![](https://txt-dynamic.static.1001fonts.net/txt/dHRmLjYwLjZjZjZmOS5USFZyWVhNZ1JHVnRZV2x2Ym1WM2RHOXUuMA,,/universal-mind.regular.png)
Lancaster, Los Angeles/ State Highway
Itâs very early and he only knows itâs very early because of how tired he feels. Like heâs going to fall asleep standing up. Lukas is staring at a very small bag of his belongings to take with him, the man heâs been sharing a cell with is up right now. Heâs a bald man, the back of his head looks like a deflated ball, he gives him a gummy grin missing teeth in the front. Heâs not sure if heâs excited or if he should be nervous about leaving. You donât quite feel at home in this place. It feels alien and comfortable at the same time, sometimes the cold metal bars would make weird noises or you would hear whispering in the middle of the night concerned it was a conspiracy. It was cold in here. Youâd think such a contained place would be warmer with all the bodies, but it isnât. Yesterday was a busy day, making sure he had books checked in, already saying goodbye to at least some of the kids who transferred with him last year.
âExcited to see your family?â Jakobs ask, whenever he talked his mouth would make wet smacking noises, he always wondered if it had to do with his missing teeth. Jakobs one of the few adults that didnât frighten him being here. Some of the adults were scary and hard to engage. Many of them had intense looks, expressions that made him nervous.
He promised others he wouldnât let this place change him, though heâs scared it already has when the question hits him like overwhelming anxiety. Heâs scared that Nadia or Robert have changed their minds about him. That the three years he spent in here, that Robert or Nadia started to believe the things they have said about him since he hasnât been able to defend himself. But he knows those two arenât like that. Yet, itâs the biggest worry he has.
âYeah,â he forces a smile.
âYouâll get far, thatâs what I always said about ya when you came. Seen it, said to myself kids going far,â Jakobs points at him and smiles. When a door is closed it echoes through the whole hallway. Resonating with the metal bars. The largest security officer heâs ever seen walks up to their cell. His heart is racing now and he can hear it in his ear. It makes his eardrum vibrate.
âLukas Demaionewton,â the security guard, Mathison, addresses.
âThatâs me,â does he sound desperate? He clears his throat, âI mean thatâs me.â
Mathison just watches him, âYou will follow me and you will follow every instruction you are given. Is that clear?â
Lukas nods as the bars are open. Just a little longer now and heâll be outside. How much has changed? Heâs pretty sure heâs not going to be seeing any hoverbikes, surprise youâre in the super future now. But the kids at their school, theyâll have their tales. The news might say something unpleasant for a few days, heâll have to be prepared for that. He lets his feet drag, but with a slight skip following Mathison. Every door resonates with the walls. Thereâs a few others who have gotten up early to say goodbye to him. Connorâs some kid with some curly ginger hair that looks a bit like whipping cream sitting on top, he nervously looks over at him, âI wonât...forget you.â
Thatâs an odd thing to say. At least in the tone he says it.
âIâll miss you too,â Lukas says, as they continue to walk down halls, doors, loud slamming. Till they stop in a room. Heâs handed a shirt and a pair of pants. Robertâs probably pulled it out of the closet and handed it to the prison last night.
Heâs just use to this. Here he's always watched even when you donât think you are. He tried to abide by the rules, broke none of the rules and felt even more watched waiting for the moment he cracked. Slipping onto what is essentially his nightwear, Robert could have asked, sweats and an old sweater. Once heâs turned in his uniform he follows Mathison to the intake. The sally port is his last obstacle till heâs out and into Robertâs car.
âThat sick kid,â he swears he hears before heâs standing before a window. A man with oval shaped glasses fixes them upwards.
âWe have some paperwork for you to fill out,â the man tells him with little to no interest for him as an individual.
Thereâs a paperwork for how much he has earned from his job. Thereâs paperwork for a new fingerprint, his always turns out weird, a bit sucker shape, but no one seems to care. Thereâs another photo he has take for records or so heâs told. Heâs eager to get out to the port at this point. All these formalities feel like itâs a prank, that theyâre simply issuing him a new ID and telling him it was all a prank. The man thumbs twice through the paper. His heart is racing now. His chest is tightening. His eardrum is vibrating with the sound of his own heartbeat.
âLooks like everything is in order,â man says.
âThatâs it? I can go?â Lukas ask.
Man doesnât really emote, he just stares at him and makes a gesture to one of the guards to the sally port. Itâs opened and he walks out, the last slam of metal he hopes to ever here. Squinting his eyes briefly, outside air. One not behind barbed wire. Heâs looking for, Robert is leaning against the passenger side of his car and gives him a lazy wave.
âWas âfraid they were keeping you,â Robert tells him with a smile.
âFor a moment, I thought they were too,â Lukas replies.
Robert nods his head, âGet in the car we shouldnât loiter too long in front of a prison.â
Heâs known Robert his whole life, but right now heâs feels distance. Shouldnât there be more to them meeting like this in a long time?
âNadia, didnât come,â Lukas mentions opening the door to Robertâs tan sedan, noticing the backseat empty.
Robert just smiles, âBoy do we have something special for you.â
Sheâs at the apartment then. He wants to hug and kiss her, he hasn't in so long. They have seen each other during visiting hours, but it never really felt the same because this place makes you disassociate from the real world so much.
