THE SLUMS – two years later

Jelm sat in his little home which he shared his brother Remis. Remis was one year and about eleven months older than him. As of now Jelm was fifteen and Remis was seventeen. This being because Remis's birthday had just come. They were both really close to Zakt. In fact some people called them "Zakt's little followers", but they didn't find that insulting at all. Because Zakt had taught them to read and write, he'd taught them math, and how to fix things. He'd helped them build their own shack, closer to the edge of the quadrant so they could have a bigger home and the Scientists wouldn't have any claim to it. To them Zakt was like an older brother. 

Everyone believed that even though Remis was closer in age to Zakt, Jelm's friendship with him was much closer. Since Remis spent some of his time with Lade, a person who was sent to the slums for and unidentifiable reason most assumed it kept them from bonding as closely. This was far from the case, and a fact that Jelm guarded jealously. In truth Jelm knew,  henonly seemed closer to Zakt because they were seen together more. As well, it made others assume that Jelm was closer in intelligence to Zakt, though still no match for him. Jelm also knew his brother  Remis was really just as intelligent, perhaps more so. He just didn't like studying. He loved to fight. That's what Lade was all about. Though despite that, Remis had one more reason to be close to Zakt other than his help and his closeness to Jelm. This reason was Zenny.

In the past it seemed that Remis didn't like Zakt all that much. Much before the teaching or the shack. At the time, it just seemed that something about Zakt rubbed him the wrong way. When Zenny showed up however, something changed. Jelm thought about it, he hadn't really liked Zenny for a LONG time. First she took over all Zakt's attention, and then suddenly Remis was always watching her. That's when Jelm remembered it hit him,  that Remis saw something worth liking in the way Zakt treated Zenny. Something he couldn't see in his own friendship with him; a softer, less technical side. Zakt seem so high up all the time. Even though he was almost blind, he didn't have problem getting around. He could hear everything you said, sometimes it seemed as though he could hear thoughts. He could smell you, so even if you hadn't spoken, he could taste that it was you. He could feel things,  if stomped your foot he would get unsteady like there was an earthquake. It wasn't just that Remis was un-fond of him, he feared him. Something about his strangeness, reminded him, of himself. Jelm had felt it too, but instead of shying away from it, he'd grasped it, loved it even. Not feeling so lonely. They were meant to be friends anyway, they practically grew up together. However, the two brother's parents didn't like Zakt. When he was around two years old, he could talk like a six year-old kid. He couldn't see yet he knew where everything was just by putting his bare little foot on the ground. Nobody really liked Zakt except his parents.

The Barlows had loved that boy, so he learned to love even those who ignored him, who'd stomp around on purpose, even those who threw things at him, as Jelm had remembered him and Remis doing when they were really little. They were around six and seven and Zakt was nine. Jelm had actually been the one to throw the first stone. But Zakt had dodged it and turned to face him. He felt the ground and found a rock, and threw right back at him, hitting Jelm square in the chest. It should have made Jelm angrier, but instead after that he was always following him around. Not even talking or getting real close, just, following.

"Hahahahaha, what now?" Jelm thought aloud as the memories faded. He remembered it was Remis who'd followed him to the Book Room. It was like on their own, they both found Zakt by themselves and cultivated their own small relationship with him. Though Jelm was the first to except the title "follower", they had both naturally begun to follow him. So what now? Zakt was changing. He was becoming smarter, if it was possible. He kept making things, and even with his incredible hearing it was like he didn't even notice you were there when he was working on something. Often it would turn out to be Jelm just sitting there and watching him work. He was distant, yet he smiled a lot more than he had before. 

It had started when Zenny had demanded to live on her own. Why had he changed just because of that? What disturbed Jelm the most was that all Zakt did now was talk about going Up Top. Jelm and Remis had stayed in the Slums because of him. He had told them that he couldn't make it without them. Now was he going back on that? Had they stayed down here for nothing? Remis dreamed of going up, after meeting Lade it was all he talked about. Because Lade had come from up there so insanely strong, and even without his memory, he just KNEW how to fight like it was second nature. Jelm remembered having to beg Remis to stay until he turned nine too. However, even though Remis still didn't seem to like Zakt, he relented almost instantly the moment Zakt asked them not to go at all. 

That day, Jelm wanted to argue but Remis had yelled at him. That was the first time they had argued. It wasn't long after that, that Zenny had showed up. Remis had taken it that, perhaps she was the reason they had to stay. Jelm's memory was fogging, he couldn't really remember Remis liking Zenny at first either. What had changed that? Jelm sighed. Why just sit here thinking of the past? Once again, it was all because of Zakt; because Zakt had said something once.

"If they take everyone's memory who comes down, they probably take the memory of all those who go up."

"Why would they do that?" Remis had asked.

"Why do they take everyone's memory who comes down? Why erase memory at all?"

"Because they don't want us to know what's up there unless we are good enough to actually go up." Jelm answered unsure.

"My point exactly, if they don't want us to know what's up there, maybe they don't want others knowing how bad it is down here. . .Think about it, we've known people who've gone up, nobody doesn't know someone who has. Why can't they contact us? Send us a letter, or a souvenir? Why can't WE even know how they're doing? I've decided they probably don't even remember us. No one comes down here EXCEPT scientists and people with their memory swiped. No one ever comes down just to see what things are like. I mean even if they know what things are like, no one is even curious? No one misses it down here enough to even, come back? No matter how great it is up there, it's inevitable that there would at least be one person who wants to be back to be with their family."

