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We were acies developed and we had the tools to fight, to win What’s the one thing we’re able to do when that first Legacy finally arrives?

The answer seems too obvious to be correct With the pen still in my hand, I write the only answer I can come up with:

The Chest

Chapter Ten

I NO LONGER SLEEP WITHOUT NIGHTMARES Every night I’m stricken by Sarah’s face, there for only a second before it’s sed by darkness, followed by her calling out for help No matter how furiously I search, she’s nowhere to be found She keeps calling, a scared voice, bleak and alone, but I can never find her

And then there’s Henri, his body twisted and sether has finally coret, or sadness, but rather pride, relief, and love He seeht at the end, his eyes widen in a plea forhere, to Paradise, it wasn’t by chance," he says again, and I still have no idea what he means Then, "I wouldn’t have missed a second of it, kiddo Not for all of Lorien Not for the whole damn world" This is my curse, that every time I dreaain

I see Lorien, the days before the war, the jungles and oceans I’ve dreah the tall grass while those around h, unaware of the horrors to co, and the blood Soht, I have distinct visions of what I believe is the future

My eyes aren’t closed for long before I’ a landscape I know I’ve never seen before, but still find familiar

I run down a pathway lined with litter and debris Broken glass Burned plastic Twisted, rusted steel Acridbuildings stand tall against the gray sky A dark, stagnant river lurks toand ry e airship prepares for takeoff I go through a barbed-wire gate and enter the airstrip fenced off from the crowd

The taradorian soldiers keep the crowd at bay while swar in ainst the fence as soldiers knock them back They’re smaller than the soldiers, but have the sarows fro panicked steps backwards, while those on the tar drops fro clouds, leaving a thick, black discharge in its wake I covervibrations through the soil that nearly knockfalls silent as the dust clears, revealing a perfectly spherical ship, milky white like a pearl A round door slides open, and a monstrous creature steps out The same creature that tried to beheadthe fence, with everyone scraet away from this monster He’s even more enormous than I remember, with muscular, chiseled features and short, cropped hair Tattoos crawl up his arest of which stands out on his neck, grotesque and purple A soldier retrieves a golden cane from the ship, its head curved like a hammer, a black eye painted on its side When the creature holds it in his hand, the eye co in its surroundings, until it findsiant step towards olden cane Its eye pulses

Just then an onlooker shouts at the Mogadorian, furiously rattling the fence The Mogadorian turns towards the protester, thrusting the rod in his direction The rod’s eye glows red and the h the barbed-wired fence Pandeet away

The Mogadorian returns his attention tothe rod at htlessness rises inWhat I see around his neck is so disturbing, so haunting, that I’

Early dawn breaks through the s, bathing the ss return I’m sweat covered and out of breath And yet I’ er in a dreadful place where a h the small holes of a barbed-wired fence

We found an abandoned house bordering a conservation area a few e The kind of house Henri would have loved: isolated, s security without any personality It’s one story, the exterior painted lie, with brown carpeting We couldn’t be luckier that the water hasn’t been turned off By the heavy dust in the air, I can only assume it’s been a while since anyone lived here

I roll toseen what I just did, the only thing that could take it all away is Sarah I remember the time in my room when she’d just returned from Colorado--the e’d held one another If I’le moine what she’s doing at this veryto The news reported that each of the six school districts surrounding Paradise absorbed a portion of the displaced students until a new building is built I wonder which of theraphs

I reach for istered under the name Julius Seazar Henri’s sense of humor I turn it on for the first time in days All I have to do is dial her number to hear her voice It’s that si the last I close my eyes, take a deep breath, then turn the phone off and flip it shut I know I can’t punch the tenth number Fear for Sarah’s safety, for her life--and all of ours, too--stopsroohs Luckily Henri’s wireless internet card, under whatever pseudonym he chose at the tial pad It’s been three days since the ht, having hopped aboard three different se direction--before juacies--our speed, Six’s invisibility-- ould have never made it It’s our intent to lie low for a bit and let the news dissipate We’ll regroup, start training, and avoid any furtherthe helicopters at all costs First order of business, find a new car Second order of business, figure out what to do next None of us really knows for sure Again, I feel the enormity of Henri’s absence

"Where’s Six?" I ask, stu laps or so about the house is the pool in the backyard, which Six i a heavy rainstorlie Sam

His face reddens "Shut up, dude I wanted to check the news You know, be productive"

"Anything?"