Ten

The sun rose in the sky setting a soft tone over the city. It was finally sunrise, and Silla was preparing herself for the day ahead. Tonight they'd leave this place. They would abandon everything for a hope at a better life, one where you didn't have to walk on eggshells and look over your shoulder every day. She had saved up enough money and wasn't gonna wait any longer.

Slipping out of her bedroom window she dug through her bag, all sorts of clinking sounds following her as the objects in her sack bounced off each other. The further she walked the more she saw screens with glaringly bright advertisements play on repeat for everyone stalking the streets below. They would rotate with your gaze and follow your eyes for optimal promotion. Eye catching outrageous patterns of colored background images endlessly playing news headlines of the recent terrorist attacks by Black Sun.

Ignoring the painfully bright lights, while digging through her bag she eventually found what she desired and roughly gripped the communication device. It only took her a few seconds to casually scan through her files until she spotted a familiar screen. First she needed to contact an old friend. With their help she could find a new place to stay.

Clicking onto the tab number with impeccable speed, it rang a cheesy song for a few seconds until it picked up a signal. Lighting up her screen a familiar face popped up in a light blue 3D virtual image. She still couldn't get used to the concept of a talking floating digital head attached to her small device. Even more disturbing the face then morphed into a look of surprise and quickly smiled its blue lips moving as if talking, an eerily identical voice came out. "I didn't expect a call from you this morning?" Her friend Jyn questioned her with a look of confusion on his face.

"Sorry Jyn- I know you're not a morning person."

"It's fine... It's been awhile since I've seen you- what happened?" He spoke knowing she seldom asked for anything and it had to be important for her to ring him up so suddenly.

"I just need a place to stay for awhile." She murmured as Jyn gave her a shocked look. He knew that the situation was complicated, but he never once suspected that she would so brazenly just up and leave. There were just so many elements to such a decision. Most women only left their families through marriage.

"Oh... Are you sur-" he was quickly cut off her, voice going a pitch lower.

"Yes."

"I'm just saying it could be dangerous, dear." He looked at her nervously. Silla understood his concern and even appreciated it, but she also knew that he just didn't understand how dire it was. As a friend she gave him some details about her and her fathers rotten relationship but not enough to make him stay up at night. She would never let anyone know the finite details.

While Jyn worried that she would regret the sudden and rash decision, the fact was that her days were limited anyway. She was already in danger and if she didn't leave it could still mean death. As the days passed, her father only got worse and worse. He slowly became even more delusional and violent than before. If she gave it a few weeks, her ass would be toast.

"I have to." She sighed giving him an apologetic look for calling him so early.

In this capitalistic century separating yourself from your family was a big deal, especially for women who were seen as property to be traded by the family. "Well- okay... If that's what you want." He spoke eyes not meeting hers. He did care for the girl, but such a situation was indeed dangerous. One could never predict how the other party would react much less retaliate.

"I've got a place in mind if you're interested." He sighed shaking his head a bit. Not even a second later her blue 3D screen lit up with a new notification showcasing coordinates. After work she would have to meet up with Jyn.

______________

Sun setting in the sky she cleaned up the bar by wiping the counter down and locking the door behind her. When she finally finished she rechecked her device for the coordinates sent to her earlier that morning. Apartment 13A in lower section B. For five hundred crites a month. She didn't like the fact that it was in lower B because of the violence in that specific area of the lower ring but it was all she could afford. Besides it had one bedroom, one bathroom, and a small living room attached to the kitchen.

It was more than she had originally hoped for and all that was left to do was sign.

"After this we can get a quick drink and catch up. Clovis will come with us!"Jyn suggested wiggling his eyebrows as she finished signing the document. Mulling over her options, she thought about it for awhile before deciding to talk to her mother; but Selena encouraged her to go and have fun.

"Isn't Clovis getting married soon? I'm surprised she would have time?" She looked up at the ginger boy on the other side of the holograph confused.

"When has something like that ever stopped her? Beside her fiancé is doing all the work slaving away and all." He commented trying to stifle an unsightly snort his short wacky hair falling in his face. A few months ago Clovis' father had decided on a betrothal.

"Good point. Where do you have in mind?" She asked him.

