Eights trudged through the forest. When he looked back, his heart plummeted from his chest every time Nine wasn’t there. 

Soft growls sounded in the distance. The rustling of the trees and tiny chirps of animals filled the silence with every step Eights took.

The sound of something ripping caught his attention. He walked in the direction to see a paper flapping about on a branch. Eights rushed to it, carefully peeled it away from the branch, and turned it over.

Eights pumped his fist in the air. It was his parents' map. He traced his finger on the paper and noticed that the Hidden City wasn’t far from him. Eagerly, the teen sprinted through the forest. Dodging trees and bushes, Eights found himself overlooking a magnificent city.

The surrounding wall was so massive that he could barely see the skyscrapers behind it. The expansive city stretched far into the horizon.

“Hey boy,” Eights spun in the direction of the voice. A man stood beside a tree waving Eights over.

As Eights got closer, he noticed a disgusting smell.  A thick, scraggly beard and unkempt hair that reached the man’s shoulders covered most of his face. The man’s clothes were worn and torn, and his feet were bare. “What do you want?” Eights asked.

“So, you have a pass?”

“A pass?”

“I guess you don’t have one then.” The man held out his hand, and Eights reluctantly did the same. “I’m Barold.” The man shook Eights’ hand fervently. “I specialize in escorting and human smuggling. I lead people with passes to the entrance and smuggle people without a pass past the wall.”

“Smuggle?”

“Yep, people like you who want to get into the city but don’t have passes. Well, I help them get in.” Barold rubbed his fingers together, “For a fee.”

“What if I want a pass instead? Can you get me one?” 

“Only the city council can give out passes. However, I know that they aren’t giving them out these days. But worry not. I can smuggle you in.”

Eights pulled his hand away from Barold, “What would it cost me to get smuggled in?”

“I imagine you don’t have money at the moment. You being a kid from the outside and all. Worry not. I offer deals to those who want to get in without money. All you would have to do is work for a buddy of mine. He runs an underground business in the city.”

“Underground?” Eights raised an eyebrow. “This business wouldn’t happen to be shady, would it?”

“Define shady,” Barold said, moving in closer. The smell of his breath stung Eights’ nostrils. “The whole city is shady if you look at it in a big-picture kinda way.”

“What do you mean the whole city is shady?”

“Well, more than half the population was smuggled in by me or those like me. Then there are those sold to the wealthier class in the city as- ‘servants.’ Lastly, there’s the wealthy class who all came in with a pass.”

“If I could get a pass, that would seem the least shady option. Isn’t it?” 

Barold laughed, “Boy, that’s the shadiest way to get into the city. To get a pass, you must sell someone to The Twelve.”

Eights’ blood ran cold, and his ears began to ring. Barold’s mouth continued to move, but Eights could not hear a thing. Everything around him spun, and his entire body trembled. Leaning over, Eights hurled.

“That’s gross, kid.” Barold took a few steps back.

Eights wiped his mouth. Looking up at the man, he said, “Sir, can you do something for me?” Eights pulled a paper from his pocket. “The people in this photo. Can you tell me if they are in the city?”

Barold glanced at the paper, “You don’t have any money. Why should I?”

Eights examined the forest, noticing scat on the ground. “How about I catch a rabbit for you?”

Barold stroked his beard, and little flakes of skin and food fell from it. “Catch me two, and we have a deal.”

“I can get two, but I want a picture too.” 

“You drive a hard bargain. Let me see that picture again.” Eights handed the picture to Barold, who examined it once more. “Do you know how they entered the city?”

Eights focused on the forest floor. His voice trembling, “I would like to believe that they got in through a smuggler, but…” Eights took a shaky breath, “I think they sold someone.”

“Someone you knew?” 

“You can say that.”

“Get the rabbits, and I’ll be back tomorrow. If they sold someone, they shouldn’t be hard to find.” Barold turned to walk away, but suddenly, he froze and turned back to Eights. “Do you know when they sold- got the pass?”

“It should have been roughly five years ago.”

“Okay, kid. Also, don’t let anyone find you until then. Security doesn’t like people lingering outside the walls for too long.”

“Thank you, Barold.”

Eights trekked through the forest. Little birds sang loudly, and the trees groaned with the harsh wind. The rabbit trail led Eights to a berry bush. He crept behind a bush and dug through his backpack, gripping tightly to the leather slingshot. Then, Eights looked for a good rock.

