𝑷𝒐𝒆𝒕𝒓𝒚 𝑬𝒏𝒕𝒓𝒚 1:

1/13/25 gofundmes

here are the donation messages i've received - please consider donating to these causes:

MOSAB (@mosabfmly) -> vetted -> pinned post -> gofundme link

KAREMAN (@karemnnndohann) -> vetted -> pinned post -> gofundme link

ABDUL (@abood-anqar) -> vetted -> pinned post -> gofundme link

MOHAMAD (@adambinali) -> vetted -> pinned post -> gofundme link

AMAL (@amalalkafarna4) -> vetted -> pinned post -> gofundme link

FARAH (@farahgazza) -> vetted -> pinned post -> gofundme link

check out each individual account for more information!

DON'T GO ON HAMAS.//////COM

I recently saw tweets about this website called Hamas .com.

It is a site made by Israel to steal your information.

Its just another way that Israel will harm Palestinians by making a fake website to confuse advocates

PLEASE GO TO ARAB.ORG INSTEAD FOR DAILY CLICKS

I am writing to ask you to consider sharing a petition. I don't know how far the story has spread, but a non-binary high schooler in Oklahoma (where i live) named Nex Benedict was killed as a result of an attack at Owasso High School two weeks ago. They were attacked on school property.

The state of Oklahoma School Superintendent, Ryan Walters, who has spent his tenure focused on book bans, villainizing teachers, fighting "the woke agenda," and whatever will get him on Fox news. As a part of this he has formed partnerships with the Moms for Liberty and Libs of Tiktok person, Chaya Raichik.

All of these actions include a near constant barrage of attacks on the lgbtqia community. As an lgbtqia person myself, with kids who are also part of the community, including non-binary children, i am incredibly saddened by Nex's death, and worried about the safety of my own children in this state.

It's just a petition and i know the impact feels limited. It feels small to me, but i would like to ask you to share it in the hopes that it might bring some news coverage and open talks in this state about removing this public official for the good of the community.

I appreciate your time and attention. (Obligatory big fan, because I am.)

The petition can be found here: https://chng.it/CvHz2J8QW4

Thanks.

Happy to share it.

Please don't scroll 🥺🙏

I need your help 🫂

Donate even a little. Share the donation link with your friends. Don't stop supporting us if you love Gaza and Palestine 🇵🇸🍉💔

Your support and donation will be a dose of hope for me and my family ❤️

My children have nothing🧑‍💻

I am Munir from Gaza, I have a family, my wife Rawan and my children Suzan and Ashraf

Help me so I don't lose them👧🙏

The resistance to life is non-existent, there is no food, drink and good health due to the health and life disasters that are happening in Gaza

I need your support, I currently live in a tent with my family 😞

Please help me and my family

before and after

https://gofund.me/b1c82501

this ramadan we pray for peace and aid for the people of palestine. this ramadan we remember the previous ramadans, where thousands of palestinians were massacred. this ramadan we honour palestine, and may we see a free palestine next ramadan

Update (70)

The Israeli occupation's decision to close the Gaza Strip crossings quickly affected the lives of 2.4 million Palestinians, who have not yet recovered from a devastating war that has ravaged them for 15 months.

This crime, which represents a disregard for the international community and international humanitarian law, and a blatant violation of the international charter of human rights, which stipulates that water, food, medicine and shelter are basic rights that cannot be violated, in addition to its use as a means of cheap blackmail to achieve political goals at the expense of the suffering of hundreds of thousands of people.

This crisis poses a risk to the elderly and children in my family who suffer from malnutrition, as we cannot afford to buy basic food after the skyrocketing prices in the markets.

The goal is to reach €4000 to be able to buy only the basic food needs that enable us to survive.

✅Vetted No. 219.

🍁Donate to the Siraj family🍁

This fic in general will have lots of gruesome details of death and of battles. I am letting you know that there will be angst and some really concerning things to come from this. I will keep it to a minimum, but like this story is already an AU for The last of Us. If you know the game and show itself, you will see why I put a warning at the beginning.

Also, some information, the time frame will be only a 5 year difference than from the original source. It will be 15 years instead of 20, in this chapter, they are 17, and Randall is 10.

Last but not least please tell me what you think, it helps with improvement and writing I plan for this whole thing, thanks!!!

- Sky 💜

Warning ⚠️: This chapter contains violence, mention of guns and weapons, along with the death of a child. You have been warned.

Chapter 1 : Lights Atop the Hill

September 26th 2003

Steven had finally made it home from school, it was a whole thing back at school but he would just worry about it next week.

"Steven."

A slightly deeper voice called, it was Marc, he looked down at the puddle of water that was created by the sprinklers of their neighbors.

Their patch of sidewalk and grass always mushy yet full of life, clean and dirty but it's the piece of earth they owned.

"'Ello Marc, what's up?"

Steven asked as he looked down at the water to look at his companion on the other side.

"I need to body back Steven, you had it the entire day."

Marc said as he waited for Steven response.

"But, I haven't even said hi to mum yet."

Steven reasoned with Marc to at least sat hi to their mother.

"You said good morning to her this morning Steven, give the body."

Marc threw back because he had receipts for both of them to make the body sharing equal.

"Fine, fine. You got a point."

Steven sighed as he felt the switch happen and just like that Steven was the reflection and Marc the form.

"Thanks."

Marc mumbled which earn a small smile from Steven.

"No problem, later gators."

Steven said as he held out a piece sign which got him both a small smile and eye roll from Marc as he walked away from the reflection and towards their house.

Marc had the keys and opened the door to his home.

"I'm home."

He shouted before taking his shoes off and walking down the hall of his house, he waited for a call back from his parents but, nothing.

"Marc!"

A small voice exclaimed before a small boy crashed and wrapped his tiny arms around Marc's waist.

"Hey Roro, where's mom and dad?"

Marc asked his brother as he mess with his hair.

"Said that they had to go city to grab something, also that they won't be back till nightime."

His little brother said which got a sigh from Marc before he looked down at his brother and picks him up as he now sat on his hip.

"So, what do you want to do right now then?"

He asked his little brother as his brother started to grin from cheek to cheek as small dimples formed on each end which made Marc's heart warm.

" Can we play gods today?"

His little brother asked with eyes that lit up Marc's mood.

"Alright, but only for an hour, then I got homework and chores. Got your chores done?"

Marc asked his brother and little Randall nodded his head.

"Got to it the minute mom picked me up from school."

Randall said as he puffed his chest proudly looking up at Marc.

"Good, alright who do you wanna be?"

Marc said and the two brothers played with each other, despite the age difference they still worked together in harmony.

Their own little world's intertwined into one big playground for their childhood and boy hood to exist.

4 hours later....

"And I win!!"

Randall cheered as he got onto of Marc who was on the ground pretending to be wounded by his brothers punches.

"Yep, you got me. Good job buddy."

Marc said as he slowly got up and looked at the clock of the living room which was now messy with toys and building block made to look like towers and cities.

"Okay, that's enough playing for today, gotta go do my other thing Roro."

Marc said as he started to pick up some of the toys from the floor and into the rightful place of their color coded cubbies labeled from Randall since he tended to get them mixed up before.

"Aww, but that was like only 15 minutes of playing Marc, I wanna play a little more."

His brother whined as he looked at Marc with a small pout, he always did that when something didn't really go his way.

"No way Roro, I need to get my things done. But I'll make you a deal instead."

Marc responded as he held out his pinky since they still did pinky swears, this peaked his brothers interest.

"Once I am done with what I have to get done I'll play with you then, deal?"

Marc said with a small smile to try and get his brother to agree with him cause he really doesn't know how else to do it.

Randall looks at him, hesitant but after a couple seconds he slowly grins and nods his head before getting his even tinier pinky and wrapped it around his brothers.

"Deal."

Is all he says before he gets up and starts to put away the rest of his toys in the color and labeled cubbies that have been made for him.

"Okay."

Marc whispers before he goes and picks up his backpack that was flung to a wall during their "battle" and goes upstairs to his room.

"Man mate, I have no idea how you do it."

Steven sighs as he looks at Marc from the closet mirror as Marc changes out of his school clothes into something a little more comfortable.

He now changed into some gray sweatpants and a band t-shirt, it was an rock band that Marc was starting to really like.

"How I do what Steven?"

Marc said with a raised eyebrow confused on what his alter meant by his question.

"Like the whole playing with him for almost 6 hours, like that's mental. His stamia is just something else sometimes mate."

Steven says being exhausted himself.

