The tide felt against them.

  The water was quickly rising, small waves reaching almost as high as Adam's knee. He was carrying Althea with him as he and Kate tried to power through the tide. Kiel wanted to come with them but Kate prohibited the boy.

  The sun was at its peak, reflecting its light to the rising ocean. They had toured the island for almost half of the day now they had to fight the tide.

  They were halfway across the causeway when Althea's breathing grew less frequent and more unstable. Adam felt Althea's cold skin as he carried her.

  He looked at her, she had always been skinny but never to this extent. They knew this decision would eventually come, they would lose their electricity, their equipment would fail or even run out of oxygen tanks.

  These realities were the ones Adam was trying to avoid and yet. Suddenly they were forced to make the decision out of nowhere.

  Adam wasn't ready.

  And even if a lot of time had passed for them to make a decision, he still wouldn't and probably never would.

  He shook his head and tried to focus on getting out of the island. They eventually did, it took them almost half an hour. The tide had greatly slowed them down, Adam was worried that Althea would not be able to hold on longer before they could even try.

  When they were out the causeway the travel speed started to improve. As soon as they got to the car Adam immediately opened its rear door and slid Althea inside. They had to get a little farther to get any effect.

  Adam slid into the driver’s seat and Kate followed him by seating in the passenger side. He took his keys out of his pocket and inserted it to start the car. However there was no roar or any sign of the engine starting, it only stirred quietly.

  Adam tried again.

  And again.

  But nothing seemed to work. Adam stared at Kate hopelessly before slid out of the car and took Althea again. He carried her once more and started walking farther the island, Kate following closely behind.

  “We can’t walk, it would take too much time,” Kate said.

  “We can’t wait either” Replied Adam quickly yet he knew Kate was right, they can’t go far enough in time. Althea was already slowly slowly running out of breath and he couldn't run without possibly hurting Althea.

  Adam halted, hearing footsteps that were quickly approaching their direction.

  He then remembered that he left his jacket back at the island, he didn't bring any weapons and he was sure Kate didn't as well. Whatever it was that was quickly approaching them, they had no way to defend themselves.

  The footsteps grew clearer, more defined. Adam then realized the sound as not steps but as hooves.

  Almost as it to confirm Adam’s suspicion he saw two male figures both riding their own horse.

  Adam recognized the riders almost immediately, the first, also the older rider wore a hat and had long brown auburn hair. He had a worried look in his black eyes when he saw Adam.

  The first rider then gets down on his horse, the other rider doing so as well. This one younger and smaller he also had auburn hair but unlike the other rider his were cleanly trimmed and well tended.

  “Althea…” before Adam could even finish his statement the man with the hat saw Kate just behind Adam and nodded. He took Althea and carried her towards the horse.

  They knew Adam thought.

  A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

  The younger brother who unmounted his horse held the reins in order to control the horse while the other rider mounted himself with Althea on his back.

  The older Rider took Althea's hand and wrapped it to his shoulder, keeping one hand in the reins and the other holding the girl's arm.

  After confirming that Althea was secured the younger rider rode his horse as well. Their horses tapped their hooves and wagged their tails almost as if bored. The older rider flicked his reins signalling his mount to gallop away.

  The younger rider took one last looking with Adam and Kate before leaving with a nod.

  Adam watched as the two figures disappeared from sight. He felt Kate's hand by his shoulders and turned his head slightly.

  “She would be fine” Kate said in a low voice that lacks the confidence in backing up the assurance.

  …

  It had been a few minutes and neither of the riders had returned. Adam was pacing back and forth while Kate was sitting on the car’s hood.

  Adam's only source of comfort was the fact that they haven't heard any gunshots; this could mean that Althea didn't change and that both of the riders were on their way to return here.

  Or that both riders were killed by what the girl had become.

  It took another couple of minutes before Adam heard the same clattering of hooves he heard earlier, this time there was no urgency; it was calm and quiet.

  Adam couldn't help but sigh in relief when he saw Althea behind the older rider.

  The younger rider unmounted first to hold the fellow rider's reins. Adam immediately assisted them, after the older rider jumped out of the horse he helped Adam carry the girl.

  “The healing already kicked in but she would still need a lot of rest” explained the older rider as he let Adam carry the girl.

  Adam nodded and brought Althea to lay by the car's backseat. Her breathing was more stable and she felt more asleep rather than unconscious.

  After doing so Adam returned towards the two riders with his hand stretched.

