A little something

Tritsteel

Kalise para todos!
Original poster
LURKER MEMBER
FOLKLORE MEMBER
Posting Speed
  1. 1-3 posts per day
  2. One post per day
  3. 1-3 posts per week
Writing Levels
  1. Intermediate
  2. Adept
  3. Advanced
Preferred Character Gender
  1. Primarily Prefer Male
  2. Primarily Prefer Female
  3. No Preferences
Genres
Modern, Action, Adventure, Fantasy. SCI-FI
I wanted to contribute a little bit and then I found some of my old writtings, read them if you wish and please, enjoy ; )

/-------------------------------------------------------------------------------/


A young man walks his way through the crowded streets of the city. The small roads, that the tall buildings form, are filled with the sweaty scent of the people and the smell of food of the nearby shops. The environment is saturated with lots of sounds coming from all around; A Old fat man trying to sell not-good-looking fish, some ladies offering his services, some random people arguing in the upper levels of the city and a couple of travelers earning money doing very basic tricks over a cardboard box. Hmpf.... Impressive how people still falling in that kind of hoax.
The young man stopped walking and entered a pub. He is around 180 cm height and 70 to 75 kg. <<this imperial="" metric="" system="" stuff="" messed="" with="" his="" head="" for="" a="" while="">> Dark and short hair style, with a two day beard. Wearing a small frame, slim blue glasses, a plaid blue buttoned shirt, a not wide, not tight dark blue jeans and gray leather-like boots.</this>
He was used to go to that place, a medium sized pub, big enough to get comfortable. And he knew the bartender, so the place was more “familiar”. The mild lights of the pub allowed the young man to see his way to the nearest stool, he sat down and waved his hand to salute the bartender.
- Hey! What's up man! - Said the big-muscled man behind the counter.
- Hey! Nothing new, the same as always.
- The job still killing you?
- Yeah man... Come on, bring me a beer, I need to relax...
The bartender grabbed a glass bottle and opened in the opener-device and handed it to the young man. As the bartender walked away to attend to the other customers, the young man, took a gulp of beer and looked around. The same as always; People playing something with cards in one table, some depressed business guys drinking in the counter and a few dumb girls dancing and flirting with the bartender. Always the same... Work, bar, home, work, bar, home. I miss the action back in the old times...
A change in the music broke his thoughts he looked at the small display on the Hi-Fi sound system, but was too far to tell what was written on it. The bartender approached the young man.

- What are you looking at, buddy?
- Uh? A, nothing, the song, sounds familiar, but can't remember who compose it...
The bartender moved in front of the Hi-Fi device and went back to the young man.
- Hyper Music... Never heard of them...
Now I remember who they are. The young man smiled.
- Is not a band, is the title of a song.
The bartender shrugged as he walked away again, one of the customers wanted to pay the bill.
Guess today will be the same as always. Nothing interesting going on over here... Maybe is time to find another place to go... Maybe...
 
/------------------------------------------ Part 1 -------------------------------------------/

There was once upon a time, a beautiful vast land where the air was clean and the nature grew free

and gorgeous. Men and woman roamed free, without hatred in their hearts. But the technology
came, and the humans, in his craving for power and dominance, destroyed everything earth had
accomplished. Decades of war, hate and oblivion brought back forsaken words from old forgotten
ages; slavery, kings and queens and hierarchies.

The thick atmosphere, lacking in oxygen, and the poor quality water, are responsible of making sick
half of the population, leaving only the strongest and the richest people healthy. But even sick, the
people are forced to work for the big corporations in coal mines, oil platforms...

- What are you looking at? - Said a pitched annoying voice -.

- It's nothing mother -. Quickly shutting off the holographic device -. It was just an old video on the
net...

- You were looking those “liberal” videos again, am I right?

The small cute girl shrank, trying to hide the holographic computer between the sheets of the bed,
and looked away hiding his face from his stepmother with her dark hair.

- How many times do I have to tell you!? - The old stepmother was doing strange movements with
her hands while walking from one side to another of the room -. This is not how I educated you!
The woman went on and on for almost half an hour more.

- Your father would be ashamed...

