The Ark

1.

There wasn't a single cloud to blemish the almost neon pink of the evening sky. Artificial rays of peachy light sprang over the horizon—hinting at a setting sun.

In the foreground, a young family played in the courtyard of their new estate, shameless bolded text rolling over them with investment details.

I scoffed, taking a hit of my vape and shifting to tuck my feet closer to the crate I sat on. The rain was starting to blow under the awning, sprinkling my ankles. The phony pink sky in the advert reflected off every wet surface on the balcony.

Without warning, the door to my right flew open, Theo came bursting out, swearing in a mixture of Egyptian and Swiss. I gave him a startled smile.

"Sorry Astrid, I didn't know you were out here." He switched to English for my benefit, running a hand over the spiky stubble of his buzz-cut in frustration. An angry vein had risen to the surface and was pulsing away at his left temple.

"It's fine, what's up?"

He shook his head as though he didn't want to talk about it and came to join me on the crate. It sagged and creaked with his added weight and I tensed in anticipation of it collapsing.

"They sent me a final offer today." He ran a hand down his face and pulled a vape from the pocket of his grubby apron. "I'm the last business from this cluster to sell." Tendrils of smoke curled out his nostrils, joining the last of mine hanging dead in the air. "I've been left with no choice. The next development is already approved."

"They must all be after the killer sunset view." I nodded out to the advertisement still playing across the façade of the neighbouring high-rise.

He snorted then coughed out a small cloud of vapour. "Smart-ass. Shouldn't you be at the academy?"

I adjusted my uniform knowing it was to blame for the query. "Last session was modern history."

"And? Why is that suddenly a free pass?"

"It's not." I took a deep drag on my own vape and sighed. "It's just pointless, they won't teach us anything Pre-Colonisation."

"Should make for short lessons then."

I scoffed. "Only one hundred and seventy years of history, and they still find a way to fill the full hour every week." I rubbed my forehead. "It's all just sponsored bullshit anyway."

He barked a laugh at that. "You should sit through regardless kid. Gotta get yourself a proper education. Don't end up like me, supervising shitty machines all day."

He knew just as well as I did that if I flunked, I would still land on my feet, thanks to Dad.

"What does it matter anyway?" he continued in my silence. "Doubt anyone's going back to the old world any time soon."

"You really believe that?"

He shrugged. "Shares in the department of exploration and rehab are some of the shittiest investments going. Trust me, we'll be colonising other planets before we fix ours."