Chapter 1.1

Chapter 1.1

Zasaka could not remember a thing about her earlier lifestyle, but it was safe to say she was the only one of her kind left in existence.  Explorers found her body frozen in the depths Chinese shrine and soon enough she was taken away by the Simville Government and branded as Experiment Blue because of her unnatural blue skin and hair.  She endured humiliating and painful tests for endless months.

Now, they had no further use for her.

Effectively, she functioned just like any other human, only she was in general stronger and faster than the average female.  Her senses were enhanced, particularly her hearing and sight.  Despite all her advantages, she never once used them for bad practices.  She believed this was the reason behind why The Government didn’t destroy her.  They knew she was far from threatening; they opted to allow her to live alongside the citizens in Sunset Valley, a town that seemed to turn a blind eye to most things.  For that she was thankful.

However, what she soon realised was that this would be their final experiment.

Zasaka had been given a huge empty plot of land to live on and only a small amount of cash.  She realised what they were hoping she would be unable to cope, or would get lynched for her unusual appearance.  It was clever because in the end they wouldn’t be responsible for her death that way.

Zasaka thought it was a joke that they even went as far as painting her dustbin blue.

With the small amount of money Zasaka had, she went out and purchased the bare essentials to place on her plot of land.  She was eager to someday have a real house with actual walls, but she had to make do with what she had for now.

It was strange how many basic tasks Zasaka could remember how to do soon after she was unfrozen, such as walking and even cooking, yet she couldn’t remember anything from her childhood and years as a teenager, besides constantly being surrounded by warm and friendly faces and voices.

That afternoon Zasaka enjoyed her first proper meal that wasn’t laced with drugs.

Zasaka made a trip into town when nightfall came.  She was too timid to expose herself in broad daylight just yet, although she knew she could not act frightened forever.  That’s why she marched straight up to the Police Department and bravely walked in.

Inside, the receptionist at the desk almost dropped the phone in her hand when Zasaka walked in.  Zasaka waited politely as the receptionist finished her phone call before she spoke.

“Do you have any job vacancies?” She enquired.  The gormless receptionist stared blankly at her before she clucked her tongue against the roof of her mouth.

“I’m sorry, we don’t recruit aliens,” the receptionist said just as a short blonde woman wearing a Lieutenant badge appeared behind Zasaka.  An angry expression fell across her face as she glared at the woman behind the desk.

“We do not tolerate racism, Cindy,” the blond haired woman announced, “so please grab your belongings and leave.”

Cindy’s jaw almost fell to the floor.  She childishly knocked the phone onto the floor before she stormed off into the staff room.  She reappeared just seconds later with her bag and coat, still wearing the same sour expression as she barged past Zasaka and the Lieutenant without saying a word.

“I’m so sorry about that; she’s been on the chopping block for months now.  I’m Lieutenant Blair Wainwright by the way, and you must be Zasaka Meerkato.”

“I am,” Zasaka said cautiously.  “How did you…”

“The Government doesn’t keep too many secrets from the police force, believe me.  Well, I’m glad you’re here, it looks like we need a new receptionist, so welcome onboard, Zasaka.”

And just like that, Zasaka had a job.  Blair went through the basics with her, but it was not as if a receptionist role required too much training.  Blair also told Zasaka that she would have to improve her logic skill since she would be dealing with a lot of enquires face-to-face as well as over the phone; Zasaka spent most her mornings and afternoons in the park and playing chess.

Because she didn’t have the time to make her own dinner, Zasaka often went across the street to the gym and would swipe whatever food she could out the fridge in the canteen when the staff weren’t about.  It often tasted revolting, but it was better than starving to death.

One morning, Zasaka saw a laptop resting on one of the tables.  It was not just any laptop either, she had seen these things advertised on the television and they were very expensive.

No one was about, so her instinct was to steal it, but in the end she figured the owner might come back for it eventually so she decided to use it just to play chess online.

“Maybe karma will reward me,” Zasaka chuckled to herself.

As Zasaka was contemplating her next move on her current game of chess, a male figure walking down the steps behind the laptop screen immediately caught her eye.

He was cute looking with blue-grey eyes and baby blond hair.  But when he saw Zasaka was looking at him he quickly turned around and disappeared out of sight behind the flowerbeds.

Zasaka rose to her feet and decided to follow him.

The man had not walked too far away.  He seemed a little intimated when Zasaka approached him and bid him good morning, but soon after seeing the friendly glow in her eyes he realised that she was not a monster.  He introduced himself as Nick, but that was not the only thing she found out about him that day.

“That’s my partner, Harry,” Nick pointed over at a young bearded man with a purple Mohawk and glasses, “We got married a few weeks ago.”

Still, Zasaka ended up sitting and chatting with Nick and Harry for a little while before she had to head into work.

After work, Zasaka returned to the park and was bowled over when she spotted a gorgeous tanned man with impressive muscles and dark brown eyes.

Unfortunately, Zasaka found out he was already taken.

Zasaka gave up hope of finding a man so soon after moving into Sunset Valley.  That night she snuck into the gym’s spar area and ran a hot bath.  A sigh escaped from her lips as she lowered her aching body into the bubble coated water.  It was a luxury to relax and bathe for once, in contrast with shivering under a freezing cold shower tap.

A small tear ran down her cheek; were hot baths all she had to look forward to in this new lifestyle she had been granted?

Zasaka felt nauseous by the time she had returned to the plot of land she called home.  She immediately crashed down onto her bed and reflected on how lonely her life was.  Only a couple of people at work spoke to her and she had literally nothing to look forward to when she returned home every day.

A family.  That’s what she needed.  A husband, lots of screaming children.

The man for her was definitely out there somewhere, and she was determined to find him!

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