KETTY'S SUBDIVISION Wattys2017

Chapter 13-Part I

They were finally outside the city, overlooking the Fault-line station. It seemed like an eternity to get here, but it had only been a week. Ketty never felt so tired, or alive. Not since Boondock had come into her life. Now she had all her friends with her except Grendle, for whom they had performed a makeshift ceremony in absentia. But Lindy was back, and Rayleen had saved her. Her heart was bursting with pride and she realized Rayleen had hidden potential which lay dormant until stress and affliction brought out the best and worse in her. A year before she got Boondock, Rayleen came into her life. It was their freshman year when Ketty met her. She was mature enough to control her emotions when she got teased now and it didn't seem quite as important to feel bad about it. She knew who she was and what she wanted to do. Two and a half years ago seemed an eternity, when she had first met Rayleen, who was completely her opposite.

It was a fond memory amongst a sea of heartache. In her freshman year she realized people were cruel. Even genetically perfect people in a society that prided itself in its accomplishments. But in the back streets and basements, behind closed doors and in the hall when no one was watching, there was always an inequality that manifest itself.

In the past it was known as prejudice, or a rite of passage, now they called it life. Most teenagers were smug, satisfied, confident in their abilities and future. They had an extended life span, but the moral prowess of genetically perfect humans seemed to lag behind. Social integrity or the lack thereof ran deep in the psyche and was hard to weed out.

For Ketty, she had everything going for her freshman year, yet her life was pure misery. Rayleen was a beacon of hope in a hopeless world. Ketty had grown used to the teasing about her weight and what her parents did for a living. Then one day, the most popular girl in school noticed her.

"My name is Rayleen."

"I know who you are," Ketty said defensively. Nothing good ever came from the popular kids, or so she thought. That day, every eye bored into her back. When Ketty looked deep into Rayleen's eyes, she saw something below the perfect appearance of the girl before her. There was a deep pain, well hidden, but Ketty was sensitive to these things. She was a robot starter. If she could detect the minute feelings of a robot, she could surely see it in a human.

"Can I come over this weekend," Rayleen had invited herself.

It was a trap! Ketty was sure she would suffer some form of ridicule, but she was used to it. "Saturday at six, I have a training mission."

Rayleen's eyes lit up. "Great! I'll be there."

That first day on the beach had been awkward for Ketty. She had never been close to anyone but her bots. She was fifteen when she first met Rayleen, and she was uncomfortable. Rayleen was a different person, liberated and free.

"Come on, you sissy!" Rayleen sprinted for the ocean, peeling her clothes off without a second thought. By the time she hit the water, she was naked. That was the summer Ketty truly learned to be free.

Ketty followed in her underwear, but she dared go no further. The water was warm when she reached beyond the breakers, but her friend was nowhere to be found. Rayleen jumped her from behind, pressing her warm body against Ketty's as she held her under. Ketty struggled, then overpowered Rayleen.

"Hey, what are you doing?" Ketty coughed up the salty water, pushed Rayleen down and swam towards shore.

"Come back! Don't be a pansy, what are you afraid of?"

She had never been intimate with a friend.

The water beaded off Rayleen's hair and formed tiny rainbows where it struck the water. The moment was surreal and Ketty's stomach lurched a little, causing her to look away.

"Don't be shy, it's just us girls." Ketty was confused inside. Not in a sexual way, but her heart burned like it did for her bots. Yet this was different. She was safe with her bots. They were predictable, loyal, trust worthy. She had been hurt too many times to open up. Would Rayleen dump her when she learned her secret?

"Come on!" Rayleen dove in earnest and began swimming strongly out to the open ocean. In a minute she was already being swept East by the strong rip-tide.

"Wait!" Too late, Rayleen continued so Ketty pursued and swam after her. She was strong and a few minutes later she caught up with Rayleen who had finally turned and waited. She wasn't scared, but it was dangerous out here.

"You're crazy. Do you have a death wish?" She tread water, an inch or two from Rayleen's face, which sported a mischievous grin.

"Maybe. Would it be that bad?"

"Would what be that bad?" asked Ketty.

"If we went to meet our maker."

"I don't understand you sometimes."

"I'm complicated," said Rayleen. "It makes boys work harder."

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