by Mike Morris
Again, a part of him urged haste, but Wing loved the ritual before the high. Sometimes, he thought the anticipation of this moment was better than what followed.
He dropped the chunk into a glass vial, encrusted with dregs from past trips. He slotted it into place on top of the heat gun, and flicked the power switch on. He smiled at the familiar hum as the gun started to cook the slice.
Wing turned on the main monitor and skimmed through the channels while he waited. Looking for something he'd seen before so he didn't need to concentrate when the slice kicked in, but also something he'd enjoy seeing again. He avoided the news like the plague. Nothing like the real world to ruin a high.
He glanced at the vial on top of the gun. At least half of the slice had already turned to smoke. It swirled around the confines of the vial, searching for a way out. It twisted and turned on itself, filled with magic. The corner of Wing's mouth twitched in anticipation. Almost ready.
He flicked through channel after channel. Thousands to choose from and nothing to watch.
He picked up the gun. The slice was completely cooked.
Wing placed the barrel of the gun in his mouth, tasting the hot metal on his lips. His finger hooked around the trigger. Time to blow his brains out.
He pulled the trigger.
The hot smoke shot into his mouth, singeing the flesh. He sucked it deep into his lungs, enjoying the burn as it rushed down his throat.
He concentrated instead on bringing the beer up to his lips. It was a gargantuan effort but he managed it. It could've taken two seconds or two hours, he'd no idea, but he did it. He forgot for a moment why he'd bothered. Why did he need beer? Beer. He noticed the noise in his brain was gone. All quiet. He took a swig of beer. The cold liquid soothed the scorched parts of his mouth.
He dropped the TV control, stared at images on the screen that made no sense, spouting words that had no meaning. Enjoyed the movement. Smiled. Happy. Yes.
He looked at the gun, understood somewhere, somehow, that the vial was still half-full. Placed the hot barrel in his mouth once more. Burning lips. Trigger. Fire. Ride that motherfucking slice all the way.
Gone.
5
Ziyi
Ziyi remembered the first time she'd seen Xiao as if it were yesterday.
She was fifteen years old, and had been a part of the Program for eight years. Of the original six thousand girls selected to take part, only three hundred remained.
At the end of each week, the girls would assemble in the main hall, standing to attention in rows as the instructors walked between them. A tap on the shoulder meant you were going home in disgrace, having failed your Emperor. In the beginning, large numbers were struck off at a time but, as the years passed, the failures became fewer despite the standards growing higher.
In the early days, Ziyi was too young to understand the honour asked of her. She missed her parents and her home, and only pushed herself to succeed through a desire to not let them down. As the pain of being separated from them diminished, Ziyi's natural competitiveness drove her on. She liked winning. She liked coming top of her class. Finally, she realised the enormity of it all. If Ziyi were selected, the future of the Empire would rest, in part, with her. The thought was overwhelming. To even be in the presence of either the Emperor or his son was hard enough to imagine, let alone the thought of serving them every day. She was just a girl from an anonymous village. Things like that didn't happen to ordinary people like her so she worked harder than any of the other students. She devoted any spare time she had to extra training and more studies. And, as the days and years past, as the numbers dropped, her chances grew until she was one of three hundred.
She looked around at her friends and fellow students, eyes burning with fatigue, analysing her competition. Their instructors loitered to one side, clipboards in hand. Who would go home today?
Zheng Fen looked nervous and so she should be. She'd failed her English class once again. Chang Lu-lin was also in trouble. Her Wushu Shifu had punished her in front of the class for poor form. Huo Yuanjia was in the lower rankings for all her lessons. Out of the assembly hall, Ziyi considered all three her friends. They'd lived side by side since the age of seven after all. But, in that room, they were her rivals, and she'd gladly see them eliminated. Let them return to their families. Ziyi wouldn’t miss them.
Shifu Chan Hwei Cheung strode to the front of the hall. His eyes scanned the room. He stroked his white beard for a moment. The students held their breath waiting for him to speak.
