Draven always dreamed that someone—anyone—might rescue him from this suffocating nightmare. But no one ever came. His cries were unheard, his pain invisible. Who could he even confide in? His older siblings? They were just as broken.
Jane, his thirteen-year-old sister, once bright and full of dreams, had been forced by their parents to give up school voluntarily. Signed off as a "voluntary laborer," she now scavenged the toxic wastelands for scraps. But even that cruelty paled in comparison to what followed—every coin she earned was taken by Lisa and John, all to support Lucen's rising future. Dreams sacrificed, childhood stolen—just so their "golden child" could live a better life.
Wasteland Zone 512N — Year 3010
Lucen always returned from school with a swagger, the kind of walk that told the world he belonged to a higher place, even though the family still rotted in a crumbling building. Today, however, his step was quicker, his eyes shifty. Tucked deep within his uniform was a sleek, metallic AI chip reader—worth several thousand credits. He had stolen it from a tech store during his route back home.
Using his high IQ, Lucen had subtly hacked the store's external AI bot with a magnetic pulse, causing a brief system-wide glitch. It gave him just enough time to slide the device into his pocket. Unfortunately for him, the merchant had long suspected shoplifters and had hidden a surveillance camera away from AI detection protocols.
Back at home, Lisa was chopping up the potatoes they'd earned for the day's meal when Lucen strutted in. She noticed his nervous expression.
"What did you do?" she asked sharply.
Lucen hesitated. "Nothing. Just... got into a small mess."
Lisa's eyes narrowed. "Don't lie to me."
Under her persistent glare, Lucen confessed.
Lisa's mind raced. "Do you understand what you've done? If the police trace this back to you, you're finished. All your progress, all our chances—gone!"
Lucen smiled sheepishly and said, "Mom, you are worrying unnecessarily."
She gave him a glare and said, "No, you underestimate the surveillance and police. They will track you with 100% accuracy."
She paused, then her eyes lit up with cold calculation. "We'll put the blame on Draven. He's already useless. A scapegoat. If someone has to suffer, better it be him."
As they plotted, John came home, tired from his work. Lisa pulled him aside and laid out the entire story, with her plan to shift the blame.
"We can't let Lucen go down. If that happens, we will have no hope to go higher," she insisted.
Before they could say another word, a sharp knock echoed through their rundown home. The door was flung open.
Three police officers entered with AI drones buzzing overhead. "We have a warrant," the officer said. "A theft was committed today, and we have footage."
Draven, sitting quietly in the corner, looked up in confusion.
Lisa stepped forward, voice trembling but practiced. "We were just talking about it. It was Draven who went out earlier... came back acting strangely."
John chimed in, nodding, his voice strong. "Check his pockets. Check everything. He must've done it."
Draven's heart pounded. "What?! No! I didn't even go out today—"
But it didn't matter. His words fell on deaf ears.
The AI drone paused, receiving new data. Then the lead officer's comm buzzed. A voice crackled: "Footage confirms suspect as Lucen. Merchant had backup surveillance hidden."
The officers turned to Lucen and placed him under arrest. Lisa gasped. "Wait—this can't be."
"Your son is being taken for prosecution," the officer said. "Level 1 felony. He'll be evaluated tomorrow."
Lucen's cries echoed in the hallway as he was taken.
Lisa and John stood frozen. The collapse of everything they'd built for Lucen seemed inevitable.
John gritted his teeth. "We need to talk to the merchant. Maybe we can make him... reconsider."
Merchant's Shop, Block 41
The old man behind the counter was wiping a lens when Lisa and John arrived, half-collapsing at his feet.
"Please," Lisa begged, tears real now. "He's a child. A genius. He can be someone important. Don't destroy him."
The merchant looked unmoved. "My store has been robbed five times this year. I finally caught one. You want me to let him go?"
John glanced at a sign hanging near the counter: Citizen Level 3 Certified.
An idea sparked.
"You're level 3. We understand that. But Lucen—he's headed for level 5, maybe even more. He's being watched by the government. Let him rise. He could become a connection."
The merchant's brows furrowed. Then he sighed. "I'd need something in return. The case is registered. The officers already saw the clip."
John leaned in. "Then give them something else to see. We can convince the police. You just need to say the footage was lost. Then point to... someone else."
"Who?"
Day of Prosecution
The courtroom was sparse, cold, clinical. Lucen sat in a chair, eyes wet but dry of tears. Draven, Jane, and the other siblings were seated among the observers.
The merchant was called to present the evidence.
"I... regret to inform the court the footage was lost. Data corruption," he said. "But I did see the thief. It was not Lucen. It was the other boy—Draven. The officers misidentified him."
The court went silent. Then the lead officer stood.
"We... sincerely apologize. It appears we were wrong."
Draven stood up, stunned. "That's a lie! I didn't do anything! He's lying!"
"Silence in the court!" the judge barked.
Despite Draven's protests, the jury was swift.
"Based on the witness testimony and lack of evidence to contradict, Draven—age 11—is sentenced to five years in juvenile detention. Effective immediately. His citizenship level is revoked. He is now Level 0."
Gasps echoed. Jane tried to stand, but a guard pushed her down. Draven's head spun. His heart pounded. He could barely breathe.
His parents didn't even look at him. Lucen, now free, walked out behind the merchant, head high again. Smiling at Draven for his bad luck.
In that moment, something in Draven died. His eyes lost light.
Not hope.
But innocence.