The streets felt wrong now.

  Not just quiet — hollow, like whole pieces of the city had been scooped out and no one had noticed yet. A few people still darted across intersections or stumbled out of alleys, shouting names or clutching bags, but even they felt like leftovers from a world already slipping away. Daniel led the group down the center of the street, his pace steady, eyes scanning ahead. He didn’t bark orders or act like a hero — he just moved with purpose, and the others naturally fell in behind him.

  Ronan stayed a few steps back, ready to call directions when the path split.

  Charice walked close enough to Daniel to keep the formation tight, but her attention stayed on Naya. She kept one arm around the girl’s shoulders, guiding her forward whenever she hesitated or flinched at a distant sound.

  Darren brought up the rear, checking behind them every few seconds.

  The city around them flickered in small, unsettling ways. A storefront sign blinked between two different ads, stuck in a loop that didn’t match the power outage. A streetlight buzzed with a glitchy hum, its glow pulsing like a heartbeat. A billboard overhead flashed white for a moment, then returned to normal as if nothing had happened. Something about the world felt… thin. Like it was losing pieces of itself, one quiet moment at a time. They walked for several minutes, the silence stretching, broken only by their footsteps and the occasional distant shout. Then Daniel felt it, Like an energy tugging at him. He slowed just enough for his voice to carry back. “Did you feel that…” Ronan started to answer — “Feel wha—” — but the sound cut off as a metallic clank echoed from somewhere ahead, Then another, then a synchronized series of heavy, deliberate steps. Then a synchronized series of heavy, deliberate steps.

  Naya stiffened under Charice’s arm. “Oh no. Oh no, no, no—” From the far end of the street, shapes emerged through the haze. CRUs. Civic Response Units. Androids, broad frames. , mostly, colored yellow. Reinforced limbs. White hazard markings. Their eyes glowed a cold, clinical red as they scanned the street, heads turning and searching for Daniel. Everyone in the city knew CRUs, they were supposed to keep people safe. Seeing them move like this — coordinated, purposeful, alert beacons pulsing — felt wrong in a way Daniel couldn’t name. "We have to split up" Daniel told Ronan, "Take everybody and go, lead them back to your house and don't get caught" Daniel added. "Why sneak around when the CRUs are meant to help people out?" Ronan asked. Daniel just explained, saying it was a hunch. "What about you?" Naya asked Daniel, As he only replied "What about me? Don't worry, I'll explain everything later" Daniel used his skill SCAN, scanning the CRUs.

  [CRU-Lv 8]

  [Pulse restraint: Knocks targets off balance

  - Causes brief disorientation

  - Used to stop fleeing or resisting individual

  "At least I won't die" Daniel whispered. As he was ready to cause a distraction for a his friends to run. The group huddled in the narrow gap between the buildings, pressed into the shadows as the CRUs swept the street with slow, mechanical precision. Their red eyes pulsed in rhythmic intervals, scanning, re calibrating, searching — but they hadn’t found the group yet. Ronan whispered, “They’re getting too close.”

  Daniel didn’t answer. He was already shifting his weight forward, eyes fixed on the alley mouth.

  Charice’s voice was barely a breath. “Daniel… wait.”

  He didn’t. He stepped out. One clean movement — out of the shadows and into the open. For a heartbeat, the street was silent. Then the nearest CRU froze mid?scan. Its red eyes brightened. A sharp pulse rippled through its sensors.

  The others turned in perfect unison, their heads snapping toward him like a synchronized machine.

  Daniel didn’t hesitate, he ran. The CRUs reacted instantly — heavy steps slamming against the pavement as they surged after him, their formation tightening into a pursuit pattern. Red pulses strobed across the street as they locked onto his heat signature, his movement, his presence. Behind him, Ronan hissed, “Go, go, go—!” The group slipped the opposite direction, disappearing deeper into the thinning city while Daniel sprinted down the street, CRUs thundering behind him like a closing wall. As Ronan led the group, they followed him as Charice held onto Naya's hand helping her to run. Keith and Soren followed behind them as to watch the rear. As they ran Keith turned around and Saw Daniel turning a corner and disappearing with the CRUs right behind him. "Stay alive bro." Keith said as he turned and ran as fast as he could. Ronan kept the lead, eyes locked forward. Charice guided Naya behind him, hand wrapped firmly around hers. Soren and Keith held the rear, watching their backs.

  Keith kept glancing over his shoulder, worry etched into every movement. His steps were quick, restless, like he wanted to run in two directions at once. Soren noticed. “You good back there?” Keith didn’t answer. His jaw tightened. His eyes flicked behind them again. “He should’ve been with us.” Charice slowed just enough to turn her head, still holding Naya’s hand. Her voice was soft, but the strain in it was unmistakable. “Keith… I’m worried too.”