With his slingshot ready, Eights laid in wait, then a rustling sounded. Eights began to swing the leather slingshot around and around. A rabbit burst from the bush, fleeing. The rock sliced through the air, and the bunny somersaulted before falling to the ground, motionless.

Eights picked up the creature and moved to a different location. He then plunged a knife into the animal’s neck and hung it to bleed out.

Before long, three rabbits hung from the tree, completely bled dry. Eights lowered the first one from the tree and began gutting and skinning it. The sky darkened, and the city lights shone brightly, drowning out the usual starlit sky. The moon glowed brightly in the night sky as Eights munched on his freshly cooked rabbit.

A knot formed in his throat. He couldn’t stop tears from streaking down his face. The teen shoveled the meat into his mouth while choking out tears between each bite. The cold air bit his skin as it howled through the forest. 

Eights threw the bones onto the ground and pulled his knees into his chest. He leaned against a tree and started tapping his fingers against his legs. Tap, tap, tap. The trees rustled violently with the wind, and the smell of winter wafted through the air. Eights exhaled slowly, emptying his lungs. 

Cans clinked ever so softly, grr, grr, grr. Eights woke, an angry zombie was at his feet. He jumped up, but the uneven ground rolled his ankle, and he fell back to the ground. The zombie crawled slowly towards him. It thrashed its leg, making Eights’ security system clatter. 

Rising to his feet, Eights grabbed a large rock off the ground. The rock felt heavy in his hand. Eights swung it down, hitting the monster on its head over and over until the rock slipped from his hand. 

“Not bad, kid.” Eights turned; his fists held high. Barold raised his hands. “Whoa there. It’s just me.” The man looked cleaner than last time. His beard was shorter and better kept, and he smelled slightly better.

“Did-” Eights looked at the man. He took a deep breath, “Did you find them?”

“I did, but it’s probably not good news for you.” Barold handed Eights a photo. “It seems they got in with a pass.”

Eights gripped the picture tightly. His parents were looking down at a small child smiling at her.

Click. Eights raised his head. Barold held up a gun, “No hard feelings, kid. But there are wanted posters all over the city. I would never have to work again.”

“It’s not like I have anything to live for now.” Eights stretched his arms out to the sides, “Shoot me.”

The tip of the gun quivered, and Barold’s knuckles went white. “I’ll do it, kid. So just be good and let me turn you in.”
     “You think I’ll go back willingly. I’ll kill myself first.”

“There must be something to live for. What about the kid who escaped with you?”

Eights flinched, “The Twelve probably have them by now. They went back to try and kill those zombie fucks.”

“Kill them? You think no one has tried that before? They don’t die. That’s why we live under them. That’s why we do their bidding.”

“There is a lab a few miles from here. I found something there with my friend. Something that can kill The Twelve.”

“Who would believe that? Stop acting desperate, and just let me turn you in.” Eights took a step forward, and Barold held the gun with both hands. He aimed for Eights’ leg. “Kid, don’t make me shoot you.” 

“You can’t shoot me. They want me back unharmed. Am I right?” 

Eights swiftly grabbed the tranq gun on his belt. Barold’s eyes bulged out of his head as he watched the boy pull the trigger.

The man pulled the tranquilizer from his chest and looked up at Eights. “How?”

“You should have taken the rabbits and left.”

Barold collapsed onto the ground with a thud. Eights bent over and pried the gun from his hands. Checking the magazine, Eights let out a sigh. “If you are going to threaten someone, you should at least have a loaded gun.” The boy chucked the gun into the woods before walking over to the dead zombie. He dragged it over to Barold, laying it on top of the man. “Hopefully, that will mask your scent for a while.”

Eights swung his arms with all his might as he ran back toward the mansion. Leaving the fat man and his payment behind.

A cold wind rushed through Eights’ hair as trees passed him in a rush. Eights found himself at his old home at the end of the day. He panted breathlessly in front of his grandpa’s grave. Placing the photo of his parents and younger sibling on it before taking off once more into the night. The photo fluttered on top of the grave before a harsh wind picked it up and carried it to the sky.

He ran through the night and the next day. As the sun was setting, Eights was faced with a towering fence and the sound of dogs barking. Some commotion was coming from inside.

Eights climbed the wall, landing firmly on his feet. The mansion was alive with activity, and Eights could feel the soft ground give way beneath his feet. He felt like he was sinking into the earth with each step.

The noises grew louder, and Eights ducked behind a statue. Two of the numbered looked around frantically. Eights’ entire body felt like a swarm of bees buzzing inside him.

