Neon Nothing by Ryan McKinney

Author:Ryan McKinney [McKinney, Ryan]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Acorn Publishing
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Out front, the rain was just a slight misting. It was the lightest precipitation they’d had in weeks. Chibi rarely took notice of the weather since he spent ninety-eight percent of his time indoors, but he’d been paying more attention the last couple days. He wasn’t sure why he suddenly cared about the rain, but then a lot of things had changed.

“What’s your story?” Ajax asked. “You’re dressed like Enoch, and that plate on your head is hardly ‘socially acceptable’, but you’re certainly not a Sundowner.”

“I am, I guess,” Chibi said quietly. “But I haven’t been for long.”

“What happened?” Ajax asked.

“I stepped out of place.” He looked up to the gray sky. “I was on the train, coming home from work, when I saw two guys arguing.” He shoved his hands in his pockets, breathing deeply and sighing. “One guy shot at the other and they took off. I chased them.”

“Why?”

“Dunno,” Chibi answered absently, “I guess I was bored. I didn’t have anything pressing to go home to — no one counting on me — so I decided to follow them.”

“Mistake,” Ajax said.

“I know. But I did it anyway.”

It was true he was bored; his life was hollow. Still, chasing after an armed man and a fugitive wasn’t something your everyday salaryman did. He was just so desperate to break out of the rut he was in. Daydreams could only keep him satiated for so long.

“Turned out the guy with the gun had friends,” Chibi continued, “and his friends blew up the train.”

“Damn.”

“I survived the crash, but the guys in black were none too happy about that, so they plugged me in the head,” Chibi said, placing a finger-gun to his temple.

“That how you got the plate?”

“Nah,” Chibi said. “But the plate is what saved my life. That and Key dragging me back here.”

“Key was the guy getting chased.”

Chibi nodded.

“He carried me back here and Six fixed me up.”

“That sounds like them,” Ajax said. “Seems like Key is always running. Doesn’t matter if he’s running towards something or away from it, he can’t sit still.”

“I’ve noticed.”

“He’s a great guy, don’t get me wrong, he’s just . . . restless.”

“Is Six always cleaning up his mess?” Chibi asked.

“More or less.” Ajax shrugged. “It’s their dynamic.”

Chibi held out his hand, cupping the rain drops that dripped from the awning. The rain was cold, but he didn’t mind.

“As long as I’ve known them, that’s just how it is,” Ajax said. “He’s the brash, emotional one, and she’s the calm thinker. They balance each other; it works.”

“I can’t be too disparaging,” Chibi confessed, “I owe them both my life.” He took the rain in his hand and splashed it on his face. “What’s your story?”

“Not much,” Ajax replied. “Pretty standard among my kind.”

“What’s that? I confess you’re the first Oran I’ve met.”

“I woke up in a scrap heap,” Ajax answered. “Both my legs were gone, but I had my arms. Took some time, but I figured out how to move my body.”

Ajax held up his hands, looking them over, front and back.

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