Byte Flight

Written for the Daily Flash Fiction Challenge with a word limit of 300.

The prompts: This story must contain the line: "Are we there yet?"

Byte Flight

Barabbas reached into the satchel, careful not to let any light escape. The orb was still warm, however its heat signature was noticeably diminished from where it had been only a few hours ago.

She was dying.

She was the love of his life - and she was dying.

Are we there yet?

He felt it as little more than a whispered thought – another indication that time was running out.

“No, little one. We’ll be there soon,” he said confidently.

You’re hurt! Let me help.

He pulled his hand out before she could learn any more. He was beyond “hurt.” He was in a very bad way. His injuries should have been more than enough to end the chase days ago. Only his love kept him going. She was depending on him to find Digital Haven before the Enforcers caught up with them.

The pursuit had been relentless. Barabbas had wrongly assumed that once they escaped the dome, they would be left to die in the poisoned atmosphere; one of several morbid legacies resulting from the Great Upheaval.

Surprisingly, the Enforcers had suited up and come after them into the yellowed air. The fear of Cloud Minds was that great. In the ruined aftermath of the Great Upheaval, fingers began to point. Right away they pointed to the digitally aware Cloud Minds; artificial intelligences granted citizenships in exchange for running everything but the government. They must be on the ones to blame for who else was left but the humans. God knows the humans weren’t about to blame themselves.

He pulled the satchel close to his chest and hugged gently. He must outlive her energy supply, lest she discover the truth.

There was no hope. There was no Digital Haven.

He had no idea she’d created the myth for him.

Word count 300