dabble in darkness 2

​​    I am supposed to be getting ready for school but I just can’t help watching the liquid gallium run down the window. I love watching the trail of gallium and the stain left behind on the window. The putter-patter of the gallium striking the steel roof soothing my very soul. It makes me wonder what the Mercurian people do when it rains. 

    “Get your ass to class!” The hall lady yelled. I jumped slightly from her startling voice. I quickly grabbed my armbands and threw my backpack on my back. And I ran towards the door. “Don’t forget your mask and boots” she said less abrasively then before. 

    “Yes ma’am” I sat down on the stool and threw on my boots. I only had time to do up my bottom straps and put my mask on before heading out the door. I didn’t think that I was running late but I lose track of time when I watch the rain. As I step into the airlock I pulled my mask down. The mask is mostly a formality. The gallium gas content in the atmosphere is very low usually. We get the rain but the sunside of the planet gets more gallium gas than oxygen. Occasionally we get strong winds which push the gallium towards the shadow ring. 

    When I arrive at school I place my backpack in my locker and try to slip into my seat quietly. My girlfriend slips me a note. It reads: 

‘Mr. Dren is talking about the war of Mercurians and us again. God, he is so fucking war happy!’

    I am about to respond when Mr. Dren calls on me, “Well now, young Denx, since you see fit to be tardy maybe you can tell me who struck first?”

    “The Galliasians and the Mercurians have been fighting over land since we first arrived on planet. The Merkans want closer to the sunside. Neither one of the two sides wish to be close to the darkside.” I said trying to save my ass from Dren’s gaze. 

    “Wow,” Dren said. “That’s the most politician answer I ever heard… which means you danced the topic without giving an ounce of the answer.” Dren began to mark my name on his pad. 

    “The Merkans were most likely the first to strike as we were cozy where we stood.” I said quickly hoping for a change in the marking. 

    “Much better, Denx,” Dren said with a smile. 

    Dren was a war veteran and our military teacher. He believed that knowing the history of the war between us and the Mercurians made us better warriors. He also believed that we should train to be soldiers before we learned to be anything else. Our children never got an advantage from our parents as we never knew who they were. We were all placed in a raising facility and given the same opportunities as our classmates to be the best whatever we become. Every mark lead us to be one step closer to our future position in society. I was hoping for something science based. Of course a military service gave us a boost towards our final destination. It was a voluntary position for most of us. Unless you had the warrior mark on your record. If you had no excels marked for anything else except warrior, then you would be a lifer and likely a grunt.