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● [ i . five minutes later ]

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ROGUE AND SONYA stood on the outskirts of the woodlands, the trees casting dappled shadows on the forest floor as the sun began to set. The note had been read between them countless times. World in Catastrophe: Killzone Experiment Department. It was a clue, they had assumed.

'Where did you find this?' Rogue asked, the note still scrunched in her hand.
'Between the brick,' Sonya said in a hushed tone. 'An hour or so ago. Just through there.' She pointed deeper into the woods. 'Now, I don't wanna have people freak, but I don't think this was left by any of us.' Sonya motioned for the note back.
'Have you told Ximena?'
She shook her head. 'She'd die right on the finchin' spot.'
Rogue's expression betrayed her insistence. 'Sonya, we have to tell her. It'll be even worse if we don't.'
'I know. It's just... World in Catastrophe? It doesn't sound good.' Sonya fidgeted, flicking the note with her index. 
'Yeah, well, between this and the Creepers, at least we know there's a world out there,' Rogue said. 'Where is she now?'
'By the lodge, last time I saw. With Beth.' Sonya folded the paper once more, fitting it into her back pocket. 

Rogue nodded, her mind racing with the implications of the note. Without another word, she gestured for Sonya to lead the way back to the lodge. As they walked, Rogue couldn't shake the feeling of unease that had settled in her stomach. What did 'Killzone' mean? And who had left the note?

As Rogue and Sonya drew closer to the lodge, Ximena was no longer there. Instead, their eyes fell upon Beth, her posture sagging with weariness as she sat by the entrance. They exchanged a glance, a silent acknowledgement of the tension. 

'Hi again,' Sonya began. Beth looked up, slowly. 'Where did Ximena go? It's sort of urgent.'
Beth grumbled, her tone edged with irritation. 'She was here a moment ago, then she nicked my flintknapper. Can't finish the lodge now, can I? And Harriet'll get at me. Again.'
Sonya shifted uncomfortably, unsure of how to respond. 'Right. Well, that's not quite what we asked, really.'
Beth rolled her eyes, a sigh escaping her lips as she ran her hands through her grown-out blonde hair, signalling her frustration. 'She's inside.'
Sonya thanked her.

The lodge still lacked a door, or a roof for that matter - the walls, however were supported by a framework of wooden beams. As they entered, the scent of fresh wood surrounded them, mingling with the earthly aroma of the Glen outside. It's residue covered the ground, and sparce tools were scattered on shelves. Ximena sat at the bottom of the stairs, her fingers idly fiddling with the handle of the flintknapper.  She looked up.

'Evening, you two,' she said, standing as they approached her. Sonya cleared her throat and reached into her pocket, handing the note to Ximena. Her expression shifted from curiosity to confusion as she read the message repeatedly, her fingers tracing the words. Sonya explained how and where she had found it, and rogue expressed their concerns. Ximena listened carefully, remaining surprisingly composed as her eyes scanned the message with a thoughtful intensity. After a moment of silent contemplation, she tucked the note away and nodded.
'Thank you for showing me,' she said. 'It's a clue, definitely. We just don't know what it means yet.'

Just then, a sudden creaking of the wooden floor startled them. Their heads snapped in unison towards the source of the noise, their expressions apprehensive as they observed the girl standing at the entrance of the lodge, her presence unexpected and rather unsettling. It was a girl Rogue hadn't seen before, with a small stature and straight brown hair that brushed against her. 'What does that mean?' the girl asked. Her eyes were watery and her face was irritated from tears. 'What's a clue?'

Ximena wasted no time in asserting her authority, striding towards the girl and placing a firm hand on her shoulder. 'Rogue, Sonya, this is Jane,' she said. 'She's one of our new Blondie's. Came up today.'
Jane appeared visibly shaken, her demeanour reflecting a sense of urgency as she insisted upon her questions. 'Just tell me,' she said. 'Why won't anybody help me!'
'Don't let your heart drop through your arse just yet,' Sonya interjected, attempting to diffuse the girl's discomfort. 'We don't know much more than you.'

Jane's fright seemed to escalate with each passing moment, her insistence bordering on desperation as she pressed for answers. Sonya's attempt at levity only seemed to fuel Jane's unease further. 'Please!' She shouted this time. 'I don't understand. What clue? Why did those doors close?' Ximena stepped away from her.

Rogue cautiously extended her hands, palms up, as a soothing gesture. She spoke in a gentle tone in an effort to ease Jane's agitation. 'Hey, it's okay,' she said, aiming for a reassuring tone despite the rasp in her low voice. 'Those doors close to protect us.'

