Genesis

Chapter Four

"Ryo's gone!" Genesis could hear someone yell from outside. Quickly, she got up, got dressed, and rushed outside to find Ira in a mad scramble. The moon was still high in the sky, and most people walked out of their shacks in nightwear.

"What is all this ruckus Ira?" Someone asked stifling a yawn.

"Ryo's missing! He's gone!"

"I'm sure he's around the compound, no ones stupid enough to go outside." Someone else sighed. A crowd had gathered around Ira. Genesis could see Talyse, rubbing her eyes away of sleep.

"Fine. Then you four search the compound." Ira snapped, and four people sighed and hurried off to search the nooks and crannies of Viowood.

"Talyse!" Ira spun around to meet the fiery redhead. "Take that car of yours and search around the compound!" Reluctantly, Talyse walked back towards her shop.

After a while, the crowd had disappeared, and all who was left was Ira and Genesis.

"And you!" Ira cast her cold glare towards Genesis. "Stay here and don't ruin anything else!" With that Ira rushed back to her home.

Genesis shook her head, knowing that she would not obey that order.

If Ryo did leave, Genesis knew he couldn't get through the main gates. She ran towards where she last saw him, and hoped that he hadn't gone far.

She searched along the nearest wall; looking for any way of leaving.

Stuck into the wall was a metal handle, like those you'd use to open an old door. Genesis placed her foot onto it, and balanced carefully. A little bit of the handle was another, and another. They led all the way up the wall. Genesis glanced over her shoulder to make sure no one was watching her as she scaled the metal wall.

She carefully lowered herself to the ground on the other side of the wall.

Foot prints were still fresh in the dirt. Genesis followed them carefully; ahead of her was a vast horizon. She prayed that Ryo hadn't gone far and that he was still alive.

The moon had almost touched the horizon before Genesis had seen something in the distance. It was a pile of concrete tubes, surrounded by piles of trash and metal.

"Ryo?" Genesis whispered. She peered into the nearest concrete tube. Nothing.

"Genesis?" A voice broke the silence. Genesis could hear the shuffling of feet, and suddenly Ryo appeared from behind another

tube. "What are you doing here?"

"What are you doing out here?" Genesis chastised. "Everyone was worried, well Ira was." Ryo laughed and ran a hand through his black hair.

"Sorry."

"Sorry?! It's dangerous out here and..."

"Calm down. I get it. I just..." Ryo paused.

"You just what?! Have a death wish?!" Ryo let out another laugh.

"You're so cute when you're angry." Ryo smiled, and Genesis crossed her arms with a huff.

"Now is not the time. Come on let's get back before Ira notices that I left too."

"Maybe when it turns morning."

"Ryo." Genesis chastised. Ryo grabbed Genesis's hand and pulled her around the side of the tube.

"Come here, I want to show you something." They rounded another tube, and Ryo pulled her inside the tube next to it. He let go of her hand and pointed to something in the distance. It was difficult to make out anything, even in the fading dark, but in the distance Genesis could see the twinkling lights of a city.