"Your exaggerating Steven, it's was like 2 hours. Your just not use to his energy like me."

Marc said as he sat down and started to take out his homework, he knew he would get through it in maybe an 1 or so.

"I know, it's because he doesn't even know I really exist Marc."

Steven adds his tone a little more quiet like Randall would hear him, Marc noticed.

"It's just...I don't know how he would react that his brother has two in his head and not one. He's just a kid, he might not understand Steven."

Marc consoled his other, his voice a little softer but still firm about it. He knew that Steven felt a little hidden and almost neglected from how much he didn't have control.

"I know, I know. I get it, sorry mate."

Steven says as he had a apologetic expression on his face.

Marc sighed as he thought of how to make it up, the only people who really knew were his mom and dad.

Even they didn't understand all the way but they tried.

"Look, let's wait till Randall a bit older, once he can understand better, okay?"

Marc asked as he tried to make eye contact with his alter who was not really someone to look someone in the eye sometimes.

Steven thought and could see what Marc meant, good thing he had more patience and understood what he was saying to him.

He would wait.

Wait for the day someone would finally understand him and Marc, he hoped it would be their brother.

Steven nodded.

"Okay."

Marc nodded in return before going and taking out his notebook to start his homework.

-------------------------------------------------------

10:37 PM

After all that their parents weren't home yet, it had been a while now so Marc went and made dinner for him and his brother.

"What are you making?"

Randall said as he came out of whatever shadow he had hid in.

"Some Mac and cheese."

Marc answered as he mixed around the noodles, the white and yellow mixing together in a warm hue of lights in the kitchen glowed.

The smell already made both boys hungry and ready to just eat something, usually it was their dad or mom making food but they still weren't back from the city.

"Any calls from mom or dad?"

Marc asked as he looked down at his brother.

"No, nothing came in."

Randall said as he went and sat down at their round table, his small figure being taken over by the wooden chair he sat on.

"Okay, I'll call them later."

Marc said as he got plates from the top drawer and put them on the table as Randall got up and went to the shorter drawer and pulled out some spoons.

"Here, how much do you want?"

Marc asked as he got the pot and brought it close as he started to pour the food onto hit plate.

"That's good."

Randall said as he looked at Marc once he thought he got a good enough portion of food.

Marc nodded and tilted the pot back before pouring the rest onto his plate and put the pot in the sink to be washed later.

They ate together before Randall went to play a little more into his room and Steven took over since it was his turn now to wash the dishes.

"You should call them Marc, I'm getting worried."

Steven told to the reflection of the metal pot he was washing as Marc answered back.

"I know, once your done I'll call them to see what's up with them, something doesn't feel right."

Marc argued as his tone got quieter, he felt it somewhere inside of him that something was up. His parents never were out this late without telling him or Randall they would be.

"I have the same feeling mate, it feels like it's eating me from the inside."

Steven agreed as he put the dish in the dishwasher for them to dry on their own.

After being done with that they got the black flip phone that Marc had gotten for his 16th birthday.

He typed the digits of his father's number and held it up to his ear as the phone rang.

And rang

And ran-

Click

"Marc?"

A softer tone of Marc's more rough voice called out as the phone was finally picked up.

"Dad, where are you guys? It's been a couple hours, usually you guys call us when you'll be out longer, what happened?"

Marc questioned as he heard a car honk on the other side of the call.

"Yeah, sorry, we just got caught up in some traffic, didn't think it would take this long. Did you and Randall eat yet?"

His father asked as another honk happened then a other click as the TV was turned on, he turned around to find Randall had found the control.

"Roro, can you turn it down bud, please."

Marc asked as he put the flipphone to the side so his parents wouldn't hear him.

Randall nodded and put the volume down and flipped through the channels to get to the channel he wanted.

Marc gave a small smile before he put the flip phone back on his ear.

"Yeah, we ate. What about you guys, did you guys ea-"

Marc said before he heard a blaring noise and turned back towards the source, the TV.

"Randall, bud, I told you to turn it down."

Marc huffed as shook his head a little before he went back to his parents call.

"Marc, what was that?"

His father's voice questioned as he sighed and put one hand on his hip.

"Just told Randall to keep it down so that I could hear you, sorry."

He replied as the TV once again got loud, Marc turned around and looked at Randall who just looked back at him before pointing at the TV.

Before Marc could scold him, he looked at the TV and a chill ran down his spine.

Not too long after the sound of the radio on the other side of the phone started to say the same thing on the TV.

" This is not a drill. I repeat, not a drill. Due to a virus that has spread from a foreign country to now the West and Eastern Parts of the US we advise that residents stay indoor and lock your doo-"

Marc felt his heart stop. It was the EAS that never really happened unless it was a test. But it wasn't. It just said it wasn't.

"Marc?"

Randall looked at his brother confusion and rising fear starting to make its way and his brain now catching up that something was wrong.

"Son? Marc!?"

His father shouted as Marc finally got back to reality.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm here, dad, what do I do?"

Marc asked his dad as Randall got up and hugged his older brothers leg, he looked like he was about to cry. It broke Marc and Steven's heart.

"You need to lock the doors Marc, windows too, get some bags and pack any essential alright. Wendy I can't go any faster!"

His father was starting to sound panic as the sounds of honks and what seemed like cars starting to crash into each other on the other side of the call. Marc felt his chest fill up and deflat like a ballon, it was too much.

He felt sick, the Mac and cheese now making its way back up as it burned in his throat. He kinda wished now that he skipped dinner.

"Marc, protect your brother okay? We're gonna try and get there as fast as we can. Get a weapon and if things get bad there you get into the car and you get you and your brother out of there. You understand!?"

His mom's voice shouted with both frustration and panic, of course it would. Her children were in danger and she isn't there to protect them.

"Marc! Did you hear me!?"

His mother once again shouted and Marc nodded as he let out a shaky breathe.

"Okay, okay. Love you guys."

Marc said, hating the way his voice sounded right now, his hands were starting to shake, his hands never shook like this. Ever.

He looks down and sees his brother who is closing his eyes like if he opened them a monster would appear and hurt him.

Marc would never let that happen, not to his baby brother. Never him.

"Love you to-"

The line was suddenly cut, Marc looked at his flip phone to see that the battery had died.

"Fuck!"

Marc shouted which made his baby brother flinch, feeling immense guilt from that he bented down and steady his brother by his shoulders.

"Sorry, sorry. I-I didn't mean to scare you Roro. Okay?"

Marc asked as he tried to steady his voice, he needed to be strong right now, for his brother, his parents, Steven, for the people that relied on him right now.

"What’s happening? Where's mom and dad? Why did that message show up on the TV?"

Randall sniffles as tears were starting to run down his baby cheeks and Marc went ahead to softly wipe them away.

"Something, something bad is happening. I don't know what but all I know is that nothing bad is gonna happen to you. Okay?"

He reassured his brother as he looked him in the eyes as he cupped his brothers face and held it like he was the most fragile thing in the world. Because he was, he was just a kid.

"Okay."

Randall whispered as leaned forwards and wrapped his arms around his brothers neck which Marc reciprocated the gesture by hugging his brother and cradling his head.

He picked up his brother and took him upstairs to his room before setting him down.

"Now I need you to listen, grab your school backpack and dump whatever is in there okay."

Marc advised as he started to go through Randall's closet and taking out clothes for him that should last a good while.

"Why?"

Randall said as he started to grab his backpack and take things out one by one.

"Just do it, please."

Marc pleaded a little as he started getting small toys to hopeful entertain his brother from what was happening outside.

"Okay, bu-"

"Randall! Just, please. Don't argue with me right now, okay."

They both worked in silence as Marc got bags ready, Randall, his, and his parents bags were done in an hour.

-------------------------------------------------------

2:35 AM

Randall and Marc had stayed locked in their parents room, Marc had a switchblade and gun from his father's safe next to him.

Both were asleep together. Randall next to his brother and his brother hugging him protectively.

Both laid in the bed being the comfort for each other.

CRASH

That had woken the brothers up. Both sat up straight and Marc had gotten the gun and handed the switchblade to his brother.

Slowly they looked at each other as Marc mouthed.

"Stay here."

Randall nodded as he clenched the switchblade harder and Marc had slowly gotten up from the bed and went to the door.

He put his ear close to the door to hear whatever it was that broke into the house.

The sound itself was appalling in its own ways as it sent a shiver down his spine, the noise groaned and moaned like those horror movies that he would watch.

Steven wasn't a big fan and Marc every once in a while would also hate himself for watching the damn movie. But it felt him with such adrenaline that he still did it despite the nightmare he eventually got.

