Sky of Dust: The Last Weapon

by Joshua Bonilla

  Three waitresses walked up with both arms full of food. They began placing plate after plate in front of her.

  Peter got a hotdog, which was not really dog apparently.

  We stuffed our faces full of the fatty food, and I only stopped to take a sip of my bubbly beverage.

  Finally, we all leaned back. I felt like I needed to go shopping for bigger shorts.

  Abigail was still picking at her food.

  “Honestly Abigail,” Mary said as she gave a little burp. “Where do you put all that food? It will be hard to fit in your dress!”

  Abigail dropped a chicken wing out her hands and gave a little “yipe.”

  “Oh no, they’re going to be all out!” Abigail began to panic. “Did you get your dress yet?”

  Mary smiled.

  “Yep, Peter helped me pick it out this morning,” Mary said as she patted a big bag sitting next to her.

  Peter’s face got red, and he pretended he was interested in his chocolate milkshake.

  Abigail pushed me so hard I almost slip off the seat.

  “Let’s go!” Abigail urged. “Hurry!”

  “Okay, okay,” I said as I caught myself on the edge of our table, my hand landing in a glob of ketchup.

  Abigail pushed past me and paid the tab.

  “I will see you guys later,” I said.

  “Have fun!” Mary smiled.

  “Let’s go!” Abigail urged me.

  We left the restaurant, and Abigail looked around to get her bearings.

  “What’s the big deal?” I asked. It was one of those innocent questions that ended up with an earful of how clueless I was.

  “Boys have it easy!” Abigail ranted as we weaved through the crowds. “In an hour, they will lower the shopping district and start decorating for the party tonight. I still need a dress!”

  “It can’t be that hard, right? We will just find someone who sells dresses,” I recommended.

  We bounced from shop to shop looking for dresses, but we got the same hysterical laughing. The shopkeepers kept telling us there were no more left and that it was too late. One lady told Abigail that she should use the one from last year, and I literally had to hold Abigail back.

  “Ten minutes until closure,” a women’s formal voice announced over the intercom.

  There was a loud cheer, and people began to make last minute purchases.

  “Oh no.” Abigail stomped her foot and put her face in her hands.

  Something caught my eye.

  I grabbed her arm and pulled her.

  “Let’s go,” I said as she followed without motivation.

  “Look.” I pointed to a dress hanging in the mirror.

  Abigail looked at it and then at me and sighed.

  “I can’t afford that,” Abigail moaned. “I guess I will just wear the one from two years ago…if it still fits.”

  She turned and started to walk away.

  I felt bad for her. This is something she really wanted. If it was not for her showing me around, she would have gotten a dress.

  “Wait,” I called to her. “Let’s check it out.”

  Abigail sighed and rolled her eyes.

  “Dalyn,” she started.

  “Please?” I interrupted her.

  The store was empty, aside from a tall skinny lady who was obviously wearing a wig.

  She eyed us like we were about to steal something.

  “How much for the dress in the window?” I asked.

  The lady sneered.

  “Too much for you boy,” she replied.

  “How much?” I repeated.

  “One thousand, seven-hundred credits,” she replied with her nose in the air.

  I am not sure how much that was, but it must have been expensive.

  “We will take it,” I responded.

  “What?” Abigail gasped. “Dalyn, there is no way you could afford that, I will just…”

  I took the card from my pocket and held it out to the lady.

  She rolled her eyes and took my card between two fingers like it was dirty. She walked over to a machine, pushed a few buttons, and waved the card in front of it.

  Beep!

  The lady’s face got serious, then turned into a pleasant smile.

  “Come, young lady! We have to get you fitted! You don’t have much time left.” The old lady grabbed Abigail’s arm and led her to the shoe section. “Now pick out some shoes, on the house. I will just grab your dress.”

  Abigail looked back with wide eyes and smiled. She mouthed “Thank you.”