“How did the kid get in?”

“Where did he go?”

Eights looked around to find Nine with their hands clasped firmly around their mouth, standing in front of the two numbered. Eights made eye contact with Nine and they let out a sigh of relief as they smiled brightly at Eights.

“There’s the kid.” One of the numbered yelled out, pointing at Nine.

Nine stared at the two wide-eyed.

“Where?”

“I swear they were just there.”

Eights jumped out of his hiding place and yelled, “Third floor, biggest double doors you can find.

“Eights?” The numbered looked at the boy. “Why did you come back, moron?”

“Some things are greater than freedom. So, will you continue being those monster's dogs, or will you join me?”

“Are you crazy? Who would go against The Twelve? We’ll die.” 

“Your loss.” Eights winked at Nine before running.

The two numbered chased after him. Nine smiled as they entered the manor. They took the main stairs to the top floor and barged into the room with the biggest doors. 

Nine carefully counted twelve pairs of eyes glancing in their direction. 

The Twelve looked around the room, “It couldn’t have been the wind.”

Nine gagged at the smell of rotting flesh hitting their nose. The Twelve stood in unison, “Where are you?”

“You’re one of the abominations made by that woman.”

“I thought we killed all of them when we destroyed the Hidden City.” A female zombie struck her hand down on the table.

Hollow eyes pierced Nine’s soul, and their entire body shook. Clutching a vile in their hands, Nine fumbled to pull it out of their pocket. The Twelve moved closer, hands reaching out to the invisible person. Nine backed into a corner when a decaying hand caught them.

“I got them.” The other zombies surrounded Nine. 

“What do you have planned? Did my daughter send you?” 

Nine struggled under the zombie's grip as it pinned them down, pulling the vile out of Nine’s pocket. One zombie asked, “This is hers, isn’t it?” 

“Kill the kid.” The Twelve pulled Nine across the room. The vile rolled across the floor as Nine struggled against The Twelve. Opening a window, they began to push the kid through it. 

“Please don’t,” Nine cried out.

“You were going to poison us.”

“Hurry and get them out.” 

“They are struggling too much.”

Nine swung at The Twelve, who was holding them, and they released their grip. The kid collapsed onto the ground. 

“Where did you go?”

“I got them.”

“Push them out the window.”

“How dare you try to kill us.”  

“You’ve lived long enough!” Eights held up the tranquilizer gun.

The room filled with laughter. “How many times have you tried to kill us now?” 

“More than I can count.”

“Do you think that gun will work?”

Eights smirked as he emptied twelve tranquilizer darts into the zombies. Eights held a finger up as twelve piles of dust hit the floor.

Nine stumbled, falling out the window. Nine closed their eyes when someone caught their hand. “Don’t you dare die on me.” Eights looked into Nine’s eyes as they dangled out the window. “You’re all I’ve got.”

Nine used all their strength, and Eights pulled at their shirt. Eights pulled Nine the rest of the way into the building and collapsed onto the floor. Nine fell on top of him. They wrapped their arms around Eights’ waist and sobbed loudly into his chest.

Eights embraced Nine. He looked out the window, and the stars in the sky began to fall.

Eights and Nine watched the house burn. Some numbers ran from the flames while others watched with Eights and Nine. Hungry zombies flocked to the house from every direction.

The fence groaned as a horde of zombies pressed against it. Pop! The fence broke as the locking mechanism broke.

Nine grasped Eights’ hand, leading him away from the burning building. Eights trudged behind as Nine pulled him past the horde. The two walked through the forest slowly to avoid any lingering zombies. After a day, they came across Eights’ old house, and Nine dragged Eights through the door. Dust flew through the air as they plopped onto the couch. They sat, staring into the darkness.

“Thanks for coming back.”

Eights met Nine’s gaze. Tears fell down his face, “Sorry.”

Nine pulled Eights into their shoulder and wrapped their arms around his head. “What happened?”

“They never loved me.”

“Who didn’t-”

Nine glanced around the house. A picture of Eights sat on the mantle. 

“My parents named me Eights because they planned on selling me.” 

Nine tightened their hold on the teen, “Mine too.”

Eights pushed Nine away, looking deep into their eyes, “Is that how you ended up in the mansion? Even though you can become invisible?”

“I didn’t think I could survive on my own.”

Eights held Nine’s hand. “You don’t have to. You have me now.”

The two sat in the dusty house for hours before drifting off to sleep. Outside, zombies growled, and the forest chirped loudly as the sun set on the horizon.