Adam

Green on left, green on the right, split by a single unmarred strip of pavement that stretched until the end of the World. I streaked along, breaking the monotony with the occasional weave of my two-wheeled steed. Listening to the healthy output of the motor I bumped the throttle a little more, letting the walls of corn on either side blur together. At least it was sunny out.

Cresting the slightest rise, some more automated freight trucks came into view going the other way. They were massive, but entirely predictable. I braced as we closed the distance to each other and kept tucked into the bike’s frame. The constant drone of various GNN news bulletins rolled onward in my ears from my helmet’s speakers as I braced against the gusts from the passing trucks.

One, two, three, and they were gone. I wobbled a little, but not bad. The new bike was growing on me. It’s yellow and white paint scheme was loud enough to draw my eye and sleek enough to keep it there. Good throttle response too, enough to take my mind with it. Which was exactly what I needed right now.

School was out, and according to the manual for life that everyone seems to know, University was next. There were so many options, but with the World still feeling the lingering effects of the Unification? I’m not sure this was my time to jump into an institution of higher learning. I liked being on my own. Finding my own path. Decisions came easier that way.

The latest five-minute brief on the status of CON 7’s provincial candidates stopped abruptly in my helmet, replaced by the sound of my wirelessly connected mobile ringing. I answered quickly, “Mom, what’s up? Is something wrong?”

“Good morning Kiddo, and no nothing wrong here, but how far out are you?” she seemed mostly happy today, must have just woken up. The mini-map displayed on my visor indicated that I was a little over 500 kilometers from home, “About three hours, should I come back?”

“Oh no, no, enjoy the day. I just wanted to ask you about all this mail you have on the table.” Slowing for a roundabout intersection you could see from the next prefecture over. I took a couple loops around. Then exited on to an on-ramp for a northbound highway, before flying up through the gears again. “I brought it all in I thought, didn’t really look at it though.”

“That’s why I called,” she sounded like she was digging through the pile trying to sort it. I hadn’t brought the mail in for a while, with final exams going on I’d been studying all the time. “There’s the usual junk, but you got a lot of birthday cards, one each from your aunts, your grandfather, the Church of course, and one from your Father.” I came off the power for a second, gritting my teeth, and trying my best to sound casual, “You can toss that one.”

My father’s main effort to acknowledge my existence since he left was to occasionally send me a card for my birthday, or any federal holiday, from wherever he was at the time. Good for his soul I guess, but not much to me. I had Mom and she was more than enough.

“Tossed!” She replied, I heard the envelope hit the recycler through the phone, “Oh, and look who’s here! Hold on a second!” I did another couple of weaves as I listened to the screen door open and my mother step outside. In a minute or two she was back on the line, “Sorry, that was Roger, the post courier? You know Roger.”

I couldn’t help but roll my eyes, “Yes, I know Roger, mom. He’s been delivering mail since I was three.”

“Don’t be snippy with me,” she half-scolded, “He’s brought something for you, but I didn’t think you applied to any schools. Thought you said you were going to take a year and work, or did I hear you wrong?” My heart started beating faster and my mind slipped away from the road. I checked the speedometer and slowed up, taking the next exit so I could really listen. “I only applied to one Mom. Did you get something from them?” Rolling to a stop at the next intersection, I shifted to neutral and closed my eyes, listening hard.

“I believe so, it’s in a real nice envelope from the Ministry of Education, Academy Admissions Department. You want me to open it?”

“YES!” I was about to lose my mind. I listened to her cutting paper at the dining table. She always took her time opening nice things. “What’s it say?!” I asked trying to sound close to normal.

“They want you to come to their school kiddo! Though I can’t say I know where this place is.” Relief flooded my body and I hugged the idling motorbike like it was a long-lost friend. My longshot had paid off! I was going somewhere. For real this time, and away from all this. I was happy for the first time in years.

Then a noise loud enough to shake every single one of my bones erupted from behind me. I nearly fell off the stationary bike it was so loud and sudden. Scrambling to put myself back together, I turned around to see no less than five auto-trucks waiting behind me as I sat at the single stop sign. The truck furthest back, had launched little drones to zoom forward and figure out what the hold-up was. Laughing, I waved at the little flying cameras and took a U-turn back South. I needed to pack!

My name is Adam Schlizki, and that was the day my life turned around.