Those last words infuriated the little girl, who jumped out of the bed and attacked the old woman.

- Fuck you bitch!

But her stepmother grabbed her and tossed back, with strength, into the bed.

- Don't you dare to talk to me like that again!

Both of them looked at each others eyes for a while, and finally, the stepmother took a deep breath
and spoke:

- I don't know what are we going to do with you Snow...

Snow White refused to talk to her stepmother any longer, and after a few seconds of uncomfortable
silence, the woman left the room, leaving Snow almost crying between the sheets of the bed. As the
door of the bedroom closed, Snow, stayed quiet leaving the last sun beams fade away and leaving
the night embrace her in a deep and calm sleep.

The old woman walked trough the hallways of the expensive attic, making a rhythmical noise with
her heels, she went to the living room and slowly sat down in a red sofa, crossing her long legs like
a fine lady would do. A huge living room, decorated with black and white shades. White sofa,
ebony wood table, some modern art paintings in black colors and pearl white tiles on the floor.
Not a minute later a servant appeared.

- What will the queen and her daughter will want to dine tonight?

- Some rice will be nice, Alberto. - Said the Queen with a smile -. But make it only for one, Snow
will not dine today.

- As you wish my Queen.

And Alberto left the big living room. The Queen looked around, and grabbed the TV remote. Taping
the remote, a almost “magic” blueish interface appeared in the middle of the living room. A couple
of presenters were arguing about some meaningless topic. Then one of the presenters looked
straight to the camera.

- And in other events, did you saw The Queen in the big company event the last week?

- Let me tell you something Mark – Said the female presenter -. She was gorgeous in her red
“Gioor” dress. Only a handful of women can wear such a piece of art with so much style!

- You are right Gina, and what do you have to say about her daughter Snow? I have to tell you, she
was beautiful.

- Yes, Mark, beautiful indeed.

- Who do you think is going to win this year's contest of Beauty of the year?

- Well, Mark – Replied the female presenter -. The Queen had all the eyes on her, but the sudden
appearance of Snow White turned the tables drastically.

- But is she 18, Gina?

- Of course she is, Mark! I will tell you more, she is...

The Queen, angry, trowed the remote at the screen, passing trough the holographic interface and
crashing against the wall behind it. In rage, she got up of the sofa and firmly walked away from the
living room, going directly to her office. A small room, with two big bookshelf on the sides a table
in the middle and a big window behind. The artificial light reflected on the wood floor, giving the
room a warmth and quiet color. Once she was there, she sat behind a heavy, classic wood table and
grabbed the phone on it.

- Aaron! AARON! I want you here. Now!

The Queen roughly hang up the phone, and waited. Less than five minutes later, a young man
appeared in the office. A handsome young man with short hair. Wearing a big gray leather like
boots, a black suit with a white shirt and without tie. He stood in front of the table, hiding his matte
black, metallic hands together in his back.

- Aaron... You are a close friend of my daughter? - Said The Queen staring at the black emptiness of
the night trough the window.

- Yes ma'am. - Replied firmly Aaron -.- But you are also working for me.

- Yes.

- Do you know that you are still alive thanks to my... “efforts” to keep you alive. Right?

- Yes.

- Nice – The Queen smiled -. That's really nice.

She got up of the red leather chair, and slowly walking toward the young man she trowed at him
lascivious looks. Gently moving all her body with each step, The Queen, stood very close to Aaron
and muttered some words to his ears.

- I need you to do something for me...

The Queen embraced him from behind and softly rubbing his back she could feel where the body
finished and his heavy metallic arms started. She continued caress down his spine with her soft
hands.

- I want you to kill Snow white...

Aaron quickly turned around to face The Queen. Surprised, she didn't stopped her attempts to
seduce him, and put her exquisite hands on his chest, slightly opening the suit, leaving to the sight
the armpit holster, with a gun in the left and a couple of magazines on the right. Her hands
continued their way down and reached his belt.

- I can please any desires you have... - Said The Queen -. You Just have to do what I say...

- I... Can't...

