The trees around them grew taller as they ran deeper into the forest, the flat valley disappearing into the distance far behind them. Some lights could still be seen flashing near the farmhouse that was now barely a smudge on the horizon, ever fading as they run past more and more trees.

Their faces stung as low hanging branches mercilessly whipped them as they ran, like invisible leafy whips hidden under the shadow of the thickening tree canopy. They approached a large tree and circled it.

“W-wait!” Anne called.

She struggles to catch her breath as she leans with her back against the tree.

“I think we are safe now,” Anne breathed loudly as she looks back at where they came from. She could feel her temples pounding from the rush. Tom drops down on a thick root running along the ground, rubbing his stinging legs. The forest was dead silent except for the wind rustling the branches above.

“Do you think someone followed us?” Anne whispered.

Tom shakes his head, his gaze fixed on where they came from.

The farmhouse was now entirely out of sight. They embraced the quiet, gradually calming down.

The sound of wings made them look up, searching the canopy above them. It was dark, but rays of moonlight would now and then shine through as the leaves and branches moved in the wind. A branch overhead shook as a large winged silhouette landed on it, stretching out its large wings before tucking them away. It was an owl-like creature.

Anne and Tom froze in place, not wanting to draw any attention, for the bird had an intimidating size.

It’s bigger than me! Anne realized with a shock. The weight of the bird lowered the branch enough for a stream of moonlight to beam through, basking it in an eerie glow. It had a giant sharp beak covering its entire face and no eyes could be seen. The beak snapped once, then moved around as if it was searching for prey.

A twig snapped under Anne’s foot and the owl-creature’s beak snapped in response. Her muscles tensed as she tries to stay perfectly still. They looked on in horror as the owl’s chest tore open, revealing a giant yellow eye inside, staring straight at Anne. The eye was throbbing.

Its eye, it has a heart!

No... That is its heart.

The owl’s pupil narrowed, sending a stinging pain shooting through Anne’s body. Her limbs refused to move as she stood paralyzed, held firmly by an unseen force. Anne could feel the owl’s mind tugging on her own, trying to breach it. The contact was brief and with a horrific screech, the owl’s mind retracted, shutting its eye and spreading its wings. The owl departed, leaving them in silence yet again.

Anne had regained control of her body.

They wander the forest for hours. Their bodies and minds were weary, and they were confused.

What do we do now? Anne tries her best to focus on their situation.

Her thoughts quickly turn to that scarlet scene, and her last few hours with Tiffany sleeping under the tree. She takes a few steps toward a dead tree stump lying on its side with small white and purple mushrooms that had grown from between its cracks.

Tiff. John. Was it our fault?

Anne reaches out to touch a mushroom when the muscles in her neck and back tighten in alarm.

What!? Where?

Anne looks around, searching the darkness.

Tom!

Tom was lying flat on his back, pinned to the ground by a dark figure on top of him. Tom struggles to break free, but he is firmly held in place. With a sudden flash of blue light, the silence was broken by a loud buzz. Tom grits his teeth as his body tenses, and moments later the blue light is gone. Tom lay silent.

“No! Get off him!” Anne runs at the figure without thinking. The figure stood up and the blue light flared again, crackling loud as tendrils of lightning dance through the air. The light revealed a man, clothed in black. The light was flashing from his right hand and multiple red spheres lined his face, glowing faintly. Azure streaks painted the sky as he moved and before she could react, she felt her feet leave the ground. Her small body dangled in the air as the man held her by her throat.

She squirmed and grabbed at the man’s arm as she tries to escape, but the man was too powerful. His big hand was crushing her neck.

Gagging noiselessly, she choked and struggled.

The light was illuminating the surrounding trees into pillars of azure flame as the man moved his hand right up to her chest.

…Tom.

***

Anne opened her eyes. Everything around her was hazy and her eyes refused to focus. Faint rattling and humming sounds were coming from somewhere around her. A drop of blood rolled down the side of her arm, leaving a warm streak. Anne tilts her head, following the blood back up her arm. She could vaguely see her bleeding wrists as she was suspended in the air. Large steel cuffs were attached to her wrists as she hung from them, arms spread apart, and two more dug into her skin just above her feet. She could not make out much more of her surroundings.

“Quite the runners these two.” An unknown voice laughed. The voice sounded inches from Anne’s face, but she could not be sure.

