Ambrose opens her eyes to a familiar moon. Its light shines directly on her face, causing her to scrunch her nose up as she shakes the grogginess from her head.

“How long was I asleep.” Ambrose groans as she picks herself up. Bunny is by the side tending to Anastasia, while Meize is sleeping off to the side. His hands are clutch tight against his chest, his body in a position to move at any moment.

“A long time.” Bunny answers solemnly. “The moon hasn’t moved.”

“Great.” Ambrose looks back up at the moon, its silent gaze bearing down on them.

“It hasn’t turned red again.” Bunny continues.

“Anastasia?” Ambrose asks as she walks over.

“She’s getting better.” Bunny stands up. “Slowly. But she hasn’t woken up yet.” Ambrose crouches down and gently checks her body. Her burns had receded a little, especially around her face, and faint trembling occurred on and off. Even an inch or two of hair had grown back.

“It’s like she’s regenerating to a base model.” Meize speaks from the side, his eyes long opened as he stands up. He looks down at Anastasia. “It’s unnatural.”

“She’ll be fine.” Bunny interrupts. “Let’s start worrying about what to do. I recovered the two bodies that weren’t part of that explosion.” She points toward them, and they glance over. On closer inspection the flesh on the bodies had long grown pale, almost ghoulish. “They’ve been dead for a while. Just like the offerings Ambrose spoke of.”

“Then we know where we need to head next.” Meize says, turning back to the village. Under the thin moonlight, he makes out very little.

“My eyes are back to normal. I can’t see in the dark.” Ambrose speaks up, smoothing over her deck holder’s materials. She stares at the card resting inside. “It must’ve happened when I fell asleep. I need to save it this time.”

“Let’s wait for Anastasia. Then we move.” Bunny says. “We haven’t been attacked since, so we’ve definitely done some damage.”

“Hopefully.” Meize shakes his head. “We don’t know what’s waiting for us.” The group goes silent after that. Bunny moves to the side and tries to get some rest, while Meize sits away from anyone and looks at the night sky.

Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

Ambrose kneels next to Anastasia, taking care of her as best as she can. Bunny was right. The effects of dehydration on her body had receded, and her body was aspirating. Something completely at odds to the state of her skin. Ambrose starts to gently clean Anastasia’s clothes as best she can.

“Why did you protect me.” Ambrose says softly, and then goes silent. She lets out a long sigh. “We’re both weak.” Time continues to pass. After a long time, Anastasia stirs. Her face is scrunched up as the pain assaults her senses, and when she opens her eyes she finds herself staring into Ambrose’s own.

“Not the best way to wake.” Anastasia groans, feeling the searing of flesh all across her body.

“But you’re okay.” Ambrose says, smoothing Anastasia’s clothes.

“I’m okay.” Anastasia says softly. She stares up at the sky. “What happened after?”

“Not too much.” Ambrose answers. She explains the few guesses they held, over how she’s healing, and the state they’re in.

“No wonder I’m alive.” Anastasia chuckles, which turns into a coughing fit. “Not great. But alive.” Ambrose looks at Anastasia quietly. “What?”

“Why did you protect me?” Ambrose asks with a softened tone.

“I could say the same to you.” Anastasia says. She looks Ambrose over, her eyes having their own questions. “Everything about you before that moment told me you’d run away. But you ran toward me. Why?” Ambrose remains silent.

“How about a why for a why.” Anastasia chuckles, taking a stilted breath before it turns into another cough. “You remind me of someone.” Her eyes take a faraway look as her tone smooths out. “A girl. Cold like you. Couldn’t blame her. It’s hard not to when the world takes from you the one thing you believed you had. Time.”

“You know what my desire is?” Anastasia’s voice trembles. “I want to give my sister her time back.”

“Then you should’ve left me.” Ambrose says, holding her hand gently. Her eyes soften a little as she looks at her.

“Emotions don’t work like that.” Anastasia smiles sadly. “My heart jumped and I acted on instinct. But what about you? Running toward me had to be more than an instinct.” Ambrose looks at her quietly. “We’ve been through enough to trust me. At least a little right.”

“It’s the code.” Ambrose says softly, staring up at the moon. Anastasia looks at her, and waits patiently for her to continue. “When every day could be your last, you need something to chase away the desperation. Otherwise there is no slope that ends with your humanity intact.” She looks back down at Anastasia, and in her eyes Anastasia sees something dark. Something broken. “I’ve seen people far better than me turn into rabid animals that tear through their own flesh and blood. Desperation breaks people in the cruelest of ways. So I stick to a code. No matter what. Because if I don’t, I’ll end up just like them.”

“…What’s the code.” Anastasia asks gently.

“Never betray your own.” Ambrose says as her gaze returns back to the moon.

“That’s it?” Anastasia says, and Ambrose nods her head. “Isn’t that a little vague.”

“No.” Ambrose shakes her head. “You will always know when you betray someone. Ambiguity is a deception. Whether it’s to others, or to yourself.”