The morning turned gloomy, with a heavy mist blanketing the world as Mia, Zoe, and the rest of the institution trekked down the short, winding road Caleb had taken them on. After the unpleasant discovery the night before, none of them had slept, but the prospect of Caleb's colony being a true shelter was enough to keep them from transferring. Mia clutched Sam's hand, keeping him close, her gaze roaming the bizarre panorama. Zoe remained in advance, her stance rigid, her eyes flashing, and her mistrust seething just beneath the floor.
As they rounded a bend, a large, fortified shape appeared. Makeshift fortifications, stitched together with metal and twine, rose around a small cluster of houses and tents. The settlement became alive with activity, with people moving in and out of buildings, some huddled in enterprises, and others caring to supplies. Defense towers stood at each corner, with figures inside observing the freshman closely.
"Welcome to the camp," Caleb said, motioning closer to the guarded entrance. "Ruby runs things right here. She is thorough and excessive. But she's great at what she does."
"desirable at preserving secrets?" Zoe murmured under her breath and cast a furtive glance toward Caleb.
He ignored the comment and led them to the gate, where a tall, slim female waited, fingers crossed, eyes assessing the group with practiced ease. Her hair became tightly pulled back, and her expression harsh and unreadable. She possessed a presence that made it clear she was not one to go.
"Ruby," Caleb said with a nod. "those are those I told you about."
Ruby's eyes lingered on each of them before settling on the twins. Her eyes tightened as she took in their haggard expressions and the matching strains of tiredness around their eyes. A flare of near-popularity passed over her face, but her demeanor remained hard.
"Identical faces, contrary souls," Ruby whispered, her gaze fixed on Mia and Zoe. "You'll both shop us or smash us."
Zoe bristled at the assertion, her jaw stiff, but Mia genuinely lowered her gaze, feeling the weight of Ruby's attention. There was something disarming about the female, a shrewdness that saw right through them. It was like being under the spotlight.
Ruby reappeared, nodding to the guards who had opened the gate. "Come inside," she said calmly. "There are regulations here. You will learn quickly; else, you will find yourself on the other side of those gates."
Zoe drew closer to Mia as they entered. "That woman's got 'problem' written throughout her."
Mia gave a mild nod but remained silent, still contemplating Ruby's frightening words.
Within the camp, they were taken down narrow pathways lined with temporary dwellings. Some constructions were created from scrap steel, while others were made from wood and stuff, which were carefully pieced together. Human beings were everywhere - men, women, and children - and some even looked up and gave timid nods as they passed.
It wasn't much, but it grew into a stronger community than Mia had seen in a long time. The air buzzed with activity, and no matter how gloomy most faces appeared, there was a sense of purpose here, a beat that made Mia's chest clench with unexpected longing. Sam's grip on her hand relaxed, his fascination temporarily calming the anxiety that gripped him.
They arrived in an important courtyard, where crates of goods and barrels of water had been neatly piled. Some guards strolled among them, counting and taking notes, while Ruby observed from a distance, her piercing eyes sweeping across the entire area. Zoe's eyes narrowed as she studied Ruby, noting how every action and expression appeared premeditated.
Caleb broke the stillness by pointing to a group of tents near the edge of the courtyard. "You'll have your personal area here," he said. "meals and water are rationed, but there's enough for everybody."
Zoe's focus switched to a nearby crate, which was half empty yet marked as "complete." Her brows knitted together, but she remained silent, brushing the criticism aside as they walked into their customized tents.
Caleb gave them a brief tour, describing the medical tent, storage area, and armory. "Ruby takes inventory day by day," he explained. "She continues tight manage over what comes in and is going out."
"Sounds more like she's hoarding than rationing," Zoe mumbled, drawing a sharp look from Caleb.
"Human beings want structure," he stated firmly. "with out it, this place would disintegrate in a count number of days."
Mia stayed close to Sam, observing as he gazed wide-eyed at the hobby around them. She couldn't help but feel a sense of relief: despite the rigorous laws, the camp felt safer than anywhere they'd visited in weeks.
