September 4, 2025
Nick

"So you're an Author. You create books and read them." Nick's cell mate nudged him, peering at him curiously.

"Everyone reads books." Nick grumbled, shifting to get more comfortable.

"Yeah, but not everyone makes them." He replied, letting Nick have his space.

"I'm not special, okay?" Nick snapped back, hoping to end the conversation.

"This whole business with books... seems like a whole heck of bologna." He continued, oblivious to Nick's discomfort.

"Why-"

"They randomly decide after centuries to delete possibly the longest existing object?" He scoffed. "Seems suspicious." Nick shot him a glance of wariness, yet it was tinged in curiosity.

"What are you thinking?"

"There's something suspicious going on behind this new 'law'." He muttered, hugging his knees and sitting on his side of the bench. Nick pursed his lips together in thought.

"Nick West?" A guard suddenly appeared at the cell door, cradling a key.

"That's me." Nick jumped to his feet.

"Your father wants to visit you. He's waiting for you in the foyer." Nick swallowed a large lump that built up in the back of his throat. He kept his head down as the guard led him into what appeared to be a waiting room.

"Thank you." His dad nodded grimly to the guard, who immediately left. Nick took a step towards his father and looked him in the eyes. "Nick."

"Dad-"

"I cannot believe you." Nick felt his heart sink, although he already knew it was coming. "You. Got. Arrested."

"I can explain. They-"

"Don't you start blaming them. They were just doing their job." He put a hand on his son's shoulder and squeezed it rather painfully. "Why did you run?"

"Adrenaline." Nick replied, not sure what else to say. "They couldn't just take my books." He honestly wasn't sure what he should or could say in his defense. He was running from the police with illegal baggage. End of story.

"Stupid reason." His father hissed, removing his hand from his son's shoulder.

"Well... what happens now?" Nick mentioned when the silence became to great.

"They take you back in."

"W-what? You're not bailing me out?" Nick almost exploded, his eyes widening. "This is a minor offense. I can get off easy, with maybe just a mark on my record."

"You need to learn a lesson."

"But I could be in there for years!" He protested.

"Yep. During that time you should probably rethink you're decision." His father turned around, refusing to look at him.

"Dad... please."

"Goodbye, Nick."
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Samantha

Samantha woke with a sudden jolt.

"Good morning." Adam poked his head into her room.

"Morning...?" She nodded back, slightly confused by the irregular greeting.

"How are you doing?" He inquired, sitting on the edge of her bed. He looked genuinely concerned.

"As good as an outlaw ever could be." She shrugged in response, causing him to scoff.

"You're not an outlaw. Maybe they just thought you did something wrong. I mean, you were running." He suggested.

"But they arrested Sarah! That's not just anything." She pointed out, lifting her arms above her head in a stretch.

"I'm sure she's fine. They'll let her go as soon as they find out the book isn't her's." He assured her.

"But what happens when they discover that book is mine?" She stressed, suddenly more awake at the thought. "They'll come after me." Adam reached over and put a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

"Everything will be okay. I promise."
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Breakfast was awkward in light of the previous night's events, although it seemed no one wanted to talk about it.

"Dad, would you tell Sam what you told me last night? Before..." He trailed off, casting a sideways glance at his sister. He seemed more calm than he had been last night. Mr. Reath cleared his throat and set down his fork.

"I got an offer to work at a much bigger law office than the one I'm at right now, but it's in another state." He paused and gave his children a pitying look. "You and Adam will be staying with your Aunt Theresa in Pittsburg while your mother and I move to Vermont. You can move back in with us as soon as everything is settled and we get our jobs sorted." He broke the news with a monotone voice, awaiting his daughter's sudden outburst.

"We're moving to Pennsylvania?!" She gaped. "But my friends here, and... and..."

"We know." Their mother pitched in. "This is hard for all of us." She assured her.

"No way." Sam jumped to her feet and slammed her hands on the table.

"Sam-"

"I... I can't." She abruptly turned for the door and disappeared outside. Adam turned to the other members of the family and casually took a bite of his food.

"I told you so."
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Sam enjoyed walking in the early mornings... the morning stars felt like they enveloped her, sometimes shooting a shimmer of what felt like hope in the dark void of blackness her life had suddenly become. She glanced at her phone to check the time and headed off down her street, searching around to make sure no one was nearby. She whistled momentarily to break the silence, but the echoing music sounded so eerie that she chose to stop.

She glanced behind herself out of habit, and noticed a sleek black car sitting alongside her neighbor's driveway. Its headlights were on, and the further she got down her street, the closer it seemed to roll. It was slow and hard to notice, but she could tell. She rested a hand over her phone in her pocket and continued walking at a faster pace. She thought of going back home, but realized the car had rolled just enough to block her driveway. She had to go somewhere else. She bit her lip and ducked between two houses several blocks down and headed for the empty lot behind. The car rolled a little faster and parked several houses down.

The silhouette of what appeared to be a man opened the door and stepped out, quickening his steps to keep her in view. Sam pulled out her phone, turned down the brightness, and searched through her contacts. She paused at a name and hit "call" before tucking it back into her pocket. She turned around to check on the man again, but he was gone. She sucked in a breath and glanced around herself, but she couldn't seem to see his figure anywhere. Just as the person on her phone answered, she practically ran into someone who appeared in front of her.

"Sorry." She muttered, shoving a hand in her pockets. "Street?" She asked as he picked up.

"Sam! Is everything okay?" He sounded concerned. She smiled softly.

"I'm okay, but I feel like I'm being followed."

"Followed? Oh golly... I'll come right over. Stay on the phone with me. Where are you?" She heard a door shut behind him.

"I'll meet you at school." She compromised, quickening her steps. Her school, hardly several blocks from her house, was just within view. She broke into somewhat of a jog and pressed into the side of the main building.

"You okay? You sound out of breath." Street noted. There was silence. "Sam?"

"I'm okay." She assured him. "Please hurry. I don't see him."

"I'm almost there." He promised. She heard his breath quicken as he broke into a run. "I see the front doors. Where are you?"

"Go to the side." She instructed, glancing around herself. Suddenly she heard footsteps to her left. "Street..." she whispered, retreating to the back of the building.

"Is he nearby?" He asked quickly.

"I think so. He-" a shadow fell over her as a figure appeared to her left.

"Frick." She muttered, lowering the phone slightly.

"You okay?" The person asked cautiously, and Sam immediately relaxed.

"You scared the crap out of me." She scolded her friend. Street smiled and stepped closer to her.

"I didn't see anyone nearby. Are you sure they were following you?" He asked her as she glanced around.

"I was pretty sure... there! They're right there." She pointed, watching as the person she had seen stepped out of one of her neighbor's houses. They turned around to wave to the owner, returned to their car, and drove off. Sam bit her lip as she felt heat rising into her cheeks.

"It's okay to be cautious," Street held back a chuckle. "Especially now."

"But it's still embarrassing." She groaned. He smiled.

"Would you feel better if I walked you home?" He offered. She slowly nodded at first, but nodded a little more confidently as he studied her. "You'll feel better, I promise." He assured her, falling in step beside her as the duo headed to her home.
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