"Today marks the 73rd year since our ancestors from the now-desolate planet called Earth sent us here to plant the seed of humanity as the last resort for survival," Chief Orian screamed with confidence in his voice. He glowed orange amidst red in his get-up. An orange vest that looked like sunset, paired with dark orange pants. Hair tips sprayed with more orange, and paint strewn across his face that made it seem like he was crying orange paint. Men with tattoos that ran from their tear ducts to meet at their chins held a horn onto their lips and blasted a sound that sent shivers to our bones. "And so, we stay in silence, to pray for Gaia and say thanks to Mars for taking us on his red abode."
A ghostly silence fell upon the crowd, instantly muting the roaring horns and voices in praises. Their heads dropped and eyes shut taut. I did what they had done but let my eyes flew open to peek on the others. Some had their fists clenched, rendering their veins to bulge, as they thought of the awful events that were fed to us by the chief and before him.
They all look pitiful. Fed with false hopes and claims that no one can prove.
The Ceremony had ended. I stealthily moved away in long strides to not get caught up in more of these shenanigans. Red dusts trailed as I walked across the Atrium of the City, making my way into the labyrinthine section that housed the dome-like buildings that acted as our home. Amidst the horizon, a similar-looking yet enormous structure rose that glinted like rubies as the light shone atop of it. And that is where I'm heading.
I let myself be welcomed inside that slid open in a beep when I swiped my card into the door. A cold gust of wind breathed life into me and sent a shiver down my spine.
"You just can't attend the Afterparty," a voice boomed that caught me off guard. I froze as I slowly turned to face the source of it. Chief Orian, donning the same outfit, albeit the paint looked faded.
"Sorry, dad," I managed to reply, bowing my head in humiliation of being caught. "How did you know?" I raised a question.
Dad laughed at it like I somehow made a joke. "I'm not just a Chief for nothing."
He's right. He is appointed as a Chief because he is one—or whom acted like one. He possessed the power similar to that of an omniscient being but far more realistic, you can say. He knows all your thoughts and senses every little action. Sometimes I wonder if it was too much for him—to know all of it despite not wanting it. "So you also missed out on the Afterparty?"
He nodded, then climbed his way up into the stairs. I figured it was the perfect time to return to my room.
"On second thought," his voice echoed around the almost-empty room. I halted on my feet as I was about to grab ahold of the knob to my room. "Go to the Afterparty. Show them you can be a Chief. Like me."
I clenched my fist and almost did something drastic like punch a wall or something but I figured he might sense it. Then again, he does know my every thought. And so, I walked across the empty living room in a heavy thud and slammed the door shut on my way out—despite it being automatic.
I don't know if all that made anything significant. I am not really sure about Dad's powers. If it echoes the same way in reality. If it hurts when a large boom went across a hall that echoed almost infinitely. But I do know that his powers cannot reach a certain distance.
And so, I make my way into the city, but on the far side of the Afterparty.