Chapter 5: The Selection

"Are they picking people now?" Caleb whispered, voice barely there. "Like, is this where they start... pairing us off?"

Class Prez and the others tensed up, glancing at Caleb like he might spontaneously combust.

Caleb just blinked, cheeks going scarlet.

PE Rep stood tall, loyal as ever. "Doesn’t matter what happens—they can pick whoever, but we don’t have to play along."

Caleb looked at me, stammering, "I—I won’t either."

But Natalie was gone the rest of the day. None of the rest of us were chosen. The tension mounted.

Having survived outside for over a week, I’d become the group’s reluctant expert. I didn’t really have any answers.

Outside, I’d never seen another living soul.

The ruins of houses and parks were overrun by weird new bug-architecture. The ground was littered with shattered eggshells and molted husks—smelled like vinegar and rotting fruit.

It was no place for humans anymore.

Everyone who’d made it was here, in captivity.

But there were others in the base. As I realized this, so did the rest of the group.

We rushed to the glass wall, desperate for a glimpse. But it was electrified—one touch, and a jolt rattled up your spine. Static crackled under my fingers as I touched the glass, the shock snapping me back to reality.

That caught the insectoid nannies’ attention.

As the class prez got picked up, other nannies came in to corral us. Thinking fast, I yelled, "Cry! Only cry when you’re alone—stop when you see another person. Do it enough, and maybe they'll get the message, let us meet."