/------------------------------------------ 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...