Arriving at Hannah and Will's apartment complex, Asher gazed up at the impressive building. Made up of glass walls, you could see people walking along hallways and zipping up and down elevators. The glass was so pristine and clear; one could see the golden apartment numbers attached to the red doors lining the long halls.

Asher passed through the entry gate and was met with beautiful foliage possessing flowers and brightly colored leaves. There were elegant oak benches and tall, sturdy light posts guiding him down the cobblestone path.

The sound of laughter and chattering voices met his ears as he approached a fountain located at the center of the garden area, which seemed to be commonplace for residents to congregate. A few outdoor tables and chairs speckled the open space, filled by small groups, who Hannah often referred to as "cliques." She claimed they were made up of judgemental people who thought of themselves as highly essential and more important than most.

Asher continued to walk down the path and towards the entrance to the building. He couldn't help but glance over at a particular group who he heard snickering, gesturing in his direction. His eyes then shifted to another group, the intimidating members sending him confused or disgusted looks. Yes, a villager in a Capitol apartment. How pathetic he must have looked when compared against the glistening fountain and lush greenery or the crystalline glass wear they grasped in their unappreciative hands. He couldn't help but release a bitter laugh as he exited the circular outcrop.

Hannah was right.

Shaking his head, Asher stepped up to a large panel on the wall beside the entrance doors. An intimidating amount of apartment numbers stared back at him, each with a small black square beside them. His eyes scanned the list until finally landing on 2309, Hannah's apartment.

He stepped closer and pressed his right thumb to the black square, indicating his identity and which apartment he desired to visit. Given how controlling the Capitol was, it would make sense that everyone has a Citizen File, detailing all personal information, including fingerprints, what Family you belong to, or your social status. There were plenty of other things Asher was sure they had listed, but he didn't want to think about it.

A lifelike, but a not alive female voice came from the speaker beside the list of apartments, startling him out of his near brooding state.

"Welcome, Asher Crowe. Do you desire to visit apartment 2309?"

Asher groaned, "Yes," he responded firmly and clearly.

There was a moment of silence, and then a ringing tone began. After a handful of rings, someone picked up.

"Asher!" Maggie's voice said in relief, "Finally!" He could hear the faint bickering of Will and Jackson in the background, but no shrieking Hannah for once.

He smirked, "Hey. Let me in?"

A loud tone sounded from the speaker, setting his teeth on edge, and automatically opened the glass doors.

"Hurry up!" she insisted, then quickly ended the call.

Every time Asher stepped into the building, he felt even smaller than he already was in society's eyes. The tall ceilings and glittery chandeliers, the elegant vases set upon marble counters, an expensive-looking red carpet lined with gold trim running the hall; it was all way beyond him.

He entered the glass elevator and pressed the button for floor twenty-three. Just before the machine shot upwards, Asher took hold of the golden handlebar to brace against the g-force that tried to push him downward. It always caught him off guard.

He staggard for a moment after stepping into the hall, but thankfully by the time he made it to apartment nine, he was once again stable. Asher had barely knocked when the door flung open.

He was met with a disheveled looking Hannah, dressed in pink pajamas and matching robe. Her red hair was tied up in a bun on the crown of her head, a fluffy white headband pushing her hair out of her face. Having a phone pressed to her ear, she gestured for him to enter.

Once she locked the door behind him, she snapped her fingers and pointed to his shoes. He quickly removed them before stepping out of the entryway and into the living room, where he faced a disgusting amount of pink.

The walls, couch, pillows, shelves, dishes, picture frames, even the television, were adorned with the increasingly unpleasant color. Asher's eyes landed on the rest of the group, looking incredibly out of place in the pink living room, nearly swallowed up by large fluffy pillows. Maggie was nestled into a large couch, while Jackson and Will lounged on a large pile of pillows on the floor in front of a second couch across from her.

The picture before him was quite different than what he had expected based on the commotion he'd heard on the speaker. Hannah was pacing the room, phone glued to her face while Maggie watched her anxiously. Will looked as though he had recently been scolded, and Jackson was giving him an irritated side glance every so often as though he was keeping watch.

Asher crept into the room and sat beside Maggie, hesitant to disrupt the silence taking over the place as Hannah listened intently to the person on the other end of the call.

"Mom, NO! Absolutely NOT!" Hannah yelled, causing everyone to jump.

Asher leaned towards Maggie, "What's going on?" he whispered.

"Hannah's on the phone with her mom. She wants her to come home, to skip the Trial," she responded quietly, anxiously wringing her hands together.

"It's ridiculous!" Will hissed, earning a smack on the head from Jackson.

Hannah shot him a nasty look before leaving for what Asher assumed was her bedroom, slamming the door behind her.

"Way to go, asshole," Jackson snapped.

"I didn't do shit!"

"She's going through enough already without your comments!" Maggie scolded.

Will crossed his arms and huffed loudly.

"Why does her mom want her to go home?" Asher asked.

Jackson quirked a brow, "Isn't it obvious?"

"The Eyeless are scaring people, and since one was found here..." Maggie trailed off, looking down at her hands.

