A/N: Hello. I know it's been a while since I've updated, but I've been dragged down by school work. Hope you enjoy this chapter!~

"Who is Maddie?" Kyle asked. I jerked awake, and looked up to see him staring at Tyler who was looked out at something on the rocks. I couldn't make it out but it looked like a girl.....Emma? No, Emma was right beside me, snoring on my shoulder.

So it can't be real. But.....it did seem so real. Then I remembered the words of the old man back in Sector 6. "Beware the Tides. They will try to lead you astray." Those must be Tides. We had thought they were waves.....The must have been the things redirecting our boat! "Guys, whatever you see, it's not real! They aren't real!

Mark covered his ears, and closed his eyes. "Not real, not real...." He muttered over and over. Brooke just stared at him, probably trying to convince herself he was the real Mark. I noticed Tyler leaning farther, and farther from the edge of the boat, reaching for something.

I looked up and saw the most hideous creature I had ever seen. It looked like a amphibious primate, with webbed ears on the sides of its head, and fingers tipped with sharp nails more like claws. Razor sharp teeth lined the inside of its mouth, with two large canines so enormous; they jutted out, not able to fit in the mouth.

"TYLER!" All of us screamed, as a rock struck his head as we passed by close to the cliff. He tumbled into the cold water. Emma jumped awake. The creatures, Tides, I remembered they were called, hooted, and screeched; some hit each other on the head. I looked at the spot where our companion had fallen.

Two creatures dove under after him. Who knew what they would do with him when they got him. Torture him, then eat him alive....? I whimpered at the thought. More Siren-ish creatures appeared, moving closer to us. Beckoning us to come.....to come...

We had to get out of here. Kyle started to grin a goofy grin, and leaned out of the boat. I pulled him back in. "Stop it, we have to get out of here!!" He shook me off, drunkly. "Shee's a cuuttiiee...." I slapped him. "Emma is in danger, she needs you!"

His eyes stopped dilating, and opened wide. "My sister...?" "Yes your sister! Now let's go!" He helped me, as I pulled on the sail, and pulled away from the cliffs. "Tyler!" Brooke yelled over the noise of the Tides.

"W-we have to go back for him!" I turned and looked back at where he had fallen in. "He's beyond our help, Brooke...." She growled and grabbed me by my shirt collar. "What ever happened to no one left behind!? Don't you care?!"

I pushed her off. "If we had stayed to try and help, we would have died as well!" Emma's eyes widened. "Tyler.....is dead?" I looked at her, my temper lowering. I then studied her face for the first time in a long time.

Her eyes were red. Her hair a mess, and unbrushed. She had lost weight. Her arms were super skinny. "Tyler.....he...-he..." Kyle looked up. "He didn't stand a chance. If he survives the water, the creatures will get him for sure." We all stayed silent for a long time.

For three days straight we rode on the wind only. None of us looked at each other. Losing Ty took a toll on all of us. We missed him, and couldn't believe he was gone. Never to return....

But we had to move on. Our mission was still the same. Make it to the board. Stop the Flare, at all costs. We didn't want or need any more deaths by Freaks or infection. Sorrowfully, we sailed in silence, in the direction we had been in at first.

The sun set and the moon rose, spreading a ghastly white shadow over us, and the water. Emma settled down near her brother, and sighed. A loud, unmistakable sigh. I couldn't blame her. We were all beat.

"Is he really gone?" Kyle asked his voice dry and hoarse. We all said nothing. The silence, answering in its deadly hard voice. "I can't believe it." Mark rubbed at his mud stained face. I realized we had not washed since we left the Sector. We were now surrounded by water and had no bath.

I chuckled dryly in the spite of the moment. The words of the man rang in my head. "Don't touch the water. Whatever you do, do not let you're skin come in contact with the water." But I was tired, and upset. What is the harm in washing a little dirt, and blood off my arms, and hands. It can't hurt. Leaning over the side of the boat, I starred into the gleaming blue water.

Looks harmless. I thought. Plunging my mud and blood stained hands into the water, I sighed in relaxation. Relaxation that lasted about five seconds. Searing hot pain shot into my hands, and up my arms. Screaming, I pulled my hands from the water. My hands burned, and hurt.

