The whole of the human race is at stake. It's either them or us, but between the two, full obliteration is a definite.
The 'jump' is tearing me apart. She's tearing me apart. I am torn between two girls and two dimensions, and I am in need of more t...
I hastily remove my lips and take a giant step back.
"S-sorry," Ella quickly says. "Did I do something wrong?"
"What?" I look at her glistening eyes through the darkness.
"You kissed me?" she whispers.
"I did?"
"Yes."
I... I pinch the bridge of my nose. I don't remember kissing her. I know I was about to but then I jumped. This isn't how I'd imagine our first kiss to go. I wanted to remember it, to cherish it, but with everything going on right now, it's hard to cherish moments before it's too late.
"Sorry? I..." I scratch the back of my head. "We should go before we get caught."
"Oh, um, yeah, true," she sounds a bit offended.
❖
Jace and Amber came back on time. I was able to open the dorm doors for them to get in, and when I saw Amber's hair, I didn't even wanna begin to ask how their night was but I knew they had a good time. The ends of Amber's blonde hair were neon green and Jace just looked stoned asf.
It's 9 AM roll call and we're all outside on the field.
"For the first activity of the day," the camp instructor paces back and forth with her arms crossed behind her back, "you will be..."
I lose interest halfway through what she's saying. I can't help but think about the article Ella read aloud last night. How the corporation went underground. But how did Carmen and I get this ability to jump? Why were we the chosen ones? And how on earth are we even gonna find NOIR HQ in our suburb? Especially when we're not even allowed to leave Sanctuary Lakes for weeks.
"Any questions?" the instructor pauses.
Plenty, plenty of questions, Ms.
"No? Then let's get right into it. The harnesses are to your left. Partner up!"
"Dean," Bray stops. "You comin' or not?"
"Bray..." My head's too heavy to lift from all these thoughts, so I kinda just lift it and it sways back down. "I... I don't think I can do it."
"What? Rock climbing?" he raises his eyebrows. "Brah, we would do this shit freestyle-"
"No," I shake my head despondently. "Not that. I don't think there's a vaccine, antibody, treatment or whatever. I mean, why would NOIR HQ make a vaccine for a bioweapon? And if they did have a vaccine why haven't they used it in the apocalyptic world?"
"Dean..." Bray words calmly.
"It just doesn't make sense. None of it. None of it does."
"Sylvester and Mads!" Hélène calls out. "Get your behinds to work!"
"Right, Mum!" Bray gives her a thumbs up, then focuses on me again.
"There's no time," I exhale hopelessly. "There's no time whatsoever. This whole thing was a waste of it. I can't... I can't save you, Bray. I can't."
"Dean, just breathe, okay?" Bray puts a hand on my shoulder. "We have a lead now. That NOIR corporation thingamajig. We're getting somewhere."
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