Shadows of Ascendancy

The New Normal Night

"To think that only a few of the population survive," Ava mused softly, her voice tinged with melancholy as she sat on the veranda, her doll cradled in her arms. Since the night Elena brought them to her home, the twins had wasted no time in familiarizing themselves with their new surroundings and getting to know the other tenants of the building.

As Nathan entered the door, his arrival breaking the quiet moment, he brought news that sent a shiver down Elena's spine. "Another kind of monster just appeared near the port," he announced his tone grave.

Elena, who had been in the midst of preparing their food, paused at Nathan's words, her expression shifting to one of concern. With each new development, their sense of security seemed to slip further away, leaving them to grapple with the harsh reality of their situation in this new, dangerous world.

"What do you mean?" Elena asked, her curiosity piqued as she paused in her onion chopping. Ava, intrigued by the conversation, joined them to listen to Nathan's explanation.

"I heard from the man who visited today. I think he is from the military. He mentioned that this monster seems to be intelligent. They attacked a shelter by the south," Nathan explained, his voice filled with concern.

Elena's brows furrowed in worry as she absorbed this information. They were not far from the South, and the thought of the monsters attacking a shelter sent chills down her spine. The shelters in their area were supposed to be secure, powered by solar generators and fully lit every night. They were built and managed by the military, designed to provide safety and resources for survivors.

"How could the monsters attack a shelter?" Elena pondered aloud, her mind racing with questions. The realization that their perceived safety may not be as reliable as they had thought weighed heavily on her, casting a shadow of uncertainty over their already precarious situation.

"He said that everyone from the shelter was killed by the monster. They were able to get near the shelter because something turned off the lights from the inside," Nathan relayed, his voice tinged with solemnity as he focused on slicing the onions.

Ava nodded in silent understanding, her brows furrowed with concern as she began to sift through the canned goods. "How could that happen? That shelter is just 3 hours away from here, and we are the nearest to it. Did they say anything? Are they going to relocate us?" she queried, her tone laced with apprehension.

Nathan paused, his grip tightening on the knife as he considered her questions. "He didn’t say anything," he replied shortly, his expression troubled by the lack of information.

Glancing at the clock, Ava noted that it was just past noon. With a sense of urgency, she reached for a pack of energy bars, a reminder of their past scavenging efforts at the mall. As she grabbed them, she couldn't shake the feeling of unease that lingered in the air, a reminder of the precariousness of their situation in the wake of the shelter's tragic demise.

"I'll go to Fin. Stay here, you two," Elena instructed the twins, her tone firm but reassuring. "I'll ask for more details."

With a determined stride, Elena made her way out the door, mounting her bike and pedaling swiftly toward the military camp. As she approached, her eyes widened at the sight of military jeeps being loaded with equipment, and soldiers preparing for departure.

"Are they leaving the city?" Elena murmured to herself, a sense of urgency creeping into her voice.

Spotting Fin among the officers, Elena maneuvered her bike closer, waiting patiently for him to finish his duties before approaching him. As he concluded his commands and turned towards her, she offered a respectful nod of greeting, ready to seek answers and guidance in the tumultuous times ahead.

"Fin!" Elena called out, relief flooding her features as she caught sight of him.

Fin turned towards her, a warm smile gracing his features. "Elena, I'm glad to see you're alright," he replied, gesturing for her to join him inside the camp. "Have a seat. What brings you here?" he inquired, his tone welcoming.

Seizing the opportunity, Elena cut straight to the chase. "Is it true that the shelter was attacked?" she asked, her voice tinged with concern.

At her question, a shadow passed over Fin's face, his expression growing solemn. "It's true. Almost half of us were wiped out," he confirmed grimly. "To be honest with you, right now we have below 3 thousand survivors. Others were already evacuated; we heard the news that someone was using an underground facility, and the higher-ups were trying to coordinate with them." Elena listened intently, absorbing the gravity of the situation. "How about you? Do you have any plans?" Fin inquired, turning the question back to her.

Elena's gaze flickered with determination as she prepared to share her news. "I have someone to introduce to you," she replied cryptically, prompting a curious look from Fin.

Later that afternoon, Fin accompanied Elena back to her place, where Nathan and Ava awaited their return.

"Your siblings?" Fin ventured, noting the familial resemblance between Elena and the twins.

"Something like that," Elena replied with a smile, urging Fin to enter while the twins greeted him warmly.

As they settled into the living room, Elena took the opportunity to make introductions. "Meet Nathan and Ava Everhart, No. 000009 and No. 000010," she announced, emphasizing their identification numbers for clarity. "Guys, meet Fin Blackwood, No. 000002," she added, completing the introductions.

With the formalities out of the way, the group gathered in the living room, ready to discuss their next steps in the face of uncertain times. "You two are impressive," Fin praised the twins, his admiration evident as he glanced over their stats.

Nathan was quick to deflect the praise, attributing their success to Elena's assistance. "It’s all thanks to the help of Elena. If she did not go to the mall, we wouldn’t be able to get out of there," he explained earnestly.

Fin nodded in agreement, his gaze shifting to Elena with a sense of gratitude. "It is better that you stay with her; you two are still so young and need protection," he remarked, his tone gentle but firm. The twins nodded in silent agreement, acknowledging the wisdom in Fin's words.

Turning his attention back to Elena, Fin posed a question that weighed heavily on all their minds. "Elena, what do you plan to do?" he inquired, his expression serious as he awaited her response.

Elena paused, her brow furrowing in thought. "That I still don't know. Is it possible that the monsters could come this way?" she asked, her voice tinged with concern. With their safe haven compromised, she knew they needed to act quickly, but she needed more information to formulate a plan.

Fin nodded, confirming her suspicions. "It’s a possibility, which is why we are evacuating everyone right away," he explained, his tone grave.