(TATB) Ch 26: Trouble Left Behind

(A Day Later)

(Meara)

I pressed the needle through the fabric, pulling the thread taut, but my hands were stiff with frustration. The stitches were sloppier than usual, uneven and rushed. I sighed and set the half-finished tunic on my lap, rubbing my forehead. It had been a full day since Sydney told everyone that Victor had left town.

Victor. Gone. Just like that.

I still couldn't believe it. What in the world had he been thinking? I understood that Vu and his people had been part of the town, that they were important, but was it worth risking everything for them? Did Victor really think he could just walk out into that big, dangerous world and come back unscathed?

I swallowed hard, trying not to think about what might be happening to him right now. The world outside was no place for a Lilli wandering alone. Not with the dangers of other colonies, not with the Brobs. I clenched my fists.

And Sydney. He should have stopped him.

How could he just let Victor go like that? He was supposed to be smarter than that, supposed to care more. Victor wasn't just another guy, he was our leader, the one holding all of this together. If he didn't come back, then what?

I stared down at the tunic in my lap, but my hands didn't move. I couldn't focus, not when there were other problems brewing.

I glanced outside the tent flap and immediately spotted them—three of the biggest problems we had left in town.

There they were, sitting around doing absolutely nothing, lounging in the middle of the square, whispering to one another and laughing like they didn't have a care in the world. Not lifting a single damn finger to help the rest of us.

I glared. "They're trouble," I muttered under my breath.

They weren't even trying to hide it. Ever since Victor left, they'd been acting bolder, lazier. Like they were just waiting for something. Or maybe they were just waiting to see if Victor ever came back at all.

I scowled and shook my head. If they thought they could take over this town, they had another thing coming.

Then, with a familiar rhythmic boom, my stomach twisted.

Skylar was home.

I stiffened, listening.

***

(Skylar)

I let out a long breath as I stepped into my room, dropping my backpack carefully beside my bed. Today had been exhausting. Spending hours at the library with Tessa always was. Not that I didn't love helping her—she was my best friend, after all—but she could be a little relentless when she got in the zone. My brain felt fried from all the research, and my back ached from leaning over books for so long.

But as soon as I turned toward my closet, all that exhaustion melted away.

I couldn't help but smile as I took a step closer. I still needed to kneel down to actually see them, but I knew they were there—my Lillis, my little town. The thought sent a small jolt of excitement through me.

Every single day, I looked forward to this.

Carefully, I lowered myself to my knees, keeping my movements slow so I wouldn't shake the ground too much. Even though I knew they were used to it by now, I always tried to be careful.

"Hey, everyone," I said softly, my voice warm with excitement. "Hope you all had a great day."

I smiled as I peered down, waiting for the tiny flashes of movement, the barely visible specks of my people going about their lives. It was still so surreal sometimes, knowing that I had this—an entire little town, people I cared about, people who wanted to be here.

And, more than anything, I was excited to talk to him.

"Victor?" I called gently. "If you're not busy, I'd love to—"

I stopped.

The voice that responded wasn't Victor's.

"Uh, yes, happy to see you remembered my name."

I blinked, looking down, my brow furrowing. "Sydney?"

There was a small pause before he answered. "Yep."

I tilted my head. "Of course I remembered your name, we're friends, aren't we?" I chuckled lightly, still confused. "Do you know where Victor is?"

Silence.

A long, too-long pause.

And then—

"That's the thing," Sydney said, voice hesitant. "Victor's gone."

I froze.

"...Wait, what?"

***

(Vu)

I sucked in a shaky breath, my chest rising and falling in uneven bursts as I tried to steady myself. My entire body felt drained, every muscle aching from the repeated use of my ability. My hands trembled slightly as I wiped the sweat from my forehead, and my vision blurred at the edges from exhaustion.

Above us, the rhythmic booms of Brob footsteps echoed like distant thunder, shaking the ground and rattling my bones. Even down here, in the damp, foul-smelling tunnels, I could feel them moving. It was still daytime, which meant the surface wasn't safe. It never was when those towering giants were out and about.

I rested my head against the cold stone wall, forcing myself to take deep, steadying breaths.

"We're almost there," Nemu said, kneeling beside me. Her voice was softer than usual, like she actually cared about how exhausted I was. That was rare. "Good thing the colony's not too far from where Skylar lives."

"Y-yeah..." I muttered, dragging a hand down my face. I could barely keep my eyes open. "Let's... let's rest while we can. We'll move again at night."

Sawyer and Nemu both nodded before settling into opposite ends of the tunnel. I could hear Sawyer shifting around, trying to find a comfortable position on the damp stone, while Nemu just sat with her arms crossed, her foot tapping against the floor impatiently.

I exhaled slowly and let my body relax against the wall.

This place—whatever it was—felt like a sewer. It smelled like one too, thick with the scent of stagnant water and decay. But at least it was safe. Down here, we weren't at risk of getting crushed underfoot by some distracted Brob, or snatched up by one with bad intentions. It was dark, cramped, and disgusting, but it was safe.

I closed my eyes and let my mind drift.

I thought about the town—no, the village. Or was it a town? Honestly, I still wasn't sure what to call it. It wasn't much yet, but it had the potential to be something.

And deep down, I knew I was going to miss it.

I hadn't expected to feel that way, but I did.

I thought about Gabriel and Sydney, about how passionate they were about making the village into a real home. I thought about Holly, Conner, and Nate, and how quickly they had accepted us as their own. I thought about all the people who had welcomed us, treated us like we belonged.

That place was a home.

And now, I was leaving it behind.

With a heavy sigh, I let my exhaustion take over, my body giving in to the weight of sleep.