Adon woke to Lu kicking his shoe lightly, three messages from Aphro saying she was leaving to meet a friend he already knew was a boyfriend and one reminder to stay away from Lu, as well as a dozen memos from Navy District warning of several internal alerts that would only specify the dangers after an ad or if he paid to upgrade his district alert band. 

“Who said you could share me—” Lu jumped back as Adon scrambled to his feet. 

“I’m sorry,” Adon stuttered, still bleary-eyed, chewing his lip and scrolling for the most recent updates. Navy had evacuated, sending all citizens who were not claimed to the nearest quarantine zone. But then, an update five minutes after warned him that due to violent riots at the Gas-works, combined with leaking contaminants and acid rain forecast, the quarantine zone had been declared unsafe and the citizens were released and sent to their nearest meeting places, the children instructed to go home.

Lu watched the horror wash over Adon’s face as he read, stooping to pick up the apple drawing he’d left. 

Adon snatched the picture, swinging his bag over his shoulder in a flurry, “I’ll ask next time!” He shoved through the door, leaping down the ladder, still scrolling through warnings, searching Messenger’s location but not finding it in Navy. Panic billowed around him as he ran in several directions all at once, circling the rotunda and debating which way to go. He eyed his useless phone one last time, then jogged toward the east exit. 

“Hey, what’s going on?” Lu caught up easily, spooked even though his district alert, the newest model, was happily silent, no warning hazards or pre-forecasts for any of his bookmarked locations. 

Adon didn’t answer, sprinting out the doors.

Lu followed, muttering, “damn, you’re fast.” He wheezed through the bouncing door, chasing after Adon without bother to reach for a mask.

“Doni!” A small boy called with a proud wave, his backpack nearly as big as he was.

Adon halted and Lu crashed into him, catching them both with a cursing apology. 

Adon untangled himself, still tripping toward the boy, kneeling urgently in front of him and checking for injuries, “are you okay? Are you hurt?”

“I’m okay,” Mess stood with his arms out, rotating slowly, pulling his hat off and mask down so Adon could confirm for himself. When Adon sat back on his heels, Mess leaned in to tell the exciting story, “they evacuated us,” then added quickly, “I waited first though, I really did.”

Adon smiled, smoothing his hair, “and you found your way here? By yourself?”

Messenger held out his phone, revealing the map to the blinking dot that was Adon with a proud nod. 

Adon wrapped him in a tickling hug, pulling his hat down over his face as Mess giggled, “you did so good, I’m so proud of you!” He picked him up in a tight hug. 

Lu watched Adon’s affectionate smile brighten, his brother squirming against him, squealing and kicking until Adon relaxed and dropped him gently. Lu understood the tightness in his chest then: here was what other people meant when they said family. It was the same smile Benny wore when he talked about Junior. It was a look he’d never seen directed at him. 

Adon hoisted Mess onto his back, standing and turning that brilliant smile to Lu, “do you want to come with us?”

Lu felt like a lost puppy, but he nodded anyway. He did want to go. He wanted to follow, to see more of what he was missing, puzzling together the cracking conflict between the laughter he’d shared between Pa and Benny at the Pits, and the burning of the vomit every time he’d closed his eyes since. Without any conscious decision, he walked slowly beside Adon. Adon was warm, and only in the presence of such easy warmth did Lu understand how cold the world had become. 

☆  ☆  ☆