Was this because of me? Was it my fault? When had this happened?

Question after question tumbled through my troubled mind as I stared at the remains of the building. It looked a few days old, and that it had been mostly contained, but everything was gone. Hundreds of people had lost their homes. Hundreds of people had lost everything.

All I could do was stare at it. I guess that's all I was good at. I couldn't think of a solution. I couldn't think of a response. All I could do was stare.

A moment passed, and then someone called my name. "Joel?" she said in disbelief.

I turned to look and saw that it was the old neighbor lady who loved literally everyone. She'd been a widow for many years, and her children had moved all over the country, so she treated everyone younger than her like her own children.

"Joel, I knew I recognized you, even with that funny colored hair," she said, coming toward me. "I'm so sorry about your apartment. Everything is gone."

"What about you?" I whispered, unable to bring my voice any louder.

"Oh, I'll be fine." She glanced around nervously, like we were being watched. On second tonight, I felt it, too, and looked over my shoulder. "They say you did it, you know," she said, her voice low.

"Me?" I nearly shrieked, bringing my voice down in just time.

"Yes, you."

"But I ..." I couldn't believe it. Me?

"I don't believe it, either. You have a good heart. But that means you need to stay as far away from here as you can. Someone has already tried to plead you innocent, but I'm sorry. As far as they're concerned, you burnt it down. Stay safe, Joel. You're a good boy. And if anyone asks -" She winked at me, the wrinkles around her eyes crinkling. "I didn't talk to you." And with that, she gestured for me to leave, before they found me.

I hurried back to Anna's, suddenly terrified. The Refs knew I wasn't an Unnatural, and they knew I'd be hard to find in a place I was so familiar with, so they had other ways of rooting me out - letting the others do it for them. I stuffed my hands in my pockets and kept my head down, glancing behind me every three seconds.

Only a few blocks from Anna's, a police craft turned its lights on, wailing behind me, and I knew they'd found me. They'd only send me back to the games, or maybe just kill me themselves - either way, I couldn't let that happen, so I took off running.

It wasn't my brightest move, I'll have you know.

I shoved through the crowds on the street - that seemed so much thicker now than they'd been only a few minutes earlier. I tripped way too many times, nearly falling flat on my face, but I pushed on, panicked adrenaline coursing through my veins. I couldn't breathe. I could barely see where I was going. All I knew what that I had to get out. 

They were gaining on me. That much was obvious. All of the other cars and crafts had to obey the traffic laws and pull over, so they had a clear shot at me. I needed to escape them somehow. Where could I go? They'd see me wherever I turned. 

Then I had an idea. I spun into an alley, slipping on a patch of ice and slamming painfully into the wall. I ignored the low throbbing, starting in my head and shooting down my spine, and ran across the alley, ducking behind garbage bins and heading for the other street. They'd have to go around to catch me. 

There were two police crafts - one stayed at the end of the alley to catch me if I turned around, while the other one flew around the corner as fast as they could to get to the other street before I did. I made it out first, before they even rounded the block, and scanned the streets as I ran for another alley to duck into. My legs were weakening and my lungs and heart burned, but I couldn't stop now. My life depended on it. I knew if it didn't, I would have collapsed long ago. Funny how a life or death situation call dull everything else and give you strength. 

There. I skidded into the alley just as the second police craft turned the corner. I didn't think they saw me, but I wasn't sure. There wasn't much in the space between buildings, but as I went around the back, I noticed a big green dumpster. Immediately, I knew what I had to do. "Anna's gonna kill me," I muttered, opening the lid and holding my nose. 

Thankfully, it wasn't some restaurant's dumpster, or I might've passed out going in, but it still didn't smell great. I didn't want to know what they'd put in here. I climbed up over the side and dropped in, feeling the garbage sag under my weight. I hunkered down and closed the lid, careful to make sure there wasn't a loud bang. I sat down and rested against the side, ignoring the slimy feel of the metal, and tried to breathe only through my mouth, though then I could taste the rotting on my tongue and down my throat, so instead, I covered my face with my arms and held my breath for as long as possible, only breathing when absolutely necessary. I was afraid they'd seen me, and that it was only a matter of time before they came in and opened the lid. Then I'd be a sitting duck, trapped and helpless. 

