"Calestia," my mother whispered, hands cupping either side of my face. Tears filled her light blue eyes and slowly slipped down her cheeks. "I'm sorry."

My body shook with leftover adrenaline. I reached out and grabbed her delicate hand. How was her face so pale? I couldn't believe that her life was draining out of her as I sat there. I could barely talk over the gagging in my throat. The tears that dripped down my own cheeks barely registered as they landed on her bloodied shirt. "Mom, no," I mumbled. I wanted to scream, but it still felt like I was choking. "You'll be okay. I can help you. I can..."

My words faded as her eyes focused elsewhere. "Calestia...."

There was nothing left to say. All I could do was watch.

"Seventeen years ago, seeing my baby girl for the first time...you smiled at me." Her body shook as she coughed. "Your smile...it's all I ever wanted to see." I could barely see through the fog of my own tears. "Remember I love you. If there is one thing...that'll save you...it's love... Don't...don't...." She began to cough violently.

And then she turned to me one last time, her pain already fading. "Don't lose that..."

My eyes flew open.

Ice. Cold. Pain.

I was still under the tree.

It took me a moment to remember what had happened. Unsurprisingly, I was covered in snow at least a couple centimeters high. It'd been a few hours. Somehow, I hadn't been killed or captured during that time.

I'd had near encounters with the gangs, but none as close as this. My skin crawled at the thought of how bad that could have gone. For once, I was grateful to be in the snow.

The gangs were just another obstacle in my life now.

They'd been around since the rain. During that first month, crime rates had spiked dramatically. Most people thought it was the apocalypse. Looting and theft were a way of life. People were selfish when it came to survival.

It had been a Sunday morning, rain still pounding down outside, when my mom's favorite news channel came to life and announced the "serious threat of organized crime invading our cities."

Apparently, teamwork made living easier. Rather than robbing alone, people robbed in groups. It merely made them more difficult to stop.

The police gave up. They joined them. I can't deny that I'd been tempted to join at one point. That was before I knew about their horrific methods.

By the time the snow began, many of the gangs had been around for a while. I didn't know when they started kidnapping people as slaves. I didn't know why anyone would find that okay, even in the apocalypse.

I just knew to stay as far away from them as possible. These people were ruthless. They didn't care about anything, as long as they remained at the top of the food chain.

I could barely feel my hands and couldn't feel my one shoeless foot at all. That was a little concerning, but I wouldn't be able to take care of it until I got out of the snow.

I stood up, wiping snowflakes off my stiff body. I winced as my foot hit the freezing ground. First priority: get my boot back. Otherwise, I wasn't sure how long I'd last before getting frostbite - if I didn't already have it.

What if the gang members were still there? I supposed I'd have to take that risk. Possible capture was better than permanent immobility.

I limped away from the tree. The lack of feeling in my toes was concerning. After a couple minutes of searching, I found the spot where I'd been tranquilized. A brown lump was stuck in the snow pile.

"Screw you," I muttered as I ripped the shoe out of the snow. I glanced back at the store. For a moment, my heart rate kicked up as I noticed the dark figure moving towards it from the opposite direction, distant enough that they wouldn't see me. I had to get moving.

My boot was damp and cold when I put it on. Gross. The knife that I kept sheathed in the laces was still there. Even though I hadn't had the occasion to use it and lacked fighting skills, it was a comfort.

Snow fell heavily as I walked back. The few minutes of reprieve had merely been an anomaly.

As I walked away, another thought struck me.

The gang had mentioned a meeting tonight. The distant dark figure I'd seen was probably heading there for the trade. Another survivor would be sold. Usually, I could ignore my twinge of empathy, but after what I'd witnessed...

Seeing a trade in-person hurt. The boy's face was stuck in my memory.

I was no hero.

Yet, it was unlikely I'd come upon another trading site like this one. Most of them existed closer to...

The place I'd only heard rumors about. The Equator.

Months ago, when the snow first started to fall, my mom had mentioned it in low whispers to my brother. I tried not to listen too much - I'd felt bad eavesdropping. They'd been arguing. My mom had wanted my brother to take me on the long journey to the Equator. My brother didn't want to leave her behind.

He never got to. He never would get to. I shuddered.

The Equator was a beacon of light for lone survivors. The snow wasn't as bad down there. Or wasn't as lethal. Apparently, there was a civilization of refugees who worked together and lived in peace.

At least, rumor had it they were living. I sometimes wondered if it was all some joke to give people like me hope.

Anyway, none of that mattered. Right now, I was considering being reckless.

I had the chance to save someone's life. The night before I hadn't taken it. I'd been smart enough not to risk myself. Despite the risk, all I could feel was a familiar guilt nagging at me. It came every time I caught sight of gang members and hid. I could only imagine the boy and where he was now...what he was going through.

I wondered what I would be thinking if I were in his position. I imagined him being a friend of mine.

If he were my brother...

I couldn't make myself walk away. Usually I could, but all I could think about was my mom's face from my dreams.

Most of the time, I stumbled upon a trading site by accident. This time, I was prepared. I knew the time. I knew the location. And, honestly, I was tired of wandering through the wilderness lacking any purpose.

I mean, I was going to die one day anyway. Probably soon if the snow never stopped.

