Twinlight

Chapter 16: You Only Live Once (YOLO)

The emergence of the extraordinary in ordinary life should feel romantic. Like a fairy tale for adults. The Hogwarts letter you never received as a child suddenly didn't seem so far away.

Yet, that vicious news story acted like a bucket of ice water, dousing the fervor in many hearts. Only then did reality sink in: this world was far from a fairy tale. The world might change, but human nature wouldn't.

Future technology was priceless. Forget the materials and structure of those chromed cyber-legs; the neural-link tech alone, interfacing machinery directly with neurons, was enough to drive people mad. This wasn't sci-fi speculation – it was tangible, cutting-edge innovation sitting right next door, ripe for the taking.

Crucially, the ordinary people who crossed over and Returned, even augmented with cybernetics, were still vulnerable against organized force. The victim died in his home, a dagger thrust upwards beneath his ribs into his heart. Compared to the stolen chromed cyber-legs, the dagger was crude, primitive technology. This wasn't a fairy tale; it was a grim, cautionary fable for adults.

Instantly, fear gripped many Crossers who’d impulsively revealed themselves in the initial hype. Those who Returned visibly augmented worried about being next. Others, like Elian Thorne, who bore no outward changes, wondered if unseen treasures within them might become targets. Rumors in the tabloids speculated wildly: Perhaps killing a Crosser allows you to steal their place in the Crossing?

The theory was insane! But until proven impossible, trust between people evaporated.

Nathan Grey’s earlier excitement about treating Elian to dinner vanished. He muttered under his breath, "Just when you get a shot at changing your life... it turns into a horror game."

Nathan and Elian shared a common misery: fathers consumed by gambling, leaving their families in chaos. Nathan had it slightly better. His parents were still married, the house wasn't sold, and daily needs were met, though pocket money was nonexistent. Elian had lost everything. Classmates rarely invited them to hangouts; even pool table fees were beyond their means. Nathan liked a girl but felt too inadequate, too poor, to speak up. Both desperately craved money. Nathan had even tried writing short stories for magazines, hoping for a payout, but they sank without a trace.

Seeing Nathan’s dejection, Elian felt it might be a blessing. "You saw the news. If you cross over, be careful. And if you Return, keep quiet."

"Yeah, got it," Nathan nodded, a wave of bitterness washing over him. "Why are we so damn poor, anyway?"

Elian considered it. "While other dads were fighting for their families... yours was playing cards."

Nathan bristled slightly. He knew his dad was flawed, but the bluntness stung. "What about your dad?"

"Oh," Elian replied calmly, "Mine was fighting to play cards."

Nathan stared. "..."

Silence hung heavy between them. After a moment, Nathan asked, "So... how did your dad end up inside?"

"I reported him," Elian stated flatly. "Hoped he’d reflect in there."

Nathan blinked, then leaned in conspiratorially. "...Could you report mine too?"

Elian: "???"

The bell rang, cutting off the surreal request.

Elian felt a nagging sense of having missed something. He lowered his head, shielding his eyes. Instantly, his pupils contracted. The day’s events replayed like a film in his mind – every news snippet, every overheard conversation, every online post. Information streamed in like falling leaves. Elian’s mind plucked the useful ones from the air.

His head snapped up, eyes wide with realization. The reported Crossers weren't scattered randomly; they clustered in distinct pockets, concentrated in just over a dozen cities. Online forums buzzed with confusion from residents of other cities: Why are there no Crossers here? The distribution wasn't random; it was intensely focused.

School ended at 5:40 PM. Elian skipped evening study hall again.

Dusk painted the sky as students streamed towards the cafeteria, preparing for the long night of study ahead. Elian moved against the tide, slipping through the crowd towards a secluded corner of the campus wall. He scaled it easily, landing on the quiet street outside.

He went home, shed his school sweatshirt, pulled on less identifiable clothes, and grabbed a worn baseball cap. A quick search on his phone confirmed the address: Cresthaven Heights, Grayson Wong’s neighborhood. Six kilometers from school. An inexplicable urge pulled him there. He didn’t know Grayson’s exact building or apartment number, but he needed to see. He needed to know what happened to Grayson after his Return, what horrors he faced in Umbra.

Elian couldn't afford a cab. His pockets held only a few coins – his entire fortune until his next chess match with Old Man Zhang at the Fortune's Pantry. He’d have to run.

He wasn’t a natural athlete, just going through the motions during mandatory school runs. But now, the necessity hit him hard. He needed strength. He needed endurance. To survive the dangers lurking in both worlds.

Because you only live once (YOLO). And that life demanded fierce protection.