  Keith blinked, surprised. Charice rarely admitted fear — not out loud, not while they were still running. She held his gaze for a heartbeat, her expression tight, honest. “You’re not the only one thinking about him.” Naya squeezed Charice’s hand, her own voice small. “I… I am too.” Keith swallowed hard, the tension in his shoulders easing just a little. “I just… I don’t like leaving people behind.” Charice nodded once, firm. “None of us do.”

  Ronan didn’t turn, but his voice carried back to them, low and steady. “We keep moving. For all of us.” Keith exhaled shakily, eyes forward again — but now he wasn’t alone in the fear. Charice had said it out loud. And that made the worry feel less like a crack and more like something they were carrying together. Ronan unlocked the door with shaking hands and ushered everyone inside quickly. No one bothered with lights. No one cared about the mess. They just needed walls around them.

  They slipped in one by one. Charice guided Naya through the doorway, still holding her hand until she felt Naya’s legs steady beneath her. Only then did she let go, gently, like she was afraid Naya might collapse without the support.

  Soren stepped in next, leaning against the wall for a moment, catching his breath. His chest rose and fell heavily, sweat clinging to his shirt.

  Keith entered last, closing the door softly behind them. His eyes lingered on the street outside for a long second before he locked it.

  The house swallowed the sound of their breathing. Ronan moved through the living room with sharp, controlled motions, checking windows, peeking through blinds, making sure nothing had followed them. His jaw was tight, his shoulders tense.

  Charice guided Naya to the couch. “Sit. Breathe. You’re okay.” Naya nodded, hugging her knees, eyes wide and unfocused. Soren sank into a dining chair, rubbing his face with both hands. “I feel like my lungs are gonna explode.”

  Keith sat on the dining room chair. His fingers twitched at his sides, his mind clearly somewhere else. Ronan finally turned to the group. “We stay here tonight. Lock everything. No lights. No noise.” Charice looked up at him, worry soft but unmistakable. “We’re not splitting up again.” Ronan nodded. “No. We stay together.” The room fell into a heavy silence — the kind that settles after running too far, too fast, with too much fear still clinging to your ribs. They were inside, but inside wasn’t the same as safe. Ronan moved through the house with sharp, controlled urgency — checking every door, every window, every blind. Not locking them; they were already locked. He just needed to feel each latch, each frame, each seal with his own hands. Naya sat on the couch, leaning back into the cushions as if the fabric were the only thing keeping her upright. Her arms were drawn up tight against her chest, elbows tucked in, hands hovering near her collarbone like she was trying to shield herself from a cold only she could feel. Upstairs, the soft thuds of Ronan checking windows drifted down the staircase. Charice moved through the kitchen with quiet purpose, filling cups with water and setting them on the counter. Her hands were steady now — not because she wasn’t scared, but because doing something helped her stay centered. She carried the first two cups into the living room. Soren looked up from his chair, still catching his breath. Charice handed him a cup without a word. He took it gratefully, nodding once.

  Keith sat slumped in the chair beside him, arms resting on his knees. Charice offered him a cup next. His fingers trembled slightly as he accepted it. “Thanks,” he murmured, voice thin.

  Charice gave him a small, reassuring nod before turning toward the couch. Naya was still leaning back, arms drawn tight to her chest, eyes distant. Charice crouched slightly to meet her line of sight and held out a cup. Naya blinked, then slowly reached out and took it with both hands, holding it close like it was something warm. "Thank you Charice" Naya said as Charice said "You're welcome" Charice returned to the kitchen for the last cup just as Ronan came down the stairs from checking the second floor. He paused at the bottom step, watching her for a moment — the way she moved, the way she kept everyone anchored without saying much.

  She handed him the final cup. “All windows are secure,” he said quietly. Charice nodded. “Good. Then everyone can breathe for a minute.” The room settled into a fragile, uneasy calm — held together by locked doors, drawn blinds, and the simple act of Charice placing a drink into each person’s hands. She approached Ronan quietly. “Everything locked?”

  “Yeah,” he said, voice steady. “Top to bottom. Nothing’s getting in.” Charice studied him for a moment. “You’re shaking.” Ronan glanced at his hands, saw the faint tremor, and flexed his fingers once. “Adrenaline. It’ll pass.” “That’s not what I asked.”

