The next few days for Rae were an annoying mixture of wanting to cry, die or punch a guy. She and Asha were trying to spend as much time together as possible, and even though she visited her house nearly every day, it didn't seem the same without the twins. And it was all too soon, it appeared to Rae, that they had somehow arrived at Sunday, the day before Asha's leaving.

Though they had spent the day taking the transport up and down town together, as Rae lay on her cold mattress that night, she couldn't help feeling like it wasn't enough. Her body was spread out, so much that her feet fell at the edge of the bed. She was clearly growing. From looking out the window, she could tell it was around midnight already, the lights had gone out hours ago, but she couldn't sleep.

It was hard to think that in a few hours, she'd be seeing Asha off at the transport. What would do after that? What was she going to say? Afterall, how do you say goodbye to someone who's been your best friend basically your entire life? Rae felt like she was falling... like in those nightmares before you wake up short of breath... falling... but she was still awake.

She watched the old ceiling fan spin, making guttering noises as it went, and wished she could will it to go faster. It was too hot in this room, too stuffy, stuffy with thoughts and...

Rae peeled herself off the bed until she was sitting on the edge, head in her hands. She looked up again at the window, it might as well have been covered by a black curtain for all she could see. Making up her mind, Rae got up silently and unlocked her door. She peeked out and saw no one in the hallway. Almost on impulse, she went to go check on Ethan, who always left his door open a crack. She could spot his little body, curled up as if he was trying to protect himself. She had never seen him look so vulnerable.

Carefully, she made her way down the stairs, jumping over the ones that creaked and approached the doorway. She leaned forward to let it scan her eye and it beeped, making her wince over the noise. The door swung open and she stepped through it, into the chilly air.

Rae hadn't snuck out of the house since she was about 8, and it didn't seem as scandalous as she remembered it to be. She and Asha used to do it together, 12 o'clock, every Saturday night. They didn't end up doing much besides playing tag up and down the streets, but it was freedom. Even if it was only a few minutes of it.

Rae shivered now, feeling the drop in temperature down to her bones and wished she'd remembered to bring a jacket. Now that she was out here, she had absolutely no idea what to do. The street was empty. It was hard to remind herself that there was anyone else in this neighbourhood besides her, especially with the lights off.

Rae started walking. She didn't know where, she didn't know why. The moon, which could barely be seen over the haze of smoke permanently resting in the sky, was her only guide. It wasn't until she had walked all the way to the block next to her's, that she stopped. She had arrived at the Jones' house, and, by the little light of the moon, she could make out a someone. No— not a someone— Asha.

She was sitting on the stairs in front of her porch, with her knees tucked in. Rae felt a rush of relief that it wasn't her father, who would've sent her back and starting walking towards her. As Rae grew near, Asha gave a little jump, before relaxing when realizing who had sat next to her.

"I just be wanting some peace and quiet and then you be coming along..." Asha remarked, still looking forward and not directly at Rae. But Rae could tell she was smiling.

"Well, you were supposed to let me know remember? How dare you sneak out without me?!"

Asha snorted. "You remember that?"

"Of course! You know, I was always surprised we never be getting caught..."

"Let's be keeping it that way. Why you be here anyways?"

"I could ask you the same." Rae found a small piece of gravel that fit nicely in her hand and started rolling it around.

"I couldn't sleep."

"Me neither." Rae looked up at the sky. The moon seemed to be fading now, or maybe it was just her eyes tricking her. It seemed to be becoming more of a white blur than a circle. "I wish we could see them."

"That be random." Asha looked at her incredulously. "What be?"

"The stars."

Asha snorted again. "And I wish Liam Wayland be dropped into a pool of glitter and die."

Rae rolled her eyes. "No, I mean... they be up there, don't they be? We-we just covered them up ourselves. I read about them—"

"—of course you did—"

"And I be reading— if you go to the countryside, there be a chance—"

"No there isn't, Rae." Asha rubbed her eyes. There cheerful conversation seemed much more bitter now. "That just be a fact of life. There just be some things— some things we can't be controlling, we'd like to, but we can't be."

Rae went quiet. "Asha. How you be feeling about tomorrow?"

"What about it?"

"You know what I be talking about."

Asha sighed. "We be going over this. The less we be talking about it—"

Suddenly, the front door creaked. Asha and Rae jumped up as it opened slowly. Rae held on to Asha's wrists, as if reminding her she was there, as a figure stepped out into the silver moonlight. Asha tensed, as if waiting for a punch, but instead came a figure. A lean, tall figure with long hair. A figure who was—

"Mya?" Asha seemed to breath again, as she relaxed back into her sitting position.