Aaron was defenseless against the powers of The Queen, even if she was almost 50 years old, she
definitely looked way younger and beautiful. She knew that, and she was minded to use this to her
advantage. She slowly separated from, but without stop grabbing him by the waist.

- Tomorrow, you will take her to the suburbs, she will trust you. There, I want you to kill her. - The
Queen smiled -. And I want her heart as proof.

- But I don't... - Tried to reply Aaron-.

- I don't care what do you want. You owe me your life, and you will do as I say. Now go, you have a
lot to do for tomorrow.

Aaron stood still in shock. He didn't wanted to kill Snow White, but The Queen was right, if it
weren't for her, he would be dead long time ago. Post industrial body modifications saved his life,
expensive ones, but The Queen payed everything and now he was somehow her personal guard. He
never asked for this, he enjoyed his life before he suffered the car accident, but now that he was
there the only thing he could do is stay alive and live the best he could.

- Come on – Said The Queen as she was walking out of the office -. I don't want you here, get back
to wherever you were doing.

Aaron walked out as fast as he could and, almost running, he went one floor down, where some of

the security personal was staying and without even looking to anybody he closed himself into a
office. A small dark hole, filled with papers and poorly illuminated by the blue glow of the several
holographic monitors and computers and a flickering fluorescent light.

He walked from one corner of the office to the other, and finally sat down in a small metallic chair
behind the overloaded table. He really didn't want to harm Snow White but he couldn't seem to find
another solution. And so on he stayed for almost two hours trying to find a way out of this problem,
but finally, the fatigue overcame Aaron, who slowly fell asleep, leaving his head rest over the table.
With the first light of the morning the ring noise of the alarm triggered, and quickly, Snow White
turned it off. Wearing nothing more than her underwear and a huge t-shirt she moaned and covered
herself again with the sheets of the bed. She was not in the mood of waking up, or even going to
class today, so she decided to stay in bed all day, but her stomach gave off a low growl. Last night
she didn't ate anything and now she was starving.

But she waited patiently until she knew her stepmother was outside the house, and then, she silently
moved outside her room. Somewhat imitating some kind of special operations soldier, she moved
quietly trough the hallways and rooms of the huge attic, and finally made it to the kitchen. There,
Alberto was reading the newspaper in a digital book, and the chef was preparing something in a big
pot. Snow knew that the chef sure would tell The Queen that she was staying at home instead of
going to class, in the end he was an old fashioned man, but Alberto was way younger and Snow and
him were pretty good friends.

- Psss... - Called Snow White from behind the door of the kitchen. But Alberto seemed not to notice
her.

- Pssssssss... - Tried again the young girl, this time with more luck.

Alberto looked at Snow, and quickly turned to the chef to see of he had noticed.

- Yo ho ho! Walk that plank! Yo ho ho ho ho!

The chef was singing a pirate song while cocking something in a big pot. Once both noticed, was
pretty hard to hide laughter, but some seconds later, the old chef was only murmuring something to
himself, allowing Alberto to talk with Snow.

- What are you doing here. - Said Alberto very low, gesturing with his hands-.

- Yo hambre, Alberto – Answered Snow White in a very poor Spanish-.

Alberto smiled and told Snow to go back to her room. She did as he said, and as soon as she was
out the chef turned around.

- Hmmm. Did you said something?

- Arrr! Neverrr! - Replied Alberto imitating a pirate. -.

Snow White patiently waited on her bed, with the legs crossed, and singing for herself a old song,when Alberto slowly appeared from behind the door.

- May I come in?

- Yes, please! - Said Snow jumping out off her bed.

Alberto entered the room with a smile and a plate with some rice with vegetables, orange juice and
warm bread. Snow grabbed the plate and left it in a free space over the table and looked back again.

- I will come back in ten minutes to pick up the dishes okay? - Said Alberto

Snow White nodded and as soon as Alberto was out of the room she jumped into the food. It was
not usual to see a fine cute lady like her eating like a barbarian, in fact, she ate all the rice with her
bare hands before she noticed the fork and the knife in one side of the plate. She paced down and
sitting on a chair, she proceeded with the vegetables, this time using the cutlery.

