Sorry all for the late update. A family member stopped by for a visit so I'm a bit late updating. I also plan on patching up chapter 2's errors where I forgot to italicize. Sorry if those spots caused any confusion.
We're starting to get into the more hectic stuff now, so I'm not sure how long chapters will be from here on out. I'm still aiming pretty high, but I want to ensure there's decent pacing, something I know I kind of struggle with a bit.

This chapter is kind of short, maybe, because I want to leave it at a natural cliffhanger of sorts. I struggled with not keeping this longer, but I felt it sacrificed the flow if I left more in, so…

Anywho, enjoy I guess. Thanks to those who've been reviewing my writing, it means a lot to know I have people interested in my story)

Also, as usual, some minor swearing here. Nothing big or fancy. Just a warning I guess.

For the first time in slightly over a week, Amber slept alone in her bunk. They both decided it would be good for Melody to be on her own, even if just one night, though her frustration at Amber for being so late was probably the catalyst for the decision. For about an hour, Amber had been pleased at the girl's decision; she had shown some courage, and was building off Amber's attempts at making her more comfortable alone. For about an hour, she drifted off to sleep in her top bunk, wrapped in her sheet, her head nestled upon her pillow.

Sleep would be fleeting, however. The numbing chills drafting in from the window near her bunk hunted relentlessly for her bare feet as her sleeping form weaved itself out of its cotton shell. Instinctively, she'd reach out her arms to latch onto whatever warmth she could find, but her search was fruitless that night. In her solitude, she could only do her best to sleep until the cool air tickled her toes awake. After having woken up for the fourth time that night, only to see the moon still ascending toward its peak, she began to regret her earlier decision a little.

Coldest night of the year so far and you decide tonight's the best time for Mel to go it alone, she pondered, sighing. And why is my breath so warm when I'm so freaking cold?
Amber pulled at her sheet, untangling it from her left leg and cocooning herself back in it. Would be nicer with two sheets and a warm body beside me. This building's cold, no shame for wanting to be warmer at night, right?

"Fuck." She muttered, conflicted at the thoughts running through her head. My bed used to be my home, my one place I could be alone and comfortable. I've had colder nights than this before and it didn't faze me. Nine days and suddenly I can't take a little chill? How the shit am I supposed to survive until the end of winter when I can't even take one night in November? God, I hope Mel isn't freezing her toes off like I am. Fuck, maybe it's not the cold that's keeping me awake...

Amber reluctantly pulled her pillow out from under her head and held it close to her chest. "Was giving me a crick in my neck anyway." She grumbled, explaining her decision to no one in particular. Clutching the cool, stiff pillow, she knew she was alone. A few months ago, that would have comforted her, but it felt different now. Each faint breath of air resonated with a dull ache in her core, each moment of silence felt full of creeping malice seeping into her pores. Is this what loneliness feels like? Am I really this pathetic, so desperate that I need someone by my side at all times?

Try as she might, Amber couldn't give herself an honest answer. She couldn't explain what was behind her sudden intimacy with Melody, and she couldn't get a handle on what her own motivations were in their friendship. Her arms pulled the pillow tighter against her chest as she lowered her head. It was nice protecting someone other than myself for a change, and Mel likes being around others and needs someone to amuse herself with, and she was in trouble that night, but…I mean, Mel's nice. She helps me pass time. She has…hope. She's an idiot for it, but it's nice to think we might have a better future ahead. She smiles a lot. Hell, she makes me smile, sometimes, when she's lucky. Is it wrong for a part of me to want this? To want to have a friend? Does that make me desperate? Ugh.

Even in her cocooned state, the frigid air had her body shivering for warmth. This blows, I'm going to be so tired tomorrow…her mind trailed off at the thought of the next day. It would be a good stepping stone for Mel to feel secure on her own. She needs more nights on her own. Hell, she'll probably want more nights on her own, and I'd be proud of her for that. She only came to me because I was the only person she knew that was left. She'll probably go out making new, better friends than me tomorrow. Probably for the best really. I shouldn't really be…

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of shifting sheets underneath her. Slowly, she sat up, ears perked for any noise, but nothing followed it. What am I doing, getting all antsy over people rolling around asleep. I do it all the time, no one gives a crap. I just need to…

"Amber?" the whisper was faint, but the source unmistakable. Amber peeked over to her ladder and found the upper half of Melody's head peering sleepy-eyed at her. The brunette unraveled herself and gently patted an empty space beside her.

"Too cold to sleep?" she asked, as her friend crawled over to her, holding a pillow and trailing her sheet behind her. Amber flipped her pillow back behind her head as the two of them nestled against each other.

