Skye Life Part 1

Cyd clutched the brown paper bag tightly as she hung onto the strap of the metro which - as always - was jam-packed with people getting to and from work. In her case, she was happy it was the latter. After a double shift at the diner, her feet felt like she’d shuffled all night in shoes two sizes too tight. But at least if she’d been dancing, there would have been music, drugs, and happy memories rather than a day filled with cranky patrons and people who didn’t give a shit about someone who lived off tips.

Working there did have its advantages though. If she was willing to flirt with the manager, he’d let her take home her choice of anything that didn’t sell rather than tossing it out, which - in his own words, attracted dumpster diving bums. It wasn’t much - but it was better than protein paste or anything else the Skye’s had in the small one bedroom apartment they shared.

“Mathias!” She called as she opened the door. “Home!” She could see all three rooms from the entryway - that wasn’t the point of letting him know. It was more to let her brother know she wasn’t someone trying to break in, which happened more times than she cared admit.

Mathias jerked awake. “I'm awake …. I’m awake. Welcome home Cyd.” He said blearily coughing as he sat up on the cough. He had more or less crashed the moment he had gotten home from his day job. His tie was on a chair, his work shirt on the table and he had only one shoe on. Nothing he owned was new, the shirt was thin and cheap so he had to wear under shirts, fun in the heat of summer. The tie was actually a savage mission and his shoes had been buffed and fixed so many times he doubted there was an original piece on there.

He rubbed his eyes as he got to his feet kick off the other shoes to rummage for more comfortable street clothes. Mathias paused and turned to Cyd. “Why does it feel later than it should? Were the trains behind again?”

“They’re still diverting the lines, it’d be shorter to walk,” she complained. “But on the plus side, I brought dinner. There’s a couple of pasta dishes, and I even managed to grab a couple of sandwiches before they were missed. What Tony doesn’t know won’t get me fired.”

Mathias snorted slipping on a shirt. “Tony is an idiot and if he had two brain cells to rub together he would pay you more and sic you on cleaning up his books.” He muttered. “There overtime again, I was thinking of taking some extra shifts at the lab.” Mathias said offhandedly as he picked out a sandwich.

“Not over the weekend, is it?” Cyd asked, handing him a second wrapped in wax paper. “I need you for the rave, it’s not a party without the candyman.”

“Naw, there's some corporate thing going on, I dunno didn’t get the memo but it's next week, they just have a backlog of lab work. I might be able to pull of a few doubles, crash somewhere local.” Mathias explained between bites. “Weekends are too much of a moneymaker to give up anyway.”

Cyd put a bag half filled with milk in the near-empty refrigerator. It still had a few days before it curdled, so it was definitely worth saving. “They still won’t consider you for promotion? Even without the university, you have the experience and know more than anyone with some piece of paper on their wall.”

“I keep asking and I keep getting the same answer.” Matthias said making a jerk-off motion. “Newbie fresh out of university came in today, guess who trained his ass? Tight ass Corps.” He griped. “I gotta head to my lab, make sure we're stocked for the weekend.”

“Take a sandwich with you. I don’t think the fridge is running right, and I don’t want these going to waste,” Cyd told him. “There’s two more in there for Lolo if he gets his ass home.”

Isaac, or “Lolo” as he was affectionately called was the younger sibling of Cyd and Mathias - and also currently held in a semi-detention facility, and could be sprung at any time.

“I gave him five creds yesterday and it didn’t look like it’d be anytime soon. So you’ll have the house to yourself for a few hours. The hot water is working so … take advantage while you can.” Mathias smiled packing the extra sandwich before slipping on a red leather jacket.

“You’re my favorite. Don’t tell Isaac,” she said with a smile.

“Duh.” Mathias chuckled, mouth full of sandwich. “Even at my worst I'm still amazing, now watch as I get this swelled ass head out the door. How will it fit you ask? Magic!” He chuckled.

“I have a plunger just in case,” Cyd said, swatting at him with a dish towel as he headed out. A second snap of the towel took care of a daring cockroach that scurried across the counter, the insect falling dead on the floor.

“Don't wait up, I'll be back late.” Mathias called back as he closed the door. It was just another day grinding it out in the Sprawl. What was largely considered the collection of neighborhoods that made up Arkangel’s slums. For all the amazing technological advances it didn't help the working poor one bit.