The sun hung low over the crumbled skyline. casting long shadows over the fractured stone streets of the city called Andors. The city was once a city of beauty and innovations. Now it was a fortress, towering walls of inforest steel, security drones buzzing in the skies, the constant surveillance had turned from a peaceful city to a prison.
But for a teenager no older than sixteen. Her name was Alexandra Starfield. For her, the streets ehre familer but dangerous. she movied quetly, the worn soles on her boots barely made a sound on the ground. Her violet eyes scanned the area for robot patrol.
The Guard unit is a unit with humans that patroll area. the unite was cold, and mercyless with one fing find Kindras and eliminate them. The enforcers show no mercy. they guardes, gloving visores swept the streets. searching for the monsters that could mimic humans.
Kindras are a species of human and animal. They can mimic humans or animals to blend or a hybrid form between both. Humans saw them as monsters, and a war between kindras and monsters been going on for years. Kindras are hiding like humans, making them hard to find. its unkown if they face extinction or if there are many left. But one thing was real: they were better at pretending to become one of us.
Alexandra adjusted the strap on her shoulder bag and turned a corner. stepping into a quiet alley where ivy crept up on brick walls. The sound of metallic boot clickt behind her. she slowlky breath stedy then froze.
Somon was standing there. A boy, he wasn't much older than her, sixteen, too. messy black eyes over his eyes. he wore a black hoodie, jeans, and a brown leather backpack. His hands were gripping the strip tightly as if he were bracing for something. But what caught her attintieon wasent the cloth. but the look of his eyes, nervously, and his wild appearance and hair.
Then the boy took a step back. ¨I...I'm so...rry¨ his voice barely above a whisper ¨I didn't mean to¨
Then she noticed it. the tip of the wolf's ears behind his ears. Her breath caught in her throat. He was a Kindra. And he was real, alive, and scared. Alexandra's heart was pounding in her chest, her instinct screaming for hear too run and call the guards, to hide. but insted she stepped forward.
¨Hey¨ she wisperd puting finger on her lip ¨don't move¨
The boy froze like a deer in headlight. Alexandra darted forward, eyes flicking around. The ally was empty, for now. she walkt up to the Kindra and pould his hood gently on his head, hiding his ears.
¨There¨ she muttered ¨Mutch better. ¨
The boy looked at her confust ¨Why... why are you helping me.¨
¨Becouse they scanning the sector.¨ she replide ¨and if they find you they kill you¨
He flinched at that. She saw him grip the edge of his strip,
¨Im... Jimmy ¨ he said after a pause, his small voice. ¨sorry¨
¨Alexandra¨ she awnserd already guiding him toward the street side. ¨come on. walk like we're friends dont be scared¨
¨I am sacared¨ he said
¨then fake it¨ she said
They slipped past a couple of patrol drones. Alexandra kept her hand on Jimmys shulder. pushing him to move when he hesitated. His tail twitches nervously under his jacket, barely visible.
¨ How long have you been in the city¨ she asked in a low voice.
He glances at her hesitantly.¨ A few days. I came from the forest near the Outer Ring. they burnd it down. ¨
Her stomach sank. The guard unite hade been sweeping the forest for weeks. She had seen smoke and heard the explosions coming from the forest.
¨I didn't think any of you made it¨ she said
Jimmy looked down. ¨ many didn't ¨
They reach the edge of market place. The building was old. less watched. alecxandra lead him behind the shuttered shop, hidden from the streets.
¨ You shouldn't be here ¨ she said finaly ¨ its suicideal. If they catch you... ¨
¨ I had nowhere else to go. ¨ Jimmy murmured. ¨ Everyone I knew is gone. i dont whant to hurt anyon just blend in. ¨
His voice cracked at the end. Alexandra didn't know what to say. She just stared at him, unsure. he dident look like a monster. just a boy with to mutch pain.
¨but im dangerus¨ he added barly audible ¨ arnt I¨
Alexandra frowend ¨ are you going to hurt me¨
¨NO!¨ Jimmy said
¨then we fine¨ she said.
Jimmy looked up, surprised.
Alexandra is leaning agenst wall. ¨ look I don't care what the world told us about you. But I know what I see, and what I see right now is someone who needs help. ¨
He sat down on the ground, back tothe wall armes around knees.
¨They said we were the monsters¨ he said quitly ¨ That we were made wrong. But we were just...born like these. ¨
Alexandra kneeld beside him ¨ the guard unite dont care. They show no mercy to you, kind. You slip once, and they cut you down ¨
Jimmy looked at her. ¨then why... did you help me¨
She hesitated, then answered. ¨Becouse i dont whant to be like the others.¨
The wind steered in the alley. distended foot steps were heard, then faded on the main road.
Jimmy tilted his head. ¨they sercing again¨
¨yeah¨ alexandra answered. ¨they allwhys are.¨
He shifted nervously. ¨I can hide better in the woods, but here, in a city its crowded loude I feel trapped. ¨
¨ Why come here at all? ¨ Alexandra asked
Jimmy's eyes meet her eyes ¨ to find someone who might believe weare more than monsters. ¨
That stopped her cold. she stod up and offered him a hand. he lookt at it for a long second. then took it; his fingers were slightly calloused.
¨ we need to get you somewhere safe ¨ she said ¨follow me ¨
They walked for over an hour. waving through the alley and side streets. Jimmy kept his hoodie on, moving in her shadow. He was quite careful and made sure he wasn't drawing attention. His ears were sharper. he herd fings better than she did. he herd the drons the guards' footsteps, and more.
¨I smell gunpowder ¨ he said once beside her pusing trow bakerty
¨the guards training camp is east of her.¨ Alexandra said ¨you pickt it up from there¨
hes noise twitch ¨i smell you too, you smell like oil and flowers¨
she rised a eyebrow ¨thats odly spacific¨
he blust ¨sorry¨
Alexandra smirkt ¨you wierd¨
¨you help monster¨ he shot back shyly ¨you wierd too¨
she laughte the sound bounced softly on ally walls. eventually they reach a uld underground hatch. behind a machean work shop. she pould it open it, revealing a ladder.
¨these just to be a maintenance tunnel¨ she explained ¨right now its forgoten. You be safe here for a while.¨
Jimmy looked down in dark hole uncertainly, then he ask ¨ you coming with me?¨
Alexandra hesitated ¨I check on you. but i cant stay. if i vanise, people start asking questions.¨
He nodded and climbed down. When she clost hatch behind him, her hands shook. she hade helpt a Kindra. If the Guard unit found out, she would be executed. No trial, no hearing. But she had seen his eyes, and she believed him.
Night fell. The streets grew quiet. and alexandra slippt back home. her mind spinning. Every time she closed her eye,s she saw jimmys face. the way he flincet on smal noices, the why he tried to smile to stay calm despite the fear. he wasent a monster. He was a boy, a lonely on,e and now she was her secret