âOne second,â Luka says turning to face the prison. Lifting up his middle finger high, âFuck you prison.â Sitting in the passenger seat, buckling up.
![](https://i.imgur.com/8fkoIFD.jpg)
âIf the guards start coming out, you know Iâll have to let you go,â Robert jokes.
âWell it made me feel better,â Lukas says as Robert peals out towards the road, while Lukas fiddles with the radio in the car for the first time in years.
An advert plays, but he letâs it. He hasnât heard something try to pander to the human lizard brain in years either.
Sound of someone sniffing the air.
âOh, oh I didnât notice you were there,â a womanâs voice nervously laughs, âI wish they invented smelling speakers, because you wouldnât believe how unbelievably amazing my house smells.â
Takes a big whiff in.
âIt smells just like peeling oranges,â she says, âIâm glad for my Spray and Scent plug in scentinator. It gets rid of bad smells and well.â
She takes another sniff and exhales, âYou just feel a sense of oh whatâs that word again, relaxing.â
Spray and Scent plug in scentinator. Just plug. It sprays. And well makes your house smell simply amazing. Spray and Scent sold separately from oils.
âI hate that commercial,â Robert groans.
âI havenât heard it,â Lukas remarks. Roberts pulls a face.
âRight, sorry,â Robert keeps his focus on the road. Things feel awkward right now.The drumming beat of a radio station jingle begins to play.
âAnd welcome back listeners to the Dan and Jeremy show, itâs currently 8:30 am in the morning, traffic on the highway is fairly light today,â the hoarse, smoker voice of Dan plays through the speaker.
âSo Dan,â Jeremy voice is lighter, a lot more nasally, âWhile we were on a break, a breaking news story was just posted on RightNews.net.â
âWoah woah Jeremy you canât just plug in other peopleâs platform on this show, weâre not associated or affiliated with RightNews and they didnât ask for us to talk about this,â Dan said, âItâs just so you to have your phone out while weâre on break.â
âWhat was I supposed to do Dan, listen to the Scent and Spray for the hundreth time,â Jeremy retorts.
âOkay, okay weâre getting off base here, whatâs this article you want to talk about,â Dan responds.
âThey are calling it the most controversial release ever,â Jeremy says, âNineteen year old Lukas Dema-how the fuck do you say this last name?â
âJust say Newton,â Dan says passively.
âIs being released out of state prison, after his brutal execution of eight people three years ago,â Jeremy continues.
Robertâs hand inches towards the radio. Is he sick to be curious?
âLet it play,â Lukas mentions to Robert.
âBut Lukas,â Robert says.
âIâll be fine,â Lukas tells him.
âPerhaps we should fill in for the listeners who have been avoiding the news or have been living under a rock,â Dan says, âWhat roughly three years ago, a sixteen year old boy walks into a telecommunications company called Ion Communications. Right?â
âYes, thatâs right Dan,â Jeremy says.
âKills the guards, and then executes-excuse the gross imagery here listeners- a man, bullet through the skull,â Dan continues.
âYeah,â Jeremy said, âWhat I wonât understand is what motive the kid had, you know Dan. Michael Peterson was just a stereotypical guy like you and I. He had nothing associated to his name. Or itâs really well covered up annd this kid just goes in - murders a bunch of standards.â
âMy theory on this Jeremy, you want to hear my theory,â Dan says.
âGo on,â Jeremy says, âCurious.â
âMy theory is that when an Ultra gets their power it corrupts their minds turning them crazy,â Dan says.
âGenius, well said should work for the scientist,â Jeremy says.
âI know,â Dan replies, âAnyway, whatâs your take on this dear listeners? Whatâs your view and take on releasing this monster back into-
Robert changes the channel. It isnât how it went, heâs told people time and time again how that night went, but none of them ever believed him. Sometimes it felt like the criminal system, no that is exactly what the justice system was. Guilty until proven innocent. But who would provide the defense towards his case three years later? Robert only briefly glances at him.
âLook as much as it might sound fun, finding the person who did this to you,â Robert pauses, âI want you to focus on getting things straightened up. Get your GED, find a college, normal people stuff. Donât let this thing define or consume you.â
Get your life straight? What a way to put it Robert.
âBut we are going to find the person who did this?â Lukas ask him.
âYeah sure,â Robert makes a face. It sounds more like Robert wants him to put all of this behind him. Not to mention it again. Allow it to fade into the background.
âYou can tell me the truth, you donât really want me to do so,â Lukas mentions.
Robert grumbles, âLetâs not talk about this. You just got out of jail and youâre already discussing about breaking more crimes. Just lie low for now. Have a few dates. Do things people do. At least for a little while. Can you do that for me?â
âFine,â Lukas huffs and lies his head on the window of the passenger. Heâs so tired from being up so early. Heâs a little nervous going back. Going back to their apartment. Interacting with the people. Only so few believe he was telling the truth and listening to the talk show, thereâs a lot of people who believe his guilt just because someone told them he was guilty.
Get your life straight, huh. Put it behind him. Never to try again. Not sure how he should feel about that. Or what is the right course of action. Of course he believes in balance, you canât always be absorbed by your super identity and vice versa. To put it behind him. Lukas closes his eyes. To have a normal life. When they arenât even human. Whatâs that mean? Once again everything is different while remaining the same. Like life changing events are in limbo, slow to register or process and the right decisions are obscure.