There was no worry, not a single care. Snow covered the truck and still no one cared. Why would they for there weren't any plans to go anywhere. Surrounded by beautiful silk pillows, Jonathan lay on the warm comfy floor of the large tent, looking up at the small hole at the top where smoke escaped into the cold morning. He hadn't slept, he didn't need to, nor did he want to. Evan would be there waiting for him if he fell asleep. He fumbled for the half empty bottle beside him, his hand reaching over the other empty bottles and the still smoking ashtray, it's ashes from a drug that made Jonathan feel like he was floating.

"God…" The tent's flap suddenly swung open as Craig staggered into the tent, collapsing beside him. "Fuck...Did you sleep?"

"Did you?" Jonathan asked, his watery red eyes meeting Craig's as he shook his head. "You don't need to." He smiled, wrapping his arms around one of the decorative pillows and hugged it.

"C-Come...Come on. You need some air! Y-You're wasted.." Craig stammered, pulling the pillow from Jonathan's arms and yanked him roughly to his feet. They staggered into the morning light, the large clearing empty except the for the small group of people, the music never ending. "A-Are you still sad about Evan?"

"No. I'm not...Not sad."

"But you didn't sleep…"

"Neither did you." Jonathan pointed out. Craig laughed.

"I wasn't in a comfy tent all night d-doing nothing." Craig reminded him. They stood in the snow, watching the lights twinkling and listening to the laughter. "I know what will cheer you up!" Craig hiccuped and grabbed onto Jonathan's hand, pulling him with him across the clearing to the trees just beyond the tents. Even though it was morning, the brightly coloured lights shone brightly, winding up to the top of the trees. The lights seemed to create a maze, the warm glow pulling Jonathan into it. He chased after Craig, the two of them laughing as they ran through the snow, past a rainbow of lights. He caught up to him, stuffing snow down his collar. Craig shrieked as he struggled to get the snow out of his jacket, kicking icy snow back at Jonathan.

"Leave!" A voice suddenly yelled, making Jonathan jump. He froze, looking around with wide eyes.

"Did you hear that?" Jonathan whispered.

"Hear what?" Craig asked as he gathered up snow in his hand, packing it into a snowball.

"Someone said something…" Jonathan said, looking into the thick woods.

"You're wasted." Craig laughed and threw the snowball at him. "Let's go back. I'm cold now." Craig pushed past him, heading back towards the tents. Jonathan took one last look towards the woods before following Craig, deciding it was nothing but the dark woods beyond the beautiful lights playing tricks on him.

"I feel like a god…" Tyler smiled, smoke drifting around him in heavy clouds. "Does this place make you into gods?" There was still a few hours before the sun went down, the late afternoon finding the boys laying on the warm pillows, watching the smoke float up towards the hole in the roof of the tent.

"I don't believe in gods." Jonathan said, his red eyes glancing at Tyler for a moment before his attention was drawn somewhere else. "How are we supposed to look up to something, someone, so great but really they are just us? People make gods into these otherworldly beings, but I think they are as human as the rest of us. I don't believe in humans so why should I believe in gods?"

"You don't believe in humans? What does that make you then? A machine?" Lui laughed, his arm thrown over his face.

"No...I didn't mean it like that. I just don't believe in people that let things like New Town and the Vanoss-III project happen. My father thought he was almighty and look at how easy he was brought down." Jonathan wrapped his arms around one of the silky pillows, pressing his cheek against it. "Maybe he thought he lived in a world where death doesn't exist...or at least he thought it didn't exist for him."

"What...What did Smitty tell us again? Your dad or someone was involved in that project...to make something that is human but can outlive humans? Maybe he did try to make a world without death exist." Brock wondered.

"Shut up." Tyler suddenly said. "I'm trying to sleep." A pillow was tossed from the other side of the tent, landing on Tyler's chest. "Stop it!" He laughed as Craig threw another one. Tyler grabbed Craig's arm, stopping him from throwing another one. They all laughed for a few moments before they settled into a comfortable silence. They weren't angry with each other, they wanted to be close.

"Did we have something to do?" Brock suddenly sat up, looking around the tent. "I think we have something to do…We have to fix something."

"Relax." Tyler yawned as he rolled onto his side, grabbing a bottle beside him and handed it to Brock, the harsh alcohol inside sloshing around the bottle. It was so dark, it made Jonathan wonder what it was but he didn't want to ask Kelly what she made them drink. "We got nothing to do…Ain't nothing to worry about."

"One...Two...Three…"

"You have to wake up." Jonathan's eyes opened slowly only to be blinded by a bright light. As his eyes adjusted, he was able to see the bridge around him, hearing it creak in the wind. Below him, the river flowed with a fury, white rapids dragging blocks of ice with them. In front of him was Evan, his red jacket the colour of blood against the snow. "You have to wake up. Snap out of this."

"O-Out of what?" Jonathan stammered.

