Instability

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"Everybody in the hall!" the masculine voice repeats, emphasizing the importance of his words. Vivian and I dart into the hall, every citizen swarming towards Entrance Two. We jog after the others, anxious to know what's going on but nervous to find out.

The hall leading to Entrance Two clogs with people. Renegades organize the crowd by sitting everyone against the walls. Two Renegade sort the crowd, tapping people and signaling for them to sit.

I sink down to a seated position and lean my head against the wall. The air becomes warmer, pressing on my lungs. For some reason, I think of Daniel. I really hope he's okay.

The crowd's chattering simmers down, and I turn my eyes to Vivian. Her dark hair is pushed behind her ear, and she looks fierce with the dim lighting casting shadows on her face. To my surprise, her eyes are laser-focused on a boy sitting directly across from her. The boy looks uncomfortable, and he squirms in his seat to avoid Vivian's glare.

I lean close to Vivian. "Who are you staring at?"

She shakes her head a bit, shooting more daggers at the fidgeting teenager. I don't bother her with more questions, getting the hint.

"Okay, people. We've got a bad situation on our hands," Commander Nidic, the head of the shelter, declares loudly. He paces down the hall, his work boots nearly crushing my toes. I pull my feet closer to me.

"The Europeans managed to push our forces across the Mississippi River, which is not good news. We've also received a menacing threat from Europe."

The crowd gives off anxious energy but remains quiet. My breathing becomes a bit more shallow as my mind races. I lift my hand a few inches from its resting place. It's shaking. This can't be good.

"We have two choices: we either surrender half of our land to the Europeans and end the war. Or we keep fighting, and the enemy sends earthquake currents through the entire world, strong enough to kill us all."

The dim passageway erupts into bitter tones, angry yells, and disappointed faces. My heart sinks lower than it ever has before. There's no other option: we have to surrender half of our country. I think about Fort Collins. What will happen to that town? Will they have to be Europeans? Will they move from their homes to a place like Baltimore? Will the East coast be surrendered?

Commander Nidic announces that the citizens of the USA will vote on which option they want. The vote isn't even necessary. Everyone reluctantly chooses to give up part of our land. The commander records and sends the result to the ITT for final calculations. Then the results will be forwarded to General Fadhill and the Europeans. The final results are released within the minute. The loss was inevitable.

Why did the war have to end like this? I sigh and lean my head against my knees. The Renegades keep us seated against the walls for another ten minutes before telling us all fighting has ceased. My life seems so uncertain all of a sudden.

Only one good thing comes out of surrendering: Daniel Fadhill, the boy who once hated my guts, is done fighting.

Still seated in the dingy passageway, Renegades begin serving an early dinner. I gratefully take my bread, berries, and small tin cup of water. A low chatter begins to arise from the seated people, and Vivian finally stops attacking the boy with her eyes.

"Vivian," I say as she takes a bite of her roll. "Who is that guy?"

She finishes chewing and swallows. "My old sex--"

I cough on my food, but I don't spit any out. It's too valuable and I'm starving. Taking a sip of water, I notice but ignore a weird aftertaste.

My choking soon subsides, and I demand answers from Vivian. "Holy crap, Vivian, are you serious?

She nods. "Yup."

"Then why were you--"

"Long story," she says, taking another bite of her roll. "I caught him trying to smuggle some food out of the storeroom. Things went down. Things were said. Now I hate him even more than I did."

"Whoa," I reply.

"Yeah, I know, right?" Vivian says. She rants about the boy while he sits merely a yard away. I think the boy comprehends Vivian's words, but he has enough sense to pretend like he isn't listening.

I guide Vivian to a different topic, feeling guilty for them both. We talk more about our families, and we even start a long round of the favorites game I played with Daniel. Before long, we're dismissed to our rooms for the night.

At eight o'clock on the dot, all of the lights switch off. I quickly descend into a peaceful sleep, thinking about none other than Daniel Fadhill. The guilt in my stomach fades as my subconscious takes over for the night.

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no spoilers or anything, but the next chapter is a HUGE PLOT TWIST! omg, i just came up with the idea, and i am so glad i did! hahaha, i will keep you all waiting for it :) once again, thank you for reading this far, and i am forever thankful that you like the world of ashley cardry. if you don't mind, please spread the word about this book if you really like it. i really want new readers to love it just as much as my current readers do. you all mean the world to me, and i am truly thankful!

now off with your head.

jk. jk. lol.

QOTD: what country do you live in? If it's a european country, are you offended by europe being the "bad guy" in my book? comment any thoughts below ;) thanks again and stay awesome!