Chapter 1
It was amazing how trying to do something nice for yourself could go so wrong.
"No, no, no!"
I uselessly blew on the rising flames that were burning my sad excuse of a birthday dinner to a crisp, trying to avoid singing my eyebrows off in the process.
Stepping back, I stilled as an embarrassing idea came to mind in the midst of a crisis. Looking at the flames dancing before me, I couldn't help but give it a try. Narrowing my eyes and my focus on the fire, I tried to manipulate it.
After a moment of intensely staring at the burning pot like a fool, embarrassment flooded my system and I looked away in shame.
It was moments like this that I wished I was a Water or Fire Fundamental. A Water Fundamental could use their control over the water element to manipulate it as dose the fire, while a Fire Fundamental who could control the fire element could just simply the flames out. Even earth or air would have been useful.
But no, I had to be the freak that was nothing.
Grabbing a damp dishcloth from the sink, I began to swat at the blackening pot still on fire.
My heart pounded, the rate increasing with each swat that failed to put out the flames. Out of the corner of my eye, I kept watching the smoke detecter that sat on the water-stained and cracked ceiling of my destitute apartment. I was already worried about making rent at the end of the month given I had to take a day off last week because I was sick, the last thing I needed was to be slapped with a fine for another false alarm because I couldn't cook something as simple as stove top noodles. Having lived in the cheap, yet barely affordable, accommodations for the last six years, I was now more acquainted with the water fundamentals that worked at the fire station than I liked. I wasn't in a hurry to see them again so soon, especially since I still had an outstanding balance.
I hissed out a sharp breath when my fingers hit the edge of the hot pot holding the charred remains of what I considered a rare treat. It was rare that I splurged the extra few dollars for the brand of stovetop noodles that didn't taste like sawdust, but seeing as I didn't turn 27 every year, I had gone against my better judgment and done so anyway.
Sighing dejectedly, I tossed the waste of money into the sink and ran the water to soak the pot. It was going to be an after work arm workout that I wasn't looking forward to, but seeing as it was the only pot I had, I couldn't just put it out of sight and forget about it.
"Elemental Rivers was spotted last night having dinner with the elusive Elemental Whitlock at the Mayer Hotel," said the voice coming from the TV I had set up in the corner of the small space that doubled as my kitchen and living room. Just the mention of Elementals had a shudder running down my spine as old fears and memories crept into my mind. "Rumors have been spreading the Elemental Whitlock's company has made a groundbreaking discovery that could solve the dilemma the dwindling number of Nulls is causing. With his revolutionary breakthrough, Elementals Whitlock could save himself and other elementals from imploding into a void without an Intrinsic bond with a Null-"
I quickly shut the TV off when the words reaching my ears only served to push me into the dark memories trying to pull me under.
I sighed as my racing heart slowly calmed down with each breath I took. I should have known better than to leave the news channel on. All the Fundamentals running the channels cared about were the rich and powerful. Elementals were the riches and the most powerful individuals, so it wasn't surprising that that was who they reported on the most. The elite.
Envy twisted in my chest. Elementals had everything handed to them without lifting a finger, they didn't deserve it. They were just born lucky.
Just like I was born unlucky.
I curled my hands into fists as my Jealousy grew. It wasn't fair. While I lacked the power to control even one element, Elementals could control all four; fire, water, air, and earth. If I could be like the other 99% of the population that was Fundamental, if I could manipulate just one element, then I could have worked my way out of the lower districts and maybe settled in one of the business districts, get a job as a receptionist or something. I wouldn't be nearly brought to tears over burnt noodles then.
I sighed. I should honestly just be thankful that my lonely existence made it so no one had been able to pay close attention to the fact I was practically a Null. If that had occurred, I would have been dragged from my home needlessly only to disappoint a bunch of strangers when they realized I didn't carry the mark of the spirit element that most Nulls presented with by the age of 16.
But I doubt that would stop them. With fewer Nulls being found and, more cases of Elementals imploding into voids popping up, they wouldn't let a lack of a marking deter them, nor the fact that I was well over the age of 16. They had to stabilize their Elementals.
Because the very people running this world could be the cause of its end.