But those were just nightmares, things he could wake up from, this wasn't.

It sounded unreal, unnatural, just something horrid. It sounded close too, he held his breathe as he leaned away from the door.

He looked back at his brother and looked at the bags. They needed to leave, and now.

He grabbed his backpack and tossed it out the window, he had a plan at the very least on how to leave just incase someone or something broke in.

"Grab the other ones and throw them out the window, okay."

He whispered to his brother as he grabbed his flip phone, it was fully charged now.

"Okay, I'm gonna let you down first and then I follow, okay."

Marc said as he wrapped a curtain sheet around his brothers waist.

"Marc?"

Randall whispered as he felt his brother wrapping up his waist tightly with the curtain sheet from the window.

"Yeah?"

Marc answered as he did one final tug to check that his baby brother wouldn't fall out of this makeshift rope he had made.

"I'm scared."

Randall fretted as he looked at his older brothers.

"Mate, he's terrified. I am too."

Steven whispered from his parents mirror that hung on the door of their closet.

Marc looked at the mirror, at Steven who also had a worried look on his face, his eyebrows were furrowed and his lower lip was trembling a bit.

Marc could see he was trying his best to freak out about this whole thing.

Marc was too, he sighed and took a deep breathe before looking at his baby brother and crouched down to his level.

"I know. I know you are, think of this like the games we play together. Like we are going into a crave with treasure, only thing is the treasure we seek is mom and dad. Okay."

Marc tried to make this easy for him as possible. Another crash was heard down stairs and Marc knew they need to go.

"Alright bud, it's time."

He grabbed Randall's hand and the other with the end of the makeshift rope.

"Now, grab on tightly and when you reach the ground move out the way so that I don't accidentally jump on you. Okay?"

Marc said as he held Randall tightly and held his hands as Randall was going out the window and hung on to the sides of the window.

"Okay, okay! Like that bud, your doing good."

Marc said as he tighten his grip on the makeshift rope.

"Now, I'm gonna let you down, slowly."

Marc explained as Randall nodded and Marc took a deep breathe before he started to loosen his grip and finally dropped him to the ground safely.

He let out a small breathe of relief he had held in.

BANG

BANG

That was sadly short lived as he heard the door to the bedroom being scratched and kicked as the sound of groans and moans get louder and raw.

The sound made him flinch as he started to slowly understand he needs to leave, now.

The way down was only 6 feet from the ground, he could do it if he jumped but he could twist his ankle and be useless to Randall the-

BANG

"Skrew it" he hissed as he climbed out the window and held on tightly to the frame of the window.

"Marc, wait, hold, there has to be another way."

Steven protested as his eyes were wide and his worried expression written all over his face.

"Don't have much choice bud."

Marc mumbled under his breathe as the sound of the door being smashed open was heard, Marc looked down and jumped.

Luckily for the 17 year old teenage boy that has a fixation with parkour and had seen video after video on how they did their tricks.

He bent his knees and rolled before laying on the ground.

His felt his heart beating out of his chest, he felt the thump in his ears but he was alive, he was fine.

"Marc!"

Randall was by his side in no time to help his brother up.

"It's okay, I'm fin-"

Soon both heard a thump and turned around to check what had caused that noise, Marc put a hand protectively in front of his brother.

The sight to see was that the one who had caused the noise was the infected, it had jumped out and fell to its death.

The brains scattered and face mangled, there were holes in its face, the infected looked decayed almost.

Both stared at the dead corpse in front of them as the image was now ingrained in their brain. The smell something no one could truly forget if they had tried.

They could feel the bile go up their throat but decided to swallow it back down.

"We need to go, now."

Marc said as he grabbed the other backpacks and handed them to Randall as they headed towards the car.

It was nothing special but it would do with the circumstances they were in, Marc got the keys from his pants and unlocked the doors, they shoved everything inside.

"Put your seat belt on."

Marc reminded his brother as his brother got in and grabbed the belt around him.

Marc turned on the car and the radio is turned on.

"We are getting news that the hospital is being overflowed with patients as this new virus is taking over. The US army is making head way towards cities to evacuate civilians, H-hey, no, g-get off me !"

The women's voice was cut off eventually and the sound of her screams made way as Marc turns off the radio.

He fixes the mirror of the car before he starts to drive on the road not saying a word. His parents haven't called back yet, he should send them a message.

"Marc?"

The small boys voice called out.

Marc looks at the review mirror to see what his brother need to say.

"Yeah?"

He whispered as he kept his gaze from the road to the mirror and back the road again.

"Are we gonna be okay?"

His brother voice was shaky and small unlike his more joyful and loud booming voice both were more use to.

Something in Marc and Steven shattered right there, his voice shouldn't sound like that. Ever. He didn't deserve this, they had to find a way to make it right, but first they need to get somewhere safe.

"Yeah, yeah buddy we're gonna be okay."

He tried comforting knowing he was pretty shit at it sometimes but his brother needed something to hold on to.

He kept driving for a while before he ended up at a cross path, one lead to the city and the other went father into almost nowhere for a while.

"Maybe to the city, the army might be there and can help us?" Steven said the review mirror as he was also stuck about it.

Marc thought, his parents were last in the city and most likely the army would be at the city getting the most populated away before going into individual houses.

"Shit."

He mumbled as he made a hard right and pressed it hard, the grip on the steering wheel tight that his knuckles were turning white at that point.

That is when he was hit with the worse thing that could happen now, traffic.

Cars were honking and beeping at each other as they stacked through each other.

His flip phone started to ring, finally.

"Mom, dad? Where are you guys?"

Marc asked as he looked behind and at the sides for a way to get through the crowd.

"Marc where are you guys, we just got out the city."

Dammit it! Wrong move.

"We just got to the city, thought you would be there, we had to leave the house."

Marc exclaimed as the car in front seem to have people arguing, fair enough.

"Marc, is your brother safe?"

His mother asked as he responded, one of the people infront got out the car shouting at the other.

"Yeah, he's fine."

Marc responded, the people were still arguing, it was too loud and his signal was giving out, so he got out the car.

"I'll be back bud, just talking to mom and dad."

He mouth to Randall who just nodded and hugged his backpack closer to his chest like it was a stuffed animal trying to comfort himself right now.

When he got out he went to the other side where a line was and the connection was automatically better.

"Marc, you need to leave the city, it's filled to the brim with cars and people."

His father warned as Marc saw someone running towards the people infront of him car.

"What the fu-"

He mumbled before the person now looking was a middle aged man that seemed ill, extremely ill jumped the person who was out of the car.

He flinched hard as he saw now that there was a group running and moaning like the one that had died on the ground at his house long gone now.

The guy was screaming and shouting in pain as the others were going towards the others cars, he dropped his flip phone as his parents were shouting on the other side.

All the could see is the guy being torn apart as the ill man bite the guy with no regard and seemingly no regret.

The flesh peeled of like orange skin as the man on the ground fought for his life, his eyes wide and awake. A fear like no other shown, the infected then dug its hands into the man's insides.

The man squirmed and yelled, his gut wrenching screams being heard, other were getting the idea that people were getting attacked and tried to get the other cars to move.

The headlights showed the grotesque aftermath as the man stopped moving and the ill man feeded off the neck of the man as the sticky residue of his blood smeared across his teeth and lips.

Suddenly he remembered

"Roro!"

He picked up the device from the ground and immediately went back to the car where an another one from the group was trying to break the glass of the door as Randall was screaming and crying for help.

Marc felt nothing as he grabbed the infected hair and pushed him down as he stomped his head on the concrete.

Over and over and over again up its face was no more.

The brains and blood being black with mixture of red.

His shoes were covered now with blood and chuncks of brain left behind of his aggressive protective nature taking over, all he saw red and now he came back.

He was heaving as he open the car door where Randall was, the cars were honking and there was too many lights as the sights of people fleshing being bit off were being shown off.

The ground of black having goop of blood and flesh decorated it as people were being torn by others who seemed out of control.

He need to get them our of here and now, the car was a no go so they need to go on foot.

He got his crying brother and picked him up and got both his brothers and dads backpack and swung them on his back, he put his mom's backpack on his brother back.

Randall was crying as Marc held him tightly and pushed his head down on his shoulder as to make sure he couldn't see what was happening.

The smell was getting to be too much, others were doing the same as the infected started to jump others who weren't fast enough.

"Your ok, we're ok."

He kept encouraging to his brother as his shoulder was getting soaked with salty tears that fell from his brothers eye's but he didn't care right now.

