Elysium

My first memory is of the sun. You see our apartment had a lovely outdoor terrace, shared between 4 families. It was the perfect place to play, for BBQ, to be free. Me and my friends would chase Jenell's dog, and do hide and seek, but the best times were the BBQ's. All four families had set up a gas BBQ and when the weather was warm, we'd put up some waigu beef, and some real vegetables and have a day of it. I get ahead of myself.
 

 
I really don't remember what mom and dad did, I do know that they both worked for some corporation. What was more important to me was what they did around the home. Dad had a hobby - vertical integrated farms he'd used to say, said it would fix everything. And we had an entire room devoted to permaculture - pvc pipes with various vegetable plants poling out of every corner with dad tinkering. Its why we had year round peppers and cabbage and whatever else. Beans I think. I hated those beans.
 
Anyway. The days bled into one another, mostly spent in the condo or terrace. Sometimes we'd go into the actual city, The giant shopping complex in downtown with the foodplaza. But most of my time was dealing with holo-teachers and the compounds nanny and whatever else. This went of more or less for years. And then came the day, soon after my 8th.
 
It was a clear night, fairly late. The sun had set and I was getting ready for bed. What I remember is dad taking a phone call. The yelling started a couple of minutes in. Then, I'll never forget this, he threw his phone in the pool. Then he grabbed mom's and my LearningPrimer tossed them as well, while shouting about grabbing go bags and having 2 minutes. Apparently lots of people didn't have a backpack with clothes and snacks 'just in case'. I did. So did they. Because that was a game we played - hat if we have to run right now? What will you need and have? So I put on sweats, coat and shoes over my PJ's and grabbed my backpack and stood by the door. 4 minutes later we were in the elevator to the Car Park. But we didn't get in the Tesla. We got in moms' restored 20th century thing (looking back, that old muscle car didn't have electronic anything in it. I have no idea how she drove that thing on the roads without getting us killed)
 
An hour later we piled into some run down thing that smelled of wet and mold and rot. Dad immediately headed out to somewhere. 6 hours later, mom said she'd be right back.
 
Three days passed.
 
The manager of the place came in at 6 pm,, and freaked out because I was there. I remember him screaming at me that no one had payed and who was gonna pay. He started grabbing stuff from my parents bags, and apparently found something interesting. While he was distracted I snagged my things and ran.
 
And ran and ran.
 
And then stopped.
 
And waited.
 
And...