"You'll never leave!" Evan was suddenly in front Jonathan, his hands bloody and his eyes wide and black as if possessed. "Wake up!" Evan shoved Jonathan backwards, sending him stumbling towards the railing.

"Evan! Stop!"

"You'll never leave if you don't wake up!" Evan grabbed Jonathan's collar, lifting him off his feet.

"Four...Five...Six…"

"E-Evan!" Jonathan choked out. He didn't listen. Evan shoved Jonathan over the railing, sending him plummeting to the rapids below. Jonathan screamed, unable to stop himself from flailing his arms out as if to grab onto anything that would stop his fall. He crashed into the cold water, the current throwing him around as if he were nothing. Large blocks of ice rolled past him, bruising his shoulders they rolled past him. Struggling to hold his breath, he managed to find his way up and swam to the surface. "Evan!" Jonathan screamed. He gasped for air, struggling against the current that threatened to take him under again. He could see the river bank and it took all of his strength to swim towards it. His numb hands gripped onto a rock, pulling himself out of the freezing water.

"You have to wake up. You're missing something important." Jonathan looked up at Evan, heaving for air. In Evan's hands was the Vanoss-IV. He raised it above his head and smashed it into the snow, the tablet breaking apart easily. Jonathan winced, flinching away from the flying pieces of metal. "Look." Evan knelt down in front of him, reaching for the glowing blue consciousness chip. He pulled it out of its wiring and held it towards Jonathan. "Do you see it?"

"S-See what?" Jonathan's teeth chattered as shivers shook his body. Evan sighed and pointed. On the glass was a symbol, a watermark. "That's the symbol for ohms...The symbol for electrical resistance. S-So?"

"You have to wake up. Snap out of this. La La Land is not beautiful." Evan stood up slowly, looking down at Jonathan with sad eyes. He was now a soldier, red and white thread circling his arms. Over his heart was the golden owl. "This world needs you."

Jonathan awoke with a strangled cry. The tent was empty but now Jonathan could see it. The pillows were not glittery and silk but torn and stained fabric. There were holes in the tent and the stinging smell of drugs lingered in the air.

"F-Fuck." Jonathan got to his feet, exhaustion and the cold making him ache. He tripped over a pillow, his numb hands catching his fall on the disgusting pillows. "Ugh...fuck." His right hand had landed in a puddle of spilt alcohol, only in the dim light, Jonathan could see that it wasn't alcohol. The black liquid dripped from his hands, looking more like poison than alcohol. "Oh god…" Suddenly feeling very ill, he stumbled out of the tent and fell to his knees, unable to stop himself from throwing up. His stomach heaved and tears of pain leaked from his eyes. His head throbbed, hurting more and more with every movement he made. He struggled to his feet and felt the urge to be sick again. No one looked alive. A few hours ago, everyone looked so beautiful, so full of life but now under dying flickering lights, they looked like the dead come back from the grave. The music hurt Jonathan's head, no longer perfect. "T-Tyler! Brock! L-" Jonathan fought back another wave of nausea as he made his way towards the crowd. "Lui! W-Where are you? Craig?" Jonathan yelled as loud as he could. He pushed past people who looked so pale and sick, so exhausted it amazed him that they were still on their feet. They had been cursed, put under a trance to make them think this was all they needed till the end. This was a safe place compared to the Wasteland beyond. "Tyler!" Jonathan screamed, feeling lost and lightheaded. He thought for a moment that he was going to pass out only to be trampled right there in the dirty snow.

He ran back through the crowd, taking a deep breath as he made it out. If they weren't dancing, they were in the tents somewhere. He went from tent to tent, feeling sicker with each one. He shivered violently, wondering where his coat and gloves and hat had gone. They thought they weren't cold but as he looked down at his hands, he realised that his fingertips had gone blue. "Brock! Tyler!" He pulled open the flap of a tent and stopped when he saw Kelly, a furious look on her face.

"Going somewhere, Jonathan?" She asked, a forced smile spreading on her lips.

"Where are my friends?"

"Having a great time." She gestured to the large crowd behind him. "Why don't you go join them?"

"You've poisoned us. You won't let us leave." Jonathan snapped. "I know what you did."

"Everyone here is too drunk to listen to you. Besides...You won't be going anywhere without this, I assume?" From the table, she picked up the Vanoss-IV, giving him a smile. "Whatever this is, it's quite mean but it's your guide."

"I don't care what you think. You are killing people here." Jonathan held his hand out to take the Vanoss-IV. "We're leaving." Before he could react, Kelly brought the Vanoss-IV down onto the table, smashing it. "No!" Jonathan cried, flinching away from the flying pieces of metal. The glowing blue consciousness chip caught his eye. He lunged for it, his numb hand curling around it tightly before Kelly noticed it. On the glass was the ohm symbol, just as Evan had shown him. A hand suddenly grabbed Jonathan's collar, choking him as he was dragged back and thrown out of the tent into the snow. Kelly kicked him hard in the side, the force knocking the air out of Jonathan's lungs. He gasped for air, the glass of the consciousness chip digging into his palm.

