Last Pay Cheque

'No! Are you serious? I don't even think you can kill her now. If what I read in that book you picked up after you chased her, she must have started manifesting her powers and killing her would be without doubt a waste of a great possession.'

Dangosanya raised his hand to King Abongondolo, the old folk who castrated the killing order six years ago, 'Speak, Dangosanya.'

Dongosanya is a high priest, who practices dark magic. He is a pure follower of the seer Gwen Monkonda. She had visions last night. She is the one who told her vision to King Abongondolo when the child was nine years old, and she has been completely fascinated by the child.

'Sire, if I may, I have received news from the mighty Seer, that the child has been located.'

King Abongondolo shook his head violently on his throne, excitement and rage could be felt from the horror he was releasing.

'Dongosanya? Why didn't you tell me sooner?' Yelled King Abongondolo. Dongosanya bowed his head, his body fidgeting with the intense pressure coming from King Abongondolo. He cleared his throat, 'The news just arrived a few minutes ago, my apology.'

Abongondolo was silent for ten seconds, his horror retracting, his eyes glowed, emitting red rays in the room. Other council members were unable to look at him. 'Wow! This makes it interesting. Which planet?'

'Ventrander, sire, and we also observed something else?'

'And what is that?' Inquired King Abongondolo.

'The Bonguzen are hovering around the planet.'

'Well, that makes things difficult for us to snatch the girl. The Bonguzen have been watching Ventrander for a long time. They are among the five superpowers of the Universe. They must be planning something, maybe an invasion of some sort. We have to be prepared for what is to come, we need that child for us to be in the winners' circle. If it's to fight head on with them, we will. Therefore, Bangusa, prepare your troops and ask the Kanjangulu to join us because they owe me, and it is time for them to pay back the favor. And most importantly, this is our perfect timing to become a superpower, a force not to reckon with in this galaxy. Now, leave my sight!' King Abongondolo ordered.

'Yes sire.' Agreed Dongosanya and the army of assassins dispersed. 

On a reddish planet, in Tomationy, Kanjangulu Alexaton was sparring with his most trusted, high-trained bodyguard when Rashaad rushed in, 'Boss! King Abongondolo has sent a message?' Spoke Jefferson.

Kanjangulu Alexaton paused his sparring to pay attention to the message, 'Can I speak openly here?' Jefferson inquired.

'Yes, you can trust him.' Implying the bodyguard.

'Well, King Abongondolo has demanded his favor you owe him, and he says he will fill you in person for what kind of thing he wants you to do and at the same time he has issued a fifty billion bounty for a girl named Shanazer Athens.' Jefferson explained nonchalantly.

'Well, my past has caught up with me, I have to do his bidding, and what possibly would he demand from me? Go check out and consult our spies on King Abongondolo's recent activities on his planet!' Instructed Kanjangulu Alexaton.

It's almost one year since Shanazer landed on Planet Ventrander. It has less oxygen, which was mostly imported from other planets such as Earth.

She is in a classroom busy studying with her oxygen mask next to her, 'Hey, genius! Did you do my assignment?' It's Cathy Williams, the most notorious influential gang leader. She held Shanazer's hair brutally and pulled it backwards, forcing Shanazer to look at her. 

The crew of Cathy Williams burst into hysterical laughter, 'Damn, she is pathetic, what a loser, she always puts on the same clothes, I really detest her looks, she must smell awful, ha!' Commented Cynthia.

And continued, 'Does she not have a home?'

None of them could answer her questions, but they burst out into hysterical laughter.

'How did she find herself at this prestigious university?' Jumped in Bianca. They still did not have an answer. At this point, they were choking because of laughing.

'Well, the only good thing about her is that she has some brains, that's why Cathy makes her do her assignments.' Brenda added. 

'Yeah,' the crew agreed.

Shanazer mourned, 'hum, I will finish it today, you will have it tomorrow first thing.'

'You better do that! Otherwise, I will cut your unpleasant filthy hair!' Cathy threatened.

Shanazer endured all the bullying from her classmates because she wrote assignments for them, and they paid her fifty coins for each assignment, which she used for her day-to-day living expenses and, to make matters worse, she did not have the courage and strength to fight back. She was saved by the bell when the Lecturer entered.

After knocking, Shanazer goes to work at her part-time job. It was fifteen minutes from Horizon University. 'Good afternoon Doctor Barath?' Shanazer greeted her.

'Good afternoon.' Doctor Silvia Barath responded, her dim smile clearly visible. Shanazer went on doing her work thoroughly over the next two hours. Doctor Barath was busy seated on her couch reading plenty of newspapers.

Shanazer walked to her side, 'Doctor Barath, I will be leaving now, I am done with work. See you tomorrow.' Shanazer said, with a broad smile on her face.

'Hold on!' She stopped her.

'I am sorry to inform you that this is going to be your last week of working for me. I know how much you love this work and how important it is to you.' 

Silence filled the inter-spaces, 'Why Doctor Barath? Have I done anything wrong? I will make it up to you. Please, don't fire me!' Shanazer pleaded. 