He ran to the other side of the car his heart was heavy, he was responsible for his brothers safety and almost got him killed if not traumatized for life now.

The soles of his feet burned as he kept running the conversation with his parents kept coming up, he didn't get to answer them. They were probably freaking out, shit.

He was fucking this all up. He would have to find a way to fix this eventually.

He panted as he finally reached the edge of the long road and got to the cross road again this time heading left as he carried his brother in his arms as sniffles and little whimpers were all that came out.

"We're okay, we're gonna be okay. We're gonna see mom and dad soon and everything will be okay Roro?"

He tried to get the boy to calm down and he got a small nod and another hiccup of the boy trying to calm himself down.

Marc could only do so much, he knew this.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I told you to go that way."

Steve said in the back of his mind and Marc answered back.

"It's okay, we didn't know."

He comforted Steven as he slowed down, the screams were farther now. They were safe, for now.

The road was mostly empty, the only light coming from farther away, the sound of helicopters not being too far now.

The army was getting close, the sound of firearms being release made its way to his ears. He started to quicken his pace.

His phone was ringing but he couldn't answer, not right now. He was carrying his brother, the brother he swore when he was born to keep safe and so his focus needed to be there right now.

He was sweating now, the band t-shirt he wore sticking to his body now, he stopped and put the boy down to take a breathe.

"Randall, listen to me."

He said using his brothers name instead of his nickname as he bent down and cupped his baby brothers face to make him look at him.

"We need to keep going, okay. I need you to be strong right now, okay?"

He said as Randall looked at him small sniffles still left behind from the scare, he looked at his older brothers eyes but looked down as he felt the tears well up again.

"I-I can't, I can't d-do it."

He muttered as he couldn't look at his brother pleading eyes to look at him and understand.

"Yes, yes you can."

Marc gently lifted his head to make his brother look at him, his dark brown eyes nicer, warmer, but still firm.

"No, no I can't. I want mom and dad, you said we'd find them."

Randall accused, he was scared, he saw someone get eaten and bit alive and thought he was next.

Marc wanted nothing more than to take that damn memory now ingrained in his brothers head and stomp on it till it was nothing.

"We will, just things are not going to plan Roro. But will that stop us?"

Marc says with a new thing of an idea, making this a game, get his mind away from everything else.

"No."

Randall answered as he looked into his brothers eyes.

"And why not?"

Marc said with a small playful smirk he uses to get more into character with his brother, it's something to let his and Randall's guard down.

"Cause we have no fear!"

Randall said with more confidence, he was starting to relax as the tears have now long been dried and left marks on his cheeks.

"That’s right! Now come on, we aren't far from the treasure now, we just need to go across that field and then we can look for more clues."

Marc added as he fixed his backpack straps and tugs on the ends to make them tighter to his back.

Soon he felt a small hand latch onto his he looked down and already knew who it was, Randall had a more determined expression.

That was better, that was so much better.

"Lets go then."

Marc voice echoed in all the destruction of the world now around them, he has no idea what to do if he is honest. He has no plan but to just protect his brother.

Randall tugs on his hand and they start to walk through grass as the sounds of screams are muffled, they rather focus on each other than people tearing each other apart.

His flip phone is silent, he hopes it would rings soon so that he know that his parents are okay.

"They probably are, don't worry. They have each other like we have each other."

Steven's reassuring voice echoed in the mind they shared, it was nice sometimes to have another person with you to share a body with, at least Marc thought so.

Steven was the ground he needed sometimes when Marc started to panic or couldn't get the thoughts out of his head.

Steven provided the warmth that Marc sometimes couldn't provide, or he wished he could give. So much Marc wished he could give.

The grass reached their ankles, the rest of the way was dark and loud, so loud.

The grass crunched underneath their shoes, they held hands as they walked through the grass dead and alive.

There was a hill about to peak now and they made it to the top, it was a little steep the way down but they could manage.

"Hey!"

A voice called out and soon they were out of their thoughts, both boys turned around to see an army man holding his gun towards them.

Marc instinct immediately put his brother behind him, the shield he knew he could be in case.

"What are you boys doing here, did you not hear to announcement!?"

The soldier exclaimed as the flashlight was burning into their eyes but couldn't look away. Frozen in place with no real way of how to make this work.

"Did you hear me boys!"

The man yelled again this time his tone harsh against their ears.

"Y-yes, sorry. Yeah we did sir, but me and brother had to leave, one of those ill people got into our home and we had to leave."

Marc explained as his voice cracked slightly at the beginning as he had found his voice again.

Randall held his brothers hand tighter and hid behind him as best he could.

The man lowered his gun the light finally going down and the darkness enveloping them as he felt his heart in his throat.

The sound of a radio went off and the soilder picked up his radio and started to tune in.

"Yeah, Robin reporting, found two boys, both were walking away from the massacre at the road from Deadway Lane to Boston Ave Drive..."

Marc watched as the man went ahead and talked to whoever was on the other line.

"Massacre, that's what they're calling it now."

Steven intervened as he thought about it, he was shouting at Marc when he saw the whole thing, he felt like his heart stopped that moment those people started to jump people.

"Yeah, that is what is was Steven."

Marc replied in his mind before he felt a small tug and looked to his side.

"Can you lift me, my legs hurt."

Randall whispered, Marc sighed a little tired, he felt like he was on overdrive these past couple of hours.

But that didn't mean he wasn't going to pick the kid up, it was his responsibility as of now to help his baby brother not die from all of this.

He crouched down a bit before putting his arm behind his legs and another one behind his arms before lifting him from the ground.

The lighted shined back on them blinding both him and Randall.

"No one said you could move!"

The man shouted as the gun was pointed at them again his hand in the trigger, Marc froze as Randall wrapped his arms around his brothers neck.

"I just picked him up sir, he's tired."

Marc mumbled as he held his brother closer to him.

"We all are kid, still doesn't allow you to make sudden movement, especially at a time like this. Put him down."

The man said his tone ice cold with almost no emotion.

His radio went off again, his glare lingered on the boys before he went to answer.

Marc jaw tightened, he felt himself holding back from saying anything right now.

"When are we gonna find mom and dad?"

Randall muttered, his voice so small in that moment.

"Soon Roro, soon."

Marc answered with a little nod, he looked around hoping his parents would come and rescue him and his brother from this guy.

He knew what he was asking for was a really big favor but he hoped he would find them soon, he missed them.

"Yes sir, no they are not injured. Yes sir, yes sir, yes...sir."

The man finally said.

Marc looked back the man who just went silent, his gun pointed to the ground but something went up Marc spine, like an instinct. Danger.

They were in danger.

The light shined on them again making Marc step back for a second.

"I'm sorry kids."

The man said, Marc barely had time to even react to the guys hushed yet soft and pitiful words.

He saw the man put his finger on the trigger.

"Shit!"

Steven and Marc both thought before Randall was all that was in his head.

He turned his body as he heard the depthing sound of the rounds trying to hit their bodies erupt in the darkness and echoed into the night.

Randall screamed.

Marc and Steven were silent. At least they think they were.

Their bodies tumbled down to the ground as Marc let go of Randall and they rolled down the hill together.

Suddenly it was quiet again, Marc felt pain from the fall, his head pounding along with his heart.

His ribs screamed and he thinks he twisted his hand when they rolled down that steep hill.

He couldn't see where his baby brother went but knew that he was at least nearby, ge heard footsteps.

Then he remembered the gun he still had in his pocket, it had flied in the air and landd on the ground next to him, his hand reached for it.

Before he knew it another shot rang out and a small thud was heard.

Marc hand trembled as the weight of the metal death in his hands finally weighed.

He looked down and there laid the man the gun laying on the ground as blood spilled and splattered like spilled milked was on the dry brownish yellow grass.

He felt sick.

"What did you do."

Steven said in all this. What else could he say.

Marc had killed someone, not someone who was infected but was alive.

The ringing in his ear finally caught something, it sound like whimpers, like crying.

He turned around and saw his brother who was laying on the ground, his hands near his stomach, then he saw it.

The small puddle of blood starting to form under him.

"No."

Marc whisperer to no one, no one that could hear him or was alive at this point.

He crawled his way over to his brother ignoring the pain he still had.

He looked down and felt the bile rise again.

"It's okay, your okay."

He tried to comfort his brother who was heaving and gasping as tears ran down his cheeks.

His brother could only whine in pain as Marc tried to move his hands from his bleeding stomach.

He couldn't say anything but his tightness on the grip of his shirt was enough to tell Marc he doesn't want his to move his hands.

