Chapter 4 — Rise and Shine

That bullet wound hit my vitals. But it seems — despite that — I still am.

The navy door made no sound when she slid it open. Amy turned the light wheel slowly, letting it fill the room from the edges inward so it didn't hit him all at once. She walked across the gray carpet to the wall of books, pulled the dandelion-yellow one, and the window undimmed — the night sky, full of stars, and a cascade of white symbols that she skimmed and then dismissed with a circle of her finger. The display said thank you and went dark.

Chrys sat up.

"Did we win?"

"We did." Her smile reflected in the glass.

He looked at his legs. Moved them. Fine.

"Any injured?"

Amy turned around. "What are you talking about?" She tilted her head at his expression. "You fell asleep after the burger. Before you could finish whatever you were about to tell us, actually — you were mid-sentence, and then you weren't. I brought you here so you'd sleep properly for once."

He stared at her.

"The kind of thing you'd say," she added.

He breathed out. The whole thing had felt real. Completely real.

"Thank you, Ames."

"Welcome. Hungry?"

"Starving. Anything left?"

"Probably. Akio made something before the others demolished it. Come find out."

He slid the door open. Stopped. "It's 8:27."

Amy paused behind him. The only timepiece in the room was the display she'd just closed, and he had been asleep when she opened it.

"How did you –"

"I just... know?" He turned back and the grin was there, bright in a way it rarely was, without the tiredness sitting on top of it, or worry. Right now it was just the grin.

Then it flickered.

He stopped walking. His eyes went somewhere else for a moment, not unfocused, more like he was reading something only he could see. He rolled his eyes. Furrowed his brows. Shuddered slightly. Shook his head. Said something under his breath that she couldn't make out. Then he laughed quietly and the grin came back, brighter than before.

"Was that seven stages of grief?"

"Something like that." He looked at her. "We should move before Marcus and Akio reach the kitchen."

Amy smiled. "Too late, probably."

"Then we run."