The Golden Stars of Omnis

Part 1

Bentley's limbs were covered with fresh cuts and old scars. They were dark, painfully obvious against the artificial light of Omnis. Even faded ones stood out against the natural pale.

Her brother held the same burdened skin.

"It feels like a waste."

Another first of the month. Another return to Omnis.

The moon hung from its cord high in the sky, amongst the stars, though the light was seldom needed. The glowing light of the artificial city provided a beacon for the explorers; they needn't worry about losing their way.

The alley, however, was dark, the tight buildings on either side hiding them from the glowing, prying city, protecting their identity. But their adventure wasn't in the name of protection, rather in the name of survival. Broken scraps of metal and frayed wires littering the dirty, wet concrete. Old remains of old technology, mere remnants of the cameras that once watched every corner of the alley. Once, long ago, any hopes they had of returning to this place were lost, but one night, on an off chance, they decided to visit the old place, to merely walk beside the wired fence with barbed wire curled around the top of it. And when they walked beside it and looked within the dark alley, they were surprised to see that the cameras were no longer present. Instead, their remains — broken scraps of metal and frayed wires — were left in their place, littering the dirty, wet concrete. It was peculiar; whichever individual decided to do this surely faced a death sentence from the State. But in the end, it benefited them, and they decided to use it. Since that night, that night where they had walked by on the off chance they wouldn't get caught, they came back on the first of every month. Only the two of them; Lupin suggested the

An old box of nails and screws was the key find of the night. To most, it wouldn't be worth a red cent, but for the two explorers, it held more weight than the world. Now, as the sun neared its rising, Camden delicately placed the treasure within his bag, aware of the destructible state the worn cardboard was in. Time was nearly up. They were only granted a few hours every night, and the journey absorbed a majority of it. They had to be quick, diligent. Though it was no longer a concern for them; experience stood beside them.

"We have to leave," Camden whispered. It was dark, and still cold, though no snow. "Bentley, we should've left long ago. Lupin won't tolerate our tardiness, you know."

"Just one minute more," the young girl pleaded. "You can start heading back, toward the fence. I'll see you there soon. Please, Camden, just a minute more."

"No longer," he threatened. "Otherwise, I will climb back and throw you over that fence."

Bentley smiled, and although she was amused by her brother's menace, her hands never ceased their motion. She continued to dig through the rubbish; she had a feeling — just a coincidence, nothing more — that something important was close. "As if. It's much too tall."

"Just be quick."

But Bentley wasn't listening. Her golden eyes were focused, hyperfixated, on this one box. It held something in it, she could hear the promise of satisfaction crying out from within the box. The feeling continued to grow the more she explored; it was close now. She felt as if she could touch it, hold it in her hands. She only needed to find it.

"Who are you?"

She was listening now, hands finally frozen. Her head slowly moved up, looking at the entrance to the alley, right into the glowing, prying city that was most certainly a death trap. And at the mouth of that death trap stood the executioners: a boy from the city.

"Questions are dangerous," Bentley whispered. Visions flew from their minds; posters hung all throughout the city, on lamps, doors, even within the alley. Questions are dangerous, they read. And they were. That is to say, the State claimed them to be, therefore, they were. The boy grew confused, as if the phrase didn't settle right within his soul, though Bentley wasn't aware of it.