Hong Kong Young Writers Anthologies Fiction 2020complete | Page 538
With that, Cata pulled on her teal gliders (shoes that enable the user to jump far distances and land stably,
powered by Ki energy mined from the planet’s core- an illegal fuel that has been outlawed by most
countries.) and threw on a hot pink windbreaker as she ran out of the dark room.
“DRONE!” yelled Cata from the hallway.
An engine thrummed as the tablet was picked up by a drone, following Cata out of the small apartment
crammed with necessities and what was hsaped like a crooked wing underneath a cloth. The drone followed
Cata over the creaky stairs, and onto the empty rooftop. There were no stars, but the lights of the bustling
city were more than enough, better even. With pinks and blues flashing all around. Neon shop signs,
steaming engines, glowing banners, it was beautiful.
For a city completely shunned by the rest of the Great Bay Area and swarming with outlaws, this was
amazing, better than the capital, even!
Cata gazed down the at least 40 feet drop from where she was and grinned. This girl is crazy!
She looked back at the drone, “Since I’m feeling generous today, here’s the gliding lesson you asked for.”
and with that, she jumped. Light blue streaks of light shone in the dark as she jumped- no, glided across the
building. The arc of light disappearing as fast as it appeared as she landed softly against the concrete of the
next rooftop.
“I’m going to go to the city centre! The festival’s almost starting!” She shouted against the howling wind,
exitment spilling from her sparkling eyes. Cata’s footsteps thudded against the ground as she glided from one
building to another, down rails and over balconies, creating a series of lightning arcs, it was like watching a
shooting star, only one with a wild laugh and a head of flames tied up in a bun.
“I’ve still have some time, I’ll get the thing for our project. And don’t worry, I’ll try not to get caught this
time,” she winked at the drone and took off, jumping up-
[blank.unrocovered footage]
2330 {GMT+8) . 31-12-2022
15 minutes later and this girl is still running. Without breaking a sweat, Cata leapt down a building tucking
into a roll just before she hit the ground, what was this ‘thing’? She was going in the opposite direction of
the festival, toward the slums.
Cata’s gliders squelched as she stepped onto the muddy road, all around were people, begging for Ki Powder
and trying to claw at her gliders when they saw the familiar glow. Cata shook her head lightly and
continued on.
Rule 1: don’t associate with the Ki addicts.
She went deeper and deeper until the only sound that could be heard was the moaning of the sick and
dying. A shiver went down her spine as she cringed and stepped into what looked like an abandoned
building, wooden planks rotting and dried up bloodstains littering the door, a sign that says “Ki” barely
hanging onto the railing.
Rule 2: don’t associate with the Ki dealers.
Cata mumbled a curse under her breath as she crept in, careful to not step on the squeaky parts of the stairs
and slipped into another room with a click from a hairpin. The room was brightly lit with a metal box
sitting in the middle of the room. A musty scent pricked Cata’s nose as she opened it, revealing a glowing
orb.