Dawn of Fog and Glass

Chapter Twenty-Nine: Dawn of Fog and Glass

We dedicate the next morning to a "grocery run"; which, Ariadna explains, is very different from what a grocery run would look like before the Fog.

Firstly, there are the Crawlers—or, at least, the dangerous ones. The Morph smell is rare out here in the city, so they'll be attracted to us from far away.

The second factor to consider is the collection of institute helicopters that are seemingly still out there looking for us. Although it's unlikely they'll be able to track us out here, it's far from impossible.

The third factor is that we have to try our best to blend in. The institute would pay fine money to have Dominic, Draco and me back, and some people out here are desperate for cash. That being said, the world has changed since we were last in it, and as I prepare for this so-called "grocery run", I feel like a fish out of water.

The four of us are huddled in Ariadna's truck. It was surprising at first when she veered off the road and into a ditch, but she explained that the trees overhead will block us from the view of potential helicopters.

We look out to a deserted road and the dimly-lit, twenty-four-hour grocery mart on the other side.

Dom pulls at the sleeves of his turtleneck, folding them over his wrists. It's weird seeing him and Draco out of uniform, but Dom wears his combat boots and high-waisted pants as if they're natural to him.

Meanwhile, Draco was a different story. After staring at the pile of spare clothes back in the bunker for a solid fifteen minutes, he expressed never having had the opportunity to choose his own clothes before; his mom helped him up until the Fog, and after that, he was at the institute. Eventually, I helped him pick out an oversize pullover sweater and rolled jeans that he seems to like.

Ariadna sits in the driver seat and digs in her bag. She pulls out a taser. "Any of you know how to use this?"

When we all shake our heads no, she takes out a pair of nun chucks next, eyebrows raised. After that is a pistol, which she pockets in her own belt.

"I know you know how to use this one." She hands me a swiss army knife. "Or knives in general, I'm guessing."

"Better with daggers, but I know my way around a swiss army knife."

Eventually, she sighs, wincing at Dom and Draco. "Can either of you use any weapons?"

Draco glances at Dom for help.

Dom only shrugs in response.

Draco turns back to Ariadna, holds up a finger, and lights a little candle flame above it. His eyes shine an innocent orange in the flame.

"No." Ariadna gives him a wary look. "We're undercover, remember?"

Draco bows his head in response, extinguishing the flame.

As if possessed, Ariadna cranes her neck to lean out the window. Her eyes widen. "Duck."

She slides down in her seat and pushes down on the top of my head, forcing me to do the same.

Dom and Draco follow suit.

In a moment, a low roar on the road follows. I listen to the car fade away in the distance. My chest stays tight, breath held snugly in my lungs.

Finally, Ariadna repositions herself in the seat, and motions for us to do the same.

I release my breath and sit back up.

"That's the eighth one since we got here," Dom says. "I thought the streets would be a lot more deserted than this."

She drops the weapons back in her bag and slings the pack over her shoulders. "People like normalcy. At some point, they have to return to normal life and pretend everything is okay again."