"Now her mom's even more scared than she was about the Trials," Jackson finished for her.

"Which is ridiculous! I mean, what does she expect will happen when we all join the Garrick! Danger comes along with it!"

"Will, hush! Her mom is doing what every caring mother would do! She's worried about her child!" Maggie hissed, slamming her hands down on the couch, the sound muffled by the thick padding.

Jackson adjusted in his seat on the floor, his back supported by one of the large pillows, the fringe along the edges decorating his shoulders. "Proper parents worry about their kids, Will. Not everyone's family is as harsh as yours," he mumbled.

Asher stood and walked over to the large ceiling to floor window. He pushed the frilly pink curtains aside, allowing him to take a full view of the village. It caught the attention of everyone in the room, for it was difficult to ignore. The view was vast and beautiful.

However, Asher's village appeared so insignificant, barely any light glimmering compared to the Capitol in the far distance or even other nearby communities. He thought back to the broadcast about the Eyeless that had reached their Nation. A chill ran down his spine at the thought that somewhere out where he was gazing, there could easily be another.

A door creaked down the hall, catching everyone's attention. They turned to see Hannah, trails of makeup trickling down her face. She shoulders slumped, and as she made her way over to Maggie, she did her best to wipe her face.

"It's not fair," she mumbled.

Jackson sighed, "Nothing is, but we have to keep moving forward. That's part of being in the Garrick."

"Sure," Hannah scoffed, "tell my mom that."

"She's just worried about you, and it's her job to be," Maggie assured her.

Will huffed, "Reality is harsh, and your mom has to get over it. It's not like she's the one doing the Trial."

"Will, back off," Maggie snapped.

Will grit his teeth and sat up, eager to respond, but Jackson gripped his shoulder tightly and forced him to sit back against the couch.

"So, what's the verdict?" Asher asked carefully.

Hannah sniffed, "I'm still doing the Trial. I want to be the first of my heritage to do something other than mundane jobs, like how my mom is a teacher, and my dad is a doctor. If I let this scare me, the Eyeless, I'm not meant for the Garrick."

Maggie pulled Hannah into a side hug, and the boys remained silent. Though Hannah could come across shallow and bratty, and even though her home is pure pink, she's a deep thinker with healthy ambition. Asher wondered if that was enough to survive the Trial.

"Okay!" Maggie pipped up, clapping her hands together. "Let's do something fun! We could make dinner here instead of going out! Let's have a movie night and relax for once! Or maybe -"

The building's alarm system began to blare, startling everyone and causing them to shrink back into themselves and cover their ears.

"Is it a fire?!" Maggie tried to yell over the alarm, standing up and running towards the door, Asher quick to follow behind her.

The two carefully scanned the hall. They didn't smell smoke, and nothing seemed out of place. The clean red carpet and glistening chandeliers stared back at them in silence, giving them not a clue as to what was going on. Then, the female, not so human voice spoke from the speakers.

"Attention. Attention. Residents, please exit the building. An unexpected emergency -" the voice was cut off, rustling and crackling ousted the fake woman's voice to be replaced by a real, and urgent one.

"Fuck this automated bullshit! There's an Eyeless in the building! Get the hell out!"

"A... What?" Maggie whispered beside him, unable to process the woman's words. Her hand was shaking as she ran it through her hair, the other placed on her hip. She gazed at her palms, then quickly clenched them into fists at her side as she attempted to calm herself.

Asher's stomach sank as he stared at her, watching her natural reaction to an active threat. He wasn't sure if he should be impressed or worried.

"We need to get the others," she said assertively, seeming to have composed herself. She turned to return to Hannah's apartment but stopped short, her attention caught by something down the hall.

"What?" Asher, asked, almost a whisper. His heart rate picked up, the ringing in his ears becoming more prominent.

"Nothing," Maggie mumbled, "I just thought..."

A dark blur zoomed down the hall and directly towards them. The footsteps were loud booms that shook the floor and rattled the wall decor. The chandelier swung wildly above them and the large glass walls that lined the hall trembled, almost threatening to shatter and expose them to the cool night air.

To Asher, Maggie appeared frozen. Her reflexes were quick such as a Friarra, but they were nothing compared to his now. It was as though she moved in slow motion beside him, making excruciatingly sluggish strides towards Hannah's apartment's safety. The creature, however, was still moving at a frightening speed. As Asher analyzed it's trajectory, he reached a horrifying realization.

It was targeting her.

Asher gritted his teeth and took off, pushing himself with all his strength to crash into Maggie, launching her into the apartment. He heard the air leave her lungs as they collided and smelled the familiar vanilla scent, sending a wave of calmness even in such a chaotic moment.

Her dark curls covered her face as the space between them grew, though he was still able to see her eyes staring back at him. They were wide and fearful, glistening with unshed tears. Asher couldn't understand why. She was moving towards safety, after all.

His eyes traveled to Hannah, who was ready to catch Maggie but stared at him with a similar gaze. It was one of pure horror.

It wasn't until his brain caught up, and he felt the searing pain in his side and tasted the blood spewing from his mouth, that he realized why.