  “Boy, you need to leave. You can see her tonight. We have a lot of work to do.” The lady scooted me towards the door.

  I turned around and looked back once I was outside the shop’s door. Abigail looked so happy, and it made me happy.

  I followed the signs out of the shopping area, which was now almost empty. I entered the living area and found my way to my dad’s apartments.

  I almost forgot that I would not be able to enter until my chip had been reprogrammed.

  I knocked on the door, and my dad swung it open.

  He was wearing a tuxedo with his bow tie hanging down.

  “There you are!” he exclaimed. “Go get dressed.”

  “Huh?” I grunted.

  “I got you a suit for the party tonight,” Dad told me. “It’s in your room.”

  “We are going to that?” I asked.

  “Why wouldn’t we?” he asked. “The food and entertainment are top notch.”

  “Is that all you think about?” I mused. “Food?”

  Dad laughed.

  “I figured that you would want to get at least one dance with Abigail since you did buy her dress,” Dad said as he was straightening his tie in front the mirror.

  “How did you—" I started to ask how he knew, but it did not matter. "I’m sorry. She didn't have a dress, and since she saved me I thought I would…”

  My dad raised his hand.

  “Ha-ha. Don’t worry about it,” Dad said. “Just don’t waste this chance.”

  He turned and winked at me and opened his arms.

  “So how do I look?” he asked.

  “Like a penguin,” I responded as I walked to my room.

  “Good,” he replied.

  After about thirty minutes of trying to put the suit on, I walked out with my tie in hand.

  “I don't know how this works,” I said in frustration.

  Dad walked over and began tucking the ends of my shirt into my pants. He took the tie from my hand and began to tie the knot.

  “I’m glad you’re here,” my dad said as he tightened the tie around my neck. “I have missed all of you every day I have been away. I wish I had more time with all of you. Done.”

  He put his hands on my shoulder and took a step back.

  “You look like me.” He smiled wide. “Take a look.”

  I had never noticed it before, but I did look like him. A skinnier, shorter version of him. We had the same eyes, mouth, chin, and body shape. It made me think that I could look like him if I tried; I would not always be looked at as weak.

  DING! DING!

  The intercom came on.

  “Attention! The Independence Day party will now commence in the central ballroom!” The lady’s voice announced.

  DING! DING!

  My dad grabbed my shoulder.

  “Let’s go have a night that we will never forget,” my dad said with such confidence that I felt invigorated.

  He was right. None of us would forget that night.

  Chapter 19

  “I can’t breathe,” I complained as we walked down the narrow hallways. My tie was digging into my throat.

  I could hear the music blaring and the smell of mysterious foods.

  “It’s not supposed to feel good,” my dad told me. “It looks good though. By the way, did your mom teach you how to dance?”

  “Yeah, when I was like eight,” I replied. “I danced with Pan and Lesley just for fun a few times, bu
t nothing serious.”

  “Hah. Serious?” my dad mused. “Dancing is not supposed to be serious. It’s meant to be fun.”

  “Are you going to dance?” I asked. I guess my voice held a bit of accusation because dad stopped and turned around.

  “Listen, I love your mom. I wish more than anything that she was here,” Dad said. “The fact is, there are many women here that have the power to give me what I need. I will spend some time on the dance floor so I can…butter them up.”

  “What do you need?” I asked.

  “Support mainly,” he said as we continued walking. “They are the ones who pressured the President into working with me.”

  A new thought entered my mind.

  “So, how is Casey?” I asked. “You spent the day with him. Is he still mad at us?”

  Dad sighed.

  “Yeah,” Dad confessed. “He is still pretty mad, but I convinced him that helping us was the best way to save his family. I tried to tell him there was nothing anyone could have done to stop it from happening, and that our family was taken too. He agreed to help us, so I will take that as a good sign.

  We rounded the corner and entered the ball room.

