I thought we’d steal more back then. Pretty much the whole academy hung out at the convenience store. We milled around like a mob, spurts of buddy violence and peals of laughter echoing in the summer sky. We were the kids that everyone worried about. We were just like you all sitting here now.

I remember the vacant parking lot and neon signage. We stayed well after the Suns had set, bathed in the glow of the flashing signs. But nobody ever stole anything, and that surprised me.

But one time, a kid dashed out of the store with two handfuls of gold coins. Here we go, I thought, we are animals.

He raced by, shoving me to the side with his shoulder, his eyes wild in his flat face, his long-coat whipping. He couldn’t have been over 14, just like you all.

Before I could spin around, I heard a violent smack. I turned to see the kid unconscious, dangling from a shroud of black. It was a uniformed Guardian.

That’s when I knew how we keep the animals in check – I signed up for the Guardian program that night.