Barcode: Legend of Apollo by Kashif Ross Page A

Kode’s insanity finally makes sense, he’s from the Payne family.
    Angie purposely passes my seat before finding her own. With a faint Southern accent, she calmly says, “Hey Spencer.”
    “Hey,” I reply with a beaming smile.
    Hannah shoots me a stink eye that makes me wonder if she’s actually jealous. Assuming she’s just teasing, I turn on my desktop tablet and prepare to take notes on the coming lecture.

Nine
    At lunch, I notice a large group of Apes crowding Monte’s table. Again, they’re bombarding a god with questions about his history and why his brother doesn’t talk. I listen to him explain the power and restrictions of Tartarus as Kyle, Wesley, and I approach the table.
    Monte says, “He can’t hear or see. Supposedly, his sight and sound are removed to increase his ability to sense what’s around him. I once shot an arrow from fifty yards away and he caught it.”
    One of Monte’s fans says, “Whoa,” with his eyebrows raised and eyes nearly popping from his head. He’s a short guy that looks weak, even for an Ape. “Can he write and tell you what it’s like?”
    “Yeah. He’s the most honest guy in the world. But if you ask him about Tartarus, he never types a word. When we were kids, I bugged him about it until he finally said he hated the mask. Then, I left him alone.”
    Kode rests his head against his cheek. He doesn’t seem to care for Monte’s entourage.
    I take a seat in front of Monte while finishing off my apple, one of the only real fruit trees that survived the GAW—though mine was imported from China. Hannah says it’s my way to display my wealth. She may be right, but it still tastes pretty good.
    “Tartarus, that’s the name of the mask right? That’s an interesting choice to place on a child. Did it shape to his face once he was born, or did he have to grow into it?” I am well aware that I’m interrupting the Apes’ conversation.
    I always wonder why Apes burden gods with questions. My only conclusion is that they want to be more like us. The more they can understand, the quicker they can get there.
    The man-made barcodes they receive from liminal beings resemble the print I find on my box of cereal in the morning. That doesn’t signify strength. My tattoo spans widely across my back and Apes are branded with a stamp no larger than my hand. Give me a break. What will questions really do to help?
    “It did shape to his face,” Monte answers after watching me take a few bites of the apple. His language doesn’t match his demeanor. Monte seems as though he participated in a few wars himself, but he manages to maintain a calm tone and graceful mannerisms.
    Pointing the apple towards him, I tease, “You want the rest?”
    Monte shrugs his shoulders while looking at Kode, “I guess you cherish apples here, but we’ve lived in Spain, Japan, and Brazil. There are plenty of fruit trees there.”
    Well aware that he’s provoking us, Kyle jumps in, “So why are you here if your life’s so great?”
    “I’ve been to many countries and fought in several wars,” Monte says casually. “I don’t think there’s a place on this world where life is great. Your Hollywood area is really nice though.”
    Wesley leans forward and says, “Teenagers aren’t allowed to fight in wars.”
    His own ignorance causes us to lose a few points. I try to interject, but Monte speaks first, “On this part of the country, that’s true. But the South is always at war. We’re near the desolate land of the East and South Coast where liminal beings from Mississippi to Florida, all the way up to South Carolina, come down to attack our land. Then, of course, there’s Helios.”
    “So why are you in school?” I ask to try and reestablish some balance.
    The Apes feel the storm brewing at the table and they slowly trickle away until none are left.
    “To become politicians, of course. Our family plans to return to the West Coast now that  our own  arena is established in