KYLO:

The sun was hot on my skin. Our feet ached and Ari wouldn’t stop complaining about it. Marin took the lead tirelessly and walked with her chin up. Kieran holds the pistol 

scanning the streets ready to fight when needed. I was in the back of everyone just looking around at the city. “We need a break.” Ari complains for the 6th time. “No, we don’t. We keep moving.” Kieran says pushing forward. Visibly tired himself. A dumpster fire was next to us. The smell burned my nostrils. “A little break wouldn’t hurt.” I say laughing under my breath and shrugging. Kieran doesn’t answer right 

away. Marin up in the front cuts in. “Yep, break time.”  She says looking around for a place to rest. “It’s been like half an hour.” Kieran says rubbing his face. “It’s been 3 hours. The suns starting to go down.” Marin says correcting him. “Look.” Ari points to a metal ladder that reaches to a roof that’s miraculously still intact. Marin’s already 

moving towards it. Kieran follows loosely behind. Marin tries to tug it down. It rusted and stuck.” “Maybe there’s another spot?” I ask. “Let me do this.” Ari says and jumps up high and grabs the lower bar of the ladder. It still stuck and we’re all watching so he pulls himself onto it and kicks the bar below his foot until it loosens and falls. He 

hops off looking proud of himself. “Woah, I’m so impressed.” Marin says bland, voice dripping with sarcasm. “Good.” Ari snaps back. “Let’s move.” Kieran grabs the ladder and climbs onto the roof with us after him. Kieran immediately starts measuring the distance from where we are to other buildings with more supplies. Marin and Ari continue to bicker about something. I don’t know where to stand so I’m not in the way. 

I wander off to the side a bit. I stare down at the city cover in rubble. From the corner of my eye something shines like a golden light. I look to the left down a bit and see a Hollow sitting on a bench wearing a ripped up suit. The shining came from its finger. A golden ring. A wedding ring. It took me a minute to actually process what I was seeing. In the sunset light it’s the only thing in the city that still looks ‘new.’ 

This doesn’t belong in this grey ash world. It’s not just a monster. It was a husband. It was loved and had a home. Why does this happen to people who don’t deserve this? 

I feel a warm prickly sensation behind my eyes. My face pulls into a frown and tears fall from my lower eyelids. 

I’m sorry sir. You didn’t deserve this.

“Kylo, was the school more dirty or disorganized? Marin thinks-“  Ari pauses. I feel his eye settle on me. I don’t turn around but I can hear his footsteps approaching. 

He doesn’t say anything. He looks at the Hollow on the bench below us. Then looks down near his shoes. He quiet. “I just wanna go home...” the words sound strained and weak. He takes a second to respond. “Me too.” His voice is steady. 

Kieran appears next to me looking at the Hollow in the distance. I didn’t hear him come over. He looks at me for a second then he pulls a granola bar out of his pocket. He hands it to me. “You need to eat.” He says, then he hesitates to walk away. Marin’s silent on the other end of the building, she’s sitting watching the sunset. Ari stays next to me.