The Altered.

Chapter XLV.

Miles had never played a board game before, but it was perhaps one of the most fantastically uneventful things he'd done in his life.

When everything in the world was computers and microchips and electricity, it felt unnatural yet wonderful to dial back to a game that consisted of a board and playing pieces.

Miles' playing piece was a little metal cat.

It had previously been a dog, but Aaron had had the cat and Miles had requested the swap. So now, Miles was playing with the cat as his piece, and Aaron had the dog.

Miles was a cat person.

"What do the little house pieces do?" Eira asked, blinking at the green and red house-shaped pieces that sat in the box still.

"I think they make your place more expensive when people land on it," Lia answered, frowning over the instructions. "Like, people have to pay more rent or something."

The group had been playing Monopoly for an hour currently, and the rules had completely flown over Miles' head - he just went along with what he was told to do.

They'd spent the first half of the game with Lia and Miles explaining what had happened and who they'd met in the store, but then they'd eased into the process and started playing without worrying about anything else.

"Can I buy one?" Eira asked.

"No," Percy said, "You have to have the whole colour set."

Eira let out a dejected sigh. "But Miles has the other two properties in the colour set."

"I think there's a trading option," Lia said, still rifling through the instructions.

"Could I have those properties, Miles?" Eira asked. "If I like... pay you for them?"

Miles grinned and picked up the cards, holding them against his chest in both hands. "Nope, they're all mine."

Percy suddenly jumped. "Did you guys hear that?"

Miles put his cards back down. "Hear what?"

A scratchy, strangled cry pierced the air.

"That." Percy used his able arm to push himself to his feet, and everybody else followed suit just as quickly. "Is there a window in this place?"

The first floor was almost windows; the third floor had few. The second floor, which they were on now, had a fair amount of them, and yet Percy was still unable to locate one himself.

Lia jabbed her finger in the direction of one of the windows and Percy wasted no time staggering around the Monopoly board and racing towards the window. Miles turned and followed him at once as there was another muffled scream from outside.

Percy reached the window and slammed his hand against the button beside it. He stared at the blue-stained glass, waiting for the window to electronically slide open like it was meant to.

"You're such an idiot," Miles snapped. "We have no electricity."

"Oh!" Percy forgot about the button and leaned over to peer through the closed window, face so close his nose was nearly pressed against the glass.

Miles hopped up and down to try and see over the top of Percy's spiky black hair, and everybody else started to gather. Miles was pushed and shoved a little in the process of everyone attempting to get in a position where they could see through the window.

"What's happening?" Miles demanded, trying to poke his head under Aaron's arm so he could get a small view.

Eira made a small, horrified noise.