There weren’t any restaurants inside the Selection building, only beverage machines. They lay in neat rows along one side of the compartment and their silver frames gleamed in the light.

“Food will be provided during your travel to the Islands,” the holographic lady explained to Jothan. He and his party were walking towards the departure area where Jothan would be guided onto one of the ships that left for the islands. It was time for Jothan to part with everyone. The hologram stopped and motioned her arms at the Jothan’s group.

“Only the Selected may pass this area and board the ships,” said the hologram. “If you have any last goodbyes to say, please say them here.”

All around, families were giving hugs to their children and some parents were also crying. The doors at the end of the building were opening and closing and children waved at their family while they passed the exit.

Jothan took turns hugging his parents and sisters. It would be their last embrace in a long time. Clara was the one who held Jothan the longest, her eyes red and wet from tears. After patting her on the head, Jothan turned towards Demund.

“I guess it’s finally time,” said Demund.

“Yep. I’ll contact you if I can soon.”

The two shared a handshake and gave each other a solid hug. Demund quickly took out a package from his pocket and gave it to Jothan.

“What’s this?”

“It’s a final gift from me.”

“………Thanks, Demund. Oh shoot, I’m gonna cry…”

Jothan quickly wiped off his tears from his eyes. His friend was collected as usual, with a smile on his face. As his friend, he couldn’t be the one to look weak.

“……I’ll bring back a lot of souvenirs. Thanks for the present. Aren’t you going to cry too?”

“Just get on with it.”

“Alright.”

Jothan tucked away the package inside his pocket and signaled to the lady that he was ready. “Follow me, please,” said the hologram as she moved towards the exit. Jothan went, dragging his bag behind him as he kept stealing glances at his friend and family. At the exit, he waved at everyone. Everyone waved back, even Alina. Satisfied, Jothan went beyond the wall and the door closed behind him. Everyone stood there blankly for a few seconds to make sure Jothan wasn’t coming back.

“He’s gone now is he……?” breathed Mrs. Harken.

 〄 〄 〄

The trip back home was a quiet one. Clara slept on the center seat, exhausted from crying, her head leaned against her sister. Alina stared out of the window blankly for a long time before closing her eyes too. Mrs. Harken was constantly wiping herself with her handkerchief, her hand wrapped around Mr. Harken’s who was reassuring her while driving. Demund sat silently, his head rested against the seat. His friend was actually gone. The only close friend he had.

They had first met during the beginning of first grade at the nearest elementary school. Demund had walked up to a crying Jothan at the corner of the playground and had blatantly asked why he had been crying. Jothan had replied, “Because his parents were gone, and he had no one to play with.” Demund had taken the liberty to play ball with him, and they became friends after seeing each other during classes.

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From then, they attended the same school and majorly the same classes. They shared their action figures together and made castles in the sand. They went on trips and ate lunch together. Other kids had come and gone, but the two had continued as friends for a long time. Their friendship had been permanent.

Everyone arrived eventually. The Harkens shared a short goodbye with Demund, and Demund took off on his bike to get away from the house. A foreign house, he thought. It felt so distant now without Jothan. Demund biked mindlessly around the neighborhood. He didn’t want to return home yet. He had a tugging sensation in his chest that he had to sooth over through cycling. He traveled to the barren land beside the river where they had had their little experiment. He circled around the school they had gone to. He went to the shop they had frequented and bought a drink for himself. He visited the market, now empty, and moved aimlessly among the windy streetways. The tugging sensation only grew worse. It grew harder to breathe.

Demund returned home for dinner. His mother was preparing the food, so Demund went over and set the table with eating utensils. His father was reading a book, also waiting for the meal.

They sat and ate like usual. His father and mother went back and forth on their talks on relatives, work, food, and such. Demund ate in silence like usual and talked only when his parents asked him something. How was the Selection? It was cool. They had holograms running the place. Did Jothan leave well? Yes. His family was crying though. How were his sisters? How was he supposed to know that. They were the same, but they looked sad too. Do you need anything? No. I’m fine. Perfectly fine.

Demund thanked his mom for the meal and went upstairs. He closed the door behind him and switched on his laptop. He caught up on his manga and completed his daily quests. He watched some videos. He checked his phone to see any updates. None. Three hours passed in an instant, so he took a shower, dried his hair, brushed his teeth, closed the window, closed the curtains, sat on his bed. The room was eerily quiet. It was the same, but not the same. The walls looked duller, and the ceiling looked lower. His toys were slunk lifelessly on top of the shelves. He turned off the lights and crawled into bed. And quickly fell asleep.

 〄 〄 〄

Garthan was robustly swinging his sword down for his daily morning training. Sweat trickled down his open forehead, his black hair to the sides. His eyes focused on the fence ahead and with a huff, he unleashed a powerful blow. The air before him screeched as the force of his blade compressed it, and there was a small *flick* noise as the wooden fence in front had a nick appear on its center. Satisfied, Garthan continued to swing his arms to prepare for another strike, when he suddenly heard his wife cry out from the house.

His senses suddenly sharpened at her voice. Had a beast appeared?! Melsei could defend herself. Then what? Rother would have escaped to him. Shaden! Something was wrong with Shaden!

Garthan tightened the grip on his sword and rushed inside the house. He flung open the door and dashed towards the bedroom with the greatest speed he could muster. Melsei was already there, holding Shaden in her arms and patting his back.

“What happened?!” shouted Garthan. “Where is the beast!”

Melsei smacked Garthan on the head with her free hand. “Quiet!” she whispered. “Can’t you see for yourself?”

Garthan recovered and darted his eyes around the room. There was nothing wrong anywhere; not a single scratch on the wood. He glanced back at Melsei and looked at Shaden’s small back. Then he realized what was wrong.

The baby was crying. That wasn’t unusual. Though Shaden hadn’t cried since the day of his birth, it was weirder for him not to have cried all this time. Crying wasn’t the weird part. It was the way he cried that shocked Garthan.

Shaden was weeping. A quiet, soundless sob. Tears flowed down his face and his small body shook from the breaths he couldn’t take. His tiny hands were holding tightly onto his mother’s back as she comforted him the best she could. His voice let out squeaks like he was holding his voice back. This wasn’t the cry of a hungry child. It wasn’t the one who wanted his underwear changed.

This child was genuinely sad, Garthan thought. But why?

He scratched his head in confusion.

Shaden’s parents stood there in silence and waited for Shaden to release all his pent-up tears.