The sun shyly entered her room, illuminating her white-ish skin and highlighting her beauty. The
warmth of the sunlight filled the air with her sweet essence and for a single instant, she closed her
eyes and pictured in her mind a image she saw in one of the old videos on the net about the old
world. A picture where the sun was bright yellow, and no orange due to the thick layers of pollution.
A beautiful image of a place called Tuscany; a beautiful forgotten place in Italy, where the vast
green lands reached as far as the eye can see. A place where she always wanted to be.
Her thoughts where interrupted when Alberto knocked the door.

- It's me, Alberto.

- Yes, come in.

Snow White quickly drank the orange juice and ate the last of the vegetables, almost choking
herself in the process. Alberto took the plate.

- I... - Said Snow White -.

- Don't worry, I won't tell anybody.

Snow White smiled, Alberto winked and left the room.
Now, she had almost all the day for her. So she tossed herself over the comfortable bed and looked
around. Her room was far from the conventional girl bedroom. The walls where painted in a light
tonality of wheat color. A study table filled with papers, just under a big window, a closet in one
side of the room by the door, and the bed in the other side. Dirty clothes on the floor, a small
nightstand by the bed and other small things, like a clock and some small gifts, decorated the room.
She looked for the computer between the sheets, and after a small skirmish against the big, soft
pieces of silk she finally found it. Once turned on, a small holographic interface appeared in front of
her, and with a gentle movement of her delicate hands, the interface expanded, filling the room with
multiple holographic windows. She got comfortable on the bed and started playing with the
multiple tabs that were in front of her.

And the hours passed by. Wasn't until half past six P.M when Snow White stopped messing with her
computer and started dressing herself. She put on a wide dark jeans, changed the big t shirt for a
brown woman tee shirt and a thin black jacket, dark purple on the inside. She put some shoes on her

feet and grabbed her bag, filled with books and college stuff, and quietly walked out of the room.
She moved through the attic without making any noise, and when was about to leave, Aaron opened
the main door and appeared dressed with a dark trench coat with bright metal pieces working as
buttons and a thick piece of clothing beneath, something that looked like a thigh sweater. A deep
blue pants, a rather elegant shoes and also wearing a dark glasses, that didn't allow others to see
what was he looking, completed the set.

- You already here? Didn't saw you coming in. - Said Aaron -.

- Hmmm, yeah, I guess I...

- Want to go for a walk?

- Yes, please. - The idea enthused Snow -. Let me leave some things in my room and we can go.

Snow White went back to her room with a wide smile on her face. Aaron was still trying to
assimilate what he was doing, since he arrived here he took care of the family, or at least what was
left of it, and he and Snow White had become very close friends.

- Okay, I'm ready. - Interrupted Snow with a smile -. where are we going?

- I... I have to take care of something and then we can go wherever you want.

- Okay.

Implants and heavy surgery had left Aaron almost without feelings. He still can be sad, or happy,
but his mind and his body can't process it as well as regular people can, making him look like if he
had no feeling or remorse for anything he does. But Snow White knew that, and also knew that
behind the rough implants and his temper a regular human being was hiding.

Both of them walked outside the attic and trough the elevator they went to the parking of the
building. With a remote, Aaron, opened a big SUV, property of the company, and both got up.
Aaron drove the car outside the parking and trough the streets of the city. As they drove their way
out of the “expensive” part of the city, more glowing lights and less cars could be seen.
The business district is characterized by tall fancy buildings, all made it of glass and light blue
colors. All the rich people lived their lives there, without even caring about the problems that were
scourging mankind. Snow White looked by the windows and stared at the people living in poverty
on the lower districts.

- I'm a little scared, Aaron. - Said Snow with a small voice -.

The way she spoke made Aaron feel terrible for what he was about to do, but his mind could not
react to that feeling and he answered Snow in a cold voice.

- Don't worry, we are almost over.

Aaron drove skillfully between the narrow streets and finally stopped in front of a dark, small alley,
with a poor quality food shop in the corner. All kinds of fish and root meat were hanging from
hooks, the smell of fish filled the surrounding area, mingling with the typical odors of sweat andsmoke of the suburbs.