"Students! Today, we are honoured by the presence of His Imperial Majesty, Da Yu, Emperor of China, the Americas, Australasia and Europe, and the Son of Heaven. He is accompanied by his son and heir, His Imperial Highness, Xiao Yu."
A collective gasp filled the room. The doors to the main entrance opened and imperial troops filed in. The Empire's red crest on their chests contrasted against the black body armour. Black glass visors covered their faces. They took position along all the walls, and as one, snapped to attention.
The room bowed in greeting as the Emperor entered the room.
Ziyi's heart raced. She struggled to keep her composure. For a moment, she thought she might faint. But doing something as shameful as that would certainly get her expelled so she fought the excitement.
Dao Yu was even more impressive in person. Tall and thin, he moved with a dancer's grace. He was already in his sixties but looked at least ten years younger despite his greying hair. For some reason, Ziyi had always imagined Dao Yu to be a frightening man but he exuded warmth, reminding Ziyi in many ways of her own father.
Xiao followed on his heels. Eighteen and already looking like a god from the old mythologies. He was the most beautiful man Ziyi had ever seen. She blushed at the sight of him, and cursed herself for doing so. If he were to notice, he'd think she was just a silly schoolgirl. From the squeals coming from elsewhere in the room, some of the other students were not as self-controlled. Good. More to be weeded out.
Dao Yu wore his military uniform, free of any rank or decoration. He was, after all, the Father of the Empire and above such things. Xiao was in a simple navy suit, cut in the western style. His tie was blood red, set against a crisp white shirt. There was hunger in his eyes as he surveyed the room. It was hardly surprising. Assembled before him were three hundred of the most beautiful women in all of the Empire, and they were being trained to be the perfect companion for him. What eighteen-year-old boy would not be full of lust?
"Please, my children," said Dao Yu. "Rise. We are here to meet you all, and we can't do that if you remain on your knees."
There was but the merest hesitation from the students before they returned to their feet and stood at attention.
"Today, you have a rare honour," said Shifu Chan. "You will recite your oaths in person to your Emperor. Begin."
As one, three hundred voices spoke out.
"By Heaven's will,
I swear to serve you in this life and the next." The hairs on the back of Ziyi's neck rose as they continued. For the first time, she felt like she was making a binding commitment to the man in front of her. As he watched, it was obvious Dao Yu truly loved them all.
"I am your shield and I am your sword.
I am your heart and your soul." The choir of voices grew louder and stronger with each word as power of the oath intensified within them. Ziyi's heart beat in time with the words. They bonded with her soul as she uttered them.
"I am your life and your death.
All that I am and ever will be, I give to you, my Emperor,
Above all else, for the Empire." She looked at both at Dao Yu and Xiao, and knew, without doubt, her life was theirs. She would not fail them.
Over the next hour, the Imperial party walked through the ranks, talking briefly to each girl. An aide followed closely behind Xiao, and occasionally the Heir would whisper a comment for the aide to note down.
It took precisely thirty-seven minutes for them to reach Ziyi. The Shifu introduced Ziyi, and
she bowed once more.
"And where are you from?" asked the Emperor.
"Hunan province, your Majesty. A small village called Taojing," replied Ziyi.
"I know it well. I visited it in 2219. The barley produced there is some of the finest in all of the Empire," said Dao Yu.
"Thank you, your Majesty. It is our honour to serve," said Ziyi.
"Good luck with your training," said Dao Yu and moved onto the next student.
Xiao yawned as he walked past, and all her excitement turned into a sense of dread. He'd thought her boring. She waited for him to tell the aide to scratch her name out, but he said nothing.
The Imperial party watched the girls train next, followed by exhibition bouts to show off their martial prowess.
Ziyi's name was called to fight a girl called Xi Lin. She was in the top of the student rankings and one of Ziyi's main competitors. Taller than Ziyi by two or three inches, her hair was cut short, and despite the hard edge to her face, there was no denying her beauty. An exceptional fighter, she was also was Ziyi's closest friend at the academy. When the girls were first recruited, Xi Lin was in the bunk above Ziyi. They were homesick together, often crying themselves to sleep in each other's arms. In the following years, they both excelled and enjoyed a healthy competitiveness, as well as celebrating each other's successes. They were very much equals.
