Salvation 2035

Chapter 36- Hideout

『Tsuki』

     When I said I was going to dye my hair black, I didn't think it'd be so soon. Damn, looking at my bare face with my black hair, I feel like a completely different person. I look and feel younger, which isn't exactly ideal for a twenty-year-old. I hold up my family photo to compare. Huh, I guess I'm ageing backwards. It's hard for me to believe that this kid and I are the same person. The only people that would recognize me like this are my parents and Naomi...

     I stare blankly into the photograph, as my mind begins to wander. I wade my way through fractured memories of my teen years, grasping around, trying to remember something about my parents. I only remember their faces, nothing else. I just know that they were mom and dad. I know that they cared about me, but I don't remember anything about their personalities. I don't even remember their names...

      I wish I was smart enough to dye some streaks in my hair. I think purple would look good. If only I could give myself a haircut too. I like my hair long, but maybe I should change it up just a bit? Well, I should get going.

      I guess it took a while for me to dye my hair. This damn motel has no windows, so I had no idea what time it was. It's late in the evening, the streets are dimly illuminated with the white streetlights. The sidewalk is damp from the rainfall earlier. It's eerie that there's nobody outside. I look up to one of the large screens looming over me. On it it reads 'curfew is at 9 pm'. Curfew? It's... nine-ten now. Geez, I guess I better run back to the motel? Wait, are they allowed to let me in? Shit! Why the hell is there a curfew? Ugh, and I'll practically be asking to be pulled over if I steal a car and try to get out of this place. I gotta think of something fast.

     The distant chatter of voices resounds in the area. They sound serious- like they could be police. I quickly duck into an alleyway behind a pile of trash. This is a real nuisance- if only I didn't have to lug around my bag.

     "Hey!" a whisper comes from beside me. I look over to see a young boy, probably about twelve or thirteen. He's got a dark complexion, and his clothes are wet from the rain. This kid's been out for a bit then. Seems like we have the same problem.

      "Uh, hey," I whisper back.

     "This curfew is crazy!" he quietly exclaims. "All my friend did was hold up a sign, and the whole city shuts down!"

     "At the parade?" I recall. So that girl didn't get caught right away.

     "I told her not to do it, but she insisted so here we are!" he exclaims. "Now I've lost track of her. We weren't even supposed to be out today!"

     "Alright, alright, I'll help you find her," I try to calm him down a bit.

     "Thanks," he peers around the dumpster. The voices get louder, their steps closer.

     "Hey, over there!" One of the officers calls out. The kid and I exchange alarmed glances.

     "Hold this, and stay here," I give the kid my bag, and rush after the police. Sure enough, three of them are chasing after the girl from the parade. Well, if they can't hear me stomping on up behind them, it's natural selection if they get hurt.

     I run up behind the guard in the middle, and with all my might, throw him into the other one.

     "What the hell?" the standing one exclaims. I quickly scan him for weapons and notice they all have stun guns. Before he can reach for it, I snatch the weapon off on the standing guy and immobilize the two on the ground. Ah, but I guess I didn't account for this dude to have an actual gun, which is pointing at me right now. Just then, he falls to the ground, revealing the perp to be the girl.