Jelm returned from the memory. He lie back down sighing. He knew today was Zenny's birthday, Zakt was already there. Remis had been gone since the day before, but Jelm figured that he probably headed to see Zenny straight from wherever he'd gone.

"JELM!" Remis called. Remis ran in holding something in his hands. "Jelm, I think I've found something huge." He exclaimed sitting down next to Jelm.

"Aren't you supposed to BE somewhere right now?" Jelm asked slightly sour.

"Aren't YOU?" Remis shot back sternly. At this they both smiled at one another. Knowing exactly what the other meant.

"Point taken, what is it?" Jelm relented.

Remis smiled widely back at him. "I found an Artifact; one that I think will take us Up Top."

"I thought we were staying with Zakt, I don't think he can go back up." Jelm doubted.

"Actually, Zakt read something in one of those thin paper-cover books, you know with all the pictures. He said he needed to make something he saw in it. I thought the picture he showed me looked familiar but, I couldn't figure it out. So that's why I left, to see if I could remember where I saw it."

"Come on, get to the POINT!!" Jelm insisted.

"I did something I promised I would never do. I used an Artifact before I checked it over with Zakt."

"WHAT?" Jelm questioned shocked. "Didn't he say that some Artifacts could hurt us? What are you thinking?" he yelled frustrated.

"It wasn't dangerous, I was really careful, and it was in this box, and it had instructions, and even told me what to do if it's been out too long." Remis reassured.

"Wait, what? What do you mean OUT too long? Show me." J

________________________________________________________________________________

-Up Top

"She'll be old enough for the Examination in a couple years." Contemplated Nilri aloud. "What will you do then? If she were to come up from that horrid wasteland, you'd have quite the load on your soft hands. Hers no doubt are covered in NWA filth. Not the soft, clean hands of a princess as you once hoped to make her into. Ooooh! What if she decides to follow in YOUR footsteps?" she teased from her seat to the man, her father, sitting in the chair turned away from her.

"Shut that forked tongue of yours and allow me to QUIETLY continue my work." The man shot back not even turning to face her. He leaned back against his chair starting feel a bit uneasy. He sat back up pulling his shoulder length jet-black curls out of the tie that held them in place. "She'll most likely have the heart of her mother." He chuckled.

"Isn't it Beautiful Sil? Like poetry or music in motion."

"But, they're fighting."

"Oh I know, but I would love to do something like that. I wouldn't think of it as fighting. It's more of a contest; like 'My song is better than yours"

"Mother? If you mean that lifeless waste of space, tha-that underwater vegetable, than that's barely motherhood. Even from a biological standpoint, not to mention it hasn't got a heart. You know, she'll be sent here first, they'll want to know where she came from," Nilri explained, a cold smile erupting onto her face.

Nilri was no doubt beautiful from any angle. She had nice curves for her age, and her ice blue eyes against her pale skin and black hair was a sight to behold. High cheek bones and a mole under her left eye, features anyone would brag about, but you might say that the things that came out of her pouty pink lips lessened some of her charm.

"Child, you do realize that I am your creator as well as your father. I know your NAME your True-Name, or perhaps that's slipped your mind." He conjectured as he continued to type. "A fifteen year-old zeta-model snapping and hissing like some sort of serpent, in my own office? I should say that'll scar my polished reputation. I will not permit you to come here if you continue to participate in such insolent behavior, not even you are exempt from judgment..." he finished turning his chair to her slightly.

Nilri loved her father, but when he started focusing on that little brat he had stopped paying her much mind at all. Now that she was gone, Nilri thought she would regain his attentions, but it seemed he was working on something. She was certain it had something to do with the return of that abomination. Though, Nilri soon realized she was the only one really worried about it. She was the only one who cared, because she knew she was right. One look at her and everyone would want some "Scientific Explanation", so what was he doing, even now what was he plotting to avoid it? People would want to know why she was even down at T.U.S.C. or Tusk as some people called it. The Underground Settlement Colony was where everything was sent "relieve" the rest of the world. Nilri could feel it, once she came up, something big was going to happen, just like it had with what her father called its "mother". Nilri was perfect; she was made up of only her father and an X-Chromosome. Her father had once doted on her to everyone, she WAS him. However she was also a beautiful girl. She could not deny that the monster's mother excelled by far in beauty, but Nilri would keep it so only she could. That monster, that THING would never have a chance, even if she came up.

"Papa, what if she really does come back?" she asked softly. He looked up from his work and sat back again sighing.

"People will most likely think she's just a bizarre model, as result of being born in Tusk, or living N.S.A. is the new term these days. If they do want some explanation, I suppose my hands really will be quite full." He answered softly.  

Nilri got up and left his office. She was tired of listening to him practically shoot her down. She was not like him. She could not ignore the truth. Something was coming, and whether her father had something to do with it or not, she was NOT going to let things get out of hand. For now she'd finish her basics training for her major. She'd become someone with enough power to control how things go in this world. Nothing was going to take her place of power, or her place in her father's heart.