YEAR 5966 LD—
Hornet glanced at the holographic screen in a passing store window. She froze and backtracked, almost involuntarily.
Another five people had been taken by the Griffothos. That was no big deal. After all, every week several people were taken. But in the world of Algaesia, the disappearances only mattered if you knew the person who had been taken.
"A boy of age seventeen named Bill Horston has mysteriously disappeared overnight. That makes a total of five this week. There is no doubt of where he has gone. Let us have a moment of silence for this poor boy," said the news woman smiling.
Hornet knew that boy. She knew him and thought she loved him and that woman was just smiling and smiling.
She was so fake, she thought, with her fake smile, too-white teeth, and a face lathered with makeup.
Hornet stared at the screen and a picture of the boy appeared with the caption, BILL HORSTON, written underneath it.
It was a boy she knew and admired. He was the boy who worked in the grocery store, or at least that's what she thought. She liked the way he would sit on the old, yellow crates thoughtfully or how he would lean against the counter a book in one hand. He had an intelligent kind of face. He had brown chocolaty eyes and hair with a light sprinkle of freckles.
Hornet stood in the street thinking about the boy whose name she had never known. Bill. Bill Horston.
A chilly September wind swept through the street. Hornet glanced around. The street was full cars. Only a few were walking on the sidewalk but the few walked quickly and purposefully. They had no time to stop or slow down.
This was usual for the city of Miropolis. No one had the time to stay and enjoy things anymore. In Miropolis, the people had the habit of thinking those who were idle, were more likely to be taken by the Griffothos. The only time for fun were at places where people were meant to gather such as restaurants or karaoke rooms.
Hornet shivered. Was it from the wind or from thinking that word, Griffothos? Since she was born, people had either trembled or turned pale from that name. No one knew when a friend or relative would be taken; no one knew who would be turned into an inferiai next. It was strange. People nowadays would all be relaxed and all they would do is have fun. But one small remark about Griffothos would cause havoc.
The storekeeper opened the door. It was a rather large woman. A nametag revealed her name to be Beatrice.
"Whaddya want? Are ya goin' ta stand there all day?" she asked, suspiciously.
Hornet sighed. Another fact about Miropolis was that everyone was suspicious of everyone. No one could be trusted these days.
"No, I was just thinking," she explained.
Beatrice closed the shop door behind her. She looked down the nearly empty street and sighed.
"Aye, my business has really been bad these days. Ev'ryone stays at home 'n orders holographic screens. All the big companies get the profits. I'm just a drowning ant in the river of economy. Say, why doncha come on in? It's quite cold out 'ere," boomed Beatrice.
A man with black sunglasses and hair stared out the window at the two women standing and chatting. His grease black hair shined. One was a pompous, fat woman with a red apron and skirt. The other was a slender girl. She looked about fifteen possibly sixteen. Her long, brown hair was skillfully braided back in a long, thin braid that ended in something resembling a long stinger. She had on jeans and a loose t-shirt hung about her thin shoulders. She was complete with a small, red satchel that clung to her shoulders like a parasite.
The man's car came to an automatic stop as did all the cars on the street. All the cars looked exactly the same. They were automatically-driven, silver beetles. They hovered slightly above the ground. He rolled down the window. He heard a glimpse of the girl's words.
Her voice was hoarse yet soft and kind.
"Oh no, I can't. I must go. Goodbye."
"Goodbye, little 'un. Oh, what's your name?"
"Call me Hornet."
"Goodbye, Hornet!"
The man scribbled down the name, Hornet into a small, black notebook and tucked it back in his pocket, a smile playing around his lips. Gold letters on the cover spelled out the word, Griffothos.
"Say goodbye, little Hornet," he muttered.
Hornet sat down on the crate with a sigh. She was in the grocery store in which Bill had worked in. Her satchel was on her lap. She rummaged inside and brought out a book. Its faded covers showed its age. The black letters, WITHDRAWAL, were stamped across the binding.
Hornet fiddled with it a little, but she wasn't in the mood to read.
"Hornet?"
A soft, uncertain voice spoke. Hornet looked up and saw a boy. He was young, about ten or so?
"Um, I need help. Are you called Hornet?" the boy inquired again and nervously glanced around. Hornet followed his gaze to a man whose name might have as well been BLACK with capital letters.
He had black hair, greased back with black sunglasses a black mustache, complete with a black suit and shoes. Hornet had a suspicious feeling that his little black eyes were locked onto her.
"Please come. If you're Hornet," the boy begged.
Hornet stood, keeping a wary eye on the man.
"Right, what do you want?" she asked.
"Come," he repeated.
Hornet surveyed the boy critically. He had on a dirty, white shirt with pants equally soiled. His pants' pocket bulged with some unknown object, most likely candy. He took his grubby hand in his and led her out of the store.
"Where are we going?" Hornet said, surprised at his unnaturally strong grip.
The boy did not answer and instead pulled even harder. They were reaching the entrance of one of the alleyways crisscrossing the city of Miropolis.
"Help!" called Hornet, now being dragged to the alley by this strange boy.
They reached the alley and the boy dragged her in. He pushed her down the alley and they soon reached a dead end. He plunked her down and pulled Hornet's satchel out of her hands.
"That's mine!" she protested.
She tried to stand back up angrily but the boy pushed her back down and pulled some thick rope and a white cloth out of his pocket. He promptly took her wrists and tied them together so fast, Hornet wouldn't be surprised if he had done this dozens of times before.
She kicked out fast and hard, realizing the danger she was in. He grunted in pain, but otherwise took no notice. He skillfully wrapped the white cloth around her head and mouth and tied it at the base of her skull.
"Mmmm!" she cried, furious at this innocent-looking boy who had overpowered her.
The man dressed in black stepped out of the shadows and smiled coldly.
Hornet reacted so furiously that she didn't know she had tried to both kick him and curse him. He had easily stepped out of her reach and laughed lightly.
"Were you about to call me names?" he inquired. He looked amused. "I would really advise against it. It would be a shame if you were hurt, now wouldn't it?"
Hornet lashed out again in retaliation, burning with anger. Quick as a flash, the man held a small pistol against her head. He was no longer amused.
"She is to full of anger. The shot won't subdue her. Conner, she is most likely unable to become an inferiai. We must kill her. Hurry back to sector L-2. I'll join you shortly," spoke the man dressed in black, addressing the boy, Conner.
Why do you have to kill me?! thought Hornet furiously. What's the point?!
The man as if reading her mind said, "I'm killing you for fun, Hornet. You hear? For. Fun."
He laughed again. Hornet hated this cold-blooded man. She hated his amused expression, as if he was looking down on everyone, she hated his superior laugh, and most of all, she hated his voice. It was like a snake, a slimy, slithering snake.
She flinched. The man had loaded his old-fashioned gun. Why didn't he just use lasers, like everyone else in this godforsaken society?
He aimed. The boy called Conner left. Hornet glared at him fiercely. I hate you. He seemed to enjoy her spite. He toyed with the gun and suddenly jabbed it into her neck reaching for the trigger. And fired.
Hornet screamed through the cloth blocking her mouth. When she realized she was not feeling any pain, she looked up. The man donned in black lay on the floor, out cold for the moment. The cloth fell away from her mouth and the ties around her wrists broke away. She saw a knife glinting. Following the hand that held it, she gazed into the face of a young man.
The masked man stood over her, a smile skirting his lips.
"Who-who are you?" Hornet asked, the question dying on her lips. He took of his mask, revealing a handsome face.
"Good day," he said. "Did I startle you?"