'You have done nothing wrong child,' Doctor Silvia Barath replied nonchalantly.

'But why?' Shanazer inquired incredulously, her tears welling up in her eyes. This job was her source of income, and it wasn't easy to find one in Veena city.

'You have done nothing. Actually, I am sincerely grateful for having such a well dedicated person working for me. I have been transferred to another Hospital on the Caspidean continent. I will be leaving this weekend, Sunday specifically. If you were not a student at university, I would have asked you to come along.' Doctor Silvia Barath explained casually.

'Oh, I understand, and thank you for giving me the opportunity.' Shanazer commented, tears slowly sliding on her cheeks which had turned pink red. 

Doctor Silvia Barath hugged Shanazer and handed her the last pay cheque. She also became very emotional, it's obvious that she cared deeply for Shanazer.

'Thank you once again.' Said Shanazer, grabbed the cheque and walked away. 

Right at this moment, she knew that her life had become difficult and it was not going to be ease to navigate her life. She can't live on the fifty coins she made from doing assignments for her classmates.

Six months later, Shanazer's life had drastically changed so severely. It was on a Saturday, on the fifth floor, third door, Shanazer sat on her metal stool, propounding how her life would unfold next. She was pale, her eyes shrunken, her face had turned reddish, she held her chin with the right hand. The veins on her arms were protruding out with a green, dark color. Her skin faded in, creating wrinkles.

This came as a result of dehydration and starvation. She is seventeen years old. Today actually it's her birthday, but her appearance was very skinny. Bones are nearly visible. She must be hanging on a thread. 

She appeared to be looking at the window, but her focus was captured by the dreadful state she was experiencing now. The room was clean, neat, but it lacked food, water and, most importantly, oxygen.

Shanazer was fuming from inside. She had been sick and tired of suffering, death could end all her misery. There is no point to living. Her world was hell on Ventrander.

There resounded a vibrant sequential knock on the door. Shanazer did not hear it, an upgraded knock followed up, now with a stronger, energetic-emphasized heart-breaking sound. Shanazer gets distracted from her delusional thought pattern. She knew who it was, there was one usual visitor, her one and only friend. 

'Come in!' Shanazer shouted in a cracked wrecked voice. This was nerve breaking, for it took her a lot of the energy she was trying to conserve. Though death was her next thing on the agenda, a certain part of her wanted to live a bit longer. Maybe she would behold the light of the day. The world out there played well for other people. Shanazer could glance at the faces of people outside her window who wore glittering smiles, they ate three times a day, they had water, enough oxygen to sustain them and never lacked money.

Equality does not exist, just one meal was so hard to find. What did she do to deserve countless savage conditions? She chose not, but found herself in. Choice definitely had been taken from her at her birth. 

Olivia pushed the door from outside, as it opened a squeaking noise resounded. The need for oil must be inevitable. Who would care when she couldn't manage to even feed herself? Her death to come is a sure proof, and not a justification. It doesn't matter who will remember her? She is a puppet, a poor loser, a person with no family, a nobody, that's her core status, she is a weakling and a bastard. 

Olivia walked in with high energy, 'Hello Shanazer?' As she walked majestically to sit on the bed. Shanazer dared not look at Olivia, life had already overwhelmed her with a thousand troubles, with much difficulty, 'Hello.' Shanazer responded, with a very weak, low volume. Olivia immediately sensed the dilemma her friend was in. She could feel weakness, desperation and hopelessness.

I suppose there is definitely something wrong with her, thought Olivia.

She tried to cheer up her friend, 'How are you?' Shanazer did not respond right away, her eyes fell on the rough broken floor. It was cloudy gray, and full of potholes.

In contrast, Olivia's family is averagely rich, she is not super dressed, a bit shabby compared to Shanazer. She possibly couldn't help Shanazer, but perhaps words of comfort. Shanazer had mastered some courage, 'look at this room!' Shanazer roared, stretching her arm from right to the left, and then turned to face Olivia, and continued, 'I have no food, water, oxygen and money. My v card has only two coins. The next smelling thing in my life is an honorable death.' Shanazer described her next chapter.

During this time, no human could spend one hour without breathing through an oxygen machine or mask, or their life could become fatal because of gases and too much carbon dioxide in the air. V cards were a form of payment the world had integrated into. Oxygen is the most traded commodity and the most expensive. If you had it, you controlled the world. The military in this case were in charge. Oxygen Association Multi Cooperation, abbreviated as OxyamCorp, worked hand to hand with the military. OxyamCorp distributed oxygen, water and most foods to the shops in the marketplace. One kilo of oxygen costs a hundred coins, the equivalent of one hundred U S dollars. 

Olivia's mind ached with thinking, her heart bred. She was emotionally touched by the revelation of Shanazer. Oh! Poor Shanazer, an orphan with no one to depend on but herself. What happened to your family? You were dumped at Belgravia orphanage at the age of two. You grew up with ridicule as a person with no beginnings. You will probably die alone. The room you are living in now has been rented for you so that you can easily get classes at Horizon university. 

A new thought dawned on Olivia's mind, 'Hold on Shanazer! I might have a solution for both of us?'