"Oh just... Ruvelias Nightclub," He muttered out as if it was nothing. It was a popular bar closer on the wealthier side of the lower ring. Spitting out her drink, she looked at him as if he were crazy.

"Are you insane? A single night there costs at least five months worth of rent money. It's way to high end for even you Jyn," She spoke to him logically.

"That's why I have a VIP ticket!" He said enthusiastically while taking out an oddly shaped glowing card and tossing it in the air. From the card bright wings sprouted from the back and it flew right back into his hand.

"You can be my plus one!" He added in.

"How'd you even get your hands on that?" She questioned him suspiciously.

"Stole it of course," he told the girl innocently causing her to roll her eyes. He was so nonchalant about it too. Thieving from the wrong person could get your hands cut off. But... She had to admit she was a bit excited to go out as she usually was a social recluse. This week, she had spent more time out of her room than she had in years.

Most of her life was practically spent indoors due to her fathers strict rules. She wasn't even allowed a job. In fact Silla had to sneak out her window daily just to get to her waitress gig on time. Thankfully no one cared enough to check on her to see if she was still in the house.

Speeding off into the distance she watched as colors and bright signs flashed by her in a rainbow of colors. Everything was blurred and only lines of color could be seen as they were going at impossible speeds. Neither Silla nor her friend owned a private holocraft of their own. The most they had done was use the local transport or monorail that moved twice a day in the area of the lower ring they lived in. It was the reason why both she and Jyn appeared to be looking out of the window with eager eyes.

Silla who sat next to her friend looked outside the window with the buildings that passed one after another. The sky had turned dark two hours ago and the only light they had was artificial and came from buildings and streetlights.

The young woman continued to look outside the large window and Jyn, of course, was more than happy to get caught up with each other's lives. Asking about the rest of her dreadful family. Besides her father she had many relatives. Aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents. Though she didn't see them often because her father was the illegitimate child of said family.

It was actually why her mother originally married him. She thought she had it made when she got pregnant with Silla, not realizing that he had no rights to anything the family owned due to his bloodline. After all, her mothers had been tricked.

A former escort would never be recognized as a trophy wife.

When Silla was born, she was considered just as shameful. An illegitimate father and an escort mother. She was so far down the food chain that they didn't even acknowledge her at gatherings. Albeit she supposed that it was better that way. Better than being abused by them as when they did pay attention to her it was just insults and jabs. After her mother had left, her father was utterly humiliated. He was already laughed at by his familial peers but now their sneers were crippling.

Although she was invited on holidays, it was mandatory to come and because of it she never enjoyed her time out of the house. At first it hurt to hear them talk about her like that. But she quickly grew numb after hearing it over and over again. Now Silla quickly grew tired of their snooty comments. While most of her remained the same, she had grown colder over the years.

When the vehicle passed through the big pillars it indicated that they were into a newer richer sector of the lower ring, she admired the cleaner streets and buildings. Like Silla, some men and women were busy looking at their surroundings.

Upon reaching the building they were met with a grand intricate entrance with all sorts of gears and mechanisms. From the outside she could already see the lights flashing and loud music playing. But at the very least it didn't disappoint. "Names please," A man at the entrance asked them as he held up a device showcasing certain names of people who had a reservation unlike them; though the names couldn't be read as the screen had a viewing lock on it.

Which meant only the person holding it could see the information on it. To an outsider it looked like a bunch of random jumbled or backwards letters and numbers as they rearranged themselves at speeds impossible for the human eye to comprehend.

"No need," Jyn interrupted handing him the glowing VIP card.

"She's my plus one," he added in as he pointed to her. Seeing the card the rope in front of the door quickly unhooked itself and the lever next to them moved down almost like magic. Soon the giant door started moving on its own. The larger and much smaller gears rotating and unlatching themselves chronologically as everything clicked into place allowing the giant double doors to squeak open.

Silla, along with her friend waked inside the large building that had wide doors that were beautifully carved. Loud music that came out of nowhere and bright glowing flashing lights. A spinning stage in the rafters held glowing cages filled with dancers that had all their skin on show.