"I gotta see it Roro, come on."

Despite the horrible sounds that came out of his brother way of protesting to Marc, he moved the small hands and saw the large crimson blood that had now coated his brother t-shirt.

His stripped designed shirt now being taken over by the crinsom darkeness in the color of his blood.

Marc eyes burned, his hands were shaking, he needed to stop.

Stop the bleeding, that's what he needed to do.

Marc put his hands on the spot and put pressure, his brother yelped as he dug his nails into Marc's arms.

"I know, I know it hurts."

Marc said, he didn't know, he didn't know because it wasn't him that got shot, it was his brother, his baby brother had a bullet go through him and now he was bleeding in a dead field.

His brother nails drew blood but Marc didn't care, he needed to get him help.

"I gotta get you up Roro, ok. Work with me here baby."

Marc said adding in the last thing he ever called his brother. His brother didn't always like to be called the baby of the family but that was what he was, he was the baby and Marc was the oldest.

Steven was the oldest. They were the oldest and their brother was the baby.

A baby they failed to protect.

Slowly his hand went behind his brother small back, he felt the blood covering his hand. It was warm and sticky, he hated the feeling.

Randall yelped and whimpered as he grabbed onto Marc shirt now being decorated with his metallic blood that was coming out of his small body.

His small fist shaking as he tried to get up, his brother trying to reassure him.

"I know, I know, come on, please!"

Marc choked out as his brother was dying in his arms.

He looked around for any help, anybody to do anything. There was no one, he was alone, then it got quiet.

He felt a small body go limp, he looked down his brothers eyes still open but there was no light. There was nothing.

"Hey, no, no. Don't you do this to me Roro, come on."

Steven was sobbing in the shadows, he could sense his despair, his anguish, his sadness.

Steven eventually took control as Marc let him.

"Come on, we have to see mum and dad, don't you want to find them."

Steven softer voice echoed as he held the brother he never really got know in his arms as he tried to get him to move but there was nothing.

He pulled his arms to bring him closer.

Steven felt the tears fall even before he knew, their brothers eyes were lifeless as they looked to the sky the moon and stars reflecting in his eyes now.

Steven pulled his small body against their chest and rocked him back and forth just like they did when he was born.

Little thing was so small and so fragile yet his screams and cries did not match up to his size.

Now there was nothing, there was just him and the sound of the world ending in that back ground, no mum, no dad, no roro.

"Come back, come back. We promised to find mum and dad. We still got to finish our game."

Steven whispered into their baby brothers ears but nothing came, it was quiet.

Steven liked the quiet, but not this one, this one felt lonely.

"Don't take him away, don't take him, please..."

Steven choked on his tears as he tried to breathe, God what were their parents going to say. They were suppose to protect him.

They failed, they failed and now their brother was dead.

Steven felt fatigued and before he knew it, it went dark.

Jake took over, the tears that fell kept falling. He failed, he failed them all.

He was suppose to be the one to take over if things were too much and he failed. How could he fail at his only job.

He held the little brother that didn't even know he existed in his arms as he put his forehead and leaned into the hair of his now dead little brother

This wasn't suppose to happen. None of this was suppose to happen.

His anger was everywhere, he looked at the man responsible for the ache in his heart, the emptiness that now formed into their once full heart.

Then man was wheezing, he wasn't dead.

He slowly let go of his brother and laid him gently on the ground.

"Ahora vuelvo, Roro."

He said as his eyes went to darkness from the sadness and anger to just empty brown eyes.

He got up and picked up the gun, he would finish the deed, for his alters, for his parents, for Roro.

The man lifted his head slightly only to be met with cold metal pointed at him.

"Vete al el infierno cabrón."

Is all he said before the sound of the gun went off, the man was truly dead now.

But he wasn't satisfied. He would never be.

He shot his head again, and again, and again.

The tears ran down his cheeks with every shot that went off. He wanted the pain to stop, to just end. But it would never be enough.

Finally he threw the gun down, it had no bullets, it had done its job.

Unlike him.

He picked up the weapon that murder his brother and took the light off before turning it off, it still had rounds.

He swung it around and then went back to where their brother laid.

He sat down and looked at their brother, he wasn't in pain anymore now.

Nothing would scare him anymore, not where he was going at least.

He gently closed his eyes and cried. He was panting, and his neck burned. They needed to leave, but how could they without their baby brother.

They could never truly leave him. Ever.

There you go! The first chapter of this Moonknight TLOU AU, don't worry there will be more and sorry for the wait. School has been on my head for the most part but I will come up on top so hopefully this will make it up.

Hope you enjoyed reading this! Again comments about this would be nice to be able to see where I can make improvements on this whole thing as this story goes.

---

"B-but Palestinians can get their freedom with peace not violence 🥺🥺" no. Screw your feelings. The armed resistance against colonizers and murderers is what will give Palestinians their freedom and what will eventually achieve real peace.

An enemy that bombs and uses white phosphorus against civilians doesn't know nor practice what your broken moral compass describes as "peace". Freedom was proven throughout history not to be achieved through kneeling and asking the oppressor to kindly stop. Freedom needs to be taken by force. Your little Utopian way of thinking doesn't work in the real world. Your feelings don't matter because you're not the one living under occupation. Your feelings don't matter because you're not one of the thousands of children who lost their limbs. You're not one of the children who became orphans due to this genocide. You're not the mother who lost her child to the carpet bombing. You're not the father carrying the remains of your child in plastic bags. You're not the newlywed woman who lost her husband. You're not the one at risk of either getting killed any second or losing your loved ones in the blink of an eye!

"Peace" is not really a thing you see during a live ethnic cleansing!

Displacement

Do not take this word lightly; it carries feelings of oppression, despair, and deep frustration. Behind it lies immense pain, a heavy burden of responsibility, and the agonizing choice between taking a step that could cost you and your family’s lives or staying where you are — a decision that might come at the same cost.

Leaving one’s home by force is a harrowing test of resilience. It’s difficult even for inanimate objects to be uprooted, let alone for people who have once tasted the comfort of stability.

And as for living in a tent? This is a bitter reality, one whose weight is only understood by those who have experienced its harsh details firsthand. In the tent, you lose the sense of safety, feeling as though life around you has come to a standstill, leaving you suspended in a place of fear and uncertainty.

The family of Asmaa Ayad is one of those who have endured the bitterness of displacement and the hardships of tent life. They desperately need your support and solidarity in this difficult time, as they face dangers from every side.

@asmaayyad2

With your compassion and support, we can alleviate their suffering and give them hope for a dignified and stable life. Be a helping hand for them on this difficult journey.

@ot3 @mangocheesecakes @good-old-gossip @schoolhater @dragon-master-kai @prinnay @neptunerings @paper-mario-wiki @newsfrom-theworld @jezior0

@turian @sylvianritual @brokenbackmountain n @dirhwangdaseul @appsa @postanagramgenerator

@pcktknife @heritageposts @omegaversereloaded

@theinconvenientlifestyle @punkitt-is-here @officialspec @transmutationisms

@northgazaupdates2

WARNING: Mention of Weapons, Blood, Guns, and Death! You have been Warned ⚠️

Chapter 5: What now?

Each step Marc took started to drag slightly as another abandoned train station comes into view, he needs to stop and knows it.

The sky was a mixture of blood orange and blue, night would come soon. They had only made to Damanhur, they were far away now.

Khonshu was gone, only the girl was left. She trudged behind him, hadn't even said a word since they left the inferno behind them.

Jake had been quiet, he had mostly disappeared since then, Steven had told him to keep an eye on the girl, make sure she was doing okay.

He did.

He sits down on the bench of the train station, he's not even sure how they managed to get here but they did.

His legs ached and feet burned from the rays of sun the burning sand and concrete underneath his boots now imprinting themselves into the soles of his feet.

She sits down a couple feet away, her expression unreadable as her hair covered her face, it gently flows in the wind.

She puts her bag down on the ground. Her shoulders and back burned from how long they has ran and walked. She starts to dig through her pack finding a bottle of water, hot air at the top with blobs of droplets.

She couldn't care less of the warm water that went down her throat.

She drinks to heated water, it fills her up for now.

Her face feels hot, the green jacket she has worn the entire time having spots of blood and dirt on it. She wants to wash it but knows it wouldn't do her any good.

Taking it off as the cool air starts to refresh her body, she felt her shoulder ease as the air calmed her nerves, the adrenaline and words of an old man keeping her going.

Katalina has no idea what to think except 'what now?'

