Neron Rising

hould never occur this

gh of that when the sun hasn’t even begun to think about touching the tips of the elite towers. But I do have to thin

of this city we call home. I cough, my lungs trying to adjust to all the pollution in the air, and I set down the weaving walkway that zig

illuminating a screen against my forearm. A

ppear on the screen. That’s what yo

xpletive and a searing strike

n, I smirk and

ere you’re goi

other individual on the skywalk. I turn, making eye conta

kway, you cack

to the crowd of people w

unwashed worker, or the potent perfume of the next space hog. I’m jostled and bu

t of life here

-eight point one billion peopl

cast my eyes toward it. I shift to that side o

rom the alley, and hooks the straps of a bag

swill, he hides certain packages around the underbelly of the city until I am rea

lanet will eat you alive, body an

dropping down five flights of stairs until my feet touch the concrete ground of

es damp, even though there probably hasn’t been a drop of

metal frames, the roots of the towering buildings that are constantly being built taller and ta

rough the silent streets and finally round into a wid

. But that was before they outlawed those on account of their po

thin five square kilometers, or h

to store old pipes an

think anyone beside our little operation has s

e at least fiftee

bump his wrist to hers, and hear a small ting,

he man I’

the abandoned equipment. “It’s been scientifically proven that those wh

on an oversized length of pipe tha

nd she just glares at m

turn to the ba

ward, and his eyes fill with t

ave me, and it’s ready for use,” I say, slipping into wor

verence. Which is actually a relief to me. He doesn’t have that malevolent look in his eye like so

per lunar, it will last you a lifetime.” She looks the man over as she places two, three-inch long shards of glowing blue c