All her senses were overwhelmed with what was happening around her. Though the main attraction was the bar which was stacked with every alcoholic beverage and drug you could possibly imagine. The club had all sorts of extravagant furniture and decorations. Only the best for the city's elite to lavishly enjoy themselves. The exotic dancers were to many to count, and they either wore nothing or very little. Some of the dancers weren't even human some were robots who simulated the look of human flesh. Around them synthetic 3D images came up in the thin air and flashed brightly like fireflies.

While the other rich people behind them in line continued to walk forward, it was the poor people who couldn't help but look at the beautiful things they were surrounded in.

While Jyn took his time looking at their surroundings, Silla urged, "Let's find Clovis," she noticed how the people who belonged to the higher class spared them one glance and showed the distaste on their lips. Both of them stuck out like sore thumbs.

She dragged her friend along, and it took forever to navigate their way through the crowd but once around the huge area they met up with Clovis. From there they sat down in a booth and ordered their drinks. For the remainder of the time, they chatted until their cheeks ached from laughing too hard. Sighing, the older woman spoke. "Ah to be young and not in love... Are you sure you don't want to get married Silla? You'll never have to work again- Of course you'll be in a loveless marriage but at least you won't starve."

"Maybe... But I'd rather take my chances." Silla said resting her head in her hands.

Silla despite never having been in love was not one for a simple love. Although she had chosen to be alone she secretly had romanticized the all consuming ones for so long. That when the prince took the princess along without even

considering her life and

feelings, all she could think

about was how nice it was to

be loved.

She hid it well

during the years, any hint of

how empty she felt. Who was she supposed to talk to about it anyway? After all, she was the one who was always listening, always agreeing. It made her realize how heavy words could become if they stayed lodged in your throat.

She would never dump her her problems on her friends. And even though they were close she never seemed like she could form a deep bond with anyone beyond that. Even if she were to die or go missing they would go about their lives as if nothing had happened, it's just what you did these days.

Sometimes, she wondered if

life was even worth living.

There wasn't really anything

there for her anyway. She

doubted anyone would even look for her day and night if she went missing. Sure, her friends would worry and wonder and maybe look for a week or two but eventually they'd forget all about her.

The world would continue.

"Its fine if you don't want to get married but just know that you'll have to work like a dog for the rest of your life at that shitty bar. I know I went the easy way out but if you just put yourself out there you'd have guys fighting over you left and right." Clovis waved her arms in the air.

"Yes, and they'll have to get through me in order to marry you, not that you're getting married till your forty of course, I'll chase those pesky boys away until then," Jyn wrapped his arms around her in the booth like the sweet boy he was. Together they laughed and drank with no care in the world, their laughs barely heard over the loud rave music.

While all the partiers and guests were on the lower floor of the building, entering one after another it still left enough space for others who were still getting into the nightclub, two men stood on a balcony wearing masks. One man stood near the railings of the gallery, looking at people through the white mask that covered only his eyes.

"We have many people gathered in the building," the man commented, and then turned to ask, "All the targets are in place aside from a few bystanders. I would've thought that with Cabron's words that the lower ring was a complete rats den. I'm pleasantly surprised by this areas cleanliness."

"Pity. I was ready to hang his body over the wall tonight," said the other male who stood with his back and one leg against the wall, his oddly large form overtaking the balcony doorway next to him. Unlike the person who had spoken, this persons face was entirely covered by a white mask. His shoulder length black hair was combed back, and his head leaned against the wall his eyes closed, "Any signs of women with blue eyes and black hair?"

"No- but there are some decent looking women. Finer and different. I don't think anyone has seen genuine blue eyes in at least a decade, people stopped having them centuries ago, what's the sudden curiosity?"

Hearing the reply, the man who stood against the walk, one side of his lips pulled up behind his mask, and he opened his bright green colored eyes the same time a large shockwave hit the building.

_____________

Not knowing the chaos that was about to erupt Silla suddenly felt herself being pushed back by a such a powerful force that she was flung across the room. Her hair and clothes blown back by an explosive blast that seemed to last for an eternal yet in reality was only a few seconds. The brief moments she was able to hear sounded like a terrible echo as if it were the anguished cries of the Gods.