"Asha?" Mya's eyes widened, and she seemed to be extremely nervous about something, looking up every once in a while. "Y-your not be supposed to be here!"

"Neither you be!"

"Well— I not being able to fall asleep."

"It be seeming no one could, not tonight." Asha pointed to Rae, who was still standing off to the side awkwardly.

Mya sat down to join her sister. "Actually— it be more like— it be like I not be wanting to go to sleep."

Asha nodded. "And Rocky?"

Mya bit her lip. "Um, asleep."

"Are you sure? You don't sound sure."

Mya sighed. "Yes, I be sure."

Asha shrugged and dropped her voice. "You be getting time to send Mrs. Roberts your resigning form?"

Rae felt a pang in her heart. Mrs. Roberts was the lady Mya worked for.

This time, Mya nodded. "Yeah, she be... she be okay from it— Ok, I can't be holding it in anymore. Rocky, he actually be, he be—"

Suddenly, there was a crash, as something— something heavy fell and landed hard pavement. It took all Rae had not to scream as the thing rolled to protect itself and then got up, checking for bruises.

"He be— running away." Mya completed, sounding a little guilty.

"Rocky!" Asha was looking from one sibling to another with an astounded look in her eyes. Rocky walked up to them, slipping his cap on backwards. "Jumping out the window really be necessary?"

He shrugged. Rae noticed that even though he was two years older than Asha, she was starting to grow taller than him. His school shirt was ripped now, and some spots were bleeding. He didn't seem to mind, but Mya ran over to nurse him immediatly. "Mya not be giving me the signal that the front entrance be clear. Oh, and hello Rae."

Rae waved awkwardly.

"That be because the front entrance not be clear." Mya finished dabbing the cut on his arm and addressed the look on Asha's face. "Look, I be sorry I not be telling you, but Rocky be saying not to—"

"And you just be letting him run away? You be helping him run away?"

Mya's voice came out quiet. "Actually... I be planning to go with him."

Now Asha looked even more lost. Rae almost considered putting her arms around her, but it seemed like this between her and her family.

Rocky squared up his shoulders— a difficult task while wearing a ripped up shirt and said, "And you, you not be telling anyone, right? Asha, you can't."

"I— be— of course I will!" Now Asha looked furious. "You two think you can— you not even be telling me— and Rocky, Mya, you can't be doing this!"

"Why not?" Rocky yelled. "Give me one good reason, you be giving me one good reason not to be walking away right now!"

Mya sheepishly tried to quiet him, reminding him they must not get caught, but Rocky was fuming now. "One rea—"

"Think about your future!" Asha said, almost nearly as loud. "You can't just be running off out there—"

"But our future be out there, Asha. Tomorrow we be leaving for the camps. I want to stay here, complete school, get a job."

"But how you be living without—"

"Mya can be getting a job, right Mya?"

He looked over at Mya, who seemed to be taking a step back. Her cheeks got darker as she realized everyone was staring at her. "Well, yeah. I not really be sending the resignation form. I still have a job."

"AND WHAT ABOUT ME?" Asha looked quiet scary now, with the moon high above her and her eyebrows pulled down in fury. "YOU NOT BE THINKING ABOUT ME AT ALL, YOU BE? YOU JUST GOING TO LEAVE HERE, LEAVE ME HERE TO GO TO THE CAMPS?"

"Shh Asha, please." Mya intervened. "You can't come, it be too dangerous."

"And not too dangerous for you? Rocky, you barely be one year older than me."

"Asha..."

Asha glanced at Rae briefly, who was watching this argument from a distance. Asha's gaze looked pleading as she used her last resort. "What about dad? What this be doing to him?"

Rocky stomped his foot, as if he was frustrated. "Don't you be getting it? Honestly, we be wasting time. Dad not be caring, he not be minding at all. He be prepared to send us all away tomorrow anyways—"

"No... don't say that... you— you not be knowing what you saying..."

"We be trying to say all of this to him before, but he just be ignoring us. He will never care, he NEVER CARED!"

"I did."

Rae swerved around so fast, she was sure she would crack her neck. There, standing in front of the doorway, the man looked like a shadow. A broad shouldered, intimidating shadow. Asha was the first to react.

She gasped. "Dad... well this be awkward."
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A.N: Sorry I had to cut the chapter off here, it was becoming REALLY long. Well I hope you enjoyed it anyways (if you were able to get to the end) and thank you so much for reading! Sorry I haven't updated in a while, I was just so caught up with school...

Actually, that's a lie, I'm just lazy.