abel [https://imgur.com/gfZpXk6.png]

Although his leg was healed, leaving not even a scar, there was only so much Sky Sight could do about his mental fatigue. Abel stared at Lyssa and Sarah for a number of seconds when his body was teleported before them. It took him another moment to remember to look around for Bernard, but the two were standing alone.

“Where is the rest of the group?” he asked. They had come together with others.

“Where did you-” Sarah began.

“Your leg.” Lyssa said, pointing in disbelief.

He glanced down at the limb, which so recently had been riven and gushing, now in one piece, the clothing covering it intact as well. “Yeah,” he said, not wanting to get into details. “Healed. Where is everyone?”

Sarah maintained her shocked stare as Lyssa answered, “They were probably looking for you as well. How did you just...appear?”

“Sky Sight. I need to talk with Daryl.” He remembered the answers he had received. “Do you know what time it is?” They shook their heads. He cussed, turning to the groups standing around. For the first time he realized they were already looking at him, staring really. “Does anyone have the time?”

One of them glanced at the watch on their wrist. “7 o’clock.”

‘They will arrive tonight morning at 8:36 P.M. at the point where the West line meets the city’s barrier,’ Sky Sight had told him.

“Did something happen, Abel?” Lyssa asked, sensing the anxious thoughts filling him.

He looked at the people around him, then at the two girls. He could go alone, but then he would have no proof of whatever he saw. Alone, Abel would be greeting whoever was headed towards the city alone, which did not sound appealing. But bringing too many strangers was likely even more dangerous, especially ones as varied as those standing around them.

But he needed to be there. They all needed whatever clues they could get.

“Walk with me,” he said quietly, turning around and heading down the hall, towards the archway labeled West. He stepped through, out onto the streets.

“Where in the world are you going?” Lyssa asked, snatching his arm. They were now out of earshot of those whispering in the arena itself, the portal insulating all sounds. But now the sidewalks held groups who were just as interested.

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“I’ll tell you on the way,” he said in the same low voice. “Just follow me for now.”

He saw Lyssa mouthing the word Check.

Am I acting that strange? “I’m sorry, I just...don’t want to say anything yet. Not with so many people to hear.”

“Champion of the Arena?” Lyssa asked under her breath. “What the hell is that?

Sarah touched a hand, gentling her. Lyssa let go of his arm and he began walking again, down the streets and towards the glowing blue wall surrounding the town. It took only a minute for the groups to fade away and the city to become filled only with its usual stragglers. They watched the three of them passing, like predators eying prey.

“I spoke with Sky Sight,” Abel said, voice still low.

Lyssa lifted her eyebrows but said nothing.

“It healed me, and healed every injury I had created. Then allowed me to ask three questions. I basically wasted two of them, but the third garnered an interesting answer. It said someone was headed to the city, but not to help. They’ll reach the city at 8:36, where the West line meets the barrier.”

He continued walking, waiting to be bombarded with questions.

Lyssa was first, “What the hell do you mean you spoke with Sky Sight? It singled you out and was having a real conversation with you? Not just pre-recorded lines?”

“Correct.”

“Who is coming to the city?” Sarah asked, “How do you know they aren’t coming to help? Why else would they come to the city?”

“And why would you waste questions?” Lyssa chimed in. “And why would it talk to you? Or let you ask questions?”

He gave a shrug of his shoulders and let out a sigh. “I don’t know.”

“How do we know it’s safe?” Sarah pressed.

They were quiet a few moments. “We don’t,” Abel said. “But nowhere in this city is safe. It may have been a misleading answer. For all we know, it could be a wild pack of animals, not even humans. I don’t know, but I think it’s my duty to find out, because I asked the question. I understand if you two want to stay a safe distance away.”

“I’m not staying here,” Lyssa said, motioning to the mostly empty streets and tall buildings looming around them. “We’re safer sticking together. Anyway, if they’re outside the city, they can’t get in, right? The barrier will fry them.”

“Yeah.”

Their feet treaded across the dark pavement, but the distant barrier still seemed so far. They would need to find the tracks as soon as they were close enough. He had no way of telling time, but he knew that that wouldn’t be for a while. His mind was sluggish, barely able to keep up with the actions he was putting his body through, but now he had questions.

“Did you see Bernard after the fight? If I understood Sky Sight’s words correctly, Bernard would’ve had his wounds healed.”

“You won’t need to worry about Bernard,” Lyssa said, a far-off look on her face.

“There are only three of us left from that train car now,” Sarah said, punctuating her statement.

He looked at the girls. Neither met his gaze, heavy looks on their faces. Bernard had died. There had been five of them. Within the first day, the count fell to four. Now, several later, there were three. How long until there are only two of us?

Abel forcefully shoved the thought out of his mind, focusing on maintaining an even pace as the adrenaline from the fights slipped further and further away while the blue barrier grew closer.