Tobias raced to her side, a light shadow in the extinguished flames, his sharp face illuminated by the sudden flashes of light outside. The Mutated walked slowly, the numerous slaps of their ragged shoes making a steady drum against the earth. Light showered around them, striking some, but others did not pause as their brethren fell, unless the ones who were striked fell against them and then, they both went down in a small puddle of flaming clothes and burned skin.

"They're so many," he breathed out, his trembling hands gripping his cracked News-Flat, a memory from the old times. "So much disease, so many Mutated." Tobias paused and shook his head then jerked up. "Everyone!" He suddenly bellowed and Teresa jumped back in surprise. "Wake up! Now!" The flashes of light illuminated glimmering eyes blinking open and blankets being flung back, the shuffling of shoes as people slipped them over bare feet, jackets ripped off hooks. Within a few seconds, everyone was up and ready. Teresa tugged her leather jacket tighter over her shoulders.

"There's been a new development-" she started then felt a warm hand rest on her coat.

"Let me handle this okay?" Tobias murmured. Teresa felt blood rush to her cheeks and her ears redden and hoped the quick electro-bolt flashes didn't reveal it.

"Sure," she muttered, turning her head away and quickly shaking off his hand before any foolish impulses overtook her.

"The Mutated are coming towards us and we still haven't found enough metal to create a suitable entrance cover that will keep out the virus. Remember when they still had their bombs and could turn this little place to electro-blasted bits? Remember when they ran out? They can't get in, but the virus sure can. Everyone bring all your blankets and go to the very back of the cave and huddle under them until the Mutated go away. Got it?" Tobias finished his quick speech and clapped his hands together, the bolts illuminating his freckled cheeks, calloused hands, terrified eyes... Teresa swallowed and rushed to her bunk to collect her blankets and sheets.

"One question, weak beanie," Alex had pushed to the front of the crowd and Teresa paused, unsure. "What if we can't get out? What if they stay in the daytime too? You know the mechanisms automatically go up at dawn." There was a quiet pause.

"That was two questions," Tobias snapped and suddenly softened, "and I don't know." He whispered, suddenly sounding hopeless. Teresa resisted the urge to rush forward and get swallowed in his arms, whisper in his ear that everything would be okay.
Except that nothing was okay or would ever be. And hugging him was a ridiculous thought. Almost as ridiculous, she thought to herself bitterly, as having humankind mutated by aliens and set off another world war just for the fun of it-
A loud crunching sounded outside. Teresa didn't dare look and kept on tearing off her blankets, seeing everyone start to soundlessly do the same. She hurried to the back of the room and threw herself on the floor with her blankets. Alex silently did the same next to her. It was the best protection they were going to get. Tobias was already there, his white face just visible under the blankets illuminated by a flickering candle.

"Are you okay?" Teresa whispered to him, realizing what a stupid question that was as soon as she said it.

"Not really," He snapped back. "My parents were- they are..." And Teresa understood. Tobias was scared to see his parents among the distorted, cracked faces out there that were grinding their ragged bodies against the bars and shouting things like,

"Vengeance for nothing!" or "Nothing for vengeance!" or "Death or die!" It was disturbing.

"I'm sure they're-" Teresa paused, realizing there was nothing she could really say about that. "Sorry," she muttered and looked away. Tobias threw the blankets over his head until he appeared just a miserable lump.

Silence.

Teresa paused, the speed of her heart quickening as a loud clang rang through the air, some haunted groans competing with the booms as the Mutated banged their filthy bodies against the bars. A screech, a horrible screech, filtered through the stormy air and then, a dim outline of them came banging down onto the ground.

The first of the Mutated stepped inside. 

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