My brother.
The brown-haired, blue-eyed, 16-year-old brother was standing in the doorway, staring back at me.
I hadn't seen him since I was 12 and he we to work in the Outer Banks, an organization that tries finding ways outside of the fence. The fence is a 13-foot barbed wire fence that surrounds the District.

He looked at me a bit longer, then pulled me into a tight hug. I hugged back. He was muscular and tall, but very, very skinny. They must have been starving him in the Outer Banks, but hugging him made all the rain come away, and I could practically see the sunshine.
" Alexandra." He said my name. "Austinian." I said back. Yes, I know, a weird name, but mom and dad liked it. Well, when dad was around he did..
We pulled apart, laughing. We normally only called each other by our nicknames: Alex and Austin. The two A's. Finally back together.
I stepped aside and Lizzie came to look at Austin. She hadn't seen him since she was 5. She walked over to him and hugged him tight. He hugged back. She ran back inside, grabbed another plate and cup; all while singing: " Austin's home! Austin's home!" Austin laughed and took his place at the table.
A few hours later, we had all eaten the meal, and mom walked Lizzie back upstairs for bed. Austinian started talking the minute her footsteps were drowned out.
" Plague is spreading. Half the crew is wiped out and this is going no where." I looked at the ground. The sunshine went away. " I know. A Keeper around my age came in looking for food. I fed him some stew." Austin looked at me. "And?" He asked. " Then he left. Told me how the plague was around and then left."
" I can't stay for long. Alex, stay away from the plagued people. Don't get sick, no matter what." We sat in silence. I nodded. I mumbled something about sleep and walked upstairs. I laid down on my cot and flipped over on my side. Suddenly, I knew:
It was going to be a restless night.