1 Chapter One

Icy fingers gripped at me in the darkness. I tried to scream, to make them go away. Nothing was working. I tried to make a run for it, but i fell off what seemed to be a steep cliff. As I plunged down, deeper and deeper, i got a glimpse of someone. Caliban? What was he doing in my dream? I tried to call out his name, but yet again, my voice had failed me. I woke up to my alarm ringing off the hook. As i was getting dressed, i couldnt help but wonder why i had been having the same dream night after night, all ending with me falling off a cliff. Due to my superstition and curiosity, i was anxious to go to bed early, to try and find a way to end the nightmare, a way for me to survive in it. Alas, everytime i tried, it always was the same. As I was walking downstairs i heard familiar voices arguing.

"Oh my god Harold, you are such a coward. I shouldnt't have to keep these things from my daughter. Man up and tell her yourself." They went silent as soon as they saw me. "Sorry Alyanna, did we wake you? Your mother has a hard time keeping her voice in a quiet tone." I shook my head and sat down to eat. They continued their conversation, only this time they were whispering. "She hasn't spoken a single word since we seeked refuge here. Why aren't you worried about her like I am? She should be out playing with the other children, not cooped up in this house sleeping all day," I could hear my mother say. "How about this, I take her over to the neighbours. They have got a well behaved son that im sure could talk to her. Im pretty sure he is 16 too." my dad offers. I roll my eyes as i ascend back upstairs. I know he is bound to force me to go to Caliban's house so decide to look decent for once. After i finish getting ready, i go back downstairs,

deciding i should probably say something, anything to break the ice cold tension. "Im ready to go," I say, shakily. They look at me, both wide eyed, obiously shocked that i had spoken for the first time in months. My father nods his head at Mother, obviously they had been talking while i went upstairs to change.

"I've missed talking to you, you know. I didn't know what to do when you had stopped talking completely. It scared me." My father says, with a hint of empathy in his eyes. "Sorry if i didnt feel like talking after seeing all of my friends get shot." I said, full of sarcasm. I did kind of regret it but what does he expect. As we walked up the stairs, the door flung open. Caliban stepped out and greeted us. "Hello Alyanna, how have you been? I do hope you have started talking again, I've missed our little chats," he says. The only "chats" we have ever had was when we were younger and would always argue over every little thing. "Thanks, Caliban." I say, rolling my eyes. My father goes to the backyard to help Caliban's dad with the grill, leaving me alone with Caliban. "The living room is boring, plus i have something i need to share with you," he says, leading me upstairs to his room. "Make yourself comfortable" I try to flash a warm smile but I guess it turned out to be a rude one because he scowled at me. "Alyanna, I have something I need to tell you, but you cannot tell anyone else. Promise me." I hesitate for a second.

"Alright, go ahead," I say, seemingly uninterested in whatever it is he has to say. "Well, I was out past curfew last night when i heard these shouting voices. But they werent from the village, meaning they came from outside the barriers." I stared at him, confused. "Don't you get what this means," he started,"there has to be other villages or else they wouldn't have survived these past 9 months, its impossible." I was shocked. Surely he had to be lying, thats what he always did when we were little, which is why we always fought. "Enough with your bullshit stories," I say, part of me wanting to believe him. "Alyanna, I promise you I am not lying. I've grown out of that. I just want you to trust me." I nod my head while I begin to observe him. Wow. He really has grown up since the last time I spoke to him. He didn't have any more of his baby fat, instead it was replaced with a chiseled jaw and toned abs. He must of caught me staring because he cleared his throat. "Alyanna, meet me tonight, after curfew, at the old park. I will show you then so maybe you could believe me," he said as he looked up. He came closer to me and grabbed my hands. "Alyanna, I would never lie to you about something so serious. All I've ever wanted was for you and I to become close again," he explained, leaning into a kiss. I pulled away and pretended to look at my watch.

"Wow would you look at the time. I have to go, but I will see you tonight, K?" I said, very uncomfortable. "Alyanna, wai-" he said as i closed the door. I ran home and went immedietly upstairs. Oh my god. I am so stupid. Why would i deny a kiss from him. I dont even know if i hate him or not. Why does everything have to be so damn complicated. I get changed into my night clothes and head downstairs for dinner. My parents must've already gone to bed because there was only one bowl of soup on the table. I grabbed the spoon and started eating. Great, Cold soup for dinner. I looked at the time on the stove and it read 10:32. Wonderful, i was already 30 minutes late. I put on my coat and gloves and headed to the park.

As I arrived, I could hear leaves crunching behind me but i chose to ignore it. Where the hell is he? I thought to myself. All of a sudden I felt the same ice cold fingers around my waist that I felt in my dream. I kicked and tried to scream. "Alyanna, its okay its just me," Caliban says, chuckling. I whirl around and slap him across the face. "Don't ever fucking do that again," I warn him. "Ouch, noted." He smiles. He takes my hand and leads be back out to the lake near the park where theres a few candles already lit. "Look over here, do you see these footprints? Everyone in this village has the same shoes. Now take ur foot and stomp in the mud." It was stupid but i complied. "See. Look. The footprints aren't even remotely the same. They are the same size as mine though, which makes me wonder if its a boy our age," he says, thinking to himself. "Here I was thinking this was another one of your lies. You really have changed haven't you?" I say, scooting closer to him, mostly for warmth, but also for comfort. "I don't know why you just won't leave my head. I tried and tried to talk to you, but when your father said you hadn't talked for months, I dont know I guess you just filled up my thinking space," he says, turning to me making eye contact. "Caliban, I-" I'm cut of by him grabbing my face and kissing me. Just then, we heard a twig snap in the bushes.

Caliban draws out his knife and shouts "who's there". Just then, a boy our age steps out of the bushes with his hands above his head. I hate to admit it, but he looked kind of cute. He had a chiseled jaw, as well as dark hair. "I do not come to harm you, I am simply lost. You seeI come from a village thats a little ways away from here." He looks so familiar to me but yet so forgein at the same time. Caliban starts to protest but I interupt, "where is this village you speak of?" I ask. "In Kyiv, I have been following this path for days and it led me here." What the hell. "You can't be from Kyiv, I was there when it got raided by the soldiers, no one was left alive who stayed." He looked taken aback. "Who are you?" Caliban asks, putting his arm around me in a jealous way, which I could not stand. "My names Miron Mikhaylov, and your name is?" he looked at me then Caliban, shifting moods. "My name is Caliban Boyle, and this is Alyanna Woods."