It had been four months since the outside world took over the peace and quiet of Crescent. Every single family had been taken into custody and were now being shaped to fit the new rules and customs. The only free spirits left were me and my friends Sage, Gilbert, and Olivia. We were known as The Refugees. Although we had been seen twice after the chaotic day we ran away from the new authorities, we weren't turned in. The people who had caught us only wished us luck on our mission, because we had one specific goal: to free everyone and make Crescent a peaceful home once again. We weren't doing it just for ourselves, we were doing it for the families we had grown close to since birth, the families that were extended parts of our own.
As I tried to remember how life had been before, and how life would be now if none of this had ever happened, a video drone flew by overhead, no doubt still looking for us. I ducked into a cramped alleyway until it was gone, then snook back out onto the sidewalk and continued my way to our base. Now that we were pretty much wanted criminals, Olivia, Sage, Gilbert, and I had all pitched in to find a place that we could stay and still remain hiding. Luckily, it hadn't taken us four genius teenagers long to find a secluded, abandoned building to stay that wasn't in bad shape.
I walked quickly, not wishing to be seen by any unwanted person, and finally the crumbling brick building we called home came into view. I quickened my pace, excited to see my fellow refugees again and show them what – well, who – I had found.
I glanced behind me to make sure the boy, whose name was Lucas, was still following. Luckily, he was. The terror in his eyes told me he was too afraid to wander away from me despite the fact I was a stranger to him. I smiled warmly to let him know he was in safe company before walking up the front steps and knocking quietly five times on the dust-covered door, then pausing and knocking three more times.
Olivia opened the door, recognizing our signature knock, and smiled at me. Her eyes then rested on Lucas' face, which was smudged with dirt.
"Found him on the street," I explained to her. "Well, not exactly on the street, more like hiding in the remains of an old shop, but you know what I mean. His name is Lucas and he told me he'd left his family because he wasn't going to go along with the new system. So, we've got ourselves another fighter."
Her face lit up. "So there's still more hope. We aren't the only ones. It's possible that more will eventually join. That's great! Wait until Gilbert hears he's no longer the only boy on the team. Come on in! And, well, we've got a bit of bad news. . . ."
I let Lucas go in first. He seemed a bit more relaxed now that he knew for sure we weren't with the new government, but he still looked a bit cautious, which was to be expected and a very good thing; he wasn't easily swayed by words, which was just the trait a true fighter needed.
I closed the door behind us, and Olivia immediately told me the news. "Sage . . . well . . ."
"Sage what?" I said, immediately getting defensive. Sage was my best friend and the person I was closest to. Any bad news about her was like bad news about me.
Olivia inhaled deeply, and her next words nearly made my heart stop. "Sage . . . she didn't come back from her search."
"What do you mean?" I said, feeling my throat closing up.
"What I mean is . . . Sage was caught."

© AerumHyorin