Kalli was walking toward the school bus as her boots hit the road with an angry rhythm.
"Is she bleeding?"
The crowd was just staring at her.
Blood - it wasn't hers. Someone else's blood was dripping down her fists.
The last fight still made her heart thud in her ears. A primal feeling.
Her left hand was gripping that red lighter like some lethal weapon.
The rest of her class stood frozen in the crowd.
But their eyes were flicking to her and then looking away.
As if they were afraid of her.
"Yeah they are."
And she didn't blame them for it. She kinda built that fear herself. They didn't dare speak.
But then - he stepped forward.
Lys.
Out of nowhere, he broke the stillness. He rested his hand on Kalli's shoulder.
And before her head could process what was happening, Lys pulled her into an embrace.
For a second, she went stiff.
But then it hit her, that warmth. His strong arms wrapped around her. That cozy feeling was like they belonged there. And Kalli felt something inside her tough shell twist and soften.
Her hands moved behind his back, almost instinctively. It was strange, foreign, yet it felt right. Home.
When Lys finally let go, there was a softness in his gaze. His eyes searched her arms, her face—checking for signs of injury, of damage.
"You alright?" Lys asked.
Kalli nodded. She blinked a few times. "I'm fine." She rubbed her left eye, as if she just woke up from a pleasant dream. "They got what they deserved."
But before Lys could respond -
"Oh, Sia!" Sofia came rushing up to them. Her tone and posture - it all felt far too carefree for the tension that lingered.
Sofia waved at Sia, "You got the ice cream, right? The one I told you to bring?"
Kalli's breath caught in her throat. Those words that came from Sofia, hit her harder than any punch.
For a moment, her blood ran cold in her veins. Oh god, she sure hated Sofia.
That smile....
"So that's exactly why she went there-to that freaking shop?" Kalli shook her head, bitter laughter escaping her.
"To buy your damn ice cream?"
Sia froze. Her eyes flicked nervously between them, unsure of how to handle Kalli's words. "Kalli, it's fine. It's not her-"
Kalli immediately cut her off. Her patience wore thin.
She walked toward Sofia's face, with her hard fists clenching. "You crossed a limit. You spoiled little-"
She couldn't even finish the sentence nor the punch.
As Lys's hand shot out, grabbing Kalli's wrist mid-air. His grip was too damn firm.
"Kalli, just don't," he warned with his eyes locked into hers, "Don't you dare touch my girlfriend."
Kalli's pulse raced. This really wasn't the first time they had clashed like this over Sofia.
And something within Kalli knew, it definitely wouldn't be the last.
They'd been like this for months now.
Kalli got her hand free from his grasp, "Even after what she did, You'd really defend her over your own sister?"
Lys's response came without hesitation, "Yeah. I'd defend her. You know why? It is easier to defend a composed person than someone who loses control every damn time."
Everyone around them seemed to hold their breath.
They knew Kalli wouldn't like this comparison. and an explosion was about to happen.
And Just as Kalli opened her mouth-
"Enough."
Simon's voice interrupted them like a drum set. Cold yet commanding.
He stood by the open door. One hand on his hip and the other clearly gesturing toward the bus.
"You want to fight? Do it in front of your school counselor, not in front of my damn bus."
He was irritated by all of these dramas. "Get in. All of you."
The command was final.
And after a few moments of silence, the group began to file inside.
Kalli didn't move until the last of them, Sofia included, disappeared into the bus.
Lys stayed back for a moment, the tension in his posture was evident. Then, he also went back into the bus leaving only Kalli behind.
Kalli watched them as she ground her teeth. That urge to lash out was still burning in her heart.
Finally, Simon looked over at Kalli, waiting, still standing by the door.
"Are you done with your soap opera?"
Kalli took a shaky breath. "I'm going, okay?"
As she began to climb the steps, Simon's voice softened-just a little, "You two are siblings, right? Why fight like this?"
Kalli froze, her hand still gripping the rail.
She looked at her hand and then she turned back, meeting Simon's eyes. "As if I wanna fight." She scoffed. "He's just obsessed with that one girl. Whatever. I could care less. He's adopted."
