I drew in a lungful of bracing late fall air, eyeing the helicopter dangling watchfully above. Peering out of the alleyway, I discovered that the sky was dotted with them; there were more than a dozen hovering like circling vultures against the clouds.

"Do we run?" I questioned, drawing back into the shadows.

Kyle whirled around, having fully composed himself. "Act natural, I think. They can't tell us apart from ordinary citizens, not from up there." He stared skyward, an intense gleam in his eyes.

As he made to continue walking, I reached out and caught the back of his jacket.

"Hold on, maybe they're not looking for us..." I trailed off, gesturing upward. He shielded his eyes from the glaring sun with his hand.

The helicopters were scattering in every direction around us. Barely discernible, something else was stretching out between them: an electric current, like dim streaks of lightning pulsing across the air—as if a blanket of electricity was being spread across the entire city.

"I think this is bigger than us," I whispered. "When the sky opened up before, it must have been them—the Species. They're up there somewhere, trying to get in, and the city wants to keep them out." I nodded to myself. "This must be their defense."

"But they are still looking for us, aren't they? We might be why they want in," Kyle said, his brow furrowed. "This isn't good. We're fighting a war on two fronts."

"What do you mean?"

"If we stay in the city, we'll constantly be at risk of being discovered and locked up. If we leave, this Species might just find us...and we'll have to face whatever it is they want to do with us."

My pulse jumped, my heart pounding frantically against my ribs. "What do we do?"

"We'll have to make a choice, I suppose. Which fate is worse?" He grimaced at his own words.

"Both sound equally awful to me."

He nodded in understanding. Then we went silent, lost in thought and gazing upward.

One nagging thought surfaced in my mind and forced its way from my lips. "What I'd give to wake up tomorrow to my mother yelling for me to get ready for school. I never appreciated my life at the time, but now it sounds like a dream." My breathing grew rapid and shallow as my thoughts spiraled into the past.

"Why play a losing game? Why not just fold?" I wondered aloud. "We've been running for so long, but there's nothing to run to."

My own hollow voice rang loudly in my ears. Tears were springing at the corners of my eyes, and though I gasped for air, it felt like I was suffocating.

Kyle stepped forward, gripping my shoulders and staring intently into my eyes. "Breathe—slowly. In and out." Then he wrapped his arms around me, pulling me close. "Things haven't gone completely hopeless yet," Kyle spoke softly, his breath hot against my ear. "We have plenty of time to think about this before we make a move."

With my face buried in his jacket, his blurry figure blocked out the rest of the world. I breathed raggedly, trying to draw air more deeply into my lungs. After a few moments, my heart began to slow.

"Maybe there's one consolation." He pulled away and gave me a crooked grin, though his eyes looked uneasy. "We probably never would have met if none of this had happened."

A laugh escaped my lips. "Totally worth it." My tone was a strange mix of sincerity and sarcasm. I decided to try to change the topic, not wanting to dwell on my own pity party. "So...what's next?"

"I suggest we still meet up with everyone as planned. Tell them they need to make a decision to stay or go."

"Which would you choose?" I stared curiously at him.

He looked surprisingly reluctant to answer. "You first."

"Come on, I really want to know what you—"

"I think you're right. They both sound equally unappealing." He heaved a sigh, then his lips curled into a faint smile. "I'll follow you wherever you go."

A grin forced its way onto my face, though I felt a little annoyed. "That's not fair to put it all on me. I make horrible decisions. You should know." But I didn't protest any further, fixing my mind on coming to a decision.

Meanwhile, we carried on through the streets, cutting through suburban developments and expanses of farmland until the border fence grew in the distance. The droning of helicopters dissipated, and light drained from the sky.

Just in time, we reached our meeting point, a short hill covered in crunchy fallen leaves and bare trees. At its peak, we stopped, and Kyle let out a piercing whistle.

From all directions, our friends emerged—having camouflaged themselves under dirt and dead leaves or climbed to the highest tree branches that would support their weight.

"We heard helicopters," Rosalie stated, eyes glowing nervously under the rising moon.

"We don't think they're looking for us," Kyle said. "But, as we all know, something else is."

"You all have a decision to make," he announced, taking on an authoritative tone. "Whether we stay or leave, we will be in danger, and it's unclear which poses a greater threat: something completely unknown, not from this planet—or the cruel tyranny of our own government."

The group murmured with worry and uncertainty.

"On top of that," I added, "if we leave, the winter will be harsh, and we'll have to set up an entirely new base. If we stay, I'm sure Jason has already told the government everything he saw, including how we'd been acquiring supplies from our families. They will be monitored, and I'm sure the guards will look for us relentlessly now that they know we were here."

Kyle nodded. "So we're being forced to make a blind choice. We must gamble our fates—maybe even our lives. I want to make that clear."

For a moment, there was nothing but the cold wind whistling through the trees.

Ana stepped forward, hugging her arms tightly against herself. "Where will you go, then? Since you're the one with military training and all."

Kyle gazed discreetly at me.

"I'm sick of this city," I breathed, nodding toward the wilderness beyond the tall fence.

It was true. The place I was raised didn't feel like home anymore—it only reminded me that I didn't have one. It had finally sunk in: my life had changed permanently, and there was no going back.

____________

as always, thanks for reading ♡

I almost want to get into a fast-writing mode where I just finish the story even if it's super rough (then come back later and fix it up). because I know I could finish it this year, but not at the pace I've been going (sorry for slow updates).