As soon as she spoke, she grimaced inwardly, realising her reassurance backfired.
'What do you mean, 'protect'?' Jane asked. She was crying, now. 'What's out there?

EDIT PENDING

"Safe? You can't be safe without having something to be saved from." She disclosed, crossing her arms while looking over the debris of dirt. The girl that spoke had black hair, her skin a light tint of brown, and even though her eyes were the same color, they still dazzled in the moonlight. She was beautiful. A blind woman could see that.

"We don't know," Rogue answered honestly. "I'm sorry, we just don't. But that's what we're trying to find out." She stopped abruptly, taking the girl in. "What's your name?"
"Alex," she replied. "Why?"
Rogue only smiled and looked to her feet. "No reason."

As she began to pace away, a newbie caught her eye, standing next to Jane and looking around with the utmost curiosity. She noticed Rogue was staring at her and held out a hand.

"Sara, if you were wondering. Nice to meet you. You are?"
"Rogue."
"You run in there?"
Her head swiveled round to Ximena, who just bumped up her shoulders and turned back to Sonya.

"Yeah. Why?"
"Oh... I just - never mind it's stupid," Sara brushed off cooly.
"You wanna try out?" She could see it on her face, the little furrow that plastered itself on her whenever she looked at the grey walls.
"A little," Sara simpered
"Ximena! Sara wants to try out!"

Sonya took the note from Ximena, patting her on the back. "I know. She asked me when I got back. Told her no, we have just enough already."
"Please!" Sara begged, hopping from one foot to the other.
"I said no!" Ximena spat.

"I'm fast. I promise. Harriet knows! Harriet, didn't I run out when I left the box?" She called across the field, to Harriet, chatting to Hashslinger. She looked over her shoulder, breaking apart from the conversation. "Yeah, she did do. Straight for the Maze. Hadda trip her up to get her to stop running. Got some legs on her, I'll tell you that!"

Sara smugly grinned, resting her hands on her hips. "So?"
"I still don't know, Newbie. We have so many open jobs for you in the Glen. And we don't know what happens when the Doors close. If we get stuck out there, being with more people'll just be worse."

"I won't slow you down, if that's what you're saying," Sara protested. "Just try me out. Please."
"Fine!" Ximena sighed, rubbing the back of her neck. "Fine but no one else! You heard me! No one else!"

Alex, who remained stood beside Rogue, pouted, then scattered her eyes before walking away into a world of her own. Sara bounced up and down in joy, putting a hand on Rogue's shoulder that she quickly shrugged off.
"Thank you! Thank you! Won't disappoint!"

And she didn't.
In fact, she was a little too good.

A little too confident.

Shame.

♀

The next morning she woke by herself, rushing up to get the paper bags that Alejandra agreed to give to her the day before, earning a dangerous scowl from her as she passed by. Hashslinger then passed Rogue the newly-made sandwiches and sent her away to walk to the Gates on her own. Ximena stood with Sara outside the same Gate they entered the day before, waiting patiently for the damn thing to open.

"Well coat me with sugar and call me a doughnut. If it isn't Rogue," Ximena grinned.
"You're in a good mood. Why're you so happy?" she asked, chucking over the paper bag.

"Look what I got," she said, holding up the knife. "Came to me right away and thanked me. Honestly, how'd you do it?"
"Talked to her like a human," Rogue shrugged, raising her eyebrows in expectancy.
"Gotta try that sometime," Ximena responded.

Sonya and Miyoko bounced up shortly after, carrying the flasks.
"God, take 'em from us. They're as heavy as a bloody hippo!" Sonya gasped, throwing the bottles at each of them.
"When do the Gates open?" Miyoko gushed, swiftly tying her hair up.

"Uh - two minutes," said Ximena, her watch spread out so everyone could take a glance.
So, they stood in silence, shuffling their feet and clicking their tongues until the roar rang out.

"Alright," Ximena exhaled, "everyone ready?"
And she didn't wait for a response, just set off.

Rogue hung behind with Sara for the first five minutes, but the two ended up skipping ahead, tired of the looks of frustration they kept passing each other, routing from the sluggishness that the others gave.

Sara had long legs, and as did Rogue, so it was much easier for them to run in front and cut the corners.
The first turns seemed familiar, meaning they whizzed through them, but when Rogue almost ran into a wall, it instantly struck her that something was off.

