Intermix Nation

What does it feel like to have people be soafraid of you? To wield that heavy, heady power over them? TheMedis may want power above all else, but Adamek is the one who hasit. Whether he wants it or not is another question. Unable to keepher eyes forward, Nazirah gives in and glances behind her. He iswatching her, not anyone else, like he knows exactly what she’sthinking.

Cayu leads them into the largest hut in theslum. Inside, it is bare but comfortable and surprisingly clean.The dirt is so impacted from years of traversing feet it is almostlike a terra firma carpet. Cayu’s mother is there, holding aninfant in her arms. There is also a man Nazirah assumes is Cayu’sfather. Several other children, younger than Cayu, chase oneanother around the hut. Cayu introduces Nazirah, Adamek, and Aldrikto his mother Casha, his father Cayus, and all of his sisters andbrothers before Casha gently interrupts him.

“Cayu, darling,” she requests sweetly. “Whydon’t you go play outside? Let the adults talk.” Cayu nods, eyeswide, and runs out of the hut. Casha motions for them to sit downon three wooden stools.

“He’s adorable,” Nazirah gushes, sitting.Nazirah doesn’t normally gush about anything, but she feelsunusually affectionate towards Cayu. Especially because he’s sofond of Riva.

“He can be quite a handful.” Casha smiles.“He wants to be just like his father.” Casha looks at Cayushesitantly before continuing. “When I first heard you were pla

“Is she, Casha?” asks Cayus quietly. He’stall, with tan skin and broad shoulders. In lieu of a tattoo on hisforearm, he sports a painted red circle. “I am Cayus,” he says,“leader of the intermix here. If I may get straight to it, whatexactly are your intentions?” Aldrik opens his mouth, but Cayusquiets him with a look. He nods meaningfully at Nazirah. “From oneintermix to another.”

“Right.” Nazirah proceeds slowly, unsure ofwhy he’s singling her out. “We’re hoping for your support and forthe support of all Eridian intermix.”

“Hoping to spill our blood, you mean,” Cayussays.

Nazirah is surprised. “That’s not what Imean at all.”

“Do you not wish for our able bodies?” heasks. “For our strength of numbers? Will intermix blood not bespilt in battle, should we choose to help you?”

“We’re on the brink of war with Mediah,”Nazirah says, becoming agitated. “Yes, an unfortunate repercussionof war is death. But you’re twisting my words.”

“Or perhaps you are not considering theconsequences of them.”

“I’m not your enemy, Cayus!” she argues.“We’re the same, you and I. We both want the same thing.”

Cayus laughs. “Allow me to be perfectlyblunt. You are only a first generation intermix, correct? Yourfather was a resourceful Oseni, your mother an educated Eridian.You have lived a blessed life. My father was intermix, like hisfather before him and his father before him. We have never had theopportunities that you have had, could not even fathom them. Thisis how it is for the vast majority of people living in my slum. Sowith all due respect, Nazirah Nation, we may both be intermix, butwe are hardly the same.”

Nazirah is so shocked she almost falls offher stool. Aldrik begins to protest, but Nazirah holds up her hand.She’s been judged her entire life, but to be castigated by her ownkind? For not being intermix enough? Nazirah is disheartened tofind racism everywhere, even in places she would least expect it toexist.

“With all due respect, Cayus,” Nazirahgrowls, “you dare judge me for my lack of intermix blood? Am I notdiluted enough for your liking? Have I not suffered enough to bedeemed worthy by your racist standards? Your uninformed,practically Median values disgust me! They’re what hold intermixback. Not my intentions, whatever you believe them to be! I may be‘only a first generation intermix,’ but I know a lot more abouttolerance than you ever will.”

“So you must,” Cayus says, gesturing toAdamek, who has been watching their heated interaction in silence.“You must be very tolerant to associate with someone who isrevolted by you, sickened at the very thought of you. Someone whohates you to the core, simply because you exist.”

From the corner of her eye, Nazirah seesAdamek’s fingers clench and unclench. Casha tries to intervene. “Mylove –”

“Quiet!” he snaps, raising a threateninghand. Casha looks meekly at the ground.

“Don’t speak to her like that!” Nazirahshouts, seeing red. In that moment, she finds no difference betweenCayus and the Chancellor, or Casha and Victoria. And Nazirah ismore grateful than ever to call the unbending, iron-fisted RivaMartel her mother.

“Casha knows her place, Nazirah Nation,”Cayus says. “It’s time you learned yours.”

“I know my place!” Nazirah fires back,pointing at the entrance. “It’s out there, with the rest of theworld, as an equal! It’s you who must learn!”

“And I suppose you will be the one to teachme?”

“Do you want to live like this forever?”Nazirah asks. “Do you want your children, your grandchildren, to beconfined to these slums their entire lives? Living every day infear and starvation, without any hope of breaking that cycle? I’masking you to set aside your blatant prejudices and help allintermix regain what we’ve lost! We fight for you either way!”

“Do you know,” Cayus asks slowly, “thesoldiers of Mediah come, with their fire ca

“We have dealt with this burden our entireexistence. We have come to expect it. But that is not what hurts usmost, what scars us deepest.” The silence hangs over the hut like athick fog. There are loud noises, shouting and barking in thedistance. Cayus leans closer. “It is the Eridians who deal us themost painful blow – in here.” He pounds hard on his chest. “It isintermix like you, who have lived mere miles away your entirelives, yet have never even contemplated our struggle, ourexistence. Until you want something from us. It is yourindifference to our plight, your apathy, your willful ignorance ofintermix poverty that cuts straight to the heart.

“You pass us every day, blissfully unawareof our desperation. That is what hurts the most. And you want me toforgive them? You want me to take up their burden at the expense ofmy own people? Make no mistake, Nazirah. We may be poor and we maybe hungry, but the intermix are not going anywhere. We have dealtwith strife for centuries and we will endure. I ca

“But we’re fighting for the same thing!”Nazirah cries. “Like the Eridians, you want freedom and peace! Youwant the power over your own life!”

Adamek’s eyes are on her, but Nazirah doesn’tlook his way.

“In this, you are correct,” Cayus says,appreciating her persistence. “But I am sorry. I ca

“Why not?” asks Aldrik.

Nazirah puts her face in her hands, feelingnothing but despair. She hears crying and wailing outside andimagines the slum dwellers are as upset with their leader as sheis.

Cayus stares at Adamek’s hands and then intohis eyes. “Tell me, Adamek Morgen,” he says. “Tell me how manyintermix you have killed.”

“A lot,” Adamek says, not missing abeat.

“I see.”

“And how many intermix have you killed,”Adamek counters, “in order to obtain your leadership here?”

“A lot,” Cayus responds slowly. “But you canunderstand why I could never fight alongside you?”

Adamek is silent then, as is Aldrik.

Nazirah looks at them, enraged. “Well, Ican’t!” she shouts, standing up quickly. “He killed my fuckingparents! If I can do it, then you most certainly can!”