"How dare you threaten this place!" Kelly yelled, reaching down to grab the knife that had been hidden in her boot. She kicked Jonathan again, pain exploding through his ribs. She pinned him down to the snow, pressing the knife against his throat. "It is safe here. Out there is death."

"Then let us...let us go." Jonathan said through gritted teeth. The sharp edge of the knife pressed into Jonathan's skin, a thin line of blood appearing on his throat. Taking a deep breath, Jonathan managed to roll, shoving Kelly off. The knife dug into his throat as he rolled suddenly, blood spurting onto the snow. He cried out in pain, pressing his hand to the wound as he scrambled to his feet. "Brock! Tyler! Lui!" Jonathan screamed, falling to his knees as they gave out under him. "Craig! Help!" He fell onto his side, seeing Kelly catching up to him. "Fuck fuck." Blood covered his hand, nausea and dizziness not letting him get back up.

"We got you…" Brock was suddenly there, wrapping his arms under Jonathan's arms and pulled him to his feet. Tyler moved in front of them, protecting them. A flash of silver caught Jonathan's eye, the knife in Lui's hand reflecting the flickering lights.

"Here." Craig wrapped Jonathan's jacket around him, the faded owl resting over his shoulder.

"We're leaving." Tyler cried. "Try to stop us." They all looked sick, but sober as well. They saw it too, the ruins that La La Land was. "Come on." They hurried through the camp, avoiding those passed out or dead on the snow and ran for their truck. "The tyres!" As Brock helped Jonathan into the back, scrambling to find gauze, the others got to work on the tyres. They could hear yelling as Kelly and a group of others turned the corner, determined to stop them.

"Come on!" Lui yelled as he swung into the back, reaching for the nearest gun and loaded it. "Hurry!" He shot a warning bullet into the air, making the group jump and stop for a moment.

"One second!" Tyler yelled as he rolled the popped tyre away and reached for the new one from Craig.

"Go go go!" Lui yelled, firing another shot in the direction of the group, missing on purpose. Jonathan closed his eyes tightly as he heard the yelling get louder and the sound of Lui jumping from the truck to fight. Gun shots echoed painfully in Jonathan's ears, making him grab onto Brock's arm tightly. He pressed his forehead against his shoulder, tears spilling from his eyes.

"I-I'm sorry." Jonathan sobbed.

"For what? We all got ourselves into this." Brock reassured him. A bullet ricocheted off one of the poles behind him, making him jump. Jonathan nodded slightly, his grip tightening on Brock's arm.

"Lui come on! I got it!" Tyler suddenly yelled. The truck started up, the engine rumbling to life. Lui jumped and grabbed onto one of the poles, firing again at the group. Jonathan didn't sit up to see what they had done. Jonathan heard the truck's doors slam and it quickly sped up, driving down the small road as quickly as possible, past the trees that were lit up with flickering, dim coloured lights.

"Are you okay?" Brock asked, keeping the gauze pressed to the deep cut on Jonathan's throat. He nodded slowly, meeting Brock's gaze. He looked sick and desperate for sleep. He doubted that he looked any different.

"Are you?"

"I'll be fine. I've been drunk before." Brock smiled.

"N-Not like this...We weren't drinking what we were told." Lui said as he sat down beside them. "Was she a witch?"

"Maybe...I thought that place was beautiful...but it was if someone slapped me and I woke up." Brock said, pulling back the gauze to check on the wound.

"I want to forget about it. I feel so sick." Lui groaned, leaning his head back. The truck suddenly slammed on its brakes, throwing them forward. The sound of something hitting the hood made them jump. Jonathan felt sick again.

"Fuck!" Tyler's door swung open as he jumped out. Jonathan sat up and watched him freeze, unable to move.

"Tyler?"

"What is it?" Lui climbed out of the back, jumping down the snow as Craig opened his door, leaning against it as he ran a hand through his hair. Brock got up and followed Lui out, leaving Jonathan struggling to sit up. He kept his hand to the gauze as he crawled to the end of the truck, kicking the door down and slid down to the snow.

"G-Guys? What happened?" No one said a word; they couldn't. A cold wind made Jonathan shiver as he moved towards the front of the truck, past Brock and Lui who looked disturbed and on the verge of tears. Past Tyler whose hands were curled into shaking fists. Jonathan's eyes lowered to the road in front of the truck, a red jacket the colour of blood against the snow making his eyes widen. Fear and shock came over Jonathan, leaving him paralysed. Evan lay on the snow, unconscious from the impact of hitting the truck. Snow landed on his black hair, his fingertips looking blue from the cold. "Y-You're real…" Jonathan whispered as he shakily knelt down, reaching for Evan's hand. He held onto it tightly, feeling a heartbeat.

"You said they had taken the bodies too…" Brock managed to say. "He's...reanimated…"