“They should be awake soon.”

“Yeah well, they are in for a long ride since that bridge collapsed.”

“Cut the chatter back there. I’m opening a comm line to the LC.”

They went quiet. A high-pitched beep could be heard soon after.

“Darn it. No answer. Let me try again.”

Another high-pitched beep resounded through the air.

“Lieutenant colonel Marcus? … This is sergeant Gibbs reporting in about the sighting.”

“Good, what are your findings? Make it quick sergeant.” Marcus’s voice boomed from the radio.

“Yes, sir!” Gibbs answered, his voice a bit shaken.

“It appeared the sighting was on point, sir. We have captured two entities. One boy, one girl. They match the descriptions.”

“Well, I’ll be damned. John came through,” Marcus mumbled.

“Did John say anything more about them?” Marcus continued.

“Sir.” Gibbs paused. “He got V.D.”

There was a long stretch of silence. Only the persistent humming and the sporadic rattle could be heard.

“What is your ETA?” Marcus said in a low, controlled voice.

“ETA is 04:14,” Gibbs replied.

“Still about 2 hours away, huh? Just get here in one piece, sergeant. I’ll have a containment team waiting. Just keep those two sedated until we are sure what we are dealing with. Marcus out.” The call ended.

A few minutes pass before the conversation picks up again. “S-sir?” Another man’s voice could be heard.

“Sir. Permission to ask a question, sir.” The man said. The man sounded younger than the others.

“Speak up there private. Ask away.” A man answered.

I can… I can make out at least five voices. We are in one of those… those… armored vehicles? Anne observed.

“Sir, who are these children? I know this was a capture operation, but why? And why the restraints. Why all the security?”

“You did read the sitrep, didn’t you?” The man replied.

“There was a sitrep?” The young man replied, and everyone burst out laughing.

“Private. I’ll fill you in, but only this once.” A serious voice came from within the laughter.

“Are you familiar with ‘The Incident’?

“Y-yes.” The young man answered softly.

“Well you see, after The Incident they started research into dealing with the aftermath. V.D. events were widespread. So, people that were suitable for testing were identified as ‘entities’ and were used to develop the cure as we know it today.”

The laughter had quieted, and everyone was listening.

“The thing is,” he continued.

“That was over 20 years ago. These entities are the youngest I have ever heard of. Too young. The researched ended after the cure was synthesized 4 years after The Incident, and even then, they were all adults.”

“I… I don’t understand.” The young man murmured.

“These entities are not supposed to exist.” The response came bluntly.

“There is a facility a few hours from where we found these two, but it was abandoned years ago, taken back by the forest. That is why we are investigating this anomaly and taking these entities to the lab. Read the mission details next time!” The man grumbled, clearly irritated.

The young man didn’t have any more questions and all the men stayed silent. Anne could hear the humming around her again.

A faint screech could be heard, and Anne and Tom swung from side to side as much as their constraints allowed.

“Why are we stopping?” Someone asked.

“I don’t know.”

A familiar high-pitched beep sounded.

“Lead, this is Unit Three. Why are we stopping?”

“Lead?”

A rush of wind shook the vehicle. Light burst through the front window, illuminating the inside for a moment. The armored car in front of them spun through the air as it is thrown by a huge explosion.

Chaos ensued as the car behind them also disappear is a flash of orange flames. Incoherent yells mingled with the sounds of gunfire. The world tumbled.

***

Anne’s ears were ringing.

She opened her eyes but could only see a haze of orange as she hung limply from her shackles. Tom’s chains had torn out from the floor when the vehicle rolled. It ended up on its roof, making Anne hang from her feet. Tom was unmoving on the floor. Anne could feel her face turn pale as her battered and bruised body yearns to surrender.

The flicker of flames around them revealed the bodies of the other passengers. They were all wearing the same jet-black gear that the man in the forest wore.

Two figures suddenly appeared, crawling through the back of the vehicle where the door had been forced open. Warm hands brushed Anne's feet as she felt herself being freed from her cuffs. She saw Tom get picked up and carried out the back of the vehicle and a pair of strong arms then gently held her as she too was carried through to the outside.

Anne’s body loosens as her consciousness leaves her.

The last blurry image to leave her mind was that of the overturned armored car shrinking into the distance, with both her small arms still chained to the roof inside.