'This guy, or guys, whatever is going on with him, don't want her even near them and yet protects her. What if he abandoned her? Leaves her to rot, decay, then fade into the sands?'

Marc looks at her, she seems spaced out at the moment, good. He needs a plan, he feels the weight of the bag in his hand, the weight of a promise, more of a guilt laid in the palm of their hands.

"We have to take her." Steven voice echoed in the back of his mind, he shakes his head. He doesn't want to, he can't. They will fail, he knows they will, couldn't save Randall, what about the child next to them?

"She only has us Marc, we can't leave her here, not like this."

He knows they can't, it would be cruel, which is something he knows that they could never be. At least, not to a kid, he wants to yell, punch something, he thinks he'll scare the kid again.

"Do you want me to front, talk to her?" Steven ask, he nods without a word as his eyes roll back as Steven comes out.

He feels the body, it's exhausted, he can't even imagine how the kid feels, it feels like they walked for hours, they probably did.

His first order was to make sure the kid was okay than they would figure the rest out on the way.

The kid is probably hungry, they need to eat, she needs to eat.

"Hey, are you hungry?" A soft voice comes out bringing her out the train of thought that was going on, 'what did he say?'

"I was wondering if you were hungry, we ran for quite a while back there. Thought you might want something to regain some energy back?" He offers her, its all he can really give right now.

The empty feeling of her stomach let's her know that she still needs food. Nodding, he softly chuckles.

"Thought so." He goes into their bag and finds some dried fruit strips, should be good. He stretches his hand out for her to take, she gets up and grabs it from him.

"Thanks." She whispers as she takes a bite into the tough yet sweet fruit strip.

"No problem."

They eat in silence as the sky darkens for the night, the stars bright and the moon cast it beam of white light across the city.

They finish the ration quickly before he gets up and walks over to her. She looks up as he mouths a 'time to go'. She follows him as they need to find somewhere else to take shelter for the night.

She puts her sweater back on, the heavy material seemingly lighter and thinner than she realized.

The air colder than before, she felt a shiver go down her spine even with her sweater back on. Steven notices and wants to say something but Marc tells him to not say a thing to her.

He keeps quiet. Reluctantly.

Eventually after lots of venturing they found a apartment complex. Most of the windows were either cracked, broken, or magiacally intact.

However there came a problem, both went back amd forth for anyway in, the back entrance and front are locked.

Steven searches the building, he doesn't want to wake any infected that could be around, so breaking the door or window was out the question.

Finally an opening is in plain sight, slight catch, it too small for him to go through. He turns around to the girl who seems to be keeping an eye for any danger that could come out and attack them.

"Hey, Katalina."

He whispered her over to him which makes her turn around and face him.

"Yeah?"

"Think you can reach that window if I help you up?" He ask.

She looks at what he wanted her to reach.

"Yeah, I can do that."

"Great."

He walks over to where the window is and bends down on his knees slightly before cupping his hands as a lift. She puts her foot down on his cupped hands and he pushes her up as he starts to get up again.

She hangs for a second in the middle of the window but climbs in and disappearing into the building, it was dimly lit.

"Careful where you step!" He worries as he waits on the other side for her to open the door for them.

The smelling a burned meat catches her by surprise, grabbing her flashlight and turning it on. The burned body made her gag.

"Hey! Can you open the door?"

She hears him, she answers.

"Ther—there is something in here. It's a little gnarly, not sure if you want to see it." Her voice cracks at the beginning as she looks more and more at the corpse not getting any better.

"Kiddo, just let me in." His voice echoed in the chamber with concern. But he needed her to open the door to make sure it was safe to sleep there for the night.

"Alright, alright. Just, give me a sec."

She turns away from the charred body and looks at what was blocking their path, it was a couple desk piled up together.

She gets to work as she started to pull them off one by one, the noise loud and obnoxious but she could only hope that nothing heard them for miles at least. The scrapping of wood filled both ears.

Soon, all were off or at least to a point in where he could come in.

"Your good!" She tells him.

He pushes the door, the metal door squeaking with every push he did. Finally he gets inside andncloses the door behind him, she managed to move 4 desk from the door.

"Good job."

He compliments and sees how she brighten at it. She lets him pass through, he finally sees what she meant.

"Oh shit! You weren't kidding. He chuckles nervously then looking back at the girl before his eyebrows furrowed with concern.

"You alright?"

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm okay." She nods.

"You sure?"

She wasn't too sure honestly, wasn't exactly a pleasant sight nor smell to be nearby. But, she's seen worse.

"Yeah."

He nods not really sure what else to add as he turns on his flashlight her copying his action as both started to they walk up the stairs. The sound of their footsteps echos, the moon now all out as the sky turned into a dark sky with little dots of stars to decorate its empty space.

"Here is good."

Steven announces as a hallway with doors with full covered windows is found. The doors with name plates of different family names that no longer hold the residents that once lived there.

Big "X" on the doors, letting people know they could never go back to their old normal lives again.

He goes down the aisle of doors before reaching one with no "X" marking, a good spot. He twist the knob but the door doesn't budge.

"Hold on, I got it."

A hand went on his shoulder as she gently pushed him back and opened her switchblade, she dug the blade in the tiny hole and started to move it around.

The sound of a click let's her know to take the blade out, she twist the knob again and the door squeaked open.

"Ta-da!"

She did jazz hands like she was presenting a magic trick and had succeeded, he chuckles at this.

"Thanks kiddo."

"No problem."

Taking her place and moves forward infront of her and points the pistol out as he goes to checks the place out, even with no visable danger didn't mean they were in the clear.

"Stay here, I need to check the place out to make sure it safe."

She looks up at him in confusion, she can handle it. She's handled a clicker, two even, by herself.

Well the last one not as much but she was ready to take it on!

"I can help." She retorts with.

"Please, just stay here." He pleads with her.

"But-"

"Stay here."His tone final with no room to really argue with him.

She sighs as he goes in and she stands outside the door, she plays with her switchblade as she waits, tossing it and catching, turning it around to see it's detailed markings, and then touching the point with her finger.

Steven goes in and starts to look in each little spot for any spores or infected, the apartment looked teared up.

The place was for the most part still there, broken glass was on the floor due to glass vases and picture frames that fell during the whole commotion he thinks.

Dishes that will never get washed for dinner, the table set up with dust and spider webs instead of warm food to full up whoever family lived here tummy.

His heart hurts but continues to look through the apartment. He goes into one room, it seems to be where most likely the oldest were put.

The bed was dismembered and shredded with little bits of springs and cotton left behind. The covers a now discolored from its green to a more yellowish green color left behind. The pure room was filled with dust bunnies everywhere, he goes inside and covers his nose.

Little knick knacks scattered from each side of the room, for the most part it seemed alright for a decade of abandonment. He leaves and moves into another room, the moment he reaches it a smell comes forth.

Rotting books and food left behind in the room doesn't help, as it seemed to be the more destroyed out of all the rooms seen by him. It seemed like a little kids room, specifically a little girl.

Dolls and color pencils had maroon colored splashes that were obviously not previously there. Clothes and drawings filled one side of the room while the other had a rolled up rug.

A red stain left behind where he thinks the rug was originally. The walls painted with baby blue with small spots of red and brown on it.

He closes the door. It would feel wrong if he went through that room. Deciding that it's enough checking he goes back out to where the girl is.

He sees her as she sat in the wall, she looked bored for the most . He thinks its better that she looks bored than scared or dead.

He clears his throat, "It's clear."

Her gaze follows him as she gets up and puts her switchblade away. They both walk inside as they situated themselves in the living room.

She moves her stuff towards one side of the living room while he takes the other, he took the part where there was glass still on the ground and kicks it away from both of them.

Looking over to see if the girl was somewhat comfortable he speaks again.

"You have something to sleep on?" He ask.

"Yeah, I do." She replies.

He nods as he gets out a blanket, it's color brown and the texture fluffy to the touch, he spent a good amount of ration cards to get it, thought it would be better than the thin one Marc or Jake would use on long travels like this.

Laying down on it he is thankful no leftover glass pierced his back. Taking off the jacket they had worn for the day and drapping himself in it.

As he get ready to sleep for the night he looks over at the walls, covered in words he could read.

'Help us!'

'May Allah save us!'

The people who had lived here before had prayed that their God would save them, he hopes that their god did. It was wishful thinking, but he had hope.

Katalina pulled the backpack under her head as she laid down, she was exhausted from the running and walking they had done. She supposed it will be like this for a while, her head was killing her and the room wasn't helping.

