The Rider (Complete)

Chapter Three

With his status set to unavailable, Kade was unreachable. He was not taking any new jobs for the immediate future. 

He left his apartment building around noon to run some errands. One of the things on his to do list was to visit his mother. She was sick and unable to work so Kade delivered groceries and other essentials to her every other day. As the world was consumed by a thick smog that choked the life out of nearly every living thing, those who survived often developed life-threatening respiratory ailments. His mother required constant care and Kade made it his life's mission to look after her. In many ways, her life gave him purpose — a reason to continue. Living in a world so bleak had a way of robbing people of joy and hope.

Kade entered his mother's apartment, greeted her with a hug, and then set two canisters of oxygen on the counter for her.

"How're you feeling?" he asked. "Can I get you anything? Something to eat?"

"I just made myself a sandwich. I made one for you as well. It's in the fridge."

"Thanks."

"Where are you off to next?" his mother asked. "Another job?"

"I don't plan on taking any more jobs for a little while. I just want to stay in the city and be close to you."

"I'd really enjoy that, Kaden. You know I worry about you so much. Not a day goes by where I don't pray for you to come home safe and sound."

"There's no reason to pray, mum. If there is a God, he's not answering his calls," Kade said, walking to the air purifying system. He replaced his mother's air filter and put in a new oxygen canister. 

"As long as we're still alive and breathing, God is looking out for us," his mother said.

"I hope you're right about that."

Kade sat next to his mum on the couch and pulled a token out of his pocket. "Before coming to see you, I had a meeting. Look," he said, showing his mother a one-year sobriety coin. "I'm one year clean today."

"That's so wonderful, honey. Come here," his mother said, hugging him and shedding a tear. "I'm so proud of you."

"We should celebrate," Kade said. "Where would you like to go?"

"Dinner and a movie?"

"It's a date."

Kade spent the afternoon with his mother, and at around 6:00 p.m., the two exited the building. The city was dark and they lived in a rough part of town.

"I never leave the house this late," Kade's mother said.

"It's okay, ma, you're safe with me."

The streets were seedy. Nefarious and opportunistic criminals lurked in the shadows, looking for an easy target. Most of them were addicted to ghost, the street name for a synthetic drug that when inhaled delivered a power psychedelic experience of euphoria. The drug was widespread through the area, everyone trying to get their hands on it. It was nearly as valuable as oxygen.

"You know, this reminds me of a much more innocent time," she said. "Before the volcano, people went to work, went out on dates, met with friends, ran their daily errands... So much has changed. I hardly know any of my neighbours, most people work from home, and rarely do they go out and meet up with friends in person. Wherever I look I see unscrupulous characters littered all over, doing drugs and up to no good. It's a really sad state."

"I try not to think about it. This is the world I know. I was just a little kid when the volcano erupted."

"I wish you could have seen the way people lived back in the day."