DREAM>>>The endless whoosh of wind hitting my face clouded my eardrums as I gripped the ice cold door handle to the Sky Train. I was holding on so tight my knuckles were turning white. There was almost no difference when I closed my eyes then when they’d been open. With both feet planted on my Fly Board which was logged into the first step of the train I leaned back, letting the wind rip my shirt away, taking everything in. The view from the Airway travel was awesome. I watched the night time city roar past, lights streaming past in a blur of yellow and white specks. We were so high up. My heart was race and adrenaline pumped through me like a drug. I stared down at the land cars stuck in traffic and the Air Crafts roaring overhead. This… was living.
“This sucks!” Someone called over the rushing wind. I glanced back to see Chase holding on behind me, his normally spiky black hair ripped back like a porcupine’s. His eyes were forced to squint from all the pressure on them. I laughed, I couldn’t help it. He looked stupid; even more stupid than usual.
“Aw forget your purse in the salon?” I pouted for him. Aaya, who was behind him giggled. Chase sneered like he was scaring somebody and laughed again.
“You know what I mean, Nylo. I hate midnight shift. Why do we have to be here? The Night Owls don’t need us.”
I turned to face the drop ahead without saying anything. Our stop should’ve been coming up soon. Through the sky traffic I could see a break in the traffic. Pin-ho! One way shot. I took it. “Follow me, ladies!” I said and let go, fingers jumping from the Sky Train. I grabbed the end of my Fly Board, crouching down so low my knee came up to my chest. I dived. Like a pullet through the barrel we shot one by one through the sky, just barley missing the edges of Air Crafts. Old wind shot through me like pine needles. The blackness I’d seen before quickly died out and lights surrounded me. I sucked in a deep breath closing my eyes for just a second. It was stupid, I know, but I loved that. The street of a city block came rushing at me and I stood up. The board wobbled a bit but I centered it. Leaning back a little I slowed it making enough time to shoot back up into the sky again, but not nearly as far. I soared over city traffic which is illegal but what are they going to do? Write me a ticket? Good luck scanning my Birth-Chip, rent-a-cops.
Leaning to the right I made a sharp turn into an alley I knew well. We called her the Gawkers Gap. I don’t know why, something to do with the shape of it-like a open mouth. I glanced back to make sure Aaya and Chase were still behind me. Yep, like a shadow. Through the gap we made one last dive under the Loco Mo Bridge. The place was all shadows. It wasn’t a very popular spot for travelers to be.
Flying inside was like trying to fly a kite through a hoola-hoop. It could be done… just not that easily. The air seemed to change in the place. It was deep and musty… and humid. I stood perfectly even on my board, spinning with the engine on it as it came straight down. Tucking it under my arm I joined the gang gathered under the Loco Mo Bridge.
The little bit of light we had come from a pathetic streetlight handing by the bridge. The rest of the gang stood under the Sky-way bridge, waiting for us. Peacemaker stood like a ghost in front of them, the way the light hit his pale face made him look even paler and hid his eyes in a deep shadow. His long brown hair was tied back, making his ears look big.
Without a word Peacemaker lead the way into an alleyway outside the strip mall. It wasn’t crowded because it was the time of night that most stores close down. Peacemaker found the ladder in the alley and climbed it up to the roof of one building. He signaled for us to move in on the fourth store down.


The plan was simple. Two kids played distractions. Another two thieves, a lookout and a leader. Get in, get goods, get out, Peace used to say. We got in we got goods and we almost got out when the store clerk spotted the missing goods before we had a chance to escape.
“Scrapper! C’mere you low down dirty Scrappers!”
We didn't waste time. Pushing through the store door we ran… right into danger. Officers welding Point Darts raced out to meet us. Around the Scraps we called them Heart Darts because, let’s faces it, they’re not aiming for your spleen. Heart Darts had all of the speed and strength of a normal bullet only that shot at an angle, slicing through the skin on any target it locked on. They could knock an elephant out cold in seconds. The poison from them was known to give some kids secures. I’ve even seen a guy vomit on impact. My. Heart. Dropped.
Without thinking we skattered, striding in every direcrion. I rember the icy cold feel of air in my lungs as I ran. I can remember seeing Aaya at my tail. A ear curling crack I glanced back as I ran. Peace dropped on his face like a ragdoll and the sound of bone smacking concrete stuck with me for along time. They didn’t stop at one Dart, because they weren’t trying to just get him.
My lungs stopped, my heart stopped, everything... stopped. “Peace,” someone shouted. I was my voice but I don't remember being able to speak.
Someone grabbed my arm, “Nylo, Let’s go!”
Several Darts exploded from their shooters and ricocheted off the sidewalk as we ran. It would’ve just been enough to get darted down but getting only one Scrapper just wasn’t enough for them. The heated snarl of the Canidroid dogs ripped through the air as they sprang forward in a mass of teeth and metal. These weren’t like the dogs in the Scraps, patched up and pathetic, rusting in their old. They had a mission and they were going after it. I ran, pumping my arms forward, sneakers scraping the ground.
I griped the latches at my shoulders and opened them, letting my Fly Board drop. The board glided with me in stride until I had the guts to leap on. A Canidroid caught the edge of my board but slipped off just as fast. I gained speed and slammed on the back of my Fly Board, activating the acceleration. The Board yanked forward up and away from the scene. Behind me I heard a loud growl and then a scream of pain. I craned my neck to see Peacemaker, teeth clenched in agony as he fell to the floor. Two more Canidroids joined in leaping for him. They held him as their owner raced towards Peace, his laser drawn…
And just as he pointed the gun to him, the barrel cracking…I woke up.