Looking up at the ceiling were patterns that took over each tile that laid on top of her. She turns on her side to try and submit to the slumber her body needed.

She twisted and turned as she tried to get herself to subcome to her exhaustion yet, nothing. The fire of hell had managed to tear itself into her brain as the image of that old man she barely knew accepted his mortal fate.

She can't sleep, it digs deeper and deeper as the guilt of this trio now just a duo as they slowly pick at her brain with what id's and how she could have done something differently.

Anything to have save the grouchy old man.

Nothing comes. Nothing ever comes.

"You okay?" A soft worried voice come into range. She turns to see the guy looking worried, concerned. The moonlight helping to see his face clearly, when she doesn't respond and only falters a stare before it goes to the ground.

"I know this isn't exactly 5 star or anything bu-" He tries to joke with her before he is cut off.

"I'm sorry."

Steven looks confused when those words came out of the girl.

'What was she apologizing about?'

"What? What are you sorry for, you haven't done anything wrong?"

She sighs, what hasn't she done yet. She got his boss? Friend? Whatever he was to them killed, only in a couple days of meeting her he got killed.

"For Khonshu." She muttered not looking at the guy, couldn't face him like this, with the guilt festering inside her along with the other that came down with Khonshu because of her.

Steven was surprised, it wasn't her fault. Not like she was the one who got him bit. That old man wasn't careful, he should have been. More than anything it was their fault Khonshu got bit.

He wasn't fast enough, if he was maybe they wouldn't be alone and this kid infront of him would see it too and blame him like what he did with Ror-

"Look, it wasn-" He doesn't finish his sentence before she goes again.

"It was, I get that I'm a job, cargo, whatever. But stuff like that shouldn't get you killed, right?" She questions before he'd brown eyes look into his, the guilt oozing out of her little by little.

He can't think of anything to tell her is wasn't.

Steven looked around for any reflection, eventually a broken mirror showed Marc and Jake, both looking at Steven then at Katalina.

The kid thought it was her fault, she thinks Khonshu is dead because of her.

Steven eyes rolled back of his head and Marc fronts.

"No, it not. There is no need to bring it up kid. Stuff happens and we move on, simple as that." His gruff tone firm with the response he gave to her.

She looks at him for second before she sighs and sees that he doesn't want to talk about it anymore. After all, stuff happens and we move on.

On a more important note though.

"Hey, can ask you something else instead?"

"You should go to sleep."

"Please. Its important."

He sighs, this kid either trying to get out of not wanting to sleep or just really curious. Rubbing his eyes he from tiredness he let's her ask.

"Go ahead."

She wasn't sure how to really approach this honestly, how the hell do you ask why a guy who could kill you in a second why he seems to switch to different people in seconds.

"It might seem, insensitive but, what exactly is your name? I heard you be called by 2 different names and I have no idea which one to call you."

He seems quiet when she ask him that. Maybe she did a bad move.

Marc had no idea how to respond to that, he's never really told anybody about their situation. Only Layla, Khonshu, and a couple know or knew.

"She's observent." Marc voice echoed in his head.

"We were being a little obvious, the way we act around her is all different. Not to mention the fact that two people called us different names." Steven reminds him of the hints that had been laid flat for her to try and understand.

Marc has no idea where to go with this, how to respond with this question.

The memories of Randall asking his parents why his brother had to keep going to the doctors and them telling him not worry about it. Roro never stopped wondering and Marc never got to tell him the truth.

He deserved the truth.

"We could tell her, make it easier on all of us." Jake suggests. As much as he less than like it, it would make this whole situation a lot easier.

He shakes his head, bad idea, horrible idea.

'She won't understand,' Marc argued back.

He hasn't said anything to her, maybe it was insensitive to ask.

"It's okay if you don't have answer, just want to know what to call you incase of anything." She explains as she starts to mess with her hair taking three strands and starting to braid them.

"Tell her, explain it. She smarter than you think Marc." Steven nudges him to at least try and see where it goes.

Marc looks at Jake as he nods that it's alright to say anything about what they have going on, if they were going to do this they need to be as officiant as possible with what they had. And what they had was a immune kid, plus she could call for them if she sees something they don't.

Marc thinks for a moment about this from a more logical stand point, before getting his thoughts together and making a sentence in his mind to hopefully get whatever it is he wants to say out.

"My name is Marc Spector. I have something called DID, or dissociative identity disorder."

He starts out with, she waits for him to keep going, Steven encourages him to.

"It's this thing where I have other people inside my brain. In a sense there is more than one person in my brain."

He explains as she tries to understand what he is saying.

'More than one person in his brain? '

Marc waits for her response or any real reaction about what he just told her. Her head turns and he can't see what she is thinking. Running a hand through his hair he ask.

"Do you, get it?"

Katalina thinks about it, she's never heard of this nor read about it anywhere with whatever access she had to books. But she tries.

"Sort of. Do him, her, them have different personalities than yours since they are different people?" She ask him in a unsure tone to it.

He thinks about it and explains it. After a while she gets the whole idea, there are 2 others with him in his brain, all with different ways of thinking and acting from him.

"Okay, so how do I know which one is who?"

"You seem to have some sort of thing going on right now. Use that for now."

A nod of confirmation eased him a little into the idea that he told someone else now. He thinks what would Roro had thought if he had told him.

"Can I talk to the other alters or they don't just come out when they want?"

Marc sighs as he waits a little before his eye roll back. Steven comes out, he's happy that she understands, he knew she could she needed was a bit more information to get it.

"I'm Steven Grant, pleasure to meet you again Katalina. "

He puts his hand out, his shoulders were more relaxed and somewhat slouched position from Marc's more stiff and harden posture.

She slowly stretchs her had out to his hand and both shake on it, she can just feel the difference.

"Your the one who gave me the tea, right?"

He nods adding a grin to it, the moonlight shines and hit both of them, Steven gaze was much softer than it had been with Marc. He had eyebag underneath but seemed to be alive even with them.

"Who's the third alter?"

She ask and Steven hesitates, he looks at the mirror to Jake who shakes his head. His face telling Steven to not say anything about him yet.

"He, he will come out and tell you who he is when he is comfortable with it."

She looks at the mirror than back at Steven.

"Alright then." She doesn't pester it out of him knowing that she already got a lot out of them just from this one interaction.

The room goes quiet as she thinks of another question that plagued her since they got here. What is the next course of action for them? Where do they go now?

"What happens now?" The words echoed in the empty room, Steven can only look at the girl. They had decided already what would happen, they just never told her.

She must be confused on what's going to happen to her.

"We all decided to keep going." He was honest with her, her eye widen at the words that came out. She couldn't detect any lies from his answer, only the truth.

"What?" So they explained, talked about how they promised Khonshu to take her to the Timsaeh people, to Harrow. A little part they left out was that they needed this off their conscience and to relieve the load from that old dying man.

He was an asshole even in death.

"So, how do we get to that port that Khonshu was talking about?" She questions him.

Steven can feel Marc and Jake's stare toward him. He sighs as he let's Jake take the lead this time.

His shoulders adjust as his stare seems to harden again, it doesn't feel like Marc this time though, it feel different. His eyes, his stare compared to Marc almost similar only that his was much more intense.

"We know a guy. Unos cinco or sies días de aqí, we get to him, he might be able to help us get to the port faster."

He informs her, it will be long, it's going to hurt but if they want this damn guilt from the manipulative old fuck to go away they needed to get done with this.

"Duérmete, we have a long day of walking tomorrow."

He lays down as he pulls the blanket Steven had put out onto him, the exhaustion hitting him like a truck, age was starting to catch up to them. The hard floor not helping his back in anyway.

"No one is gonna find us here, right?"

Her voice echos as he stops and thinks about his response, the last thing they need is for her to run away from fear.

"No, nobody is gonna find us here."

His tone final and so sure of himself she she sighs pulling a smaller blanket on top of her. She had no trouble sleeping that night. Except from the occasional turning here and there but eventually she settled down.

He waits until he can't hear anymore rustling from the girl before sitting up. Steven did a quick search, but he needed to be more thorough for their safety.

He grabs the pistol from his side and checks the rounds, they didn't have much. They would have to go scavenging for supplies sooner or later, they'll do it tomorrow morning before leaving from this city.

He looks from the teared up curtains outside for any sign of raiders or Sand Riders. There was nothing, the moon glowed on the dystopia of sands and ruin.

He goes through the apartment, each room it's own mess, the people here leaving their whole life behind. He goes back and sees the girl the girl is shivering, the blanket off her.

