CAZADO: BOOK ONE (WATTYS 2023)

Chapter 9

I woke up in the morning with my things already packed. My machine had placed itself within my backpack without my consent. I was about to tell him to get out and stay in the building, but I thought otherwise. I did not want to see him over the holidays, but if he could help in my training, he could be useful. I know my father would be upset if he saw my machine with me.

I gathered my things and began the short walk outside of the building. It was still early in the morning, so no one was leaving yet. Most of the students only had to go up the street to see their parents. Very few Pariah lived above ground like I did. Only the officials who had slipped up in duty at some point had to police the humans within the rundown city. I did not see the guard who was normally there and even though I was disgusted by the parasites that had formed on his bottom lip, I missed seeing his burly, tough-looking self. It would have been nice to say goodbye until I saw him again. It would have been nice to have one quick conversation.

When I came out of the building, I placed my card into a slot on the road and pressed the upper level button. I then typed in an access code so my luggage would be delivered to my house. I walked over to a large elevator, past the other buildings and the small garden and got in. It felt like a long way up, but my body could somehow handle the tremendous speed as it shot upwards. It was surprising to me, but if 4536 was right, it made sense that I was not having a reaction. My body was no longer completely human but like a Pariah.

At the end of the elevator ride, I made sure to follow the safety lines to the first bus. I watched a handful of students get on and then I hopped on last just before the doors closed. I looked over to the red building and thought of my new friends that I would soon see again. For the time being, we would have little adventures of our own. Before I saw them again, I would need to train and get stronger. I already knew that they would be doing the same. I watched as we passed the old city, knowing my other family members may be there.

It was early and the sun was still rising, so all the humans were most likely still in hiding. It was safer that way. If the Pariah officials caught the two gangs fighting each other, they would be sent to the underground prison with other criminal humans and weaker Pariah. I heard that it was a huge dungeon that existed deep under the earth. There was supposedly another prison for those who were extremely dangerous. It was somewhere on a whole other planet. It was moved there so that those who were considered the most dangerousPariah could never make their way back here.

They were still fed and taken care of, from what I read, but it would not be somewhere that I would desire to go. We had learned about these things as part of the academy in training for when we became officials. I sometimes still wondered where I would be posted as an official, perhaps they would put me in research. I could not see myself being on one of the El Escuadro.

Even though I could hold my own in a fight, it would not be wise in the officials' eyes for someone with no powers to face any powerful opponents. It would not surprise me if they only allowed me to work with regular people and to do research, which was fine with me. I just hoped that Maverick, Carlos and Shaki would also work with me. They could choose, as their parents were top officials but I could not.

It was not long before I recognized some of the lands outside of the city where the lower-class officials lived. These were officials who had come into conflict with rules, or who came from families that were not high up on the official's class list. The streets were normally empty here as most either stayed inside or possibly worked amongst the city where the gangs were. I know the bus drivers that brought students to the university lived here. When I choose to venture away from home, the few times that I did anyways, I would watch from a distance to see the buses near their homes.

It was around noon when I finally reached my destination. I woke up to find the bus driver standing over me with his hands on his hips. I nodded and began packing my bag as I prepared to leave the bus. The bus driver just smiled and went to the front. I stood up slowly and began the slow trek towards the front of the bus. I was about to step down the stairs when I felt someone grab my arm. It was the bus driver.