Dear Tesh,

It’s been a while since we last saw each other. Five years ago I got captured in one of the raids that the militaries did in our city. I’ve known you since you were 5 years old, I raised you as my kid and we protected each other. Do you remember when your would teeth started to grow? You were chewing on everything. Those were the good old days and memories that I would never forget.

As you might have guessed, my time is coming to an end. I managed to sneak this letter out of prison and a friend of mine is probably reading this to you. They sent me to a prison specialized in people with The Spark, conditions here are horrible and we must fight for things like food, just like in Hyakugi. I went to court and was judged with the charges of felony conspiracy against the civilization, felony first degree murder and felony resisting against the authorities. For this, I have been sent to death sentence.

Don’t be sad, stay strong and keep surviving.

They experimented on me and the others, they are looking for The Spark gene and want to steal it from us to create super soldiers and go to war with other cities. However, I’ve learned that The Spark is generated in the frontal lobe of our brains and to steal it, they need to extract that part of the brain and create a serum with the gene. It’s not an easy task and so far, they have been unsuccessful. People who had their Spark stolen by removing the frontal lobe, have died so far. Still, they keep trying and are trying to capture a Delta as they apparently have a stronger and different gene.

I can’t keep writing you and wish things haven’t ended this way.  I love you, Tesh, you are like my son, and I will protect you from the stars. 

Keep running and never get capture. 

Hold on tight to your life, puppy.

Will miss you.

Chiko.

The tender gave me the paper back. I felt that I couldn’t breathe so I removed my mask in search of air, I was crying and shaking so the shop owner removed his mask too and hugged me in sing of compassion and empathy. We stayed like that for some time until we were interrupted by a woman’s voice “Tesh?” I looked at her; tall, strong, brown skin, black hair and hazel eyes. I recognized her the moment I saw her. “Jaimir!” I stood up and went to hug her, which she accepted.

The merchant covered his face again and nodded to Jaimir, she took me in her arms as if I was a baby to her. I hid my face in her neck, still crying, feeling her heartbeat. She started walking and got me out of the Night Market to her home. Once we were there she put me in her sofa; her house was bigger than mine, it’s a house inside of the communal building and they cost money, but Jaimir worked really hard to keep paying the rent of 10 Neomenia,  The house had two rooms only, one bedroom and the living space with a couch and a small kitchen, the bathroom was sheared and was located at the end of the hallway.

She made some tea and gave me a cup of it, trying to calm me up. We just stayed there, sitting on the couch, drinking tea and in silence.