WITH ALEXANDRA
The city truly never slept. Even at night, Andors City's breath is low and mechanical. In the distance, engineers hummed through the streets. Security drones track slow patterns above the sky. And far away, a metal door shut close. But Alexandra was awake, lying on her narrow bed. steering at the crack above her. counting each sound as it gives her the answers.
It didn't. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw him. Jimmy's wide, frightened eyes. the twitch of his hidden ears. and the way his voice sounded when he said he didn't want to hurt anyone. She rolled onto her side, pulling the blanket over her.
¨what did I do¨
Helping Kindra wasn't just dangerouse it was treason. The guards didn't care about intention. they dident even care about what age you were. you cude be a toddler and still get killed. If they find out she was hiding a Kindra, they won't ask question they kill her on the spot.
Alexandra swallowed and forest her self to breathe. hes saf,e she told herself for now. But for now, newer lasts long in Andors City.
WITH JIMMY
Benith, the city, the air was cold and damp. Jimmy sat on the metal rung of the ladder. steering into the darkness below the hatch abow him had been closed for hours ago by Alexandra. It was supposed to keep him safe, and now he was in a maintenance tunnel. the sillent press into the only sound was dripping water. and deeper in tunal was the vibration of what happened on surfice.
He hugged his knees and waited. Hiding underground wasn't new to him. he dide it a lot when he played with friends from his tribe or during the raid on his tribe. But the older Kidran is thouth that young. If you can't run, you burrow under. or hide in hollow trees, caves, or sewer lines. Darkness was survival.
But these places felt different. it smalt like rust, oil, and faint of human. Alexandr, that thought made his heart ache in a way he didn't understand. She had helped him hide. not out of fear, not out of obligation. but her own choice. that terrified him more than guards. because hope was dangerous.
WITH ALEXANDRA
Morning came into Andors as a disguised routine. Alexandra had woken up and put on clothes. she walkt out of the house and mowed with normal speed. her head down, peaceful and expressionless. She blended in with the stream of civilians. that ws heading to work zones, no one glanced at her.
That was the point. But at a ration line, two guards stood. Their vision glows faintly as they scan the crowd. searching for anomalies. heart rate too fast, or movement too stiff, or eyes too alert.
Alexandra forced herself to yawn. One of the guardes lookt at her for half a second too long. her pulsed jump. Then he turned away. Then she exiled slowly.
¨get it to gether ¨ she scolded her self ¨ you cant force yourself to slip.¨
All morning, she listened to the city talk. The city knew how to talk if you hering it. whispers past between people. like a counter band. rumors spread. Rumors of another forest burn outside of the Outer Ring. And Kindra bodys found lying there. Or that a kindra was found near the industrial sector, and the family who protected it was brought in for questioning.
But midday, her hands were shaking. She waited until the patrol hade change shift. until the drones had adjusted routine, until streets grew quit then she slipped away andgo to Jimmy.
AT ABONDEN MACHEAN SHOP
At the abodend machean shop. it lookt even more lifeless in daylight. rust coated doores looking like old blood. and a warning sign peeled from the wall. Alexandra crouched down behind a stack of boxies lisening but herd noting. She went to hatche and opened it.
¨Jimmy?¨ she wisperd
For a moment, it was nothing. No response. But then, from darkness, a glowing ember eye flickered to life. Alexandra froze and relaxed when the eyes blinked softly.
¨I...I dident her you coming.¨ Jimmy said quietly. stepping into the dim light, this hoodie is still up. But his shulder losen when she saw him. ¨I...I thought maybe you weren't gonna...come back.¨
¨I said i whud¨ she replied
He nodded. without the reflaction flickt accrose his face before he could hide it. The tunnel was wider than she expected. old service path branched like veins. Jimmy had cleared a small space. Stacking creates to build a barrier and scraps on the floor.
¨you did these¨ she askt
he sruged ¨habit¨
she cruch down and set her bag down ¨i broute food¨
¨you didn't have to¨ Jimmy said
¨I know ¨ she awnserd
He accepted the ration bar carefully. like it might vanish if he moved too quickly. They ate in silence for a moment.
¨you dident sleep¨ Alexandra said
Jimmy looked up ¨neather did you¨
she dident denay it. they where quite andwell, they were eating, alexandra askt jimmy somting.
¨ Why are you really here?¨ she asked finally.
Jimmy hesitated, fingers tightening around the wrapper ¨I told you... I whanded to desapper blend in.¨
¨thats not all¨ she said
He looked away ¨I had a sister¨
Alexandra stifft but listened
¨ She was a young cudent control her shift yet. when guardes came¨ hes voice dropt ¨ she panickt... she transformed ears and claws, and that was enough.¨
Alexandra felt her heart crack inside.
¨I...I ran¨ Jimmy continued, ¨I hated myself for it. But if I stayed, i whud have died.¨
The silence was heavy between them.
¨you survived¨ Alexandra said ¨that matterd¨
he shock his head ¨it dosent feel like it should.¨
Above the tunnel, the city groaned. a low rumble passed trow tunnel. Jimmy's head snapped up, ears listening.
¨drones ¨ he wisperd ¨close ¨
Alexandra breaths coute. ¨ already. they scaning deaper to day¨
light swept through the tunnel. Jimmy backed away into the shadows. Every muscle in his body tens.
¨Jimmy¨ Alexandra mumbeld ¨look at me¨
he did
¨you not alone¨ she said ¨not now¨
His breath slowed a little. The drone past the hum faded. Only then did he slumber against the wall.
¨you good at these¨ he said weakly ¨at surviving. and making me feel less like dying¨
Alexandra swollode. The evening Alexandra brought blankets. the nexst day she brought medicine. and the day after that, a radio that she scavenged from a junkyard. eche viset pould her closer to the edge but also deeper in.
They talked about the city before the walls, about the forest before the fire,e and about dreams that felt illegal for existing. jimmy laugth more sdupprist like he wasn't just to the sound.
Alexandra notice somting she hasent notice before. jimmys tail wiggled when he was distracted. How he listens with his whole body. how he positions himself between her, in any position dangerus or not, without realizing it.
And beneath the surface of the city crulity, beneath the lies of fear, she saw the truth. The real monsters wasent hidding underground. They were walking above it.
One night, the alarms screamed through Andors. Red light flared. Sirens tour through the streets. And Alexandra was running. By the time she reach tunnel, Jimmy was wide awake on his feet.
¨They found somting¨ he said ¨not here but close¨
She grabbed his hand without thinking ¨then we move¨ she said ¨togather¨
Jimmy squats back. For the first time sens war begain neather of them ran alone. And beneath the service of the city, something dangerous was growing.