Kate pushed the pastel blue dirt bike onto the driveway. The discovery of the bike and the fiddling that followed had lifted Kate's spirits considerably. Anne came struggling out the front door with their backpacks. Her own was slung over her shoulder while pulling along Kate's larger one.

"This thing is heavy! I think you overpacked by a lot." Anne said as she dropped both next to the bike.

"It's not that heavy. You are just tiny. You should eat more, especially before you start growling again."

"Very funny," Anne scoffed. Her wet locks had taken over her face, which she had to fight to see where she walked.

"The shower was amazing. You should hurry and go shower before I leave without you." Anne said.

"I'd love to see you try."

Kate ruffed Anne's hair as she passed, giving her hair a clear victory.

Why thank you! A pleasure my dear Anne. I'll shower quickly. I can't wait to wash off the grime from this past day.

Anne fiddled with her hair until it looked somewhat proper.

The nippy night air will not be drying my hair soon. Don't you catch a cold now, ok? Just hurry up. I'm already in the shower. I didn't think we would have this chance to shower so soon. I think I'll rather wait on the sofa.

Soon they both stood staring at the bike.

"So, you really know how to ride this thing?"

Kate laughed, flicked Anne on the nose, and hopped onto the bike.

"Jump on! Remember to hold on tight."

"Wait. How is your hair already dry? I thought you said you washed." Anne said, pointing.

Kate laughed and gave her an exaggerated wink.

"Come a bit closer, and I'll show you."

With a hop and a skip, she neared her as Kate rubbed her hands together. Satisfied, Kate stuck her glowing hands into Anne's hair and started on a gentle massage. She shivered at the touch.

"Don't tell me it still feels cold for you?" Kate asked.

"Well... no. It feels almost burning hot."

"But. What? I still don't understand it. Last time you freaked out because it was too cold."

Anne closed her eyes as Kate worked her fingers through her hair.

"It feels amazing now. Thank you."

"It's my pleasure my dear Anne, but I'm afraid I'm already done."

"So fast?" Anne pulled on a few perfectly dry locks.

Kate ruffed Anne's hair before she could ask for more.

"Now let's go! I'm itching to test this baby out."

Kate had strapped her backpack to her chest. This left her back open for Anne, who struggled to clamber onto the seat behind her. The thunder of the engine tore through the silent night.

"We have just over half a tank, which is more than enough."

That is so loud! I know, but it's not that bad. You will get used to it soon.

Ready?

The bike lurched forward and Anne flung her arms around Kate. She pressed her eyes shut as they raced through the streets. The streetlights rhythmically flashed over them so that she could glimpse them even through her eyelids.

"This is nuts! I love it!" Kate yelled into the night.

You are nuts. What if I am? I hope you are not sitting there with your eyes shut. N-No! Of course not.

Anne slowly forced her eyes open. The roaring of the bike and the rushing of the wind were all she could hear. She peered around Kate. The cold air blew all her hair backward, leaving the watery-eyed Anne holding on for dear life.

An instant later they were plunged into darkness. The last streetlamp gleamed behind them, forcing them to quickly get used to the dim moonlight and the single headlight pointing forward.

The clean pebble road was also replaced with a rough dirt road, worn by frequent travel.

This is wild!

Anne's heart pounded in her chest when she started laughing.

This is amazing!

Hah! I knew you would come around.

This rush... it's like I want more.

Finding out you are a junky, aren't you?

Oh shut up.

The Myrtle river twisted its way to their right.

So we just follow the river for a while?

Yep. Until we get to a valley.

It did not take them long to see the valley unfurled around them. They could faintly see some small farms pass by in the distance.

I think it's around here, on the left.

Kate took the first farm road. Shortly after, the big red barn's silhouette neared them. Anne avoided the farm, opting to stare blankly in the opposite direction.

Should we stop for a bit? No! Please no. Just get away from here. The place we need is west from here, past the barn.

Oh. So this is? Yes... poor Tiff. John. I'm sorry.

Hold on.

The shaking intensified as they went off-road. Kate did her best to avoid the shrubs and bushes along the way.

So what are we looking for? Like, how does this place look?

I didn't get a good look at it when we got out, but we will soon get to where everything is dead.

Seriously? Dead plants and stuff. Don't worry. No blood.

After scaling some small hills, they found what remained of an old gravel road, largely overgrown.

Do you think this will take us there? It's worth a try. John suggested that this place was the only thing of note this way.

Loud barks echoed from somewhere before them.

What was that?

Another blaring bark, this time closer.

Not these things again. What things?!

Two large shadows dashed above them, high in the tree canopy.

Go, go, go!

The barking intensified, followed by wahoos of incredible volume.