It would be smarter to ignore my empathetic instincts and focus on saving myself, but isn't being complacent as bad as being guilty?

And I was also being reckless for another reason that I didn't want to admit.

Maybe empathy was just my excuse. I had nothing to lose anymore.

I turned, ignoring my doubts, and headed towards the store. I would hide in the same place as before, keeping to the shadows. Then, when I saw the chance to strike, I would.

Memories from hours earlier flooded back as I trudged towards the white building. I wasn't sure what time it was, but the gray sky had darkened. That could only mean that I'd underestimated how long I'd been passed out.

Time flew by. One second the dark figure was a speck, the next I could hear footsteps and the window opening as someone snuck inside. A couple of minutes later, more footsteps. This time, three distinct pairs.

I double-checked the knife in my boot, making sure I hadn't lost it. It was all I had.

When I heard the window shut, I snuck towards the entrance, careful to stay out of sight. I couldn't help my limp. My focus overwhelmed any thoughts concerning my foot.

"I'm surprised David agreed to the deal," the husky voice said loudly.

"It's a decent trade."

"Good." Coins clinked as they were passed. I cautiously peeked through the window. Just like earlier, the three gang members stood in the middle with a different trading chip in tow. This time, it was a girl who looked to be around my age with dark auburn hair and fear in her hazel eyes. She wasn't alone. Next to her stood a boy with the same hair and a face nearly identical to hers. They looked like they could be twins.

Both wore chains around their wrists. The female gang member from before yanked them playfully. Only the boy stumbled. She laughed before handing them off, chains loudly clanking. I didn't hesitate. I grabbed the window handle, pulled it open, and slipped inside, all while the sound of the chains hid any noise I'd made. I pressed my back up against the inside corner of the store where I was hidden in shadows. The only light came from a single fluorescent rectangle in the center of the room above the gang members' heads.

I slid my knife out from my boot, unsheathing it from the piece of cloth I'd wrapped it in to avoid cutting my ankle. My fingers curled around the handle. As I moved closer to the bulky man now holding the chains of the two prisoners, I kept my knife ready.

"Forty coins, as promised," he said, dumping a handful of gleaming metal into the woman's slender fingers. She poured it into a pouch at her waist. "They better be good workers."

"They are," the woman replied. "And if you threaten one, the other will do anything. You know how twins work."

I guess that answered my speculation.

She turned away, her short black hair gleaming under the artificial light. "Let's go," she muttered to her partner.

I frowned. There was no way I could take on all three gang members at once. I barely knew how to wield a knife as it was.

But if the two gang members who'd handed off the twins left before the bulky man did...

It'd still be difficult – I was pretty sure I'd lose to that guy in a fight. But I could catch him by surprise, and if he let go of those chains...

Three versus one seemed like pretty good odds.

The idea was wild and reckless. I was counting on the two slaves being capable enough to help. But if it worked, we'd be out of the store before anyone could shoot a tranquilizer gun.

This was the best chance I'd get, even if the thought of stabbing someone disturbed me.

As the two reached the window, I took a step forward, heart slamming in my chest.

I froze.

Because the man holding the chains was suddenly on his knees, clutching his side. It took me a moment to connect the sharp bang I'd heard with the bleeding man in front of me.

Somebody had shot him.

And it hadn't been me.

Instinct brought me back against the wall. My confidence was gone. I had no idea where the gunshot had come from. It couldn't have been the other gang, since they were staring wide-eyed at the man, as shocked as I was.

That was when I noticed a glint of black metal. Something moved in the opposite corner of the store. Fingers clutched onto a trigger.

The two other gang members put the pieces together faster than I could. The woman on the right pulled out a real gun, aimed, and pulled the trigger. I ducked behind a nearby crate as the gunshot went off. Based on the clang, it missed its target.

From behind the crate, I saw the two corner the shooter. He came out from the safety of the darkness, hands held above his head. But unlike the overpowering fear I'd seen in the eyes of the chained girl, I saw rebellion. It was a determination unseen in this cold wasteland.

The man bled out on the ground as the lady's companion grabbed the twins' chains off the ground.

"Looks like we got lucky," he said to his partner.

She smiled; cheekbones highlighted by her pixie cut. "I don't think we could've done better. David will be happy." She pulled a pair of handcuffs from her belt and restrained the shooter, a satisfied smirk on her face.

As she tightened the handcuffs, she whispered to the boy cheerfully, "Thanks for killing our trading partner."

He spat in her face. She just grimaced and turned away.

I wasn't sure what to do. I'd lost my element of surprise. This boy had ruined my advantage.

Who was this boy? Some trading site vigilante that I'd never seen before? I was a little annoyed to be honest.

I could wait until the gang members left and escape. Like I said, I wasn't a hero. As I started to settle for that, my conscience once again nagged at me. Could I leave now? I'd gotten this far.

Trying to help would be suicide.

But maybe it would be worth it.

What did I have to lose?

I'd come here with a purpose.

If there's one thing that'll save you, it's love. Don't lose that. My mom's words. I couldn't get them out of my head.

Don't lose it.

I couldn't lose myself, even if I felt lost.

I came out from behind the crate and attacked.