Upon hitting the floor ten feet away the air was knocked out of her and her eyes widened as she let out a sharp gasp; her body still being pushed backward into the floor with force from inertia. She couldn't hear or see anything and was terrified beyond belief from the sudden explosion and her heart rapidly beat in her chest. Fire and debris rained down on the bar like a mushroom cloud. Flesh and blood covered the floor, and her entire world went mute. The previously playing music was now undetectable as her vision slowly cleared and her eyes widened upon seeing other people with blown off limbs screaming their heads off. The more she looked around, all there was and all she could see was stray limbs and dead creatures - once people but no longer recognizable as human.

The ones lucky enough to be closer to the blast were incinerated. It seemed the explosion seared the air and earth in a way that left everything devoid of life. The acrid smell of burnt flesh enveloping her nasal cavities and stinging them.

When her hearing slightly returned screaming could be heard through the ringing in her ears and it cut through her like a million shards of glass; the kind of screams that make the hair on your back stand up.

Then in a hail storm of flashing light indicated to her that someone was firing weapons. Everyone's eyes were wide with horror when they started to snap out of the aftereffects of the blast. People tried to run out but were stopped or shot through by a group of white masked men surrounding them. Their forms unidentifiable because of the long black robes that fell all the way to the ground. No one knew what was going on but were frightened, nonetheless.

Silla was naturally scared but hid it with her cold exterior and looked around the room desperately for her friends hoping they weren't blown to bits. Thankfully they laid on the ground a few feet behind her. Though a bit cut up by glass and debris as a result of the explosion. By a twist of fate it had missed her and hit them and all she had were a few new bruises from landing harshly. Though her previously crushed ribs seemed to scream out at her for mercy.

It wasn't clear what these masked men wanted but everyone stood obediently still and stayed where they laid. More cries of panic surrounding them as the masked men started to weave around the crowd of survivors and kill only random people upon inspection. It seemed they had orders to eliminate certain misfortunate people.

Then it hit her.

White masks and robes.

Black Sun.

Were they attacking this area of the lower ring? If so Selena was in danger. Silla needed to get home.

She shoved past as many of the masked men as she could. All she could think about was getting home to her mother and when they tried to grab her, she jabbed her elbows into their ribs and slipped through their arms. She was so small and skinny that she practically slid out of their hands. She felt bad leaving Jyn behind but they were only weaving through the women so she knew he would be fine. Clovis, however, would have to fend for herself.

Outside in the streets people were screaming and being chased by more masked men. Some were even being executed. Blood stained the sidewalks and it looked like a massacre had taken place. The men were everywhere, and buildings were either leveled or on fire. It looked like the entire lower ring was decimated. For as far as she could see smoke clouded the night sky.

Rushing home she was glad to see her house had not been destroyed or burnt down. But much to her alarm the door was left wide open and she felt her heart drop; it seemed like she was too late.

Slowly going through the entrance all of their furniture was turned over, ripped up, or trashed. All the pictures that they had hanging on the walls were now smashed. She saw suitcases by the front door packed and ready to go but it seemed like no one was here.

It wasn't until she rounded the hallway corner when she first saw the blood. At first it was just drops on the floor and wall but then it escalated. Bloody smeared handprints were on the floor as if someone had been dragged and beaten repeatedly. She followed the blood to the source and finally she saw Selena, her mother laying on the floor in a puddle of thick red liquid. The blood was gushing out of her neck and flooded around her. Her eyes were wide open and her light blonde hair had become red of blood. Her unseeing blood shot eyes stared straight at Silla while her face held a look of pain and horror.

It was obvious that she was long gone and it was unknown to her who had done it. Was it her father or a stranger who had murdered her mother?

Kneeling next to her the dead woman, Silla whispered her name and grabbed her hands as she knelt next to her. "Mom..." She murmured so quietly no one would've ever heard her. A single small tear fell out of her right eye and left as soon as she blinked.

Her mothers blood was now on the girl's clothes, and her hands were painted red with blood as she gently closed her mothers wide eyes. She was now completely and utterly alone and the rage she felt boiled over. Her fists and jaw clenched so hard that they were white. She had to squeezed her eyes hard enough that tears leaked out and ran down her cheeks.

Without another thought she took all her belongings from the house and left.

______________

to be continued...