LORALAI'S POV:

After Isla made me unpack everything, we set off. I had decided it would be the best idea to tie a rope around mine and Isla's waists so that we couldn't get separated, and so we were tied together, despite how Isla protested at first.

I led us through the forest, clutching onto the picture of Oliker. It was framed, though the photo itself was crumpled and slightly faded through time.

His ever-messy jet black hair fell over his forehead, nearly covering his beautiful dark blue eyes. I could stare at the picture forever, and never get tired of seeing his face.

He was my brother.

He would be about 14 now.

I can't believe that I had missed 7 years of his life. He probably doesn't even remember me. 

But that didn't matter. I wanted to save him.

He couldn't possibly be happy.

Not with her.

Not with him.

I led Isla through the forest for what was probably a few hours--only stopping when Isla said she needed to, I was far too excited to become tired.

On one particular break, Isla said, "I thought you said it wasn't that far?"

"It's not! We'll be there before the sun sets!" I responded.

"Yes, because that's so helpful to me."

"Fine, we'll be there in less than an hour."

"Are you serious?!"

"Completely. Have you never traveled before?"

"Excuse me. I was born blind and lived in one town because everyone outside of that town wanted me dead, so no, I've never traveled."

"Me and you have to do some REAL traveling sometime."

"Are you saying this isn't real traveling?"

"A couple hours isn't traveling. I do this type of thing daily. I'm talking, days, maybe weeks of walking. Seeing--or feeling or touching or smelling--all the things to do!"

"Won't people try to stop us, because... you know?"

"The world is evolving Isla. People don't care about that as much as they did before. When was the last time you left that City?"

"... uh... I think it was about... never, actually."

"Then you'd have no idea. Blind and deaf people are every now. I think someone was lying to you, if they told you recently that you'd be killed."

I saw Isla go still.

"What? What you talking about?"

"Who told you last that you'd be killed?"

"My father did all the time a long time ago..."

"Well, maybe in that time it was true. But who told you most recently is what I asked."

"...Zaila. Several years ago. I just stopped wondering what the outside world might be like."

"And that's your problem. You can't stop wondering! Never!"

"Okay, if you say so."

"Well, I think that's enough rest. Let's go on then. We're nearly there."

Isla sighed very audibly, but stood up anyways.

We continued to walk. I knew Isla wanted to complain, but she kept her mouth shut most of the time.

Soon enough, we had come up to a large town.

Or a city, rather. Buildings reached towards the sky, not quite reaching the "skyscraper" name yet. The outskirts of the town looked like what it had been when I lived here.

I froze.

The world is evolving, I had said.

And this city looked like someplace almost completely new.

How was I supposed to find my brother in this?

We lived on the very edge of town, so maybe our house was still standing...

And maybe he still lived there.

It was worth a shot.

"We're here" was all I could manage to say.

"Where do we start?" Isla asked.

"Outskirts, make our way in. Outskirts are gonna be our best bet."

"Alright."

And then we entered the town.

Finding the town was easy.

Finding what we wanted inside the town?

That was the hard part.