However, Zoe's doubt lingered. She glanced to Ruby, who was now instructing a group of guards using swift, precise movements. "How do you keep tune of the entirety here?" Zoe inquired, her accent polite but her look keen.
Ruby lifted an eyebrow. "I've got my ways," she replied calmly. "And I don't omit much. "Anything suspicious is handled immediately."
Zoe met her stare and refused to back down. "seems like there's quite a few rules for an area that's presupposed to be about survival."
Ruby's eyes sharpened, as he or she moved closer, her voice fading. "Survival is what we make it," she replied, her tone cautious. "This is not a democracy." If you want freedom without accountability, there's the gate. In any other instance, you follow the recommendations."
Mia placed a hand on Zoe's arm and gently pulled her again. "Let's just get settled," she muttered, casting an apologetic look at Ruby.
Ruby's stare softened slightly as she gazed at Mia. "You are the voice of reason, I see. Maintain it, and you may be able to stay here longer than most."
The atmosphere in the courtyard became intense, yet Mia could sense Zoe's unrest. Zoe's anxiety increased as they snuggled into their tents. She examined the substances about them, noting the strange positioning of goods and the meticulous rationing. However, there was something more significant - something that seemed wrong.
"you spot it too, don't you?" Jasper spoke softly as he joined her, his gaze roaming around the camp. "some thing doesn't add up with their components."
Zoe nodded, her eyes narrowed. "They're both hiding resources or… a person's taking greater than they're purported to."
Mia glanced across the camp as Sam and Lila sat down and spoke quietly. She noticed Sam's cautious demeanor melt when Lila shared something with him, a small trinket that glinted in the sunlight. Sam gripped it warily, a slight smile forming on his lips.
"He's safe right here," Caleb murmured, standing behind her. His voice became low and mild. "It's rare to see moments like that anymore."
Mia looked at him, getting a hint of honesty in his eyes. Despite her reservations, she was drawn to him, the calm power that emanated from him.
"I'm hoping you're right," she muttered, her palms carelessly massaging her temples, where her imagination and foresight had lingered. "but trust is difficult to come back via."
Caleb looked away, his face clouded. "I recognise. "We do what we can, don't we?"
Ruby interrupted their conversation, keeping a tight eye on Mia and Zoe. She paused, taking them in with a glance that seems to go much deeper than the floor.
"Same faces," she muttered to herself. Her tone became inscrutable, a mix of curiosity and something else - something Mia couldn't quite describe. "Opposite souls." You have a desire to create. "You will either store or ruin us."
The words shot a kick back through Mia, and he or she noticed Zoe's shoulders tense beside her. Ruby's gaze stayed on them for a bit longer than it should have before she moved away, her strides slow and deliberate.
Zoe expelled a breath, her jaw clinched. "I do not like this location, Mia. There's something wrong right here."
Mia nodded, feeling the discomfort grow deeper within her. She returned her attention to the bustling camp, the people moving about, going through the motions of survival. But Ruby's comments echoed in her mind, throwing a pall over the whole situation.
The sun dipped lower, and a faint fog began to drift into the camp, distorting the outlines of the sector around them. Mia shivered as the shadows lengthened. Caleb stood in the distance, his face closer to the fading light, with an unfathomable expression on his face.
Within the gathering darkness, Mia sensed a slight flash of her vision, a glimpse of Caleb's war-torn face, something hiding beneath the floor. A warning, maybe - a fact still to be disclosed.
As night fell, the camp's calm murmur faded, replaced by the whisper of the wind and the faint creak of the protective towers. Mia slept next Sam, her thoughts racing, the sentences Ruby had said circling endlessly.
Just as she felt herself glide, she heard footsteps outside her tent. Low voices, whispered tones.
"Do you observed they recognize?" One voice requested, cautious and irritating.
"They couldn't recognize." "Not yet," I received the response. "But they are looking." "We'll need to be cautious."
Mia held her breath as her chest tightened with worry. She cast Zoe's gaze across the tent, her sister's face veiled but alert, her frame tense and ready.
The voices faded into the night, leavin
g Mia with only one idea and a single question burning in her mind:
What had they walked into?