#startofsomething

Today is the day you will be assigned your destinies,” The teacher had said. These next moments would kill the starry eyed boy I used to be. These moments would shape my entire life, my entire moral ground. These moments turned me into what I am now.

“What’s a destiny?” Suzie Lou, who he would learn was destined to be a hairdresser, was a very ditzy child and often forgot everything she was taught.

“Well honey, The Destiny will decide your future. What you’ll be, who you’ll marry, and when you meet your end. It will decide based on your best interests,” That last line I learned through my life was a lie. Nobody, not even the ‘all knowing being Destiney’ could decide what you wanted to be. The teacher, who was instilled with the lies Destiney fed to her, passed around a sheet of paper that told the major events in your life. Some people got long 4-5 page lists but most only had 2 pages. Then there was me, who got half a sheet of paper. My smile faltered for a second, the first of many to come, and I raised my hand.

“Miss Lily! Miss Lily, why is my paper so small?” I asked and she just smiled sadly then ignored me. I then looked at my paper, eyes widening. Only four major events were written.

Robs the convenience store Lucky’s Picks at age 13 on June 15th

Robs the grocery store Wilkens at age 15 on December 2nd

Turns 18 and goes to rob First Light bank on September 15th

Shot at First Light bank, dies instantly, on September 15th

I stared at the piece of paper and flipped it over but it was blank. “Miss Lily!” I yelled “I got the wrong paper Miss Lily,” My heart had pounded as she came over and looked through my paper she pointed at the top.

“Look Neil, That’s your name. Your name is Neil Riley Macem and that’s the name on the paper,” She patted my head “Don’t worry you got the right paper,”. I remember her face; she was calm and her smile was genuine. She was perfectly fine with my destiny, my short miserable life. When I showed my parents they gave the same smile, the same whole spiel on how “It fit me,”. The only ones who had the same thoughts at me, at first, were my friends but eventually they became infected with those ideals. That smile still haunts my nights. That smile though made me realise something though; I had to get out of this Hell.

I left before I was 13. I remember running from those purifiers, who had unhuman expressions and had shot at me more times in one day then a pig eats. I remember my sweaty palms, my dumb hiding places (ones to this day I have no idea how no one saw me), and Butch. Butch was like me, a fugitive. I learned his original name was Randy and he was destined to get in a fatal car crash when he was 10. Now, instead, he makes fake identities for people.

“ I suggest a pretty chill life, once it gets crappy come here i’ll change it up for ya pal,” butch said flipping through some folders “Also, don’t take one with a love interest. Get’s...real complicated,” he added.

“This one is fine, i’d love to be an artist,” I had said handing him the folder.

“Can you draw?” He asked.

“N-no,” I replied.

“Don’t be an artist then,” He laughed heartily and handed me one of the many folders he had.

“Hmm...Office job...Only child...Parents died a year ago...Huh. Sounds boring,” I said.

“Being a fugitive is anything but boring, you leave in constant fear of being found out. The paper doesn’t say much but you can always change the paper. You can add on to the paper but with these crazy purifiers you need an outline,” Butch states.

“Guess my knew life is being, Richard Blaze,” I sighed.

Eight years of that life and I got smart, I got fast, I got to be me. I lived a ‘modest life’ in a small condo with a simple job. I made ‘friends’ with my neighbors and gained everyone's trust. I lived by a purifier who I joked with. Though life was simple it was better then what I would have been given but...I felt on edge. That’s why I made my lab. I could be prepared if any Purifiers came.

Any feedback (other then full on hate) is welcome!