Her voice hardened again, "Fuck his girlfriend."
Simon didn't respond, just shook his head slowly.
Kalli climbed onto the bus, her gaze burning through the back of Lys's head. She took her seat in the back, with Jenna and Sia.
It was only then that Mr. Detori Atropa appeared on the scene. He was the instructor sent by the school committee to guide the students. And then bring them safely home.
His face was all sweaty.
Atropa asked, "Everyone here?" as he wiped the stinky sweat from his bald head.
Simon gave a nod. "Yeah. You can check if you don't believe me."
Atropa grunted in acknowledgment and moved toward the bus, but Simon's eyes drifted downward, catching something odd beneath the vehicle. The front wheel.
There was something.... off about it. The metal bar, just behind the tire, was bent. It was cracked at the joint where it met the wheel.
Simon's expression tightened. "Damn axle's got a fracture."
Atropa stopped, his gaze snapping to Simon. "What? No way. What the fuck. Can it still move?"
"It'll hold for now," Simon muttered, crouching to get a better look. "But not for long. We can make it to the station two clicks out, but that's it. After that? She's done."
Atropa scowled, adjusting his glasses. "Can she really make it?"
"Yeah," Simon replied. "We'll get it to the repair station." He straightened, giving the wheel a final glance. "Okay, let's go now."
Far away, back in Sector 5, the sky glowed with the same dying light.
Alena and Kamala stood side by side, talking about daily life.
"About that announcement earlier…" Alena said. "Kostas sounded serious. Any update on that rogue?"
Kamala adjusted her earpiece, her brow creasing. "Yeah. We're still on lockdown. They want every patrol alert. Apparently some spies said they saw him crossing from Sector 5 into Sector 7, but no confirmation yet."
Alena frowned. "So we're stuck until they find him."
Kamala nodded. "Pretty much. So keep your eyes open. Kostas thinks he's dangerous enough to warrant a full sweep. You don't want to run into that kind of thing alone."
Alena gave a small, dry laugh. "Great. Just what I needed on Lys's birthday."
Kamala blinked. "It's his birthday?"
"Yeah," Alena smiled faintly. "His first one with us, actually. New family, new start. I was supposed to set up the decorations before sunset. Kate's already waiting at home."
Kamala smirked. "Tell the kid I said happy birthday."
"Oh, sure." Alena laughed softly, giving her a playful shove. "You take care."
They exchanged a brief wave before parting ways.
The only normal trooper in this sector, she thought.
Then, Alena walked down the road. It was eerily empty. Those laughs and chatters - everything behind her faded fast. As if they were swallowed by the stillness from the woods.
But as she moved deeper along the path, that calm started to thin. The air kinda felt heavier here - like the world was holding its breath.
"What is this unease?"
Her boots crunched on the road as she reached her front gate. The sun was hanging low behind the treeline, bleeding orange through the leaves and woods.
She was humming again. That same tune from earlier — the one that had been looping in her head all morning. She tried to remember where the melody left off.
Then she stopped.
There were footprints.
There were footprints.
There were-
"Oh god.. who-"
Deep, uneven footprints in the dirt. Kate couldn't walk. These weren't hers.
They led straight to her front door.
And -
No prints leading away.
Alena's stomach twisted.
"No."
Lys and Kate were supposed to be out at the picnic. They shouldn't be here by now.
Alena's hands began to shake.
She felt like her heartbeats were beating faster than ever.
She based on her instincts, reached for the handle of her axe.
The radio warning of Kostas echoed in her head -"There's a rogue and dangerous cult member on the loose."
The timing.
The tracks.
The silence.
It all fell into place like shards of broken glass.
Then, faintly, she heard it.
A melody.
The same one she'd been humming — only now it wasn't coming from her. It was drifting through the half-open window of her house.
Soft. Slow.
A voice threading through the tune, cracked and uneven.
"Don't you make me feel guilty…"
Alena froze. Her breath hitched.
"…and suffer the pain."
She took one slow step forward.
"Fuck," she whispered.