Horti

Some say that deep in the universe there are so many other worlds; Different beings that lingered out there. I always hoped for answers of the unknown. However, the thought of actually knowing scared me.

“Kas you okay?”

“Dani?,” I paused, “Where are we?”

“Girl we are at work. You better snap out of it,” she rubbed my back gently, “but for real, are you okay?”

“I’ve really been feeling off these last few days. I can feel in my gut that something’s about to happen.”

“Kassidy, you know you can’t be playing with my blood pressure like that,” she began to rub her chest.

“I’m not trying too; But you have to believe me,” I pleaded with my eyes.

We worked in a toy factory that supplied our entire galaxy; A tough job for sure, but we had to make some sort of living. Dani was definitely right about me having to pull myself together though. As great of employees as we were they could still let us go. So many people were being let go in this month alone.

Kamielle

“what’d you say?” I asked Dani slightly perplexed because for a moment it sounded like a mans’ voice.

“Girl I aint say nothing,” she said scrunching her nose at me.

“I cannot wait to get home and lay down.”

“Me either.”

Lately I’ve been dipping in and out of reality. It feels like daydreaming but I never remember what I was thinking about; That’s if I was even thinking at all. Sometimes I do feel myself on a far away planet, but when I try to think about it all I felt was ‘loss’.

I never had a family. It’s always been me and Dani for as long as I can remember. She’s older than me by a few years so to me that was my big sister.

The first time we met was when I came to the orphanage. One of the Nuns walked me over to her and from then on she cared for me. When Dani turned 18 the Nuns asked her if she wanted to take me with her. Dani told me truthfully that as much as she wanted to she had to get on her feet first. Me being a minor meant she’d have to care for me as well. So she asked me to give her until I turned 18; Then she’d come back for me regardless of her situation.

Dani did well for herself when she first started off. I however, struggled. I didn’t want to work at the factory to begin, or any for that matter, but I had slim pickings for jobs like most of the common folk.

Like all of the other societies in the galaxy there’s always a “Class System”. There’s the rich and the not so rich; And that’s where Dani and I fall into.

The bell for the end of the day went off and damn near scared the shit out of me.

“You ready?” Dani said putting her hand on my shoulder laughing, ” scary ass.”

“Don’t start you crap,” I said scrunching my brow at her.

She turned and started walking off, “sometimes I think you live in another reality.”

As I placed my work helmet on my stool I couldn’t help but think the same. At times I could swear my body was here, but my mind somewhere hidden deep in the stars.

“Come on girl! You know the boss don’t like to wait.”

I caught up to Dani and we both walked to the office. Freddy was an ‘ok’ boss. It’s not that he didn’t care. He just had a million things on his plate on top of the higher ups down his neck.

“Hey girls,” I could hear the tiredness in his voice, “I have your checks right here one second. Ah!” he handed us both our checks.

“Thanks Freddy,” Dani said giving him a grim smile.

“Hey if there’s anything we can do to help? Just ask.”

“Oh I appreciate it girls,” he said as he straightened up his mess a little, “work has just been piling up on top of losing so many of my staff.”

“Well if anything changes we got you boss.”

We waved and headed off.

“Do you think we’ll lose our jobs?”

“I honestly don’t know Kas,” she shrugged, “Life is hard to try and figure out. Sometimes you just have to throw your hands up and let the Gods take the wheel.”

“I think at some point your hands have to go back on the wheel. I mean if we’re speaking metaphorically WE are the drivers of this car.”

“Touché; But it’s not wrong to have some faith in the divine system.”

“Oh yeah? What system might that be oh wise one,” I said bowing at her.

“You mock; But remember dear sister, Something or someone made all of this,” she waved her hands in a circle in the sky almost like she grasping at the city, “We live on a mechanical moon. We are a source of ‘means’ for people; A Devine System,” I swear her smile was so big.

“Here I thought I was the conspiracy theorist.”

Baby Girl

“Did you hear that?”

“The only thing I hear is my stomach.”

I’m beginning to think I’m losing my mind.

We finally made it home and almost like a ritual for us we sank in the couch ready to watch our show pass out. Dani ordered food on our way home because neither one of us wanted cook. She paid since it was her time to cook.

“Did your food turn out good?”

“Hmm? Oh yeah it’s delicious as always. Thank you sis,” I said taking another bite.

As I sat there watching the tv and eating I could feel myself start to go numb. I felt so sleepy, but it also felt like my soul was leaving my body.

All I could do?

Close my eyes...