He creeps around and picks up the blanket, it felt, familiar. He feels the blanket between his fingers, it's soft and used but still does the job.

Looking at the mirror, no Steven, no Marc, the girl turned causing him to step back but then found his footing. Looking at the blanket he draps the girl back in the blanket.

She's no good dying from getting cold. Plus, he needed to repay her for the time she did it.

Going back to the makeshift bed Steven had created, he sits down and watches, finger on the trigger in case of anything. After 30 minutes he lays down and sleeps, they had a plan now.

Slowly he let's the body rest and relax after what felt like years and closes his eyes not fighting the rest this time.

He could actually sleep slightly better even with the wooden floor.

°•°☆°•°☆°•☆•°•☆•°•☆•°•☆•°•☆•°☆•°•☆•°•

"You got what you could!"

Yelled Steven as he closed his pack with as many supplies as he could find. He saw a thumbs up from the side of the aisle and took that answer.

Katalina looked at the section where the electronics laid, there wasn't much left.

It was either ruined or stolen by now, she dug through the piles left behind, she didn't have much hope of finding anything but she still wanted to try.

"What you looking for?" A voice called out causing her to jump a little before looking up and seeing Steven, she puts a hand to her chest "Your gonna give me heart attack like that!"

He chuckles before squatting down, holding onto the metal shelves for support ."Sorry." He replies with as he looks at the old DVD player, it's wires and speaker were completely destroyed.

She looks again before her eyes widen slightly.

"No way." She whispers.

She looks at the cassette player back and front to make sure she didn't get her hopes up. Would be a big disappointment if the batteries were taken out.

"Haven't seen that in a while." He adds as he looks at the somehow salvaged cassette player from the ruins of store they managed to get into. Her fingers traced the line on the player, it seems to be a pretty good condition for what the place has been through.

"You know what this is?"

"I was around when these little guys started getting popular." He recalls as he grabs the cassette player from her, he remembers the songs that would play as Marc would do his Algerba homework for Miss Nick's.

Songs from all types of genre from rock to pop he would go back and forth with different cassette tapes. He of course had his own little collection before Marc knew about him.

He misses just listening to music instead of using it for code, though it was very useful nonetheless.

He hands it back to her and she grabs it before stuffing it into her bag. They get up as they look around one last time before walking back the way they had come from.

The sound of a engine turning off alerted as Steven pulls her down with him, she freezes as he waits a second before the sound of glass being broken under something filled the sounds of the empty shop.

He peaks through the side to see if he could spot the unknow intruder, the shadow of a figure lingering at the entrance of the little shop.

"Shit." He mouths as he looks around for an exit, footsteps now echoing in the distance coming closer and closer, they needed to move.

He turns and nudges his head she understands as they stay hunched to the ground as possible, they make it to another aisle filled with garbage left behind. However to their luck their was a bunch of broken glassware left behind and any step back would blow their cover.

Another crunch noise ticks them as they waits, the sound of chains and boots echoing the overgrown and dirty store. Katalina holds her breath as if it's going to protect her, she waits for the scare like in the horror films she manage to peak when the officers weren't looking.

It stops.

Steven looks at the dismembered toaster on the floor, Marc hardened gaze looking back at him as he nods, a quiet agreement as he pears behind the small metal shelf that seemed to be hanging on its last nails.

Sand Rider.

Known more as slavers but they get their name due to their way of traveling through the sand at high speeds. Only few manage to escape them.

This one had a bandana covering their mouth and nose while a hat covered their head. Wearing a cloth to protect their body from the heat and sand that would blow over when Sand Storms would come every once a blue moon.

In their hand was a pistol and a shot gun held up by chains, the boots with splat of blood on them. They had killed and wouldn't hesitate to kill them either.

Steven takes a breathe through his nose as the switch happens and Jake takes over. His posture changing from Rigid to coordinated as Jake gaze is fixated on the Sand Rider.

'They haven't noticed us yet. Eso es bueno.'

He tells himself as he looks for something to get a distraction giving him enough time to shoot them. A broken bottle laid on the floor a couple inches away from him.

She watches as he moves towards a broken glass bottle that had laid on the floor. He grabs it and moves back to his pervious spot, he check and the rider is still looking for something.

The silence depthing.

He waits for a second before the rider turned then he hurls the bottle to a nearby window that had yet to be broken. It breaks against the force and the rider gets their gun out, Jake is faster.

The sound of a gunshot lingered, the thump of a body and weapon is heard as she gets up and looks, blood starting to leak from the person's head of where a hole now dug itself into.

Their mushed brain stuck onto the white floor and aisle that once stood in. He walks over and pokes the corpse with his boot, their limp and dead, he hums in satisfaction at this as he crouched down and starts to dig into their pockets.

He pulls the person's backpack off and starts to look for anything useful as Katalina stares at him. He feels the stare dig into him as he looks up.

"We need it more than este pendejo. El está muerto." He explains as he just continues, she turns the other way and walks little ways past the entrance. The glaring white light blinding her.

She walks backwards as she smiles at the sight. "Might wanna see this." She tells him as his eyebrows furrowed and he gets up pushing the body away from him before walking towards the smiling girl.

The sight of the machine Sand Riders uses comes into sight, wires and chains hang off it but it looks functional for the most part.

"This works." He says as he goes around and check its design, it fit the aesthetic of the place and person. Along the front is a hole where a key most likely goes, a static sound goes off to the side. On the side is a helmet, but it's only one.

"Dunta, you there?" A man's voice was heard as the radio turned on again.

"We're coming over, keep your tracker on." The man continues before the line is dead, they needed to move.

Jake goes back inside the store and digs through the women's bag for any hard metal that might hit his hand. He eventually feels the cold metal and and pulls it out from inside the bag—the keys.

He goes back out and tries it once before he goes again and the engine of the bike roars of life, it works. This would make this journey a lot faster.

"Vamos, before her friends come for her." Jake instruct as he gets on the bike. He hands her the helmet and she grabs it before putting it over her head and buckling it then pulling down the flap in the front to shield her eyes from both the sun and sand that would fly.

He grabs something for his pack and covers his face with it before putting some type of glasses to keep the sand from getting into his eyes. He stole the glasses from the Sand Rider.

She goes next making sure the backpack strap are on right as she holds onto his shoulder.

He presses the pedal and immediately the bike goes from 0 to 90 mph, the sheer force making her dig her nails into his shoulder as she closes her eyes.

"You ever ride something like this before?!" She yells over the rush of sand and air that flew in their ears. He yells back a response.

"No!"

She groans at the response as she closes her eyes and holds on to dear life so that she wouldn't fly off the damn thing.

°•°☆°•°☆°•☆•°•☆•°•☆•°•☆•°•☆•°☆•°•☆•°•

The fire burns as they set up camp for the night. It had taken two days to get close to where they needed to be but they had finally gotten close enough for walking distance.

They had abandoned the Sand Rider bike due to low fuel, Jake curses that Sand Rider for wasting the gas on the damn machine but they had made more progress than they would have the first time around.

Katalina eats the can of soup as she looks out into the distance of a sunset and the sands shining bright from the glow making a mesmerizing sight to see.

"Finish your food. We leave early tomorrow." He tells her and she nods still looking at the sunset before going back to eating the beans in one of the ration cans they managed to find.

"Why?" She questions before sipping the last bit of beans that was left.

"Do you want a heat stroke niña." With a raise eyebrow he responds with.

"No."

"Then just do it."

She puts the can down and looks at the fire, it danced in front providing entertainment as much as a fire can. She honestly would rather see this than talk to this other alters of Marc right now.

But she need information on tomorrow.

"How long do you think it will take us to get there, with your friend I mean?" He thinks about it, calculating in his mind and then responds.

"About 5 hours, 8 at most and 3 at the least amount. Intentamos para 5 horas para llegar ahí."

"Bien. 5 hours it is, shouldn't be too hard. One might even say piece of cake."

She mumbles the last part, it would be hard. It's been hard from the beginning but hey, she can try and be optimistic here for both their sake.

All she can do is hope it isn't bad as the other times but she doubt it.

Trouble had followed them since the burning of the Khonshu, so all she could hope is that it won't get any worse from here.

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Yay!!! New Chapter and I didn't even have to cut it off this time. Sorry this took forever to get out, had major Writers block for this but I finally was able to get the chapter out!

Hopefully, the way I am writing now will make this a little bit better of a writing experience!

As always, let me know what I can improve on, or if you just want to tell me how you feel about the story, let me know in some comments, and I will reply as soon as possible.

Love, Sky 💜

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