They bowed first to the Imperial party, to their instructors and then to each other, before slipping into combat positions.
"Begin," shouted the Shifu.
The girls rushed in. They both kicked high, mirroring each other, their legs blocking the other's attacks. Xi Lin dropped down to sweep Ziyi's right leg but she skipped above the move. She moved into a front kick of her own but Xi Lin back-flipped out of its way.
Facing each other once more, Xi Lin smiled. She was enjoying the bout. Ziyi didn't have that luxury. The fight was her opportunity to undo any damage done earlier, and her face set in grim determination.
The girls came together once more. Ziyi punched Xi Lin in a rapid combination, screaming with each blow and putting her full force behind each one. Xi Lin blocked furiously. Her smile faded with each strike as she realised that Ziyi wasn't holding anything back.
Xi Lin retaliated, lunching her own attack. First a knee strike, followed by a series of fast punches. Ziyi blocked Xi Lin's arm but her opponent seized her wrist, throwing her to the ground.
Ziyi sprang back on to her feet, spinning back around with a roundhouse kick, catching Xi Lin across the temple. The girl staggered with the blow, dancing to the left to buy some breathing space as she tried to shake sense back into her head.
The audience sensed the change of intensity in the bout and every eye focused on the two girls. Ziyi glanced over at Xiao and was pleased to see he was smiling.
She slipped her left foot forward and turned her body so she faced Xi Lin side on in a Two Tiger Subdue Dragon stance. Her hands became claws waiting for Xi Lin. She filled her lungs as she cleared her mind of all distractions. Winning was all that mattered.
Xi Lin closed the gap between them quickly. She leaped into the air, launching front kicks at Ziyi's head. Ziyi's arms blurred as she blocked each one and then dropped below a Tiger Tail sweeping sidekick that would have taken her head off. A flurry of low kicks came next, starting at Ziyi's knee, moving to her stomach and then at her chin. It took all of her skill to block them but the ferocity of Xi Lin's attack gave her no opportunity to attack herself.
Xi Lin kicked out at her solar plexus. Ziyi curled herself over the foot and wrapped it in both her arms. She spun Xi Lin off her standing foot, and once again Xi Lin hit the ground. Ziyi immediately attacked with a knee strike but Xi Lin rolled clear, and kicked backwards. A foot crunched into Ziyi's jaw. The whole room heard the bone break.
Blood filled Ziyi's mouth. She spat what she could on the floor. An instructor stood up, ready to stop the fight, but Ziyi adopted the Flying Crane stance, indicating her willingness to go on. Xi Lin looked at her as if she were mad but Ziyi ignored the pain. Bones could be mended, agony forgotten. But the shame of losing would live with her forever. Losing wasn't something she could live with.
Xi Lin threw a Dragon Palm punch to Ziyi’s rib cage. She blocked the move and countered with a Leopard punch of her own. Her opponent chopped down with her left hand, knocking the attack astray. More pain screamed through Ziyi's arm. She stepped back. Xi Lin could have broken her arm.
Ziyi had to finish the bout quickly. Xi Lin was the superior fighter. She had no doubt about that, and the longer the fight went on, the more likely Xi Lin's skill would overcome hers.
She performed a side Dragon Wing Strike into Xi Lin's knee. It moved under the impact but didn't cave. Ziyi immediately went into a single leg Crane Attack with a low kick to Xi Lin's groin and a hand strike to her eye.
Xi Lin retreated from the kick and blocked the punch with her arms. Ziyi continued forward, kicking with her other leg. Xi Lin blocked the kick but didn't see Ziyi's hand strike at her eye.
The whole room gasped as the Tiger Claw made contact and snatched Xi Lin’s eye from its socket.
Xi Lin screamed, stumbling backwards. Blood poured through her fingers covering the wound. Victory was Ziyi's.