I don't know how long I sat there in the rotting darkness, squeezing my eyes shut and nearly suffocating myself in my jacket sleeves, but it felt like a lifetime. I heard the sirens on either side of the alley, and then heard the hovercraft doors slam as the officers climbed out. I could almost feel their footsteps on the icy ground, crunching slowly toward me. This was it. I was dead. They were going to catch me. I heard one of them put something loud and clangy on the top of the dumpster, and nearly wet myself in terror, but they didn't open the lid. I was safe. 

Finally, I heard them pick up and move out, but I couldn't bring myself to climb out of the garbage, not yet. They could be trying to trick me. So I stayed in there for much longer than I probably should have. 

The lid suddenly opened, flooding the darkness with blinding white light from a flashlight, and I quickly looked up and shielded my eyes with my hands. I think I balled my other fist, ready to fight, but I might've just had it up to my heart protectively. Honestly, I don't really remember. I expected to be caught, that was it.

It wasn't the Refs or the officers or anyone I'd expected. It was Anna.

"What are you doing in here, Joel?" she hissed. 

It took me way too long to figure out what she'd said. "Running away from the police," I finally said, blinking until I'd adjusted to the light. The sky was dark, though it probably wasn't that late. The sun set early this far North in the winter. 

"The police? Why? Were the Refs after you?" she asked, taking my hand and helping me climb out of the dumpster. She wrinkled her nose at the smell, but didn't say anything.

"Yeah, I think so." I brushed my pants off and quickly glanced behind me. "They're framing me for the fire in my old apartment building, or at least that's what I heard. Everything's gone. They can't put out an Unnatural Warning for me, since I'm not one, so they're finding other ways."

"Come on," she muttered. "We'd better get you back. With a change of clothes."

"Thanks." I followed her to her car - her old fashioned rolling one instead of the new hover cars - where she'd parked it on the curb and climbed in the passenger side. "How'd you find me?"

She turned the key and shifted into Drive. "You seriously owe me one now. I'll never get this smell out of my car."

"Just add it to the pile," I muttered. "Seriously, How'd you find me? How'd you know I was in there?"

Again, she didn't answer the question right away. "Braken was looking out the window," she said slowly. "He saw you climb in and then we waited until the coast was clear to come get you."

"Oh," I said, already sensing that this wasn't the whole story. "Thanks."

We drove back to her building in silence and parked around the back. I got out and brushed my hands on my pants, as if that would wipe the smell away. She went around the car and unlocked the door, letting us in. I turned to thank her again, meeting her eyes, and what I saw startled me. 

Braken was right. There was something hidden deep in her eyes. These were the eyes of a murderer. The more I stared into them, the more familiar they seemed, as if from a dream or a stranger I'd seen in the street. They were a deep blue, almost like - 

Almost like Braken's eyes. 

"Is something wrong?" she asked, almost innocently.

"No," I said quickly, dropping my eyes. I wanted to figure things out instead of making snap judgments, and most of all, I didn't want to make her mad. "Just tired and scared."

She didn't look convinced, but she took me upstairs anyway. "You look to be about Eoin's size. You can borrow a few of his clothes while I wash yours."

"I can wash them myself," I said. 

"It's okay. Go make sure Leo hasn't done anything stupid."

Only a few minutes later, Eoin had reluctantly let me borrow a pair of jeans and a shirt, and I'd changed quickly while Anna took my garbage covered clothes downstairs to wash them. I took a shower, letting the hot water wash away my worries just for a moment, and then slumped onto the couch and closed my eyes. 

Braken tapped my arm three times and I opened one of my eyes to look at him. He signed something, but I didn't understand. "Hey," I mumbled. "Thanks for helping Anna find me."

He frowned, his boyish brow furled in confusion. Slowly, he shook his head, pointed at himself, and then pointed down. Instantly, I knew what he'd said. What are you talking about? I was here the whole time.

I quickly jumped up and ran into the bedroom, pulling the blinds up as hard as I could and startling Varien, who was lounging on the bed. Sure enough, I couldn't see the alley I'd been hiding in. 

"What's up?" Varien asked.

"We have to get out of here now," I said. 

"Now?"

