The List

The Palace

We make an odd pair. Eli, strutting along in his khaki's and polo, like he's ready for a day of playing golf or killing aliens. 

Or both.

And then me, in my green dress that's too tight around my waist and butt, and flowing down behind me to my ankles. Fabric that's smooth, soft, and covered in blood. I give up on my heels as we walk down the streets, and I go down to bare feet and carry my shoes. Eli doesn't like the thought of me walking barefoot around shattered glass, but I promise to watch out.

I refuse the arm offered to me, damn those Futures and their awful traditions! Instead, I walk a foot behind him, arms crossed in front of me. Eli whistles and smiles, turning back to look at me every five seconds. I raise my eyebrow after he does it for the tenth time, like he wants to make sure I'm still there. Has he never had a girl home before? God, he looks like a little kid on Christmas!

"What's the matter with you?" I finally snap, after he grins at me once more. His smile falters. "Yes, Eli, I'm still here. I can't get far in this dress." He turns back around, and I roll my eyes. "Are you always this excited to have a prisoner?"

"You aren't my prisoner," he replies without turning around.

I stop. "So if I wanted to, I could just leave?"

Eli laughs. "If I wanted to, I could tell my brother how you chased me off the other night. Maybe then you could be his prisoner, and see how you like it."

Damn him and his upper hand!

The burned out apartment buildings give way to older, grander buildings, with carved stone shaped like gargoyles and faces. The buildings from way back when, before it was all about mass production. For the first time in a while, I see businessmen and women, cab drivers, people just walking around and going about their daily lives. I see adults. I see little children, running around. I see a Future couple smiling at some little alien kids running around and giggling. I even see, on a bench next to a luscious park, a female alien and a male Future sitting together. The girl laughs at what he's saying and plants a kiss on his cheek.

I turn away. It's like watching a movie, one of those ones from back in the day about life in the city. Sure, it looks great, it looks magical. But it could never happen. Because when these two have to grow up and find their place in the world, it won't be hard for the Future to realize his opportunities in the world, dropping his girlfriend in the gutter as he climbs to victory. 

Eli seems happier here, smiling and waving at some people. They might be oblivious to gangs, but these Futures certainly know the Baran's. A pair of little Future girls run up to him, calling, "Eli!", and grabbing his legs.

"I'm guessing you're more popular here than in the alleys?" I ask.

Eli chuckles. "It's like Disneyland."

"Never been." Too busy stealing from jewelry stores, I think, my eyes landing on the dark, expensive looking sunglasses dangling from his shirt. Maybe I could even profit from this little adventure.

Eli's mouth drops open. "Lacey- as soon as it gets warmer, we're going there. My treat. We're packing up, and I'm taking you to Disneyland."

"And what if I'm not here when it gets warmer?" I reply, rolling my eyes. Who does he think he is? At that, Eli just grins, putting an arm around my waist.

"I guess I'll just have to find you," he laughs.

I grab his arm and push it back to him, stepping back. He is not allowed to touch me, I don't care what I did do or didn't do, he is not allowed to touch me. He's a Future- no better than Dane Brandt, or Tyr Lynx. He is painfully oblivious to everything going on, that he'd even believe that I killed Dane Brandt out of self defense. No, I killed him out of cold blood. But Eli would never let himself believe in that. He's got an adorable crush on me, and, I realize, the only way to stay on his good side is to let him have it. Because as much as I don't want to admit it, Eli has control over me. Even if he doesn't know it.