- It's here. Come on, get down. - Said Aaron -.
- But...

Snow white tried to reply him, but Aaron got down of the car too fast. She got down as he said to
her, and as soon as she was in the streets, He closed the SUV and grabbed her gently by her left
arm. If he was going to do it he was going to do it as fast and simple as he could do it. He walked
with her trough the alley, eventually reaching the end of it. A couple of garbage bags where piled
against the fence that was delimiting the end of the thin side street.

Aaron let go Snow White and gave two steps back. She turned around and saw how he pulled his
gun out of the holster and perfectly aimed the weapon at the small girl. She, speechless, slowly rose
her hands and looked at Aaron.

- W... Why? - Muttered the small girl -.

But Aaron was unable to speak, he just stood in front of her, aiming his gun at her, without being
able to move.

- Please... say something... - Snow White began to mourn -.

As saline, crystalline tears ran across her delicate cheeks, Snow White, tried to remember
everything she had lived. She recalled her father, always with a soft old smile. She recalled her
youth, her friends, and she recalled Aaron; the only one who really understood her and the only one
who she ever really loved in her life. She closed her eyes.

- Please...

- Please...
 
/--------------------------------------- Part 2 ----------------------------------/

Two small fire explosions blindingly illuminated the small alley for an instant, and a loud noise

filled the area, leaving both of them almost deaf for a second. In any other place this would called
the attention of everybody, but here in the suburbs nobody gave nothing for a couple of gunshots
late night.


Snow White closed her eyes as hard as she could, but slowly opened them when she realized that
she was uninjured. She looked at her body, without any scratch, her hands, as pale as always, her
feet, her legs, everything was where it should be. Surprised she rose her head and saw Aaron
standing in the middle of the alley, putting the gun back in the holster.


- The Queen wants you dead. - Said Aaron -. But I'm not going to kill you.


Snow was speechless.


- Now run – Aaron stepped aside -. Run away, hide.


Snow White started walking, but she stopped while facing Aaron. Their gazes crossed and for a
minute they just stared at each other, like if there were nothing else in the world. Just both of them.


- I...


- Just go.


And Snow White ran away crying. Aaron stood still, thinking about what to do now. After a couple
of minutes, he slowly walked outside the alley, and faced the small root food shop. All kind of dead
animals were watching him slowly swinging in their hooks.


- Hey! Do you want something or not?


A sweaty fat man, with a kitchen hatchet in his hand and slim eyes in his face, probably Asian.


- Half gallon of blood and a pig heart, the newest one.


- Blood? Which animal from?


- I don't really care, as long as it is red.


The Asian shopkeeper smiled and disappeared inside the small shop. Wasn't until then that Aaron
noticed a small figure of a girl, no more than 12, maybe 14 years old, sitting on a wood chair on a
corner of the shop.


- Hey! There you go. - Said the fat man -.


The shopkeeper appeared again with a half empty bottle and a bloody, brown paper bag. Aaron
grabbed both items with his left hand, and then the fat man noticed Aaron's iron arms. Scared, he
took a step back. Is usual to see people with some kind of implants on their body, but that kind of
heavy modifications were only available to two kinds of people: Very, very rich people and crazy
military experiments, and Aaron didn't looked like a rich man.


- How much will it be?


The Asian chef was starting to tremble and quavered some words.- Uh, no... nothing sir... free for you.
Aaron agreed and walked away without saying anything else. He put the goods on the SUV and
drove it away. A few kilometers away, between the rich and poor district, he stopped in a big
clearing, with nothing else than a few hobos at the distance trying to warm themselves in a fire.
Aaron stopped the car and went to the trunk of the SUV, where he grabbed a hunting knife and
stabbed the blood bottle, staining all the trunk and leaving his clothes with small dark red spots.
After that, he tossed away the bottle and put the knife inside the paper bag with the pig hearth.
He closed the trunk and drove away the car, this time addressing back to The Queen house. After a
small drive across the city, he finally made it to the garage of the huge building. There, The Queen
and a few personal guards were waiting for him. Aaron got down of the car.


- So, you are back. - Said The Queen -.


