Zat

Luckily for Zat, it was only a few minutes’ walk back to the community center. Luckier still, Sahra was still there. Sahra, whose father could still move mountains to make things happen. Who still exerted influence for the brief remaining time before his family left the dying Earth for good.

Zat’s leg was swollen and purple by the time he fell through the threshold, his head falling against his outstretched arm, preventing an even worse injury. The skin split and peeled back to reveal muscles and cords beneath its surface. Zat was delirious, rambling nonsensically about an old man alone in a boat in the middle of an endless blue sea. About a girl with red hair that tumbled from her head.

He would never last the night.

Someone had to give up a coveted spot to leave this ruined Earth in favor of the dreams of a long ago soul. Someone who had possibly been waiting his turn for months. Even years. A few people grumbled this was a waste of resources for a boy who most likely wouldn’t survive the journey, let alone the night. A misuse of the transporter which would require another thirty days of recharging before it was ready for the next person. But not many people cared about this program anymore. And Zat was going to die. This day. This hour. This minute.

This was his time, selected by fate.

Unless someone or something intervened.

By the time Zat was placed in the transporter, there were barely enough brain waves to complete the operation. Sahra stayed by his side until he was gone. Until only the shell of his abandoned body remained.