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THE YOUNG GODS
CHAPTER TEN

" THE LAST TIME "

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      ROSIE HELD ONTO HER older sister's back, being carried through the crowds of scared people who wanted a safe place. They followed their eldest brother who carried their youngest cousin in his arms. The four headed to the WICKED station who had announced they were going to take kids to a safe place before any adults.

"What'd we talk about, Rosie?" Her sister asked pushing through the adults jealous over the prioritization of kids. Her arms secured under her little sister's legs. Not wanting Rosie to know, Nina was scared out of her mind trying to also keep her sister calm and collected.

The young girl kept her chin placed on her sister's shoulder, it was the closest feeling she had to her mother. "Stay together and we'll be okay." Rosie's eyes wondered down to her sister's hand that held onto a knife as tight as she probably could.

Her sister nodded staying close to her brother who had been told by their father to get into the train before they depart. They had been separated from their parents a few days ago and have been wondering around together trying to survive from the town that was being overturned by cranks. Everyone was looking for away to get out but somehow every way out was either blocked or overturned by cranks.

"Nina!" The eldest brother called out not being able to turn around thinking if he took his eyes off his little cousin, someone—something would take him away.

"Right behind you, Vince!" Nina replied back grabbing a handful of Vincent's t-shirt as the two eldest siblings navigated their way to the station while carrying the youngest on their backs and arms.

Rosie felt a tug on the back of her shirt causing her to turn her head feeling herself lose contact from her sister. "Nini!" The young girl screamed being pulled away from her sister. Nina swiftly turned around feeling the weight peeling off her noticing her sister being grabbed by a fidgeting sweaty man.

Vince turned around as well hearing his little sister's scream. "Rosie!" Nina yelled after her pushing people away from her as the man dragged her away.

"Your knife, Nina!" Vince yelled out knowing the capability of his sister's aim. Nina saw her sister being taken away by a man who had just turned his back to her. Taking a few breaths, Nina threw the knife landing it in the man's back. Sudden screams came out of people's mouths once they saw the man being stabbed.

Rushing to her sister, Rosie squirmed away from the man's grasp once he felt to his knees. Reaching to her, Nina got a hold of her sister's hand before taking out the knife out of the man's back. "You killed him!"

Nina heard adults yelling at the teenage girl who held her little sister's hand. "Come on," Nina spoke rushing back to her brother. "It's one of the last ones. We have to get on it."

Vince stayed at the same spot waiting for his sisters to come back to him. A wave of relief washed over him once he saw his two sisters reaching him. The siblings rushed to the front of the station hoping they'd be able to let them through.

"Hey! Hey!" Vince yelled reaching the gate to the front entrance. "We have kids! Hey!"

A soldier turned around noticing the four kids yelling to get through. Rosie watched him look down at the device he had in his hand before looking back. The man held a quick conversation with another soldier walking together to the front. "C'mon! Pass 'em over."

Vince handed his little cousin to the soldiers, who scanned the boy before handing him to another soldier. "Pass Rosie," Vince spoke to Nina as she handed Rosie to him.

As Vince was in the midst of trying to get his little sister over the fence, the soldier shook his head stopping the boy. "No more females! You or another male!"

The two older siblings looked at each other worried, Vince quickly putting his little sister down. "What the hell! I'm not leaving my sisters!"

"I said, no more females! We don't have anymore space! You or another male!"

"Make fucking space asshole!" Vince yelled behind the fence. "I did not come all this way to fucking leave them! Make space!"

"Another train comes tomorrow, they can get on that one." The soldier announced waiting for any other kids being offered. "We can only take one more male!"

Vince turned to look at his oldest sister, who was scared out of her mind trying to hold herself together. "I'll stay with you guys. We'll leave together tomorrow, yeah?"

Nina nodded not wanting to be separated from her brother, without him she felt way less safe. Vince turned around, "we'll leave tomorrow then. Give me back the kid."

The soldier raised his eyebrow, a scoff left his lips, "you guys can leave together tomorrow. But the kid's coming with us. He's registered. Can't give him back."

"Vince!" The little boy spoke after his cousin while being surrounded by tall intimidating soldiers.

"Shit!" Vince yelled.

Nina shook her head, swallowing hard as she made the decision they had to take, "go."

Their brother turned to look at her, "and leave you two alone? Hell no."

Nina bit her lip, "we can't leave him by himself. We don't know how they are in there." Nina wiped a tear trying to run down her cheek. "Look, I'll make sure me and Rosie get on the next train, okay?"

Vincent nodded kneeling down to talk to Rosie, "I'll see you tomorrow, okay, kiddo?"

A smile spread on Rosie's lips sticking her pinky out, "promise?"

"Promise." Vince curled his pinky with hers, a sad smile placed on his lips.

"Butterfly kiss!" Rosie exclaimed

"Okay!" Vince replied letting his little sister get close to his face fluttering their eyelashes together.

"You decided yet?" The soldier asked as Vince stood up glaring at the man behind the fence.

Nina turned to her brother as he was going to put her in charge of their sister, "hey, you got this okay? It's just a few hours Nina. By tomorrow we'll be together again." Nina nodded listening as attentively as she could to her brother. "Find somewhere safe for the night, okay? Don't talk to no one, you got food in the backpack and stuff to keep ya safe. You got it?"

"Yeah." Nina replied before being pulled into a warm hug that lasted a few seconds before the soldiers interrupted.

"Time is ticking kid! Over the fence now or we'll leave you!"

Vince hopped the fence over as Rosie and Nina watched him get scanned and marked. Vincent grabbed a hold of his cousin before stating to his sisters, "tomorrow."

The two in sync replied back, "tomorrow."

"Come on, let's go!" The soldiers pushed Vince making him start walking towards the train.

Rosie held onto the fence watching his brother and his cousin walking away from them. The little girl didn't know what was really going on, all she understood was her brother was leaving them.

"Cranks!"

Fear installed into Nina's body as her eyes went wide hearing the scream. Her had turned behind her realizing they had to get out of there as quick as they can. Vincent turned hearing the yells, his heart shattering and his eyes turning glossy seeing Nina grab a hold of Rosie getting her on her back running from the cranks getting close to them.

"Nina! Rosie!"

"Vince!" Rosie yelled wishing that his older brother was with them. Catching a glimpse, Rosie saw his brother trying to get off the train but being pushed back inside by the soldiers.

And that was the last time she saw her brother.