The clouds above are tinted in brilliant oranges and reds as the sun sets behind the trees. Mikaela watches as the sky slowly darkens while the teachers and adults quietly bicker amongst themselves on what to do.
"I hope my sister's okay," Raoul remarks out of the blue. "She had a tutoring session today."
Mikaela glances back at the adults, some of whom aren't quite so quiet anymore. No one seems to be deciding anything anytime soon. And…if it's really the end of the world, do I want to be stuck with my classmates? Most of them are idiots or assholes. She turns back to the boys, her hands on her hips and one eyebrow cocked. "Maybe we should go find her."
Sam stares at her. "I don't think the teachers would like that," he points out.
Raoul grins. "I won't tell if you don't," he says.
"Where's your sense of adventure?" Mikaela adds. "Besides, do you really want to stick around here and wait for whoever's behind that message to come find us?"
"How are we even going to get back? We're out in the middle of nowhere!" Sam waves his hands around for emphasis, and Mikaela and Raoul hurriedly shush him, throwing glances over their shoulders at the adults.
"By car," Raoul says.
"You're going to steal someone's keys?"
"We're going to borrow someone's car," Mikaela says quietly, a plan already forming in her mind. "We'll bring it back."
"Eventually," Raoul adds, and Sam splutters at both of them.
