AFIRE: fight for the Earth begins✓

24.3 ZURI

"You're welcome. I'll text you the address."

"Thank you," Zuri felt grateful.

Addithri Oshiro cut the call telling her she would see her the next day. Her Scroll beeped, and she went in search of it and found it on her bed. There was a text from Addithri Oshiro with the address of Aija's home.

****

Zuri reached the neighborhood early and walked all the way to Aija's house. The navigation system took her to an affluent part on Innermost. The community felt – opulent, and it was immediately perceptible that the people who lived in these enormous mansions were wealthy and influential. They obviously held important positions at places relevant to the Leadership or even held coveted spots in the Leadership itself.

Zuri thought of her parents' home at the small town of Apper. It was hardly a fourth of the size of these houses, and hers was one of the bigger ones. She and Alex shared a room, whereas these houses surely held rooms for each child of the family.

The Leadership, it was becoming evident to her, only took care of itself and those vital to it. These houses were each a piece of beauty. Her palms were balled into fists by the time she reached Aija's home – the biggest of all the houses she had seen till then.

Zuri stood in front of the gated place and stared at it. It easily beat the other houses in beauty and size. For a second, Zuri felt like she understood why Aija had been so reluctant to reveal where she had lived all her life. It was obvious that Aija was privileged.

She rang the bell, and the Smart Screen lit up. The gate clicked open, and she went in. She crossed the manicured garden and knew there had to be a bigger backyard. She rounded the garden and reached the Main door; five steps led to the intricately carved wooden door.

Mrs. Oshiro was waiting for her there. "Hope it was easy to reach here."

Zuri nodded, "Thanks for having me."

Zuri was introduced to the whole family – Vaya, Rei, Avi, and Asahi. Mr. Oshiro wasn't home. Zuri even met Doi, Aija's niece. Asahi and Avi showed her around the house, and she got a glimpse into Aija's life at home; a comfortable, luxurious life. They even had a pool!

There was only one pool at Apper town, which was used by all the residents. She remembered her father standing in line for a ticket to use the pool for the weekends. He often took her when he had the time, and now Noah took Alex on some weekends – he woke up early now to reserve a spot on the pool's website; he no longer had to wait at lines, but it was still a lot of effort.

Aija had an in-house pool.

Avi and Asahi led her to a glasshouse filled with the most exotic plants she had never seen before.

Asahi pointed to a stone in the ground, "This is where Terra is buried. I don't remember her, but she was the best dog ever."

They'd had a dog?! One required special permission for it, and not everyone was granted permission. But of course, her father was an important person – any kind of license was nothing but child's play.

Her childhood had been wildly different from Aija's. Zuri didn't feel jealous. Just sad. Sad that there were far more privileged people when there were others who struggled – especially in the towns lining the perimeter of the City. They had to toil for money, the Plague haunted them, and they had no way out of there.

The Leadership was unconcerned about them. Zuri's life was better than most; she knew it. She wouldn't trade her life for this, but it hurt for the people who had it worse than she did.