15th February 2091

I stare at Mother's shrivelled body laying on her bed, the oxygen rig beside her flashing "0%" in bold red letters. My heart feels numb with emotions I can't describe. I can't keep doing this. I can't keep waking up every morning to face the reality of her lifeless body sitting there. I know I need to report it, but I feel paralysed.

If I report her death, they'll take me away to the Child Centre since I'm under 18, and everyone knows oxygen there is extremely scarce. I'll barely live to see 20.

My mind drifts away once again, and I spend another period of time staring at her body- her straw-like hair, thin lips, and veins that bulge through a sheet of skin. She's almost unrecognisable, and seeing her like this reminds me of the summer days we would spend running through the cotton fields, her blond locks flowing in the wind as I tried to catch up to her. Back then we could afford to run, to laugh, to breath freely. But ever since a state of emergency was declared across the globe, oxygen needs to be rationed. Now, almost 97% of the earth's atmosphere is filled with toxic gases caused by the burning of fossil fuels over many decades.

If only we knew what we were doing sooner, maybe the world would be different. Maybe my mother would still be alive.

In an instant I feel a painful sob welling up in me, and I burst into tears. Heavy tears that rack my whole body and tire me. I can almost sense my oxygen monitor dropping slowly with each gasp I take, but I can't help it. I cry for my mother, I cry for this fucked up world, and I cry, because I don't know how to go on...

*flashback*

"Adira?"

"Adiraaa...?"

"Adira darling, wake up."

I feel a rough hand brush the hair out of my face, and I open my eyes slowly. I see my father smiling at me, his smile is so warming, I can't help but smile back.

"There's my princess." he says, picking me up in his arms.

My sleepy body feels so heavy, and I wrap my arms around his neck as he walks to the kitchen.

As we enter, a sweet smell fills my nostrils. A smell that will always be familiar to me.

"Pancakes!!" I squeal as he sets me down in my high chair. A perfect brown circle cut into slices and slathered in maple syrup sits in front of me, and I'm instantly excited.

Daddy sits down beside me with his own pile of pancakes, but just before we tuck in I see the small toy chair beside me empty, and I remember the events of yesterday. How we'd gone to the park in the afternoon, me with Binky, my toy bunny, clutched in my arms. Binky was my best friend, where I went, she went. She comforted me when I was sad, and always put a smile on my face. So when I lost her in the park, part of me had gone.

"Thinking about Binky, are you?" Daddy asked, seeing me staring at her little chair.

"Yeah," I sighed "I need my Binky."

"I know how much you loved Binky, Adira, but I know that you are a strong girl. I know that my princess will find a way to go on, even without her. That's what she would've wanted you to do, right?"

"Mhm" I nod.

"Another thing she would've wanted you to do, is eat these pancakes..." he laughs

"Yeah," I grin, picking up one of the syrupy slices and placing it in my mouth

*end of flashback*

I wake up for real this time, my eyes feeling puffy from my crying. I sniffle my snotty nose and slowly sit up on the wooden floor. My mother's body is still lying there, but now I feel no sadness, but rather determination. I know what I have to do. I know that I must gain justice for my mother, that's what she'd have wanted me to do: to stay strong.

Getting up, I shake off any more sleepiness from my body and check my oxygen monitor. It reads 37%. I'll first need to visit Ace to see if he has any spare oxygen units, then I need to see Lux.

I grab my mask from the dining table and also my pocket knife. The poorest of the poor in these parts are known to do anything for oxygen, even to kill you and extract the oxygen directly from your bloodstream.

Prepped for the outside, I wrap my shawl around me and leave the house into a world I barely recognise. The abundance of toxic gases has given the air an orangey tinge. As I walk I pass mothers with hollow eyes cradling their babies, and old folk crippled on the side of the road, begging for oxygen. But I face forwards and remind myself to stay strong for Mother.

I turn the corner into the apartment block where Ace lives, then enter block C and bound up the stairs to apartment 26. The walls of the building are seeping with black mould, and a foul smell lingers in the air. I look up to see the familiar patches of damp looming over me like shadowy demons ready to attack. All signs of neglect that our corrupt government needs to pay for. That I need to make them pay for.

"Adi! Long time no see!" Ace greets "Come in, come in."

I step into his small apartment and look around as if I hadn't been here a million times. I see the tiny kitchen I used to make coffee in. The sofa I used to watch TV on. The bed that I once slept in...

"I just made breakfast; eggs and sausages. I can plate some up for you if you want."

"No Ace, that's ok." I say. I know what he's trying to do, but I came here for one thing, and one thing only.

"Alright, well you're not hungry. Can I get you a drink then? Coffee, tea..."

"Ace..."

"...maybe some juice...."

"Ace, please..."

"...I got this fancy soda if you want to try it..."

"My mother's dead, Ace."

Silence.

"What?"

"I said my mother's dead. She died two days ago."

"Oh... oh shit... I'm so sorry, Adira."

I look down at the floor, ashamed to show my face.

"I-If you need anything, food... water..."

"Just some oxygen please, if you have any spare canisters." I say "I'm on 37%."

As if on cue, his monitor beeps twice, signalling that he only has 10% left.

He sighs.

"Oh, well, it seems you need it more than me-"

"No, no, no, don't worry about me, I'm working today, I'll get more later."

"Are you sure?"

"Adi, I'm sure. Just gimme a sec."

He retreats to the kitchen and I watch him fetch a small canister from the cupboard. I see that it's his last one.

"Here." he places it in my hand, cradling my hand in his. His skin against mine brings back so many memories, but no, I can't.

I take my hand away, and I see his face drop.

"Thanks Ace, I owe you."

"Don't sweat it. And Adira? You need anything, anything at all, even a place to crash. Just drop by." He smiles

"Thanks." I sigh. My heart aches. Part of me misses what we had once. But I know better than to fall into old traps. So I leave his apartment, and the block, the canister tucked safely in my pocket.