  It was hard to believe that, only an hour ago, there were hundreds of shops lined up. Now it was packed with thousands of people, all dressed up in dresses and suits.

  The floor was marble and brass in the shapes of various animals such as horses and birds.

  There was a small sitting area where people were lounging, enjoying each other’s company, as well as food and beverages.

  I spotted Peter sitting at a table while Mary, who was wearing a pretty red dress that showed off her curves, tried to drag him to the dance floor. The poor guy looked miserable. Soon they disappeared in a sea of people

  My dad put his hand on my shoulder and said, “Have fun.”

  He walked towards a group of people, the majority of them women, and began to join in on their conversation.

  “I wish it was that easy for me,” I mumbled to myself.

  There was a large buffet table that lined the wall on my right, and there were several smaller tables set up with appetizers dotting the area surrounding the dance floor.

  By far the biggest space was reserved for the dance floor. A circle stage rotated in the middle as the band played an upbeat tune.

  I looked up and, to my surprise, the sky was the clearest I had ever seen in my whole life. The stars flickered and the moon shone so brightly it was reflecting off of the marble floor.

  I tried to formulate a plan in my head. I really did not want to dance, so my goal was to always look busy. First, off to the buffet table.

  In a way, I hoped I would not run into Abigail. I knew it would be awkward after what I had done for her.

  I put a few cookies and some little sausages on my plate. I figured I would nibble on these, and, once I was done, I could come back for seconds, then thirds, then fourths, and so on. That way, I stayed busy. Brilliant.

  I grabbed something called “punch,” which was really sweet and fruity, and sat at an empty table. Most of the tables were empty aside from the trash the former occupants had left behind. Almost everyone was spinning on the dance floor and having a good time.

  Peter slammed into a chair next to me. His face was red and sweaty. He had a big smile on his face.

  “Hey,” I said as I took a bite of a cookie.

  “Dancing’s not that bad,” Peter told me. “Mary is pretty cute too.”

  I took a sip of punch and swallowed the last piece of cookie.

  “Dude, she is like thirty,” I replied.

  “Twenty-seven, actually.” Mary’s voice chimed in behind me. “Can you dance?”

  “Why do people keep asking me that?” I said a bit annoyed. “I am…”

  I looked down at my plate. I swear I had another cookie left.

  I looked up at Peter, and he was stuffing a chocolate chip cookie in his mouth with a big grin.

  “Busy?” Mary finished. “You have nothing on your plate. Let’s go. I got to get you ready.”

  Mary grabbed my hand and yanked me up.

  “Have fun!” Peter mocked at me with a mouth full of cookie.

  “I hope you choke on that,” I snapped.

  “What are you getting me ready for?” I asked Mary.

  Mary smiled at me and gave me the ‘You know why’ look. For her age, she looked really young, and she was pretty cute, especially in that dress.

  As soon as that popped in my head, my hands got sweaty.

  “Calm down, it’s not that bad,” Mary coached.

  The music was upbeat, and nothing like I had ever attempted to dance to before.

  She led us close to the center of the dance floor, close to where the band was playing.

  “Right hand on my waist,” Mary instructed. “Not that low. I’m just kidding, Dalyn. Get back here.”

  I attempted to flee from the floor, but her grip was too tight. A few passersby grinned at me. I was glad someone was having fun.

  She positioned my hands around her tiny waist and put her arms around my neck.

  She was hot. I mean, not hot as in she looked good—well she did look good—but hot as in her skin was really warm.

  “Now, just sway to the music, and please don’t step on my feet,” Mary instructed. “This the first time you danced?”

  “I danced with my mom when I was younger,” I replied, trying to control the nervousness in my voice.

  Mary gave me the “You know what I mean” look again.

  “No,” I replied.

  “Well, Abigail sent me a text message telling me that she was just about finished with her fitting,” Mary told me.

  I had no idea what a “text message” was, but I assumed it was some form of communication.