"I missed you." The girl in front of her whispered softly, words trailing off as she started to doze off, pulling the sheets up to cover them both. Amber ran her hand through the red-head's hair and held her close with the other, surprised at how warm the girl was. Tell her you missed her too, you idiot.

"I..." the words caught in the back of her throat, and agonizingly vanished as her face flushed hot with shame. "I'll keep you warm." She mumbled. Pathetic

April 10th 2168

Between the frosty end of autumn and the thawing of spring, life was rather ordinary. Each day would dawn without incident and end as it had begun; aside from the short duration of sunlight and their staggered meal days, there was hardly anything to distinguish one day from the next. It had been a snowy winter, which was a pleasant surprise for most of the children. Often, winters were colder and windier with bursts of snowfall, but mostly just colder and drier. More than anything, for most of the orphans at least, it was nice to see snow on the ground.

It was somewhat bittersweet for Amber, though. Be a lot longer till it all melts, but at least it'll help more food grow. I just want to go outside again and see leaves on trees. She hadn't been exposed to a lot of schooling through her childhood. She had learned to read and write quite well at a young age, and had some basic education as to what shapes are what, what objects are what, basic math, but much of her knowledge came from her observations and what she was told, not officially taught. When she was younger, she'd talked at length with a bored staff-member about weather when the orphanage's food stores ran out. A lot of it went over her head, but she absorbed a lot of the easy stuff that ultimately was the most important.

Spring had been fast approaching, with the temperature closing in on the freezing mark. For certain, the official first day of spring had recently passed, but spring usually came late in Ottawa. Though the winds would still pound on the glass at night, the drafts weren't nearly as frigid as February's, and the days had quietly passed into April.

April…I was born in April. The eleventh, I think. Not that it matters much, aside from letting me know how far I am away from my eighteenth birthday. Soon, just four more years. Four more years until…

"What'cha scribbling, Birdy?" the redhead was peering over her shoulder curiously. Even after a few months of being around each other, the girl still found it tremendously difficult to read Amber's writing.

"Oh, uh, well…nothing?" she said nervously, stumbling over her words. Amber was never really shy or anything, but enjoyed having her personal time to write down her thoughts. She didn't fill the journals quickly, but she enjoyed reflecting on what little she'd written weeks or months back. It served as a sort of reminder of what she'd learned, and what was important.

Amber scanned Melody's face and noticed the girl's gaze was fixed on one part of her recent entry. Shutting the journal closed, she sat up and motioned to the ladder. Melody looked a little dejected, as if she'd been on the cusp of solving a grand mystery.

"You know, one day I'll figure out how to read all that, and I'm sure you'll be in trouble." Melody said, offering her friend a light punch to the shoulder.
"Well, until then, there are lots of things we can do." Amber said, setting herself on the ladder. "I thought I heard some thunder a few minutes ago. Wanna head to the lobby and get a good look? Could be the first thunderstorm of 2168!"

The girls excitedly ran down the hallways, sliding past the traffic from the dining hall until they reached the main lobby. The room, as usual, was large and primarily empty. Amber once assumed this room would be bustling with activity and a major hangout for the kids, but most decided the dining hall was a better spot. Food's great and all, but I like rooms with a view. Lobby is the only place with large, low windows, even if there are only two.

The view outside was one of transition. The light rainfall declared winter had overstayed its welcome, and was working to wash the thick blanket of snow away. It'll probably ice over tonight, but it's nice to hope it'll melt most of it today. The trees would be bare for another month at least before budding, but it was only a matter of time before they'd be full of leaves again. She'd always hated winter for being so cold, and for making what little nature she was exposed to so dull. The world would recede into something akin to a colourless form, with everything repainting itself in shades of gray. The sky wasn't as blue as it was during late spring, the grass was dead, and the leaves were a grayish mixture of their old colour, staining the slabs of stone scattered across the yard. The wind was always drier, harsher, and the sun offered no relief. There was never enough food in winter; even in such a lowly populated orphanage, there were some days where they had to skip meal time, and their meals were always half as generous as meals during summer and autumn. Mostly, though, she missed the full trees and the long, clear days.

She wouldn't get that today, but she'd get some progress. The sky was turbulent and menacing, clouds some of the darker grays she'd witnessed during the mid-day. The winds were picking up and she was sure if she'd been outside, the air would feel electric. The low, powerful growl of thunder filled the sky, announcing the approach of spring.

Winter's pretty shitty. Glad to see nature's finally had enough of it.

