14. Thriving

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Having access to a major drug supplier meant having a nice and reliable income. My guns were the best of the current market, my techdevice more than secure. I had all kinds of electric toys that proved useful from time to time.

Zookie and Paco only talked to me when they wanted to buy drugs. I liked to think that Ribbit still liked me, but I really did not know. I finished the third year on top of the hierarchy list. The fourth-year went by quickly with the help of my new friends: Hibiscus and weed.

I did research them, knowing your friends is important. And as it turned out, Trust would get me killed sooner rather than later.

Weed could cause psychological addiction, as well as increasing the risk of a number of health conditions. That would have been important if my life expectancy was past 40 years old.

Hibiscus was physically and psychologically addictive. It could cause hallucinations, and a very relaxed state or a very excited state. It was good for winding down. Very good for winding down. If my life expectancy was past 40 years old, maybe I would not have used Hibiscus. In the privacy and safety of my own room, nobody could attack me while I listened to music and let the power of Hibiscus rush through me and over me. Was there any point in being any other way?

I was in the fifth year when I noticed a strange smell as I entered my room late in the night. Someone had been here. A male perfume.

I checked the secret locker in my closet, but all of my valuables were still there. "Why would he..", I thought to myself while my eyes wandered around the room. There was a letter on my bed. I had only read about paper in an e-book by chance. So I was not entirely sure what it was before I picked it up. Paper had a nice feeling about it. I was not entirely sure why most planets had stopped using it. Something about sustainability.

Underneath the letter was a wrapped gift. I scanned it using my techdevice. Cotton and polyester, no explosives detected. It was a red evening dress, a bit too revealing for my taste. I threw the gift wrapping to the dustbin near me.

Next, I opened the letter.

"You caught my eye. Be ready when I find you, and don't fly away. Praise me.

Hades"

My mind started racing. The letter dropped out of my hands. "What the fuck am I going to do?", I whispered to myself. I did not want to be the wife or slave of some reckless warlord, no matter how powerful. It was maddeningly funny to think Cat would have been right all along.

OK. Let's fly away. I took a small shoulder-bag and packed my most valuable possessions. I assumed that there was not much time to pack. I ran through the hallway quietly and avoided all people that I heard from a distance. The building was more than familiar to me so it was easy.

Once I reached Mr. Naveel's I searched my bag for the right toy to open his door. Every second felt like a minute passed by. I could hear my heartbeat. I had wondered for a while if humans ever heard their own heartbeat. It was strangely comforting to hear my heart beat. I held up the lock-opener in front of me to enjoy a "Eureka''- moment by myself.

A few seconds later I closed the door behind me. I sensed that nobody outside was close, and nobody was coming closer. A good sign.

Mr. Naveel was sleeping peacefully in his bed. I took every step towards his bed slowly and carefully, finding a strange enjoyment in this situation. One move and I would shoot him. If he opened his eyes, I would shoot him. A grim smirk ran over my face at the thought of it.

I opened his drawer, quiet as an elf. He was snoring, loudly as a human. At this very moment, I could just shoot him. My gun was silent, so why not?

My hand clasped around my gun tightly as I unlocked his techdevice with his hand. There was a password required but I could bypass it with one of my toys. I searched through my bag with one hand, while the other hand was aiming a gun at the sleeping principal. He did not wake up. I used the e-key to hack into Mr. Naveel's techdevice. There was a slow noise, but still, the director did not wake up.

The techdevice informed me of Mr. Naveel's ship's location. I looked back at him while I left the bedroom. With a different director, would my friends still be alive? Without me, they would be.

I left the bedroom as quietly as I had come and made my way to the roof.

I expected that some alarm would go off at any second and that I would have to shoot my way through. But somehow I made it to the roof unnoticed.

I had to break a few locks. I could hear that nobody was going after me. Finally, I stood on the roof, feeling breezes of freedom brush against my hair. I took one last look down at the schoolyard. I knew I would not miss it.

Mr. Naveel's ship was extremely comfortable to sit in.

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