often on the clouds?" Alizeh still was in a shock.

'Welcome to Cloud Nine." Ash spat in disgust, "These are formed by old pieces of junk dumped on our cloud by the other clouds. During particularly bad weather conditions, these gadgets activate themselves and become death machines."

"Why don't we just dispose of the junk?"

"And can we throw it into the ocean, Alizeh?" Ash shook his head in frustration, "Isn't the earth polluted enough that we have to live on this godforsaken cloud? The other clouds don't give a damn about us, face it. We'll soon be jobless, hungry and die out on our own, that too if this cloud doesn't fry us alive."

"The sparks in the horizon," her voice dropped.

"And many more you haven't seen yet."

"We're so sorry for bothering you, Ash," Alizeh sighed.

"One little piece of advice for you and your friend," he whispered, "Get rubber boots. They're costly but save some money and get a pair. You'll be safer in this entire fight against machine and nature."

Alizeh just nodded, taking the weight of Nina on her shoulders and the two girls dragged themselves home.