  “It was really sweet of you to get her a dress,” Mary continued. “I know she really appreciates it.”

  A lump formed in my throat.

  “Yeah, well, she really wanted it, and she deserves it,” I responded.

  “Are you okay?” Mary asked. “You look a little pale.”

  “Mary, I don’t think I can dance with her,” I replied as I felt the cookie come half way up my throat.

  Mary giggled.

  “Why not?” Mary asked with a grin on her face. “This is your big chance. It is evident that you like her. After getting her that dress she will want to dance with you!”

  “Why does it even matter?” I asked, the cookie returning to my stomach. “I mean, she and Jason…”

  I stared at the floor as we swayed back and forth.

  “Really?” Mary laughed.

  I looked up, and her eyes were wide, and her head was tilted with a big smile.

  “Jason is her brother!” Mary said. “Well, not really, but he was adopted by the same family that adopted her about a year before she arrived.”

  “That does not mean anything,” I told Mary. “They’re not related, and it looks like something is going on.”

  “But Dalyn, they have been around each other for five years. They don't think that way about each other.” Mary smiled then looked over my shoulder and nodded. “I think she is looking for you.”

  My heart gave a large beat. The cookie threatened to rise up again.

  Chapter 20

  We stopped swaying, and I turned around. It was not hard to spot Abigail since she wore the most beautiful dress at the party, and many heads turned to prove it.

  Mary sighed behind me in admiration.

  She pushed me forward and said, “Maybe you should get a few more dances than just one.”

  Her dress looked much more impressive on her than it had on the dummy.

  It was a light blue dress with crystals shimmering along the hems. A single strap studded in crystals was the only thing holding the dress up. Around her neck was a crystal choker that reflected the color of the blue dress. Her hair was fashioned up into a black swirl that came to a point and was secured by a silver comb
, with just a little strand falling in a curve down the side of her face.

  She did not notice everyone staring at her; her head and eyes combed the crowd as if she was looking for someone.

  I was at a loss what to do. Part of me wanted to hide, to be saved from the embarrassment. Another part of me wanted to be brave and greet her. But the biggest part of me just wanted to just stop and stare.

  Suddenly, her eyes stopped on me. My insides started turning, my mouth got dry, and the room started to slow down.

  Her smile revealed her white teeth, which shone in the moonlight. She took a step forward as she held one of her hands in the other, like she was nervous.

  Okay, I whispered to myself. It’s just twirling around. I can do this.

  I gathered my courage and started to walk towards her.

  I had taken a few steps when Jason appeared several feet in front of me and started to walk towards her.

  She wasn’t looking for me; she was looking for him. I was such an idiot.

  I curved naturally and tried to follow some of the people dancing so Abigail would not see me as I made my way to the tables.

  I sat across from Peter and slammed my head onto the table harder than I had meant.

  “Dude, what’s up with you?” Peter asked in disbelief. “She was waiting for you.”

  “No. She was looking for him,” I said in a pained voice. There was no use in trying to hide it.

  “Who is ‘him’?” Peter asked.

  “Jason, the pilot,” I replied in a sarcastic tone. “Supposedly, her step-brother.”

  Peter thought about it for a second then replied, “Oh.”

  “Let’s change the subject,” I suggested. “Casey isn’t coming?”

  “Nah. He's not that fond of this place, I think,” Peter replied. “I tried to tell him that you meant well by not telling us, but he just hit me and said I was just like you. Thank god for thick skin.”

  We both sighed.

  WACK!

  I felt a slap on the back of my head. I wish I had thick skin.

  “What were you thinking?” Mary barked at me from behind. “She was looking for you!”

  Mary walked around and sat in between Peter and me.

  “She was looking for him,” I mumbled as I rubbed the back of my head.

  Mary rolled her eyes.

  “No, she was looking for you,” Mary pressed. “If you would have paid attention a little longer instead of play hide-and-seek you would have seen her looking for you after Jason popped up!”