But she didn't got an answer, Aaron just walked to the trunk, opened it, grabbed the paper bag and
toss it to The Queen. As he walked away, she opened the bag and stared surprised at what he found
in there; the heart and the knife that had took the life of the organ's owner.


- And by the way, someone should clean up that car. - Said Aaron from inside of one of the elevators
as the doors were closing -.


The Queen and some guards, intrigued by that last commentary, took a look to the trunk. One of the
guys of the security staff threw up the dinner, the others looked away and The Queen was the only
one who stared at the blood, and smiling she said:


- Wake up the chef, I need him to cook something for me...


Aaron stepped out of the elevator and went to his office, there, he tried to calm down himself, but
unable to do so, he walked from one corner of the small room to another. He was tempted to return
to the suburbs to find Snow, but that would only get things worse for both of them.
Aaron was unable to imagine how a small defenseless girl like Snow White would be suffering right
now. Filled with anger, he began to systematically tear apart the small office. His superior strength
only made the task easier. The floor of the room was quickly filled with papers and books, and
Aaron was left in the middle of all that chaos. Breathing tiredly he could feel the heat of all that
sudden effort, but his implanted extremities were still as cold as always.
That only enraged Aaron even more.


He walked out of the office, almost breaking the door behind him.


- Hey! Aaron? - Said one of the co-workers of Aaron -. Where are you going?


- Home.


- But... Your shift isn't over.


- I don't fucking care!!


Aaron kept walking without minding anyone else. About 30 minutes later he roughly parked his carand got into a building in the “middle” zone of the city.
There was the “rich” zone, the suburbs and the “middle” zone, a district, west of the city, where the
middle class lived. Hard working people, not rich, not poor.
Aaron could perfectly afford a flat, or even a house, in the upper districts, but he tried to hold on to
his old life. Living like he used to, but sometimes that was just too hard.
He opened the door to his flat: A “Loft” with a small kitchen on the left corner, a living room with a
sofa, a wood table and a TV. A Glass wall allowed him to see the whole city and a small part of the
suburbs.


Still sweating, Aaron, went to the bathroom and took a quick shower. As the frozen cold water ran
across his skin he could feel the time slowing down. The streams of liquid got through the synthetic
and organic parts of his body, hurting himself with the almost frozen water. He focused on the pain,
but nothing seemed real. Not his city, not his life, not even the pain.
After the shower, more relaxed, he was able to dress himself without breaking anything else.
A old suit, black color pants and jacket, white buttoned shirt and dark shoes. He also put a black
leather gloves on his hands to hide the shame of all possible traces of implants.
Aaron was in need of a drink, so he grabbed his dark glasses and went out of the building. A few
streets away there was a pub, not many people used to hang around that place.


Aaron entered the pub; a group of ladies where celebrating something, very loudly, in a group of
tables in the far side of the pub. A young couple was looking at each other with dreamy eyes, and a
woman in the counter, dressed in a provocative red dress completed the set of customers that day.
Aaron sat on a stool and the female bartender quickly left what she was doing and asked him what
will he wanted whit a warm smile on her face.


That was not the first time Aaron was on that pub, he used to go to that place almost everyday after
the job. He remembered the bartender and probably she remembered him. It was easy to spot the
fact that she was flirting with him, and Aaron knew it, but unable to react fast enough to that
feeling, he answered in the coldest of the voices:


- Whiskey. One ice only, Thanks.


Disappointed, the bartender served what he asked for and returned to her business.
Aaron took a short sip of the fine liquor that was sitting in front of him, in a fancy short glass. He
took off his glasses and put them in the inside pocket of the jacket.
A few minutes later, one of the “party” ladies suddenly approached him and gently touched his right
shoulder as she stood by his side.


- I saw you staring at me – said the lady -. but I don't blame you, I'm aware of... How “difficult” is
not to look at me.


Aaron looked back at her; she was obviously technologically modified, was very subtle, but after
everything Aaron saw in those last fey years, he knew her body was not designed by nature.- But you know? - Continued the lady -. You can look at me as long as you want...


