I scrubbed the training hall floor of our family's unit at the Hera Building with deliberate strokes, the cold, cheap virconium tiles beneath my knees a familiar discomfort. Sunlight filtered through high windows, casting long shadows across the polished surface. This was my routine—cleaning up after everyone else's training sessions, a duty that seemed to remind me of my place within the Muita family, a fatherless boy with no merit contributions to the family.
"Look at him," sneered Danil, my cousin from Branch 1, his head always seeming too big for his short body, as he pushed me against the wall. His companions, Emile and Hirsch from Branch 2, laughed harshly. "What's a Class 5 waste like you doing here, anyway?"
Their words stung, reminding me of the disdain I had faced since childhood. My mother's Class 5 heritage and my father's mysterious death marked me as different, as inadequate in their eyes.
Danil leaned in closer, his voice dripping with privilege as he held me in a chokehold while pushing me against the wall, his foul breath fanning my face. "You should know your place, Dom. Branch 1 is the backbone of this family, and my father will be the next head. We don't need Class 5 blood diluting our strength."
"Let him go!" Aaron's authoritative voice cut through the taunts, his stance protective. Gaia stood beside him, her expression fierce. They were from Branch 3, my cousins who had always defended me.
Danil scoffed and turned away with his cronies, leaving me leaning against the wall, heart pounding with relief and lingering humiliation.
"Are you okay?" Gaia asked.
"I'm fine, it's nothing I can't deal with," I said.
"You shouldn't let them bully you like that," Aaron said.
I simply smiled, thinking about how his family contributes the highest merit points in the family, which means they control the resources. Offending him would mean that my mother and I starve. I don't expect Aaron to understand; after all, our circumstances are different.
After finishing my chores, we ventured out into Ahnduim City, the bustling streets alive with the hum of activity. The Hera Building loomed behind us, the tall grey building surrounded by other similar structures. The city was loud as it always was, with the wheezing of Fadishes—blue oxygen balls dispensing oxygen and absorbing CO2 and other poisonous gases from the atmosphere, arranged in beautiful alignments. The air quality had dropped drastically after the apocalypse, therefore the Fadishes were needed. They were an utterly delightful sight during the night. I liked to imagine that that was what the night sky looked like before the apocalypse. I passed by algaes in glass boxes called alguis by the street, our replacement for plants. The alguis had different colors depending on the type of algae. Ultra high-speed trains wheezed down below, with airbuses whirling in the sky. The city came alive with many residents of Ahnduim City going about their day.
We made our way to our regular spot—a barely standing roadside stall anchored by brown Bambi rods, made from Bambi woods and filmy cheap plastic placed over the four rods as a makeshift roof. As we entered the stall, the scent of fried bunis and sonami tea greeted us warmly. The stall owner, a stout man with a friendly face, welcomed us with a nod and his signature smile.
"What will you kids like this wonderful afternoon?" he asked.
"Oy, the usual," we replied. We had been visiting the stall nearly every afternoon since we started standard school at twelve. Although we'd graduated two years ago when we turned sixteen, we still kept the tradition.
Aaron, clad in a sturdy leather jacket and worn boots, and Gaia, wearing a practical coat and scarf against the city chill, settled into their seats beside me, overlooking the dirty Ahnduim river. The round white bunis sizzled on the hot grill, releasing a tantalizing aroma of spices and herbs, and the sonami tea steamed gently in our cups, its aroma mingling with the city sounds around us.
"Gosh, I absolutely despise Danil, always acting like everything revolves around him and his family," I muttered, frustration evident in my voice.
Aaron chuckled, his eyes twinkling mischievously. "How about we challenge him to a bout next time? Let's see how he handles someone who can actually give him a run for his merit points."
We all shared a laugh at the thought, the tension from earlier dissipating. The stall owner brought over our fried bunis and tea, setting them down with a knowing smile.
"Best bunis in the city, guaranteed," he declared, winking at us before moving on to serve another customer.
"No need to brag," Gaia said.
As we ate, the conversation turned more serious. Aaron's expression grew thoughtful. "I heard the family elders are about to choose who to nominate for the Degree of 1111."
"Oh my God, I totally forgot about that," Gaia exclaimed, her brow furrowing. "It's quite hypocritical that the government props up the IGE48 as a life-changing lottery for the lower classes when no one lower than a Class 3 has ever survived it."
"It's practically a death sentence," I said quietly, remembering the fate of Cousin Elara and others who had tried the compound. "Every single family member who attempted it has died. I feel so sorry for Elara."
"Yeah," Aaron agreed solemnly. "She was beautiful, kind, and strong. It's a waste that she ended up like that."
"I heard they couldn't even recover her body," Gaia added softly, her gaze distant. "She was completely blown to pieces." Upon mentioning Elara, the meal descended into an uncomfortable solemnity.
After finishing our meal, Aaron reached into his pocket and tapped his chip implanted on his right hand against the stall's payment device, settling the bill with a beep.
"We've got a mission at Section 5 of the eastern border. If all goes well, we should be back by evening. Goodbye, Dom," Aaron said with a reassuring smile. "Take care, and don't let Danil or anyone else get to you."
As they disappeared into the bustling city streets of Ahnduim, I decided to take a leisurely walk around the city, letting the day's events settle in my mind.
---