Elementals needed to form an Intrinsic Bond with a Null to stop their volatile elements from attacking one another and causing their body to implode on itself, forming a void that sucked in everything in its vicinity. A black hole. If enough Elementals imploded into Voids around the world, it would tear it apart, destroying it.
I shuddered at the thought.
I already personally knew the destruction that a Void could cause. I could clearly remember the aftermath of seeing it drag my parents in to their death.
Elementals needed a Null. Although Nulls had control over the Spirit element, they were essentially what I was, powerless. The only difference was that they could calm the volatile nature of the elements residing within Elementals. They saved lives by keeping them from turning into Voids.
Whether they wanted to, or not.
With not enough Nulls to pair up with Elementals, recently panic had been rising as more cases of Elementals becoming Voids were reported. I had heard about controversial bills that restricted the freedoms of Nulls' passing, giving ultimate control of their life to the Null Center or the Elemental who bonded them, but it didn't concern me enough for me to follow closely. But I guess that problem may soon be solved if the news I had heard was right.
Turning around, I pushed away the unwanted thoughts of the top 1% to survey my barren kitchen. My stomach growled in protest, letting its displeasure at once again going hungry be known. The thought of rich assholes only made it cry louder. I patted it soothingly, knowing my hunger had to wait until the end of my shift to be dealt with. Hopefully, there would be a few expired deli sandwiches marked for the bin that I could steal.
A quick chance at the cracked, analog clock that hung on the wall told me that I didn't have long to get ready for my shift at the convenience store, Johnny's Cornerstore. It looked like I wasted more time putting the fire out than I would have spent on eating.
Grabbing my jacket and key lanyard off the hook by the door, I slid the chain lock open before flipping open the deadbolt below. The high crime rates in the neighbourhood and the increasing number of break-ins had me wondering if it would be worth going a few weeks without food, dumpster diving like I had to the first two years on the street after I had aged out of the system to feed myself, to be able to afford a high-tech lock that would actually make me feel safe instead of just providing me with a poor illusion.
I sighed again dejectedly as I realized it was just a waste of time contemplating buying something so luxurious. I couldn't afford the luxury of safety, no one in this neighbourhood could. If we could, this would be the last place we would be caught dead.
As I stepped out the door, a sharp pain at the hollow at the base of my throat had me bracing against the door frame. I choked on my pit, nearly coughing up a lung while trying to breathe. Reaching up, I pulled down the collar of my shirt and harshly scratched at the base of my throat where the pain originated, hoping to ease it as it began to turn into a strong itching sensation. The drag of my dull nails over my skin did little to soothe the itch. The only thing I was sure I managed to do was marking my light brown skin with raised red welts as I dug my nails in deeper.
Once the strange sensation finally faded away, I soothingly rubbed at the base of my throat between my collar bone with my fingers as my brows furrowed in confusion.
What was that? I had never experienced anything of the sort before. It was clear that I wasn't just the usual mysterious shot of pain that instantly passed and left you wondering if you were alright. It had lasted too long. Pessimistic thoughts of everything that could be wrong with me already had me prematurely picturing my grave.
A door slamming down the hall followed by shouting that wasn't uncommon reminded me that I was running late. It wouldn't matter if I was dying or not if I couldn't afford to starve or freeze to death first. The small paycheck that I got every two weeks from Johnny's Cornerstore was the only thing standing between me and the two deadly outcomes. I didn't have time to worry about my health, not if I wanted to be able to feed and house myself.
I locked the paint-chipped door behind me. I had little faith that it would do much to protect my measly possessions, but it provided the useless illusion and had become a part of my daily ritual. It wasn't like I had much to lose anyways.
Pocketing the keys, I went down the narrow and dimly lit hallway. The stained and cracked limonium led me to the staircase leading down to the first floor. Since there was no elevator, climbing up and down the two flights of stairs had been serving as my daily workout. That and the walk to work and back that took about an hour for the round trip.
"Good evening, Mrs. Goldstein!" I smiled as I passed the familiar old lady in the narrow stairwell.
The older woman scowled at my warm greeting, causing the smile on my face to become strained.
"Out of my way!" She snapped. "You lot have no consideration for your elders, do you?"