  This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

  He met her eyes, unflinching. “I’m fine, Charice. Really.” She stepped a little closer, lowering her voice. “You don’t have to pretend you’re made of steel.” “I’m not pretending.” His tone wasn’t defensive — just matter?of?fact. “They need someone calm right now. I can do that.” Charice crossed her arms, watching him carefully. “You think it has to be you.” Ronan’s gaze swept the room — Soren slumped in a chair, Keith falling asleep from fatigue, Naya curled into herself on the couch. He didn’t hesitate.

  “Yeah,” he said. “I do.” Charice’s expression softened, but she didn’t back down. “Ronan… you can’t protect everyone.” He didn’t flinch. “Maybe not. But I can protect them tonight.” There was a beat of silence — heavy, but not fragile.

  Charice lowered her voice even more. “This isn’t on you.” Ronan finally looked at her, and this time there was something quieter in his eyes — not fear, but resolve. “If something happens to them… if something happens to Daniel… I’m not letting that happen.”

  His voice didn’t crack, it didn’t waver. It was steady, grounded, confident — the kind of confidence that comes from refusing to let fear win. Charice exhaled slowly, the tension between them shifting into something warmer, steadier. Then Ronan stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her. It wasn’t sudden or desperate. It was deliberate. A quiet, steady embrace from someone who rarely let himself lean on anyone. Charice froze for half a heartbeat, surprised — then her hands lifted slowly, gently, resting against his back as she hugged him in return. Her cheek brushed his shoulder, and she let out a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding. They stood like that for a moment — not clinging, not collapsing, just sharing the weight neither of them wanted to carry alone. Across the room, no one interrupted. Soren looked away respectfully. Keith lowered his eyes. Naya watched quietly, her arms still tucked to her chest. Ronan pulled back first, but only slightly, his hands still resting on her arms. His voice was low, steady. “We’ll get through this.” Charice nodded, her voice just as firm. “Yeah. We will." Ronan, stepped back and explained to his friends that they should stay in the game room for now. "We'll grab what ever food and drink we can bring with us just in case." Everybody agreed, and got up from where they were sitting and grabbed what ever they could from the kitchen. "What about protection?" Soren asked as he was grabbing soda and cups from the pantry. "What can we do against machines?" Naya replied with a question as she was grabbing snacks behind Soren. Keith agreed, as he was grabbing a large pack of bottled water from the pantry and began walking upstairs to the game room. Charice grabbed plastic bags and filled them with snacks from the pantry and what ever food she could stuff into the bags. Ronan, stared outside though the blinds as he was watching out for the machines or for his friend Daniel. Ronan's family's house was away from other houses on a hill, so if anything was heading towards the house, he'd be able to see it a little ways from the house. Especially from the second story from the game room, as it had a balcony over looking the hill. Keith returned from upstairs and grabbed more water bottles and bringing them upstairs, Naya and Soren also headed upstairs, with Charice behind them. Ronan, could faintly hear their conversations as they went upstairs. He walked to the kitchen seeing if they needed anything else. He walked over to a closet that was near the kitchen and opened the door. he grabbed an emergency first aid kit and a flashlight, then closed the door. He then walked upstairs and and down the hallway to the game room. As he did, he got an eerie feeling behind him, like someone was watching him. He turned around quickly, heart racing. He saw nothing, he brushed off the feeling then walked to the game room and closed the door behind him. Ronan couldn't shake the feeling he may have forgotten something. Everybody sets down what they were holding setting the supplies on the table, that was in the game room. "this is all we have to go on" Naya said as she looked at everything on the table. "it's good for now" Keith added, as he explained they just have to survive for now, while they think of what to do next. Soren walked over to one of the couches in the room and sat down tired from the day. He was thinking that last night, him and his friends were playing Dungeons and Dragons, having a good time. Now they're trying to survive in what ever is going on. Charice sat down at the table trying to organize what food they have, trying to do inventory. Naya helped her out, as they pulled food and snacks out of the bags. Ronan sat next to Soren, "What a damn day brother." Ronan said with fatigue in his voice. Charice and Naya finished organizing the food. When Naya spoke, her voice was soft but steady. “Um… guys?” she said. Everyone looked over. Naya took a small breath. “I checked the supples with Charice” Ronan straightened a little. “Yeah?” “We don’t have much,” she said. “Like… at all.” Keith frowned. “How not much?” Naya hesitated only a second, then said it plainly. “Two days. Maybe. If we’re careful.” The room went quiet. Soren rubbed the back of his neck. “Two days? Seriously?” She nodded. “There’s barely anything left. A few cans, some cereal, a little rice. No fresh stuff. No meat. Nothing that lasts long.” Charice leaned forward slightly. “So we ration.” “Yeah,” Naya said. “We have to. If we eat normally, it’s gone fast.” Ronan didn’t panic, didn’t raise his voice — he just absorbed the information with a slow exhale. “Alright. Two days. We’ll make it work.” Naya relaxed a little at that, shoulders easing. “I just… thought you should know.” “You did the right thing,” Charice said gently.

