Genesis

Chapter 22

Whew! Long chapter today! Comment what you would want your buzzbike color to be!

Enjoy!

________________________________________________________________________________

As soon as I leave the garage, my controlled facade dissolves into raw frustration. Irritated and angry, I decide to go back to Harvel's. All I wanted to do was see my brother and talk to him about Natlee, but even that simple task was thwarted. 

"Graah!" I scream in frustration as I step onto the transport strip. 

I notice many people's heads turning to look at me but I don't care. In the past 48 hours I've rejoined the people of the dome after spending the night outside of it, found my brother making out with my crush, met the One and received gifts from him, and been part of a failed recruitment attempt by my mother's rebel group. At this point, I feel like I'm an object, a tool that other people may use however they like. It's infuriating. 

I arrive at Harvel's apartment, stomp inside the room that I have been using, and throw myself on the bed like a spoiled child. Ever since I left the secret room beneath my shop, I've had the feeling that I had the night that I got locked outside the dome. The restless feeling that makes me want to get out and do something to vent my emotions. 

The way I used to do that was by buzzbiking with my brother and friends, but my I am not going to turn to my brother now. Plus, I haven't gotten a new buzzbike yet. I haven't gotten a new buzzbike yet... 

I jolt, sitting up on the bed. 

A buzzbike! That's what I should do! I remember the helmet that the One sent me. I pick it up off the floor and lightly caress the metal. I need to buy a new buzzbike to match this helmet. On that impulse, I leave the apartment once more, this time with the helmet in tow. 

After a few minutes on the strip, I arrive at Burt's Buzzbike Emporium. Glossy new buzzbikes are showcased in the window and I feel a smile creep across my face at the thought of riding one. I stroll into the store and immediately fix my eyes on a shiny sapphire bike located towards the front of the shop. I walk over to it and admire its sleek, lustrous shape. I look at the price tag which states that this model is called the Eagle GX30 and is the newest and most advanced model on the market. 

"Named after the bird of legends, this bike possesses similar speed and agility. It is equipped with the latest technology and cannot be beat by any other model," the tag reads. 

I glance at the price. It's 18,000 Jiras. Before my adventures beyond the dome, I would have considered this bike a lost cause and quickly written it off as too expensive. Now, I could buy 5 of these bikes and still have money to spare. I call an employee over to me and request to buy the bike. The buying process is very simple and before I know it, I am on my way out of the store with my new bike beside me. I am so giddy from my new purchase that I decide to take the bike for a quick spin outside the dome. This time, I will be very careful not to get locked out. 

Too eager to ride, I mount the bike, slip the helmet onto my head, and drive through the streets of the dome on my way out. Finally, pass through security and zip out of the dome gates. I feel as free as a bird, which is ironic because the buzzbike model is called 'The Eagle'. I ride in circles, doing flips and tricks as I go. But, in the midst of my joy, I notice the petrified forest out of the corner of my eye. I slow my bike to a stop. 

My mother lives in that forest. She could be watching me ride right now, in fact. I suddenly feel a surge of sadness for her. She lives alone in the woods with no human contact. No one knows she lives there except for me. 

An inkling of an idea pops into my head. What if I went and paid her a visit? I wouldn't raise any suspicion by entering the forest during the day. My friends had dared each other to enter on multiple occasions. My resolve settles. Tomorrow I will visit her and tell her about everything that has happened. I rev my bike's engine and am about to resume my riding when I see something in the distance. As it gets closer, I can see that it is a buzzbiker. I inwardly relax, knowing that they probably won't even want to talk to me. But, as the biker gets nearer, I realize that they seem to be on a set course. And they're headed straight for me.