In All the Other Worlds

Hello There.

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My uniform against the closet welcomed me as I woke up. It was, as last night, a reminder of the reality that hit us sooner than we had wished. Instead of loud shouts, laughter and the smell of pancakes follow me downstairs.

"So glad you could join us for breakfast, Blair." Mr. Bruno shoots a knowing look as I collect food and orange juice. I checked to see if the angels were still here, but they seemed to hide from whatever he had planned for today.

"I was studying the map, trying to find a pattern with the points, to see the likeliness of them finding us."

"And?"

"Not one, but they must have some way they're finding the Farms; my guess is some sonar-type reader or other aerial surveillance. There's no way they're tracking them down so quickly without moles or tech."

"Alright. Well, the plan for today is a war game. Santi and Ezra will be opposing leaders and have their team assignments already. I want a full uniform and fake bullets in the guns, but everything else is free-range. Your field is underground. We don't need you running up top with everything going on."

"When do we start?" Mr. Bruno's eyes look harder than usual; he looks worn and beaten, and my question seems to further that. I imagine he had a conversation with people from home last night. We will never know what they talked about, even once we return.

"Once everyone is done eating, you'll meet with your teams. Mr. Resha is spectating."

Everyone is silent as we head to our rooms to change. Once behind a closed door, I let out a steep breath. At least we aren't leaving today. They haven't found us yet.

"Knock, Knock, Princess," Santi strolls into my room, followed by Kian and Luca.

"You know, you're supposed to wait for permission to enter." I throw my hair in a ponytail as they take their places around my room, surveying the woods through my windows. As we did the night before, the younger two boys watch for signs of infiltration, their fears written in black ink across their skin.

"I heard you in the bathroom; I figured it was fine," Santi says, flipping me around. His icy fingers graze my back as he zips me up. His gaze flicks from me in the mirror to the ceiling. He's looking for the angels, too.

"So, what's the big plan?" Kian follows my wall of maps and focuses on entrances to the bottom level that aren't the main elevator. He's always been good at slipping in unnoticed. When he was younger, we called him the wraith.

"Luca and Blair slide in by the ship. If we take command of that, then we kinda have the upper hand. Kian and I can try to disarm them in the hallways and training rooms. Bruno said there's no jackpot today; whoever eliminates and takes more prisoners first wins. Resha's on cameras."

My black suit compliments my hair like the night and stars do each other, except mine has no light to it. Just pitch black. I feel ready for a real war whenever we switch from children to machines.