Will had always been curious about the wall that surrounded his little town. Will remembered when he'd been woken up in the middle of the night by whispering. Whispers fluttered around the house like moths and traveled to his ears and his dreamworld bled through into reality.
He was brought back to painted blue walls and the strong smell of dust that his mother had always resented. He was brought back to cluttered shelves stocked with books that had always seemed to overflow more and more with every passing day. Will was brought back home.
His mother's voice was what he recognized first. He crept forward and laid his hand against the door gently, before pressing his ear to the dark wood. He strained to hear his mother's words.
"I do hope that was a joke, Linda."
"All I ask is that he join our ranks in a few years. He'd fourteen by then, correct."
"I will not let another child of mine be corrupted by the beasts.
There was a pause, before another, smaller voice breathed, "he's coming of age, Naomi. He can't stay your little boy forever."
There was a long silence.
"Get out of my house, Linda."
------
People came and went in this town.
Mina's older brother had left the town to explore the outside. He'd told will he wanted to see the beast. He'd told Will he would be back by sunrise.
He hadn't made it back in time.
Will thought he must've been late.
An hour passed.
He must've lost track of time.
A day.
Will had stopped trying to keep up his hopes.
"Hey Mina?" Will flipped the chunk of mud out of his hands and onto the ground, his dirty hands resting on his pants. "What's beyond the wall?"
Mina had tensed. "Will, tell me you won't leave me alone like Dakota did?"
Will promised her he would never.
"The outside belongs to the beasts."
--------
Will had packed his bags and opened the gates in the dead of night. He turned to look at his town once more.
"I'm sorry, Mina."
//////////
The blood seeped from her fallen form.
Bianca.
Her dark hair swirled around her head in a matted mess.
Bianca.
Her stomach had a sword in it.
Bianca.
"Disgusting creatures," the man muttered, and Nico wanted to throw up.
The hunter smirked and inspected his kill. Nico hid in the bushes, eyes wide, not processing the situation.
Nico wished he'd stayed home.
