ARCANE

035

In twenty minutes, they've grabbed what little things they have and left the house. Unfortunately, they have to leave Lee behind. No one will be able to move around with her secretly. The only other option is a burial, but Lee is still breathing.

After discovering the other branch has punctured all of June's tires, they all pile into the back of Eden's truck and head off. They drive for hours until they reach the nearest train station. All of them but Eden line up and pay for tickets in cash.

Hope lets the snow coalesce on her knuckles. For the first time in a long time, she doesn't worry about illness infecting her body and taking over. Her eyes scan the hands of the others, checking to see if any of them reach into their pockets to pull out hand sanitizer, or if they've all become as reckless as her. She notices that Jamie and Wesley haven't let go of each other in hours.

While they wait, Cara begins to shiver on the platform. She hadn't worn a coat to the fall festival, and no one remembered to grab one while they were shopping. Because he feels her coldness (not physically), Eden gives her his old farming jacket. He drapes it over her shoulders, thankful she doesn't protest.

June sees them and grins.

The first train is coming in a few minutes, which means it is Hope's time to say goodbye.

"Thanks," she tells the group. She beams at Cara, and Erik, and all the people she has met no matter how little time she has spent with them. Maybe now that she has lived, her stories will feel more real. After all, to write is to know.

The train begins to rumble down the tracks. Hope hugs each of them individually good-bye. Though Eden and Wesley are both stiff, Hope leans into them. Since June and Jamie are small, Hope struggles to hug them with her awkward, gangly arms.

Cara holds on to Hope for too long. "I believe in you."

Even Erik embraces Hope (though he rolls his eyes). Then, she steps up. The train is just around the corner.

"Wait," Percy curls a hand into a fist and scrunches her nose. Percy's cheeks tinge red. Hope knows better than to mistake the gesture for a reaction to the bitterness of the evening.

Percy steps forward. She offers Hope a hand to shake. "Thanks."

Hope ignores it. She leans forward and kisses Percy. The wind rushes as the train pulls through. Their hair blows with the wild air, tangling together in a brown whirlwind. Percy realizes that she doesn't care if it's the electricity within her pulling her towards Hope, because the rush it brings is worth it. Within the kiss, Hope grins. The moment is sweeter than Hope could have imagined.

As the train slows, so does the gust of air. Their hair floats down back to the ground, leaving them in a bright-red wind-swept mess. The two don't let go; their lips linger for just a second longer.

Hope pulls away. She enters the train and hands the man her ticket. As she waves, the train begins to move off into the night.

Thankfully for Percy, her train is next, and it is only a few minutes away. Though Erik nudges her and raises an eyebrow, she doesn't say anything. Eventually, he rolls his eyes and playfully pushes her forward.

"You've got this, Perce," Wesley is the only one who dares speak. "Lee would know it."

Though Lee affirms this in Percy's head, Percy just shrugs. She offers the fakest of laughs. "I hope I never see any of you assholes again, but that's for your own goods rather than mine."

When the train comes, she raises her fingers slightly as a mock wave. Percy can't even look at any of them. Once she is seated and staring out the window at the others, she begins to cry.