After separating from Kyle, Tess followed Jade's instructions. They didn't take her where she'd expected. She followed them to the outskirts of the City and past the fence, which was no longer electrified. Then they led her to a long-abandoned road.

Hidden in the treeline was a car that had clearly been left there recently. It was a shiny new model, and the foliage hadn't grown over it like everything else.

Tess approached it cautiously. The doors were unlocked, there was food and water in the back seat, and a key was lying on the driver's seat. She pushed it into the ignition, turned the key, and the car whirred to life. Someone had certainly left it there for her to find as part of this mysterious solo mission.

She drove carefully down the damaged road, having to brake frequently to dodge the worst potholes and cracks, along with deserted rusted-out cars. She watched the sky turn from hazy orange to clear blue.

It wasn't long before she was struck by a vivid memory. This was the exact road she and Kyle had driven toward the school in a stolen car. That had been about a year ago. The thought of how much everything had changed since then made her shiver, a chill tracing down her spine.

What could Jade possibly want her to do out here?

As she went, she grew less cautious, letting her foot fall more heavily on the gas pedal.

Soon, she recognized the overgrown side road to the school to her right, but the coordinates told her to keep going past it. She made a sharp turn, determined to check it out anyway.

Branches constantly whapped against the windshield and scraped against the car's sides as it edged forward. Finally, she burst into a clearing, and there it was: a sprawling one-story high school, now abandoned twice. With no one around to maintain it, the forest was encroaching upon the building, branches growing into broken windows and vines scaling the exterior walls.

Tess stopped the car, tore the key from the ignition, and entered the school. She wandered aimlessly, finding herself in the cafeteria where she had eaten every meal for years, the auditorium where Doc had made announcements or Rosalie had tried to organize plays, and the many classrooms, each claimed by a runaway as a bedroom.

Everyone had decorated their rooms with stolen goods from a nearby abandoned mall. She found Kyle's, remembering that it had always been nearly empty except for a makeshift bed. She figured it was because of his time in the military when he hadn't been allowed many personal possessions. Meanwhile, she had packed her room with furniture and trinkets, trying desperately to make the place feel more like home.

Standing in the doorway to her old room, overwhelmed by the memories, Tess heard the faintest breath behind her.

Before she could turn, a force threw her to the ground, smashing her face into the carpeted floor. There was the unmistakable weight of a human on her back, knee pressing uncomfortably into her spine.

"Who are you and what the hell are you doing here?" a male voice shouted. A sharp blade was pressed firmly against her cheek. Her eyes bulged, staring at the hand that held it.

"Are you with the government? Answer me!" the voice demanded.

Definite recognition clicked in Tess's mind. She knew this voice, and it unlocked memories much older than the school.

"Matt, could we maybe have a chat before you slice my face open?"

The weight was immediately removed, and the knife clattered to the floor. As she rolled over to face him, Matt stared with crazed eyes, hands shaking and chest heaving with each breath.

He eyed the knife like he regretted dropping it. "Last I saw you, you were dying. Imminently. They got to you, didn't they?" He paused, then nodded solemnly to himself as if answering his own question. "It's the only way you could have lived."

A tear fell down her cheek, but she was smiling. "Matthew, I'm so glad to see you. I'm so happy you're alive."

He looked disgusted, not wanting to meet her gaze. "I can already tell you're not her."

"It's more complicated than that. We're one. Bound together forever."

She hadn't meant to say that. He looked uncomfortable. He was staring at the knife again.

"Why did you come here?" he asked softly. After another pause, he added more loudly, "You know what? I don't want to know. Just stay away from me. If I see you again...I'll kill you."

He approached her to retrieve his knife. Tess noticed then that his neck was swollen and there were red sores on his palms.

The radiation was making him sick. Everywhere outside the cities was contaminated.

She swallowed hard as he backed away, keeping his eyes on her the whole time.

Then she was alone.

Minutes later, her communicator buzzed with a new message from Jade. It read, "I thought you might like a chance to save your friends' lives. Wait until they're all outside, then send them up."

At first, Tess was confused about who these multiple friends could be.

Then she remembered that the City had only captured about half of their group when Jason betrayed their location. This meant some of her friends must have stayed in the wilderness and survived another year as their bodies fell apart—just as Kyle's health had declined before she saved him.

If she didn't give them up, including Matt, they would all die out here.

She wouldn't let that happen.

Tess curled up in her old bed and slept until nightfall. Then she slunk into the shadows outside, eager to do what she thought was right. Even if it meant absolute betrayal.

___________

it's –SPEED WRITING– time y'all

hope you have a great day & good health!