As they both enjoyed the proceeding thunderstorm, accompanied by the odd bout of lightning flashing across the expanse of clouds, Amber noticed one of the staff over at the far edge of the yard talking with some people on the other side of the fence. It was difficult to make out, but some wore black and red uniforms of some sort, though the other few seemed ordinary. The conversation wasn't animated, but the staff member's body language spoke volumes. Whatever the discussion was about, he wasn't happy. It ended quickly; the group across the fence got into their vehicle and drove off, while the man slowly lumbered his way to the doors. His shoulders slouched forward and his head faced the ground, bobbing lightly witch each crunching step on the freezing snow.

Hal?

Amber nudged Melody and discreetly pointed to the friendly orderly making his way across the yard.
"What's up with him, do you think?" Amber asked, raising an eyebrow in curiosity. Melody scrunched her face, squinting to see if it was Hal. Her eyesight had never been the best, but it was fine enough to do what she needed, usually.

"I don't know. He shouldn't be out there in the rain, though, I'm sure it's cold as anything out there."
"Yeah, I'd be running indoors as fast as I could if I were him. He looks like he could use some cheering up." She said, grinning at her companion, whose green eyes lit up at the prospect.
"Oh, I know! Hal always likes telling us about ships and stuff!"
"No, I'm pretty sure you're the one who lures him into those talks." Amber noted, laughing at how her friend's smiling face turned into a glare in a matter of seconds.
"Still, I'm sure he…" Melody started to say before Hal trudged into the lobby. She quickly jogged over to him, trying to get his attention. Well, I'll try to keep her off his back, I guess, Amber thought, pacing after her friend.

Melody had a grip on Hal's hand, and was firing off questions about space excitedly, but the more she questioned him, the more pained the expression became on his face. He really doesn't seem in the mood. Though he normally does like telling us those wild stories about aliens. And space elephants.

Amber lightly pulled on Melody's free hand, hoping to momentarily distract her. "Mel, I think he probably has work to do. I'm sure…he'll be up for talking later, maybe." She said, trying her best to get her friend to let the large man go.
She shrugged her shoulders playfully and let go of his hand. "Sorry, Hal. I hope you feel better."

The man just stared at them, his eyes boring holes through them. His breathing was labored, and his thick brows furrowed above his bloodshot eyes; his face was a mask of anguish that the two girls hadn't seen on him before.

Hal's always a happy guy. What the heck's got him this down in the dumps?

"I'm sorry…" he said, his voice straining with each syllable. "Girls, I'm so sorry."

Hal walked off like a defeated man, staggering to the Headmistress' office and promptly shutting the door behind him.

What the heck does he have to be sorry for? He's only ever been nice to us. I don't care if he doesn't tell us stories or anything, that's his choice. Why apologize for it, it's not like we're clingy six year olds or anything, and…

"Amber, can you let go of my hand? You're squeezing it pretty hard." Shocked at the revelation, Amber quickly loosened her grip, as if she'd been holding something dangerous. Looking down at her hand, she noticed it shaking, lightly. Why the hell do I feel so on edge right now?

"Are you ok, Birdy?"

Amber clenched her fist in an attempt to stop the shaking, but she could still feel it, like it was in the air all around her. Like Hal had brought the storm inside with him.
"Yeah, Mel, I'm fine. Let's go back to watching the storm, okay?" She tried to give a light smile to her friend, but she was much too nervous for it to seem sincere. The glint in Melody's eyes showed a hint of worry, but she went along with it and led her back to the window.

The evening was dull; the storm only lasted a few hours, and then it was steady rain afterward. Melody had gone off to visit some of the new friends she'd been acquainting herself with lately, giving Amber enough time to go to the dining hall. Normally, at that time of night, the room was empty, so it wasn't a surprise that only a few others were sitting at the tables.

What was a surprise was that no staff were in sight. They had always done cycles, someone always relieved another when they had dinner breaks or they finished their shifts. There were always at least two 'guards' in the dining hall due to its popularity. That night, there were none.

Amber scanned over to the kitchen to see if anyone was behind there. Normally they'd shut down by seven at night, and would be gone shortly afterward; it made sense that they were gone, but it didn't put her any more at ease. The other orphans didn't seem to notice or care.

Quickly, she scribbled down some notes, her confusion on what was going on. It wouldn't help her feel much better, but it would give her some release for her frustration. I need to know what's going on. First Hal acting strangely, then the staff are missing? She thought back to her walk to the dining hall and couldn't recall any staff near the other living quarters. Where are they? Who…who were those people outside today? She scribbled her thoughts down furiously before deciding a little exploration was due.