"Yes. Right now." I rushed out of the bedroom and nearly crashed into Braken. "Get your stuff. We're leaving." He nodded without question and went to fold up his old pair of pants. I wasn't sure why he wanted to keep them, but I didn't have time to question him. Instead, I went to the bathroom, where Leo seemed to permanently reside. I knocked on the door, harder than usual. "Leo, we're leaving now. They know where we are."

"Okay." His voice came back exhausted and croaky. Again, I heard the toilet flush and the sink turn on, and Leo stumbled into me when he opened the door. 

"Are you okay?" I asked. 

"I thought I told you to stop asking that question," he grumbled in response. 

"I know, but you're in there constantly -"

"I'm fine." He pushed me out of the way and went to go get his other shirts.

"Varien, you coming?" I asked.

"No," he said, though I wasn't surprised. "I'm just going to move up a couple rooms. Hide out here. I really think I fit here. I won't fit in with the other humans. Frankly, neither will they."

"We'll come back when the coast is clear," I said, but he shook his head. 

"No. I'll be fine."

I didn't have time to dwell on it. I knew they'd be here any minute. And Anna - what did she have to do with this? And what would I tell her?

I went to get my jacket, but remembered that Anna was washing it downstairs. Improvising, I grabbed a thick blanket and threw it around my shoulders, sitting down by the door to put my shoes on. Braken sat next to me and struggled to get his own shoes on; his hands fumbled like a toddler's as he tied the laces, though I wasn't surprised. I didn't think he'd ever had shoes before.

"We ready?" Leo asked, slipping his shoes on. He had a small backpack over one shoulder where he'd stuffed his and Braken's extra clothes and what remained of his pay - I looked up at him to see Varien slowly upzip the back pocket and stuff his own credits into it. He didn't say anything, and so I didn't mention it.

"Yeah, I think so," I said, helping Braken tie his other shoe, and then standing up. "Braken, tell me everything you know about Anna. I know she's familiar to you." 

He shook his head and opened the front door, trying to avoid my demand. 

"Please," I said, grabbing his arm, and he flinched. "It'll help me figure this out. How do you know she's a killer?"

He yanked his arm back and signed something angrily. 

"He's not happy," Leo said. "He said, 'Don't touch me.' That's it."

"Braken," I said desperately, "please, tell me."

He signed something again, more aggressively this time, and Leo translated. "She has the eyes of a killer. That's it." 

Before I could ask again, he stormed down the hallway, his shoulders tight in anger and his hands shaking in fear. Leo glanced at me and quickly followed him, leaving me standing in the doorway, a little flustered. He was terrified of Anna, and yet he wouldn't tell me why. I didn't understand. 

I shook my head and started to follow them. I only got a few steps down the hall before Gus practically burst out of Eoin's room, where they were sharing a living space. He saw me and backed up a little with a sharp inhale. "Joel!" he said, quickly trying to cover up his mistake. "They're coming! The Refs found us. You have to get out of here, and fast. If you leave now, you might be able to escape them."

They really had found me. "Okay, thanks. Good luck," I said.

He just laughed a little, panicked and afraid. I didn't understand. "Why are you wishing me good luck? Get out of here!" Before I could, a man - a soldier from the games; I recognized his uniform - ran up the stairs and rounded the corner. Gus and I both screamed and backed up as he lunged for me, barely even taking a breath or a second to think. 

He slammed into me and we went down hard. I cracked my head hard against the floor, seeing stars for a moment, and then suddenly, his weight was thrown off of me as Gus tackled him. I scrambled up to my feet, the floor swaying beneath me, and he shouted for me to run. I backed up a little, almost frozen in terror, and he screamed at me to get out of there. His hand was on the back of the man's neck, and suddenly, the soldier jerked to the side, a burst of electricity jolting out of Gus's hand. 

Gus was one of them. He was an Unnatural.

"What -" I started, but he cut me off. 

"Just go, please. I can't keep him down for much longer." He looked up at me with dark eyes full of fear. "Don't make me give myself away for nothing."

I nodded and broke into a run, heading down the hall after my two friends. They'd already made it downstairs, but as I rounded the corner to get to the staircase, someone grabbed my arm. 

"What are you doing, Joel?" Anna asked.