I awkwardly laughed as she pushed past me, hitting me in the shin with her cane on her way. I could try to convince myself it was a mistake, but it was starting to get harder to since it occurred four out of every five times I encountered the little old lady since she moved in. I didn't know what I had done to earn her scorn, but I had it. I nervously continued past her, avoiding her scornful gaze and her wayward cane.
Maybe it was about time I stopped trying to be nice to my neighbours in the hallway. It rarely went well. Everyone who lived here didn't even have the energy to put on a front of decency with the lives they lived.
I resisted acknowledging any other tenants that shared the cramped building as I made my way out into the dulled, grey world. Dark clouds painted the sky's, blocking the sun as they had been for years. It didn't matter, it would be setting in a few hours while I was trapped under fluorescent lights anyways. I hated night shifts.
We didn't deserve the luxury of fresh air and blue sky's in the lower districts. Factory districts were the bottom of the totem pole. Overpopulated and running rampant with poverty and illness. It made turning 27 a sombre experience. It just meant that I was one year closer to reaching the average life expectancy for Factory districts. 38 years.
I kicked an empty soup can, prompting my stomach to growl again. I remembered when I used to wake to blue skies and a table laden with food. It was for a brief but unforgettable period. Too bad it had to end along with the lives of my parents.
My jaw clenched when the memories that the news report earlier had reminded me of played once more in my head.
I was the one that had told my dad to stop the car that day 18 years ago. The man on the side of the road looked like he needed help. If I had known he was an Elemental on the verge of imploding, I never would have opened my mouth. But I was nine, and he look like he was in pain. I just wanted to help him, not lose my parents to the void he became.
"Watch where the fuck you're going!" Spat out a man covered in soot as I pumped into him.
"Sorry," I squeaked out as I rushed past him, brushing off the dark spot the marked my shoulder from the encounter.
I shook off the tragic memories of my parent's fate as Johnny's Cornerstore came into sight. The small store was like everything else in this district, worn down. A small bell sounded my arrival as the doors slide open when I neared
There was no point dwelling on the past nor the luxuries the upper districts enjoyed, not when I wouldn't live to see them again in my lifetime. Not that I would want to, not when it involved socializing with oppressive Elementals, narcissistic Nulls who didn't realize how little control they had over their fates, and desperate fundamentals who were eager to be noticed by those more powerful than them. The one plus to the polluted and overpopulated poverty districts was that they were comprised solely of lower-class fundamentals. Elementals, Nulls, and upper-class Fundamentals wouldn't be caught dead in this district.
Heading to the backroom, I put my belongings away, and grabbed my green vest and name tag. Setting them on the table, I looked at time table that showed my scheduled hours for the next week.
"What the fuck," I whispered to myself. I was put down for the night shift all week next week. I had asked Nancy to give me fewer night shifts, not all of them. It was becoming more dangerous travelling home after work at such dark hours in the morning.
"Hey Rae, how's it going?"
I looked away from the form to see Sean's smiling face as he walked in. The brunette man was always too happy.
Or may I was too cynical.
"Hey Sean, I'm doing good. You?" I answered, using the generic response I always responded with.
"I'm good. Felt like pulling my hair out because of a few asshats, but it's been slow tonight so it's not too bad. You think you can handle it on your own with Nancy?"
I almost groaned at the mention of the woman. I had forgotten it was only me and her scheduled for tonight. "Shouldn't be too bad if it's been slow." I could use the opportunity to ask her about the schedule.
We wasted the few minutes that remained before my shift on unless banter. Although I liked to keep to myself, I had decided when I had finally gotten a job that I would try to make friends. If not for the company, then for the possibility that if I ended up homeless and penniless once more, then I had someone to turn to for help.
I hated asking for help, but I hated waking up to having some drunk's filthy hands all over me worse.
Saying my goodbyes to Sean as he clocked off and headed home, I headed for my position at the register where I would spend the next few hours on my feet, working for not nearly enough.
But that's what happened when you were an orphan with no power or money. You ended up in the lower districts, labouring away for scraps. The lucky ones that manifested as Elementals got the fairytale ending of being adopted. Nulls got dragged off to the Center if an Elemental that was compatible didn't get their hands on them first, and no one wanted a fundamental. Or someone who was less than that.
I put on a fake smile when my first customer of the night approached. Who knew how long I'd manage to keep the forced smile on tonight.
