Ordo Noctis

Chapter 10

"Star, please. Please don't be dead. Please."

My eyes fluttered open as my memories returned. Mars breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank God."

I sat straight up. We were in a tent, and it was dark outside. It was small - barely big enough for two people. "Base - Han -"

"I know," he said, moving over and putting his arm around my shoulders. "We were the only ones who escaped."

"Did you -"

"Yes, I checked the map." He held up his phone. "Not a single operative is alive."

I refused to believe him. I grabbed his phone and searched the digital map. It was usually filled with lights, each representing the heartbeat of an Ordo Noctis agent. Most of the time, they were all in a cluster at Base. All I saw were two miniature lights, barely noticeable in the cruel darkness of the world.

And for the first time, the night didn't feel like home.

✩✧🟃🟀🟃✧✩

The next morning, we woke up and Mars immediately got to work. "We have no food, and we need to make a plan."

I rubbed my eyes groggily. It was the first time I could remember ever sleeping past 6:00 a.m. It felt great.

"How can you think at a time like this? I'm just in a state of shock."

Mars shrugged. "Must just be that extra year that gave me the motivation to keep moving." He nudged me, smiling, but I wasn't in the mood for jokes.

"You do realize we have absolutely nobody, right?" I reminded him. "No family. No friends. Han, and everybody else we knew, is gone. Not to mention the fact that we have absolutely zero resources outside of what we grabbed." I motioned to the six or so bags scattered around. "This tent, and everything in it, is all we have left."

The two of us looked around the small area silently, taking this new piece of information in. This was it - this was the entirety of our possessions.

"Well, you're certainly good at being negative," Mars laughed. "To prevent ourselves from spiraling into a deep dark hole of depression, I'm trying to focus on what we can do. First, we need to get out of Indiana."

I rolled my eyes. "There's no civilization around here for miles. What do you suggest we do, walk?"

Mars grinned cruelly, and I groaned, knowing what was coming.

"Pack your stuff," he said, standing up. "We're going on a hike."