Light the Way

51%

August 11

There was an envelope on the door mat this morning. It was nondescript – nothing but my name in block letters across the front.

Stepping out of the house, I quickly snatched it up. If I hadn't been leaving early for school, anyone could have seen it.

On my way to school, I read:

Kiran,

Thanks for joining the effort. More information to be provided 8pm tomorrow night, 5/112 Jefferson Rd, Middle Society.

No name. No logo. A simple typed note. To an outsider, it could be about anything. It was completely anonymous.

Now that I think about it, the entire group gives off the feeling of illegality – the way they communicate, the places they gather, the clothing they wear. It's all secretive. Clearly, they're hiding from something. My best guess? The Officials.

But who knows.

When I finally looked up from the note, I saw what I had failed to notice upon leaving this morning, what I'd been too distracted to realise: the sun, appearing almost shrunken in the sky, it's beams weaker than I'd ever seen them. I stared at it for a full minute, taking the sight in. Others on the street appeared to be doing the same, shooting glances at the sky every second step.

No one was squinting. I could stare straight at the sun and my eyes never hurt.

My heart started beating a little faster. It felt as though I was watching the Black Wave crash down on top of me, and for a short moment, I felt like I was drowning.

It passed.

I got to school, meeting Mia by her locker. Around us, the halls were uncommonly quiet.

"It's the Wave," Mia told me when she caught me looking around. "People are flooding into Upper Division to escape it. Those who believe in it, anyway."

"What about you?"

"Huh?"

"Well, are you going to move to Upper Division?"

Mia laughed. It was so unexpected I nearly jumped. "Where's the point in that? It only delays the inevitable. If the Black Wave truly is coming for us, then moving one sector over will do nothing to stop it."

"You get more time though."

She shrugged. "To be honest, I'm kind of curious."

"Curious about what?"

"About the Black Wave. About what it will be like when it arrives. Don't you wonder?"

"No," I said. It was a lie.

Mia suddenly slammed her locker shut. This time I did jump. It must have been something in the air; I was on edge.

"Well we're all gonna find out soon enough. See you at lunch."

I nodded and watched her go, unnerved by her calm. Did she not fear for her life? Did she not posses that same human instinct to survive that we all shared?

I let these questions drift away.

My classes were half-empty all day.