The headquarters, apparently, is just an abandoned building that has chunks of concrete ripped out from its sides, looking as if it may topple at any second.

Blackened debris covers the whole area from the headquarters to where I stand.

How do we cross over? The smell the debris gives out makes me scrunch up my nose. It seems dangerous.

Dirty Blonde, whose name I still don't know, leaps effortlessly between two pieces of debris, before hopping into another small space a short distance ahead.

She moves like a dancer, her legs and movements graceful. How is she related to Dustin? His cousin?

Dustin stares at me for a while, deep in thought, and I think I see a flicker of emotion cross his face before he shakes his head and the cold expression that's so familiar from him appears once again.

He hops after Dirty Blonde, and calls out, "Carmen!"

Dirty Blonde turns around, and he points at a piece of debris that's on fire, looking like a coal. Oh, so that's her name. Carmen stands dangerously close to the burning 'coal'.

Carmen sends Dustin a nod, before moving away slightly from the flames, and continuing to make her way towards the headquarters.

"Corinne, you coming?" Dustin looks over his shoulder and I scowl at him, before tentatively lifting my leg and stepping over a piece of debris.

The smell that comes from the black mass almost makes me want to double over in disgust. It reminds me of the gas from the pod, but worse. So this is what they call a wasteland.

But still, I continue to move in a pattern, towards the top right corner, then the left, in a zigzag formation.

And then I trip.

Falling forwards, I let out a yelp, about to bring my hands forward to break my fall. The smell of toxic smoke fills my nostrils.

Before I know it, I've landed on the burning debris. The yell that I let out makes my bones shake and pain blasts throughout my body, all the way to my eyes sockets. The pain doesn't stop there, one wave after another hitting me, hard. The pain intensifies each time and takes away my consciousness bit by bit. I am on the ground now, after having pulled back from the flames.

I press my hand to my face drowsily, feeling something wet, but I don't want to look. A deep ache spreads through my skin.

"Corinne!" Dustin yells, clearly worried, hurdling over several pieces of debris to reach me.

He slides one hand underneath my knees, the other around my back, lifting me up bridal style. My whole body burns so hard I can't keep my eyes open. My salty tears come into contact with my wound and I sob harder.

Dustin hops over some blackened masses. My strength is draining. My eyelids flutter. Where are we going? I feel so safe in Dustin's arms, but of course not as safe as when I'm with Chance...I...

"Corinne," Dustin says, his voice as deep and soothing as a lullaby, "you can't close your eyes. Not now. We're reaching soon,"

Reaching where? I want to ask, but drowsiness pulls me under instead, and I slip away.

He's missing, I think as I run around the playground, calling for my best friend.

Where is he?

Panicked, tears sting my eyes. If Chance was here, he'd pull me close and tell me everything was alright, that he'd give me a crayon so that I could use it to draw a picture, or write down in my journal what had happened that day.

I had so many crayons.

"Mom, Chance's missing!" I yell as I enter the house, latching on to her arm.

My mother sighed. "I'll go look later. Why don't you go next door to ask for help?"

I nodded, and hurried off on my short legs to Chance's house.

On the way there, I collided with someone else. I let out a scream, falling backwards. I landed on the hard ground, pain shooting up my arms and legs.

I shot up to my feet immediately, because one thought was echoing in my head: I had to find Chance.

Just as I was about to hurry off, a familiar voice called out my name. My eyes shot to the person on the floor.

And there he was, with the familiar crooked smile and outstretched arms. He stood up, and I ran into his embrace. He smelled like home and rain, and of happiness and comfort. It held every meaning as a family.

And I was safe.

Chance stroked my back, soothing me gently, and wiping away the tears I didn't know had fallen with his thumb.

He told me everything was alright, that he was here, that he wouldn't let anything hurt me.

Then he passed me a purple crayon, which I used that night to write in my journal that I liked Chance.

Below that I drew a big heart, with both Chance's and my name inside it.

That was the first time, when I was only four, that I knew I like Chance more than a friend.

I hear whispers, of someone calling for me, and I slowly slip away from that happy memory, with my mind not cooperating. "No! I want to stay; live through that time," I protest. But it doesn't seem like anyone heard me. So, that isn't what happens.

I feel myself getting back my consciousness. Slowly, my mind starts to fill with the events that happened. My hand tingles and I move them slowly, brushing them into someone else.

"Corinne?"

My eyes flutter open and I immediately feel pain. There's an intense, acute pain at my head. However, I ignore it and turn around. Dustin is staring at me. Happiness and joy fills his eyes at once.