Aaron understood perfectly what was she doing, but it took to long for him to properly react.
She was sliding her hand across his right arm when she touched his wrist. She was expecting to
touch soft skin, but when she felt the cold iron of his arms she realized the truth. And again, Aaron
didn't looked like a very, very rich man.


Scared, the lady quickly walked away and returned with her friends.
Aaron took a deep breath. He was used to the rejection of the regular people, and he knew that the
respect the others had for him was nothing else than fear. There was only one person that didn't saw
him like a monster, and he just dropped her in the most dangerous district on the city.


- You won't find the answer in the bottom of a glass – Sid a female soft voice -.
The woman with the provocative dress was sitting next to him.


- I know how you feel. We.. - the woman showed him her right arm. Small circuits ran across her
skin, like tattoos that began in her fingertips and disappeared under the dress.
Minor implants to enhance the inter actuation between the human and the computers or other
machines. Lately, lots of people had started to put those small implants on their bodies, to look
“cool” more than any other thing, because those implants didn't really contributed in anything in the
real life.


- We are seen like... Monsters, but “normal” people don't understand that this is progress - She put
her hand under a light, making the small circuits bright -.


- Please, shut up – Said Aaron -. You don't know me. You are not like me.


Aaron was no longer disposed to keep striving against himself to process feelings that he knew he
was no longer able to understand or feel.


- Why are you ashamed? - Continued pushing the woman -. Why do you hide what you are? Tell
me: Aren't you feeling better with your new body?


Aaron removed his left glove and loudly put his pitch black iron hand in the counter.


- You understand nothing! - Said Aaron angry -. You people mistreat your bodies! You know what
will I be disposed to give to get my body back!?


- Oh God... The woman was left without words.


- That's what I thought – Said Aaron -.


He pulled out some money, left it on the counter and left the pub. Outside, he hid his hand with the
glove and his face with his glasses. In a desperate last effort to forget that day, Aaron, walked
around the district for almost 45 minutes aimlessly. Then he decided to get back to his flat, in the
end, he still had a job and a life to live. A broken meaningless life, but was his life.
He was about to get to his building when he heard some noises in a alley, it looked like someonewas taking a beating. Probably a poor hobo found some punks looking for a fight. Aaron
approached the alley and saw four young men, dressed with spiked leather jackets and strange
hairstyles.


- Come on kids, I think is enough – Said Aaron -.


- Uh, what? - Said the one with a green colored hair -.


- What? What!? Who the hell is this guy? - Said the orange colored one -.


- Damn it Matt! I told you not to bring your parents with us! - The pink colored one -.


- Fuck you Patt! This loser is not from my family!


- I was kidding asshole!


Trying to identify who was talking to who was no longer possible, since all of them started talking
to each other as they approached Aaron.


- So... Who we got here?


- That suit looks expensive...


- Yeah.. how much do you think is worth?


- Enough to pay the services of you mom, Matt.


- Go hell Patt!


- Just shut the fuck up and let's show this guy a lesson!


Two of the young men attacked Aaron. What a surprise they got when they realized that not only
Aaron had combat training, he had also a superior strength. After easily taking out the two first
punks, the third one took out a penknife and attacked Aaron, who was a little distracted after the
first confrontation. Quickly defending himself from the attacker, he evaded the first attack, but the
young thug trowed a second attack and the penknife landed in Aaron's left arm. But the penknife
didn't stuck in the arm, it only striped the sleeve of the suit. Aaron tried to hide the arm, but the
young attacker saw it and gave a few steps back.


- Fuck!


- What happened!


- Let's get out of here!


- What?


- Come on! Go! Fucking go!!


And the small group left, running away as fast as they could.


Aaron picked up the broken sleeve and took out the glove. No use trying to hide it now. He lookedat the hobo the punks where beating. He was slowly huddling between broken blankets and a couple
of cardboard pieces. He looked injured, but seeing a half machine guy sure it won't help. But for
some reason, Aaron decided to took a closer look to the hobo and ask if he was in need of help.
And what was his surprise when Aaron noticed that the hobo was a woman and not a men. He
leaned to see the woman and she reacted trying to hide between the mess of cardboard and blankets.