It wouldn't be long before the lights would be shut off for curfew, so she had to hurry. Luckily, the halls were mostly empty; each corner she weaved around she expected to see a staffmember somewhere. As she traversed the orphanage, that expectation turned to hope. Finishing her circuit in the lobby, her hope was fading. Amber decided to take a risk and check the headmistress' office.

Creaking open the door to her personal lobby, she noticed it was very much as she remembered from months before; unlit, two couches nestled in the corner, and a large void everywhere else. A dim light emanated from the Headmistress' door; she knew that orphans weren't allowed to approach her, not without invitation, but Amber had grown worried. The woman had always been nice to her, in her own robotic way. She feared silence more than being berated for intruding on her. Amber slowly crept to the door, each step more tentative than the last. She raised her hand and stared at it for a moment.

Please.

Her knuckle met with the wooden slab twice in quick succession. The air seemed to simply hang, devoid of answers for long, agonizing moments. Only when a single sharp word sliced through the tension that she realized she'd been holding her breath.

"Leave."

Her lungs yearned for oxygen as she attempted to make sense of her conflicting expectations. She'd wanted to know someone was still left, but she wanted answers. Something's going on and I'm going to be ready, even if I have to break the rules.
She thought of asking the Headmistress a question, but the words died before they could be spoken. No, that would be one hell of a punishment. Maybe later.

Amber made her way quickly out of the lobbies and jogged lightly to the storage room. It was always kept under guard, but it never seemed locked. It's a room full of journals, pencils, and snow shovels. Nothing dangerous, anyway.

As she veered around the corner, the lights shut off. Curfew, crap. Well, no one's enforcing it, are they? Not my fault. She knew the way to the storage room and found it unguarded as expected. Fiddling with the rusty doorknob, she was semi-surprised when it popped open. Amber took a few glances around to make sure no one was watching, and snuck inside.

The room wasn't large by any stretch. It only had staff supplies and some pads for students, really, but she decided to have a look around. After her eyes adjusted enough for her to see what she was doing, she began scanning the shelves for anything important. Something…anything useful… Her eyes focused on a small metallic strip hanging on a peg; it was incredibly light and it seemed to be about the size of an adult's forearm. I think I've seen one of these on Hal before. She slipped it loosely over her arm and pulled on its end to adjust it. It didn't fit too snug, but it wasn't about to fall off easily. So dark, I can't see what the hell I'm… a stray touch of her hand to the device caused a holo-interface to erupt from it. The shock of the bright light stumbled Amber backward into another shelf of journals.

Regaining her composure, she studied the interface. It was fairly bare, with the time shown and a small array of buttons to choose from. Never used anything like this…menu seems like a good idea… she prodded the air where the button floated, opening a small selection of options. Hrm, should I try 'Light', 'Scanner', 'Extranet', or 'Comm'? Maybe I'll start from the top.

With the press of the first option, the interface shot out a bright light from where her hand would be. Okay, that's pretty awesome. I can see in the dark now. Pressing the scanner function, a small grid came up above her forearm and showed a small red blob on it. As she moved her arm around, the blob moved on and off the grid. Don't really know the point of that. I guess I should turn the light and scanner off. Pressing the third option, a small holographic screen popped up above her forearm and had a long empty box, and beside it was a button saying 'Search'. I don't know what this is so I'm just not gonna deal with it right now. Closing that, she opened 'Comm', which asked for a 'Channel number' What the heck is a channel number? I think I'm gonna pass on this too. At least I can light up the night a bit.

Scouring the room with the light function from the interface, she didn't find anything else that was inconspicuous to bring back to her bunk. I guess it'll just be this for now. Mel's probably waiting.

Ascending the last rungs of the ladder to her bed, she noticed her red-headed bunkmate moving around frantically before sitting up suspiciously still near their pillows. From the dim lighting, she couldn't really get a good view of the girl's expression, but she didn't seem upset.

"Sorry I was late making it back Mel. Just felt like going for a walk." She said, scratching the back of her head nervously. She knew Mel probably didn't mind, but the girl worried like it was her day job sometimes. "I noticed the staff weren't around and decided to try and find them."

"Yeah, I think they left early today." Melody said, dismissively.
"But they're supposed to be here all the time, at least a few."
"Maybe you just missed them?"
"Well, I did…" her voice trailed off, thinking about the Headmistress. I don't think I should tell Mel about that. She doesn't need to worry. "I probably missed them, yeah."
"Well, now that you're here, I had something planned for earlier, but you weren't here and it's really dark now, but I don't want to wait for tomorrow so..." Amber reached out and steadied her friend.
"Easy. What's up?" Amber leaned in to get a better look at her friend and noticed the girl practically had 'nervous wreck' written all over her. "Mel, what did you have planned?"