However, I don't feel the same for him. Sure, I may be thankful because he helped me, but that doesn't erase my grudge and hatred towards him. I know I might be ungrateful, but that's what happens when he goes breaking my trust for him.

"Get away from me."

The joy and relief from Dustin's eyes disappear, as if it was a fire I'd put out. I realize that I'm on a bed, in a foreign place.

"Where am I?" I demand.

"You're in headquarters," Dustin replies, and I look around.

It doesn't look like the torn building that was in poor condition.

As if reading my mind, Dustin sighs, and explains, "The look of the torn building was a disguise. Great, huh? Even you were fooled."

"Yeah. Great." I muttered under my breath, rolling my eyes.

The door creaks open. I turn around. Carmen emerges. Not her again. She's the last person I want to see now, when my head is pounding, and my legs feel like they're floating and may buckle at any moment.

"C'mon." Dustin calls, beckoning her.

No, go away.

Carmen rolls her eyes and struts towards the bed. "Yes?" she asks snobbishly. With that look on her face, I wish I could punch her right now. Alas, my hands were somewhat occupied.

"What am I doing here?"

"You need me to repeat? Okay, you were so clumsy and fell-" Carmen laughs.

"Yes, I know." I cut her off, irritated.

Internally, I wince slightly. If I try hard enough, I can feel the searing heat, the blasting pain, the hopelessness when I fell.

"You'll be staying here for the time being until you're well. Meanwhile, Carmen will take good care of you, won't you, Carmen?" Dustin instructs.

"Yes, your majesty." Carmen answers.

This was bad. First of all, we were sure enemies, now you're leaving me with her? This is unbelievable. What if she sabotages me? A frisson of alarm ran through me as my imagination goes wild.

"Trust me, she won't." Dustin chuckles and winks. The door slams shut and silence fills the room.

I just stared blankly at the door. Maybe I was hoping that Dustin would change his mind and come back. I might hate him now, but compared to Carmen-whom I didn't even know who she was, I would most definitely pick him.

Sighing, I turn back and lay on the bed. My head wasn't throbbing now. It seems to have alleviated. They must have given me some morphine.

My head clears and I feel a heavy weight on my eyelids. Blinking them a few times, I finally fell into slumber. I dreamt of Chance and me...

"Just play with me..." Chance whines, pulling my hand back and forth.

"Fine."

"Then run, I'll be the seeker."

I take off as soon as he finishes, giggling along the way. Chance wants to play another game again. He recently found a new game called 'Hide-And-Seek'. He says that it was played by ancient people. He explained the rules just now, and we've just began the game.

Bobbing my head left and right, I spot the right hiding place-the roof. Chance will never think of that, and I'll be able to see him wander around like a lost puppy until the game is over.

I creep up to the house and wait for the platform to come down. I hop on, and it starts to rise. Once I am on the uneven tiles, I kept a lookout for Chance. He is nowhere to be found.

That's weird.

"Boo!" Someone yells from behind me, and I scream, losing my footing as I go skidding down the roof.

"Amber!" Chance yells as he chased me down the tiles. Tears sting my eyes as I see the edge of the roof coming into view. I try to stop myself from moving further, but my sweaty hands fumble around the tiles, unable to get a grip.

"Chance!" I yell for my childhood superhero, my best friend.

Plain worry and fear is etched into his face. And then suddenly I'm dropping, and my heart leaps into my throat, before a hand pulls hard on mine, almost yanking my arm out of its socket.

"Hold on, Amber!" Chance says to me as I dangle off the roof, metres from the ground. My stomach churns at the sight of the height.

Chance is digging his heels into the roof, his brows creasing in concentration. We both know the consequence of him letting go.

"C-Chance, I'm s-scared," I stutter,

"Don't worry, baby girl, I won't let you fall," Chance says through gritted teeth.

I swallow, as Chance sticks out his other hand. He slips down the roof slightly, and I whimper. "Grab my hand, Amber!" Chance said.

I tried to reach for him, but my hand can't reach up to his hand. I swing towards him, but my hand misses by a few millimetres.

"I can't!" I say.

Chance tightens his other hand, before pulling so hard that I cry out, and then I'm flying, and the next moment I land on something hard. My eyes are shut, the wind knocked out of my lungs. I start to choke, my lungs begging for air.

Then arms are around me, and my tear-stained face is pressed against a shirt with a familiar scent that reminds me of home.

"Are you hurt? Are you okay? I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to scare you," Chance says, rubbing my back.

I sob into his shirt, and he holds me closer, and then and only then do I know I'm safe.