A dark form jumped from the side, barely missing Anne. She swung around to see two hairy creatures chasing them. Their fangs hungering to strike.

What is that? What do you see? Chacma spiders! Spider what?!

Just go!

Kate shrieked when she saw both side mirrors reflecting the chaos behind them

More wahoos answered from their right. The trees around them violently shook as the beasts moved through them. Their numerous shadows dominate those of the trees.

Anne, hold on!

The bike roared as Kate sped up, reaching dangerous speeds. The world around them seemed to twist as hundreds of Chacma spiders drowned out everything else. One beast jumped from above and sank its teeth into the back of the bike, ripping out a chunk of the seat together with the rear license plate.

Are you ok? Yes, just go! How are they so fast? I don't know. Eight legs? How does that even work? Just drive!

The rush of water could be heard, and soon a rusted and mossy metal bridge stretched out before them that jumped over the river below.

The crescent moon bathed them in light as they broke free from under the trees. The horde of fur and teeth converged on the bridge like a dark haze.

How long are they going to chase us? Maybe they are hungry. Much better, thanks. Hold on!

Kate pulled hard on the brakes to brace for a sharp turn, but as they rounded it, one of the beasts slammed into the side of the bike, throwing them off and crashing into the underbrush.

The engine cut out after the bike dove into a dense bush, making the beast's barks, growls, and sneers overpower everything else.

"Kate?" Anne yelled. She got up quickly after the fall and almost tripped over her backpack.

"Kate!"

Kate slowly pushed herself up, groaning and wincing as she moved.

Get up! We have to move!

The world shook as the creatures descended on them. Pain seared through Anne's arm as teeth pierced through her arm and shoulder. More fangs impaled her right leg.

Anne screamed as she was dragged around, dangled in a tug of war while a third hungry mouth closed in to steal the prize.

The pain overwhelmed her, yet her senses sharpened with every heartbeat. She counted the numerous footfalls around her. The wet scrape as the closest Chacma spider blinked its many eyes. Smelt the rotting breath. Blood gushed past fangs and teeth.

What a surprise.

It was worth keeping her alive, after all.

The pain was gone. Anne silently observed the scene around her as they shook and tore at her flesh. The third creature had its jaws open around her neck, biting down.

Her tiny hand grabbed onto its large canine as her body dangled. The creature's jaws stopped in place. Black smoke seeped from her skin.

Kill.

A sharp scream left her lips as her hand glowed orange-white around the beast's fang. It tried to pull free when her hand burst into flames. A torrent of fire spewed into its gaping mouth and burst out of its back. Eight legs squirmed momentarily, then sagged as the baboon dropped dead.

The one chewing on her leg scurried away and left Anne to dangle from the remaining, much larger spider, whose teeth got stuck in her shoulder. It shook its head to release Anne but failed.

"Stop that," Anne said calmly as she dug her claw into its skull. She landed on her feet and pulled its head free from both her shoulder and its body. Its headless body sank backward in a mess of writhing legs.

Anne stared at the beasts around her. The flames from her claws licked the sky, and the light danced across the scarlet scales that covered her arms.

The Chacma spiders barked and snapped their jaws in anger, but did not dare move closer. All but one, who crawled out between the rest, approaching Anne at a steady pace. This encouraged more of them to close in.

"Oh, the folly of the young."

Anne pointed her claw at the ground before her, and a continuous beam of blazing flame blasted into the earth. She lifted her claw and the beam surged across the ground. The fiery ray ripped the creature in half and clove through the masses behind it, which left burning figures fleeing.

"Anne?" Kate whispered as she struggled onto her knees mere few arm's lengths from her.

"Kate!"

Anne turned around towards her. Awareness and dread crashed into Anne, who shook her tiny hands to get the flames off her.

"Kate, what is happening? I'm burning!"

"Kate!"

"Does it hurt?" Kate asked as she weakly rushed to her side.

"N-no. It doesn't. Get it off me."

"Just relax. Imagine a soft wind blowing it out." Kate whispered. Kate swayed in place, and blood stained the side of her head and down her neck.

The flames engulfing her tiny hands slowly shrunk until the darkness around them returned. Only the glowing scar in the earth and a few burning carcasses lit the distance.

"Where are those things that were chasing us?" Anne asked.

"And how did you know?"

Anne looked at her hands in the dim light for any marks or burns.

"Anne, I know how to use my own power."

Kate rubbed her temple. Her eyes darted around the mess around them.

"You don't remember... any of this?"

"No"

She knelt next to Anne, pulled her hands closer, and held them tenderly.

"You can use my fire? Through our bond?"

"Kate, you are hurt."

"I'm fine. It's just-." Kate felt for the wound just above her ear.

"It's... gone."

Kate stood up and looked at the surrounding fire damage again.

