Finding Him

chapter two: wallowing

I sit in the darkness on the hill leaning my back against a tree. I create a hole in the dirt next to my leg with my stick just to pass time. According to Milo's watch it was just past midnight.

I can't help but feel guilty. I don't know where Victoria is. I just hope she's alive.

I look back at Milo and Asher who are sitting and leaning their backs against their own trees. I'm sure they are worrying just as bad as I am. I sigh.

Asher sees my gaze. I look away as soon as he sees it.

Yikes. I hope he didn't notice.

He did very much notice.

My gaze encouraged him to come over and talk to me because the next thing I know he's sitting next to me. He looks down at the ground.

"I think if the police were coming to help us, we would have heard the sirens."

I lean my head back with a sigh. "I bet they didn't notify Cuba either"

The island we live on: Sweet Falls, is unknown to all civilizations. The closest country to us is Cuba.

All of our parents are from Cuba. All students are sent here at age 5. Sweet Falls tells us we were sent here if our parents were "unfit to raise us." Our names are changed and we never are allowed to know our parents or background from when we were younger.

Sweet Falls was fairly organized before this. It's small, with a population of 21,937, which keeps everything easy to contain. Education was the main focus of it and all students are required to have a STEM job (science, technology, engineering, math).

Poor civilians in Cuba come here to have a better life sometimes, and they sign a contract that tells them they can never go back again or mention anything about this place to anyone. Non STEM jobs are filled by them, or by students who fail out, but that doesn't happen often.

"I suppose I never expected this to happen. One day I'm in school, and the next day I'm here. I've heard about school bombings i just never expectes it to happen to us," Asher sighs.

"No kidding," I add, "I'm worried about Victoria. I'm pretty sure she was still in the school when everything happened."

Asher sighs, "I know. We don't even know how many casualties or injuries."

"Should we try going back? We don't have many other options"

Milo appears from the shadows, "I really don't feel like going back."

"Why not?" I say back, "What about your friends?"

Milo just shrugs and turns away. I furrow my eyebrows. He doesn't care?

Asher sighs, "Let's not get ahead of ourselves. I think we should start by finding a phone and calling someone. Let's see who else is out there."

I nod in agreement, "That's probably a good start."

"I could call the school's phone number when we find a phone but I don't know how much that will help us. The place is basically demolished. I'm sure the phone is too." Asher sighs.

"When? You mean if. Where even is a safe place to find a phone? I mean anyone could've been the bomber," Milo shakes his head.

"I guess everything is kind of a risk," I sigh, "You're right. We have no idea who it is."

Milo shakes his head and looks down.

"It was Lilith if you ask me. That woman is a nightmare" Asher says. "she probably got freaked out because she saw more than 6 people together at lunch and bombed them all."