"The walls changed," it was uttered, so only Sara could hear.
"What do you mean?" Sara faltered, knitting her brows.
"The walls. They changed..." Rogue turned and paced back to the previous corner, looking to the girls that came jogging around the next. "The walls changed!" she shouted at Ximena, who stopped just before her.

"You're kidding." Ximena snatched the maps from Sonya, flicking through them to the papers they recorded the day before. "Jesus - so they have... what is the point. Mierda!" Ximena shoved the maps back into the blonde girl's arms. "Sonya, get this down!"
"Oh... okay."

"Here's the thing you were talking about last night!" Miyoko called, holding up the same piece of paper Sonya brought back.
"This place is creepy," Sara tilted her head. "I like it."
"Oi," Ximena started, lightly tapping Sara on the back of the head, "we gotta go. Stop dawdling."

She grabbed Rogue's arm and hoisted her forwards, taking Sara with her.
And they ran for what seemed like an eternity.

  ♀  

"Rogue," Miyoko squeaked on the way back to the Glen. "Can you cut the vines? My arm's getting tired. I'll hang back with Sara."
The girl reluctantly nodded, taking the knife and holding it to her side while the others yapped on.

"Xi, you gonna let Sara have the job?" Sonya buzzed, smiling to the only other blonde. "I mean, technically this is her trail, right?

Ximena looked Sara up and down and bit her lip to give the sense that she was thinking, when, in reality, she had already made up her mind. She gave the thumbs up.
"Well, congrats," Miyoko grinned to the girl.

Rogue smiled at Sara, too, averting her attention away from the knife, scratching against the wall. Abruptly, the knife got caught in a brick and lurched her to a halt; it left her to try and tug it out. She placed her hand on the stone beside it and pulled. Pulled until the thing came flying out, only for it to slit the palm of her hand.

"Ah, shit," she hissed in pain.
"What?" Ximena stopped talking once she flipped around to see a growing pile of blood on the ground. "Oh god."

"It's fine. I'm fine. Just cut me a little..."
"A little? Holy crap, there's a ten-foot drop down there!" Sonya gaped.
"We need to get her to Florence. She has bandages," Miyoko grasped Rogue's other wrist and dragged her forwards, almost enough for her to fall. "Only a few more turns, okay?"

"I'm not a child," she shrilled, digging her nails into her palms.
"You're fragile like one," Ximena snapped.

They were back in the Glen in a matter of minutes, taking a peep at all the new girls while they jogged to the hut. Some were crying and others were arguing with Harriet. Nothing new, then.

"Florence! Ada!" Sonya burst through the door, holding Rogue at her toe.
"Just me," Florence smiled. "Ada's with the Newbies."
Sonya nodded, grasping Rogue's wrist and shoving it harshly into the face of the intern, who flinched back in response. "She cut her hand. Think you can give her a good bandaging?"

"Sure thing," Florence smiled, cupping her palm in her two small hands. "Ouch. You okay, buttercup?"
Sonya muttered something under her breath before leaving, shouting to some other girls outside.

"It won't take long. Don't worry. How'd you cut it?" Florence asked, placing a first aid kit on her lap.
"With a knife."
She rolled her eyes, "nooo. I mean how did you do it?"
"Got the knife stuck in the wall, tugged it out and it sliced me nice and clean."

Florence paused, then shook her head in astoundment, unzipping the kit. "Not gonna ask how that happened, just gonna patch you up."
"Thanks."

She pulled out a safety pin and a roll of bandages, tearing a small piece off with her teeth. "You're a big girl. Heard about your stitches. This'll sting, but you're probably used to it, ey?"

Florence poured some strange liquid in a flask onto the strip of bandage and started to wrap it around her hand. This came with a sharp biting sensation like someone was digging their teeth into her hand.

She curled it around multiple times, making sure it held onto her tightly.
"Unclench your fist. You don't want crescent moons on your palms," she calmly put, securing the bandage with a pin. She did as told, already having red marks on both hands from digging her nails into them.

"There," Florence smiled. "That should stop the bleeding. If it breaks, come back to me or Ada. If not, take it off in a week. Kay?"
Rogue gulped, nodding. "Sounds good."

And when the door was propped open by her foot, she told Rogue this one thing.
One thing she'd always remember until the day she died.

"We rise by lifting others."

We rise by lifting others.

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note* hi there. Please vote and comment. It makes me cry with joy :)

the next one'll be set one month in the future with the FIRST real Greenie/Blondie. As you can see, I' trying SUPER hard to slide in how the slang got catchy.

- bubby bean