"Wow. You can use my power, but it seems you could teach me a thing or two. I wish I could have seen this," Kate said and grinned down at Anne.

"And I have your power as well."

"My power?" Anne asked.

"Let's see if the bike still works."

What power?

"Wait a minute," Kate said and ran her hand through Anne's hair.

"Your hair looks different, but I can't see properly in this darkness. Maybe I'm just imagining things."

"Kate, what power?!"

Kate shook her head, picked up her rucksack nearby, and pulled the bike out of the bushes. She checked the front wheel for damage. Satisfied, she hopped on, and the bike roared to life.

"I can heal!" Anne squeaked.

"There you go! Smartypants. Yes, you can. Very fast. Now get your healing behind on this thing so we can go."

Anne grabbed her backpack and scrambled up behind her.

Thanks for saving me. But I don't remember. I don't care. Thank you.

They got back on the patchy road. Nothing chased them. It was not long until they reached the end of life. The dead surroundings replaced the lush greenery in an instant.

What happened here? Is this the right way? Yes, we are definitely on the right track.

The shadows from the dead trees crawled across the terrain like dark claws. Anne held tightly onto Kate as sudden exhaustion pulled on her eyelids.

"Anne? Wake up, sleepy. You are snoring louder than the bike."

"I don't snore."

Anne scowled at the rude awakening.

"Oh," Anne whispered.

They stood before a giant hole, ripped from the side of a metal-clad building. The rasp of a dead leaf falling was the only sound.

"How long was I asleep?"

"Just over an hour, I'd say, though it's hard to tell," Kate said.

"An hour? 'Tom and I took at least three days."

"That is nuts. No wonder you are so skinny." Kate poked Anne in the ribs.

"Hey! No. Stop!" Anne tried to fight back.

"Yeah, ok, ok."

Kate helped Anne off the bike. Nearing the giant hole, Anne's lowered her gaze when something caught her eye.

Her eyes glistened, and tears rolled down her cheeks. Kate held her by her small shoulder. Two sets of tiny footprints were scattered across the ground, moving away from the building.

These... these are you and your brothers?

Anne gave a shaky nod.

Well, we made it. Your feet are so tiny. I sometimes forget how young you are.

"Shut up."

Kate chuckled and walked towards the hole.

"You are right, I don't forget. I'm constantly reminded." Kate said and stuck out her tongue.

I am not talking to you. Don't worry, this works fine too. Stop. You know I'm just playing. I hate seeing you cry. Let's go. Tom needs you.

Anne wiped her tears and forced a smile.

Kate climbed through the hole, whereafter the steel curved upwards into a room. She felt her way in the darkness for an edge and pulled herself up.

Anne followed, and Kate pulled her up.

"Wow, it's dark in here. I almost hit my head on that table." Kate said.

"Table?"

"Exactly."

Kate rubbed her hands, and her glowing hands lit up the room.

"Oh yeah!" Anne said.

"Now you. I'm waiting," Kate said, smiling broadly.

"Me? How?"

Anne rubbed her little hands together, but nothing happened.

"Imagine you are... trying to melt a block of ice in your hands."

Imagine melting some ice?

Anne's hands burst to light with a soft crackle.

"Calm down there tiger. That's a tad bright, yeah?"

Her hands dimmed slightly until they matched the brightness of Kate's.

"You are good at this," Kate said.

"Hold up!"

Kate held her glowing hand over Anne's head.

"I wasn't losing it! Your hair is different." Kate said as she softly pulled on her locks.

"What? How? Your hand is in the way. I can't see!"

Your hair color now matches mine perfectly. Your hair is red!

Shut up!

Anne hurriedly pulled a few locks into her face and pulled on Kate's hand to adjust where she is shining from.

Anne froze as she gazed at her red curls. Kate looked on in amazement.

"You look so darn good in this."

What... does it mean? I don't know. Has this happened before? Of course not. As long as you are not sick... I love it.

"Let's just keep going before my head starts spinning," Anne said weakly.

They moved out of the room into a long corridor. Kate covered her mouth with a glowing hand.

This smells disgusting. We need to find out where to go. Look for some sights or writing on the walls. Anything.

They searched opposite walls, their shoes crunched through dried blood.

"Kate? I found something."

Kate hurried to her side. Work yellow labels ran down the wall with arrows pointing to their destinations.

Let's see... administration, mess hall, security, records, medical, blah blah blah. Records sound juicy.

Wait, there are more on that corner.

They walked a few steps to a corner of an intersection, where bright blue labels lined the wall.

What the hell? Stasis chambers? Entity holding cells, genetics, fear manifestation, capture and control, emotion testing, memory revision. This is messed up.

"Are you ready?"

Anne stared down the corridor with her balled fists glowing brightly.

Yes.