The girl paused for a moment before reaching under the mattress and pulling out some pieces of paper.
"I…uh…see, I kind of…" she said, stumbling over each word. "I kind of read your journal."

Amber recoiled slightly. What? But, no one can read my horrible writing. "Mel, I'm pretty sure that's impossible. Sometimes, even I can't read my writing."

"You're turning fourteen tomorrow." She blurted out, and Amber was sure the readhead's face was flushed. "I still can't read most of it but I made out enough to read tomorrows date and birthday. It's your birthday tomorrow, right?"

"Uh, yeah, I guess so. It's not a big deal or anything, just another day. By this weather, I'd guess it'll be a rainy one. Mel, you could have just asked or something. I don't know. You don't need to try and figure out my writing or anything. Hell, I'll read some of it to you if you want, and…" She was going to continue but Melody had lowered her head enough where her red hair concealed her face and she could hear the distinct sound of Mel holding back sobs. Oh Mel, you ridiculous goof.

Amber reached out for her friend but Melody squirmed away from the touch.
"Mel, I'm not mad at you. Surprised you can read my writing, but I'm not mad at all." Amber rolled onto her back and rested her head on Melody's lap, looking up at her upside down face. She could feel her friend shake a little, holding back tears.
"You promise, Birdy?" she asked, each word shuddering out.

"I promise. You tell me stories of aliens and ships and stuff, I may as well share my journal with you. I don't mind." She reached up and wiped a stray tear away. "You know, has anyone ever told you that you cry a lot?"

Melody choked out a laugh. "You're such a jerk sometimes you know?"
Amber shrugged her shoulders. "Eh, I can live with that." She said, reaching up to poke Melody in the cheek. "So, you mentioned plans, before collapsing into a babbling mess?"

The only answer Amber received was a hand covering her eyes poorly. "Close your eyes, please!" she heard above her, before using her own hands to cover her face. Soon after, she felt a few pieces of paper dropped onto her lap. "Ready?"
"Yeah? I guess so?"
"Okay, now you can look."

Amber unblocked her eyes and let Melody take her hand back. In front of her were a few pieces of paper, but it was hard to make out what was on them. Taking the one on top and bringing it up to her face, she was startled at the detailed drawing in front of her. I'm no fancy art person, but this is…really good. I think. "What is it?"

"It's an Elcor! I saw a picture of it on one of Hal's holos and decided to draw it. Do you like it?" she asked excitedly. Amber nodded her head.

"This is really cool. So these are space elephants?"
"ELCOR."
"Alright. Well, it's pretty amazing looking. I didn't know you could draw like this, Mel." She said, still surprised at the form of the Elcor and the fact that her friend had kept a talent like this hidden.
"Well, everyone has their talents. The other pictures are a Turian, a Hanar, and the SSV Hastings, an Alliance ship." Amber scanned over the rest of the pictures, admiring the details and how strange everything looked. She glanced up and saw Melody smiling ear to ear in pride.

"This…must have taken some time. Thanks for letting me look at them." Amber said, passing the pages back to Melody as the girl cocked her head in return.

"They're a gift, dummy. I drew them to give to you. They're yours. It's…a birthday gift."

Amber's head throbbed slightly. A gift? What the heck am I supposed to do now? When was the last time I was given a birthday gift? Have I ever had one? This is just…complicated. I guess I should thank her, but…now I feel bad. Did her birthday pass? I've never really been given a gift before. This is…She paused for a moment before embracing Melody in a tight hug.

"Thank you Mel." She said, before slowly unwrapping herself from Melody. "I've never been given a gift before." Melody looked a little shell-shocked, but recovered quickly with a smile.

"It's the least I can do Birdy." She said playfully, sliding herself underneath the covers.
"Well, you can at least let me know when your birthday is, so I can return the favor." Amber worked her way under the sheets and took her side of the bed. She waited a few moments for an answer to her question, but the redhead beside her had seemingly fallen asleep. That girl. Sometimes, I swear she does this on purpose.

Amber shifted herself around, resting her arm under her pillow as usual, and let her thoughts drift to dreams of colony life. What would it be like to live with Elcor, or Turians? What food do they eat? Do their planets have blue skies and green grass? Do…

Amber's thoughts were stifled by a massive explosion ripping through the orphanage, toppling over her bunk-bed and numerous others onto their sides. Amber and Melody's bodies crashed to the floor violently; the force propelling them into the concrete wall with an audible crack.

Amber struggled to get to her feet, but tumbled over onto her side after her failed attempt. Everything was blurry and muffled and dark.

Everything but the screaming. And the flames.