Hunting Wolfe

Evacuate

Shadows murmur along the narrow alleyways, the labyrinthine routes steering us through a cascade of picturesque homes, each with a petite yard overflowing with wild foliage. The air swiftly chills as we move closer to our destination, and the distant clatter of footsteps reverberates in the hush. Turning a narrow corner, a sudden blur snags our attention—a Xerxes, squid-like in its form, barrels toward us with a frantic urgency. Its tentacles hum, grazing the cobblestones, but before it vanishes into the cloaking darkness, Aceon's hand flashes out, seizing one of its flailing limbs with a decisive grip.

"Let me go!" the Xerxes says.

"What's going on?" Aceon asks. "Where is everyone? Why are you running as if your life depends on it?"

"Because my life does depend on it! There has been a breach! In Sector One! Now lemme go!" It lets out a high-pitched whine and Aceon relinquishes its tentacle. The creature hurries away and shouts back, "Leave while you still can!"

"Well, that was odd." I say watching the Xerxes until it disappears around a corner. "What do you think he meant by there was a breach?" Caydon brushes past me and races in the direction the Xerxes came from. "Ace?"

"I'm not entirely sure. But I think we should continue back to the room and gather up our things. Come, Rayanna, let's go."

"No. I need to know what's happening. If it's because of me..."

"I highly doubt that."

"But still, I need to know." My heart hammers in my chest as I lunge forward, in the direction Caydon disappeared, my feet pounding against the asphalt in the same rhythm as my racing thoughts. The sound of Aceon's reluctant footsteps echo behind me, whilst he whispers phrases of frustration into the wind. The labyrinth of streets twist and turn, an enigma I navigate solely by instinct. Moments stretch like hours, each breath bringing me closer to the indistinct murmurs that weave through the air from somewhere to my right. Hope flickers within me, a fragile flame in the tempest. My path leads me to a gathering, eight to ten figures, their otherworldly forms clustering around a segment of the plexiglass dome. I skid to a halt at the periphery of their clandestine assembly, the air thick with curiosity and unease.

A wave of icy air envelops me, and goosebumps prick my skin. With a deep breath to steady my nerves, I inch closer to the nearest alien. "Excuse me, what's happening?" I ask.

The yellow, shapeless blob shifts toward me. "There's a breach in the wall. Something has infiltrated the city. The high council is deliberating on whether the city requires evacuation."

"What lives on the planet's surface?" A familiar voice asks.

I make my way to the front of the crowd to find Caydon squatting next to a hole in the plexiglass wall. The hole isn't very large, just big enough for a medium sized dog to squeeze through. "Caydon?" I call.

He turns to look at me, "Rayanna, what are you doing here? You should be back at the hotel room, awaiting evacuation orders."

He sure has gotten bossy. Why does he think he can control what I do? Who does he think I am? Some obedient servant? Instead of answering his question, I choose to ignore it. "What did that? Was it something getting in or something getting out?"

The voice that breaks the silence from behind Caydon is gruff and tinged with warning, resonating with the cold night. "You, sir," it declares, "ought to know better than anyone that it's too dark and too cold for any kind of exploration." The speaker, a rugged human male, steps closer, his breath visible in the frosty air. "Tenebris is treacherous. Officially, only a sparse collection of resilient plants dares break through the snow line."