  The older rider took his hand and shook it.

  “Thanks, Charlie”

  “No problem, happy we're able to help”

  “Kleoff” said Adam looking at the younger rider named Kleoff.

  The boy nodded.

  Kate immediately approached Kleoff with a smile and fist bumped him. If Adam remembered it correctly Kleoff should be around sixteen, and Charlie twenty-one.

  They were brothers who once lived on the island but decided to leave in order to see what the world had become, more than what Adam and Kate saw at least which would probably amount to a few cities.

  Of course they protested against it but the brothers insisted. It had been almost two years. When they didn't return the first year they were worried the brothers might have died.

  How could anyone even survive that long out there? Adam thought.

  “It's been a while, how have you been?”

  Asked Charlie.

  “I wish we could say good” interrupted by Kate.

  “Better now, at least Althea was fine” answered Adam.

  Charlie nodded.

  “We would have a lot of catching up to do”

  “We can do that after the tide eased up”

  Adam looked at the shore where the causeway was supposed to have been but all he saw was the empty ocean.

  “Told you” said the Kleoff after tying their horse up in a close lamp post.

  “We don't have time, we need to warn them,” rebuked his older brother.

  “About what?” Kate asked.

  Charlie sighed.

  “Unfortunately we didn't come for a social visit”

  Kleoff stepped forward.

  “We had some bad news”

  …

  Charlie and Kleoff insisted on waiting until they returned back to the island before they had told the news.

  That took a few hours of wait before the causeway had become once again visible.

  Kleoff and Charlie took their horse by their reins and pulled them, closely following Kate and Adam who was carrying Althea.

  The walk was easy and quick with little to no pause. After a few minutes they had returned to the island with no interruptions.

  Elena was waiting by the wooden gate when the group had arrived.

  She dashed immediately towards Adam to check on Althea. She almost cried when Adam told her that Althea would be fine after some rest.

  Adam was about to bring the girl to her room when Althea tapped him by the shoulder signalling Adam to let her walk.

  The mother then helped her daughter into her room. She was able to walk to some extent but she was still not on her right self to be able to recognize the brothers. She turned her head and mouthed the words “thank you” with sleepy eyes as they headed back towards her room.

  The group then entered the gate but after only a few seconds they saw Kiel running towards them asking what happened while eyeing the two riders.

  Adam explained everything that had happened and introduced the two to Kiel.

  “You were named Charlie? And the younger brother's name was Kleoff?” asked the boy

  “Why is that supposed to be a problem?” Asked the older brother.

  “No, but we always assumed he was adopted”

  Kate and Kleoff all laughed but Charlie wasn't getting any of it, he simply crossed his arms.

  Kiel then noticed the horses and asked if they had names. Kleoff introduced him as lighting and his brother's horse as thunder.

  Adam thought the horse had it better than Charlie but of course he didn't say that. He instead asked the two brothers about the bad news.

  Suddenly the laughter was gone and faces turned serious.

  “Was the meeting room still there?” Asked Charlie.

  …

  It indeed was, with a long wooden table that was filled with maps, charts and other stacks of papers. There were also two drawing boards filled with images and newspapers that were barely visible from the room’s lighting. That which was composed of several lanterns attached to all sides of the walls, not to mention the ones sitting at the table.

  “You all know about groups of monsters, especially in the green zone right?”

  Charlie was at the end of the table waiting for his listeners to respond.

  And they did so, with a nod allowing Charlie to continue.

  “And it was common knowledge as well that yellow zones exist because they are afraid of alphas right?”

  Another set of nods.

  “What if I told you that we met a group, no a horde of them capable of defeating an Alpha”

  “I'd say no way”

  Kate spoke with one of her arms raised.

  “I'd say we're dead” followed by Adam.

  “That too” whispered Kate.

  “We're serious, it has already taken down a few Alphas.”

  “A few? Even if they only took down one it would already been a problem”

  Kate sounded a little more serious.

  “Not only that,” Kleoff interrupted.

  “They weren't like the usual group of monsters that hibernates when unopposed, these ones constantly hunts alphas and feeding on them in order to grow stronger”

  “We didn't know where they came from or why but what we do know is that they were great in number, each one being strong”

  “But why would they be a problem? They woul

  dn't be able to reach the island due to the tide” Kiel asked.

  “That's actually where the problem comes in” Kleoff paused for a moment and looked at his brother to finish what he was saying.

  “They can fly”