The others glanced at me. "What happened?!" Emma asked, taking my stinging hands. I wanted to cry of the pain. But I couldn't. Not in front of Emma.....and everyone else. "W-water. D-don't touch water." I whimpered. Brooke shook her head. "I don't understand." She leaned back. "How can whatever acid is in the water, burn anything organic, and have no effect on non-organics. Like this boat."

We shrugged, and Emma wrapped my hands in a cloth. "You'll be OK, Chase." She smiled warmly and kissed my cheek. Blushing, I turned my head to look at the floor of the boat. "T-thanks..." She chuckled, and went back to her brother, who starred at me.

Mark looked up. "So those...things were Tides...." I nodded. "Yes." His voice was cracked and parched. Half from not talking in three days, and half from no water.

A day went by. Another. Finally we woke up to land in the distance. "Yes!" We cheered. We were not the least bit closest to our destination, but we were out of the boat, where we just sat, and lay for days.

Standing, holding onto the mast, Mark looked over the sea to the land. "Land, at last!" He grinned. Brooke stood beside him. She was at least a couple inches taller than him, but he looked taller standing on a bucket.

"You sure it's not just an illusion?" Brooke asked, shading the sun from her eyes with her hand. "I'm sure." Mark answered, grinning. "Unless....." His smile faded into a pale expression. "We are entering......the end of the world!" Kyle chuckled and wacked his head.

"We're finally getting off this boat!" Emma cheered. The feeling of this freedom was magical. When we reached the rotting wooden dock, I grabbed a rope, and tied the boat to a rusted pole.

Stretching, Mark pumped a fist. "I'd kiss the ground, but it's infested with nastiness." I looked down at my feet. Covering the ground was dirt, dead cockroaches, and a score of other things I didn't look at long enough to identify.

"Ewwww..." Emma glanced in distaste at the ground. "Don't worry." Brooke said, picking up a dead bug, making Emma's face go pale. "At least they're not alive." As if on cue, the cockroach's feet squirmed.

"Well, most of them anyways." Brooke flicked the roach to the side. "H-how can you......do that?!" Emma rubbed her arms, as if the mere thought of a girl holding a insect made her sick.

Brooke ignored her and pulled her pack from the boat. WE all stared at the remaining one Tyler's..... "Let's go." I tried to sound brave, and keep my voice strong. I failed. Miserably. "Someone will find it, hopefully."

Kyle as usual, ignored contact with anyone but his sister, taking her hand, he stared walking in the direction of the deformed city. As we walked through the messy streets of Sector 1, we were pulled down with despair, and a feel of dread.

I guess that is why it was sometimes called the 'Oppidum ex Mortis'. The Town of Death. The citizens used to be the second rank in society. The second best under the Board. They had food, water, and electricity, whatever that was.

But now they were almost extinct if I can say that. They were small in numbers, and seldom came out of their homes. Freaks often ran rampant through the city. Feeding off of garbage, and anything living. This could range from rats, to humans.

I know, gross, and terrifying. A couple stray dogs ran across in front of us, fighting for a small scrap of meat. Both were spotted, and so scrawny, they were near all bones. Emma let out a short shriek.

We watched in great shock as a young boy leapt out of the shadows and tried to wrestle the meat from the dogs. He paid little attention to us, and focused on getting the scrap of food. One of the dogs snarled at him, and snapped at his arm. Kyle made small growl in his throat. The boy shrieked as he held onto the morsel of meat.

Kyle let go of Emma's hand and sprinted toward the struggling boy. He grabbed one dog around its neck and wrestled it away from the sobbing boy. The mutt growled, but ran off. Kyle kicked at the remaining dogs till they fled, yipping down the empty street making echoes all around.

"Hey..." Kyle knelt next to the boy, who held the small piece of meat to his chest as if Kyle would suddenly snatch it, and run of with it. "You ok? Did they bite you?" Kyle's voice was surprisingly soft. His usual gruff and aggressive personality was replaced by a caring and soft one. I stared in disbelief. The boy's eyes that were previously wild, softened, and became calm. He stood and without another glance at Kyle, ran off down the street.

Kyle stood and walked backto us. "What?!" He demanded as we all stared at him. "You never seen a guy savea little kid before?" There is was. His glare and harsh words. To be honest, Iwas kind of relieved to see the old Kyle back. "Let's keep moving." I tossedKyle his pack, which he had dropped in his heroic moment. "We have to findsomewhere to stay before dark.