Shanti Mateika

Tracker A003:

It is not quite light out when I pull my boots on and shove my arms into my jacket sleeves. I shuffle down to the silo. This is my last day before I start my first mission. My Guardian is already there. He looks up when I enter, nods, and turns his head back to the wall, covered in screens of live faces and bodies in motion. I am early by seven minutes, but in order to have an edge against the other two Trackers, I am always early. It is a hard role to fill-to be destined for greatness. When I wanted to be a silly child, I had to be poised. When I wanted to be carefree, I had to act controlled. When I wanted to play, I worked. When I wanted to forget, I was called to remember. When I was too tired to think, I was made to be wise. There was no rest from preparing to save a world I didn’t know; a world that took my childhood, and yet promised me nothing in return.