  And just like that, the group had a clear, simple truth to work with — two days of food, and a plan they’d have to figure out together. Charice walked over to the large balcony doors and barely opened one to slip out. "Be careful Charice" Ronan said as he was about to follow her outside onto the balcony. "No, please, let me be alone..." Charice told Ronan, as she wanted to be alone. But Ronan insisted she shouldn't be alone outside. "Please Ronan!" Charice raising her voice, getting everybody's attention. "Leave her be Ronan" Naya cut in as she understood Charice and how everybody copes differently. Ronan nodded and sat back down on the couch not saying anything else. Charice gently closed the door behind her. Charice stood alone on the balcony, the night air brushing against her skin and tugging lightly at her short red bob. The strands were uneven now, flipped in different directions from sweat and rushing around all day, giving her a slightly wild, lived?in look. The white tee she wore was wrinkled and marked with a faint spot near the hem. Her rugged shorts carried a thin layer of dust around the edges. The leather strap bracelet on her wrist sat crooked, and her scratched smartwatch had a new smudge across the screen she hadn’t bothered to wipe off. She leaned forward slightly, resting her hands on the cool railing. The metal pressed into her palms, grounding her. The yard below was quiet, the house behind her muffled. Out here, she could breathe a little easier. The moonlight cast a soft glow over her — enough to catch the tiredness in her posture, but also the steadiness. Even worn down, Charice looked like someone who refused to break before everyone else did. She stayed there for a moment, letting the night settle around her, the memory of earlier days brushing the edges of her thoughts. Charice stood on the balcony leaning on the cool railing as she lifted up her left hand to look at her smart watch. She tapped the side twice. A thin beam of pale blue light rose from the watch, widening and sharpening until a floating hologram hovered in front of her. Rhea, Charices older sister, the only family member she had left. Rhea’s face appeared, suspended in the cool night air.

  The projection shimmered slightly in the breeze, but her features were unmistakable — especially her eyes. Even in holographic form, they were a clear, vivid blue, bright enough to look almost self?lit. They held that same steady warmth Charice remembered, the kind that made people feel safe without Rhea ever saying a word.

  Rhea’s deeper red hair was tied back in a loose ponytail, a few strands escaping to frame her face. She wore her usual layered hoodie, sleeves pushed up, posture relaxed but grounded — hands in her pockets, shoulders slightly forward, like she was listening to someone just out of frame. Charice reached out, fingertips brushing through the light. The hologram rippled, then settled again.

  She swiped her hand to the side, and the next image appeared: Rhea sitting on the edge of a bed, hair down this time, blue eyes soft and focused on Charice with that familiar older?sister patience.

  Another swipe. Rhea in the kitchen, stirring something on the stove, glancing back with a distracted half?smile. Her blue eyes caught the light in the projection, making them glow faintly — a detail the camera had captured by accident, but Charice always loved.

  The night breeze lifted Charice’s messy red bob, brushing across her cheek. She lowered her hand and the hologram disappeared. She looked at the spot where Daniel stood the night before. Where they agreed to become friends and get to know each other better. She walked over to where he stood the night before, reached out her right hand as if to shake his hand again. As she did, she thought she heard a noise in the bushes below, which startled her for the moment. She looked down and nothing was there. She thought it may have just been an animal, so she turned around and walked back inside joining the others. Keith Sat at the campaign table, their dungeons and dragons table, then he noticed. on the board from last night, Daniel's character is the only survivor from the campaign they were playing, he placed a small figure where his character stood, where the hologram placed him. Keith talked with everybody about Daniel, as Ronan and Keith were the closest to him, they both knew him the best. They exchanged stories, how they met him. Always being the quiet guy, and how he was the kindest person. Then it hit Keith like a ton of bricks, he was staring at the figure he'd placed down where Daniels character stood, being the only survivor from the campaign. His heart begins to race fast. He remembered how the Visidrones, went after Daniel, and the CRUs. The that dread feeling Ronan was feeling from earlier returned, and now that feeling of being watched. Ronan's eyes went wide, he looked around the room at everybody else realizing the room was lit with red. The tension in the room was thick. As everybody was thinking the same thing. Charice's hands quickly shot up to cover her mouth, her eyes wide. Then Everybody looked up, at the dome light fixture of the AI smart house. The red glow was shining bright, red, right at the friends.