- Are you okay? - Said Aaron -.


A small head appeared between the blankets when she noticed that his voice was not the same as the
one of the punks.


- Y.. Yes...


Somewhat she seemed absent, like if she was staring at the abyss. She looked at Aaron voice but for
some reason she didn't panicked at the picture of the black iron arm.


- Are you sure? I just want to help.


She insisted, but trying to hide again what it seemed like a broken rib scratched her lungs and a mild
pain shout filled the small alley.


- Okay, I don't care what do you say, I'm taking you to the hospital. - Said Aaron -.


- No, I... I don't have any insurance...


- Don't care, we will use mine.


She knew that in that state she would be dead in a few days and after swallowing her pride and
some blood she accepted and lifted her arms for Aaron to grab her. In the action, Aaron, made sure
she saw the arm, but she looked like she didn't cared at all.
As he was lifting her she screamed in pain and embraced him strongly trying to find a position in
witch she didn't fell pain. With any troubles he took her across the empty streets of the district and
in less than 10 minutes they got to the nearest hospital. As soon as he entered with her, a couple of
nurses went to his aid, but stayed away from him as soon as they saw his arm.


- I need help. - Said Aaron without any sigh of weight in his voice -.


- Well, Sir, I...


Aaron slowly sat her new friend in a plastic chair of the emergency wing and went straight to one of
the nurses.


- I'm Aaron Riley – And he showed his id to the nurses -. And I need help now.


- O.. Okay, over here...


The nurses, still in shock, observed how Aaron picked up the woman again, and then they guided
him across the wide hallways of the hospital to a empty room. There he put her in a bed and the
nurses took care of the rest.The nurses were about to finish when a old doctor appeared on the room.


- There you are Aaron! How is life?


- Couldn't be better doctor, couldn't be better... - Replied Aaron ironically -.


- What we got here... But... This is not Snow.


- I know. But I guess there wont be any problem. Isn't it Doctor?


- Ehhh... No, I guess it won't... As long as you... well, I don't think this girl here have any

insurance...


- I will take care of that, Doctor. You just focus on healing her.


The old doctor looked at the nurses and then back to Aaron. It was obvious that he was doubting,
but who was he to question the word of the guard of The Queen's family?


- Okay Aaron.


The doctor proceed then to diagnose the poor woman.


- She is pretty injured, I thing she had... – The doctor gently touched the woman's side and she
screamed in pain -. Yes... she had the C5, C6 and C7 broken and that may be causing...


The doctor kept talking to himself for a few seconds more, and then ordered to one of the nurses to
prepare one of the operating rooms for immediate surgery. Aaron followed them, and even stayed in
the waiting room for almost an hour.


After filling all the necessary papers for the insurance and calling the to the job to tell them that he
was going to take a week out he returned to the room where the woman was.
He was not in the mood to go back to work, not today, not tomorrow. So even if the woman ran
away scared he was going to take a week off no matter what.


The woman was still slept, so Aaron put the chair next to the bed and sat down waiting for her to
wake up. In the meantime he tried to think about what was he doing and why was he doing it, but
even he found a reasonable explanation, he was still unable to feel it.


- Hump....


The woman was waking up. Aaron got up of the chair and leaned to see her better as she slowly
opened her eyes.


- Hey, Are you okay? - Said Aaron -.


- Mph... Yes... - Said the woman looking at Aaron voice -.


Aaron had the left hand leaned on the bed, and the woman could feel that. She slowly moved her
hand to grab his, but Aaron took away his hand before she could reach it.


- Sorry... - Said the woman -.Now, without all the dirt and the cardboard over her, she looked beautiful as the sunbeams of the
morning lightened her white, slight tanned skin.


- I... - Aaron was still shocked by her indifference with his iron arms -.


The doctor was used to it, since he was the personal doctor of The Queen's family and one of the
doctors that took care of him during the rehabilitation, but apart from him and the family, everyone
else was always scared of him, even the other staff on The Queen's building.


Aaron waved his black iron left arm in front of the woman. She Smiled and even trowed a couple of
shy laughter and between the laughs she said:


- I'm blind.