As two instructors ran onto the mats to help the two girls, Ziyi bowed to her vanquished opponent and then to the Imperial party. Her Shifu nodded in acknowledgment, dismissing Ziyi. She turned and walked off the mats, past her fellow students, and into the changing rooms. The moment she was on her own and out of sight, her legs gave way and she fell to the floor. Her whole body shook from all the adrenaline still charging through her system. She held her broken jaw with her left hand as she sucked in greedy lungfuls of air through her dry mouth. As her breathing steadied, she realised she held something.
Xi Lin's eye was in the palm of her bloodied hand. She was nearly sick at the sight of it, horrified at what she'd done to her friend.
"You lost control."
Ziyi jumped at the voice from behind her. She hadn't noticed her Shifu entering the changing room. She got back to her feet under his stern gaze, hating the fact he'd seen her looking so weak.
"Animals fight without thinking. We train you so you are better than that. Have we failed in our duty?"
Ziyi shook her head, afraid to speak.
"If you give in to your emotions again, you will be sent home. Do you understand?"
Ziyi nodded.
"You've been invited to dinner tonight with the Imperial party at eight tonight. Don’t embarrass me. Now go to medical and get your jaw fixed. And give them the eye."
He turned as she bowed from the waist. She listened to his departing feet before straightening back up, her heart racing once more. Dinner with Xiao. She closed her eyes and reminded herself that opportunity was a double-edged sword. The fight had been an opportunity too. It had made her but it could so easily have destroyed her. There could be no room for error at dinner. Control. She must stay in control.
A doctor waited for her with an open plastic bag as she walked into the medical centre. Ziyi dropped the eye into it, ignoring the disapproving look. Xi Lin was lying on a treatment table nearby, already sedated. A wave of guilt came over her but she knew Xi Lin was not going to be the only casualty before this was all over.
"Come here," called a doctor, pulling up a mask to cover her face. She pointed to an empty treatment table and Ziyi laid down.
Masked faces loomed over her as her face was scanned. Ziyi could see the x-ray appear on a nearby monitor.
"Two breaks, here and here," said the doctor, pointing to the fractures on the screen as orderlies fitted an IV to Ziyi's arm.
"We're going to put you to sleep now," said another doctor. His voice was warm and comforting behind his mask. "You'll be as good as new when you wake up but it'll be tender. Try not to let anyone hit you again for a week or so." Such kind eyes. Ziyi wondered what his face looked like behind the mask as her vision crumbled around the edges. H
er eyelids fluttered and closed.
When she snapped them back open, Ziyi found herself in her room. She experimented with moving her jaw. It was sore but everything worked. Her head felt fuzzy from the anaesthetic but hopefully a shower would cure that.
A black dress hung on the hook on the back of her door. She climbed out of bed and walked over to it. The silk shimmered in the light as she touched it. She couldn't imagine how much it cost. She slipped it on. Ziyi blushed at the way the dress clung to her body with it's plunging neckline. She felt a long way from Hunan.
An hour later, Ziyi walked towards the Shifu's private dining room. She hoped no one noticed the occasional wobble caused by the unfamiliar high heels. As she passed a group of students, their looks caused her cheeks to burn. She tried to ignore their not very quiet whispers of "crippled," "cruel," and "heartless" but they floated down the hall after her. She turned left, past more students, past more stares and more comments. She'd won no friends that afternoon.
As she reached the medical centre, the doors opened and Xi Lin stepped out into the corridor assisted by one of the doctors. Just perfect. A patch covered her right eye.
Ziyi bowed. "Honoured sister. I'm glad to see you."
Xi Lin remained motionless.
"I'm sorry about what happened earlier," continued Ziyi. "It wasn't my intention to hurt you."
"I don't want your sympathy," spat Xi Lin. "I just want you to die a thousand fucking deaths." She shouldered past Ziyi, who stood motionless while listening to Xi Lin's footsteps disappear into the distance, fully aware that she'd never be able to forget the hatred in her friend's eye.
6
Wing
Wing's head was killing him. Six thirty in the am and far too bloody early to be going to work. Once again, he told himself there were easier ways to earn a living. Better ways. But who'd hire a fully wired up ex-operator? That's if the government would let him go in the first place. The shit he'd seen, what he knew — that was never going to happen. They'd say goodbye with a bullet in the head.