Andrew sat in the tent, terrified. The next morning would bring about the end. It was the end of everything. The end of life. He began to shake, and the light from the sun faded into nothing. Mary checked on him twice, giving him a blanket the second time.

“Don’t get sick, now, Andrew,” she said happily, “or you won’t survive tomorrow!” Andrew shook harder. How could this have happened to him? How had this horrible fate come to rest on his shoulders? A terror he had never known, never faced, coursed through him. The years of grieving for his family meant nothing now. He didn’t want to join them. He wanted to live, even if he was imprisoned in this unholy town with these terrifying, god-forsaken monsters. Mary left the tent, grinning from ear to ear.

Andrew never once looked away from the ground. He couldn’t sleep. He felt like he was going to throw up at any moment. He lost track of time completely, and in his terror, he couldn’t tell if the night was speeding by or the anticipation of his demise was making things go even slower.

The flap of the tent opened suddenly, filling the small area with moonlight. Jonathan was looking around frantically.

“Andrew,” he whispered, “you have to come with me!” Andrew’s heart stopped. His eyes widened. Was it time already? He opened his mouth to ask if it was, indeed, that dreadful hour, but no sound came out. Jonathan read the terror on Andrew’s face perfectly. “No, no,” he said. “It’s not time, not yet. That’s why we have to go, now!” Andrew moved the blanket off himself.

Floods of questions entered his mind, but he could only manage, “What?” in his terrified state. Jonathan lowered his voice.

“I have to get you out of here,” he whispered. “I won’t let them do this to you. You can’t die just for our salvation, it isn’t fair. Someday maybe the One will be someone who doesn’t matter, but I can’t just step aside and let them kill you. Your life is more important. Are you coming or not?” Andrew’s throat was constricted with fear and gratitude, so he nodded. “You know, if they catch us, there’s nothing I can do.” Andrew nodded again. Jonathan smiled. “Alright,” he said, “let’s go. Let me do the talking.” He grabbed Andrew’s upper arm in a vice-like grip and hauled him out of the tent.

“HEY!” said a voice. Andrew whipped around, petrified, but Jonathan turned smoothly.

“Yeah?” he said, his voice detached.

“Where are you going with him?” Brian’s angry face swam out of the darkness. Andrew froze, but Jonathan gave him a condescending look.

“I’m taking him into the woods,” he said. “After all, he doesn’t have much time left. He wants to see the moon and the stars, fine by me. But he’s not going alone.” Brian glared at Jonathan, then at Andrew.
“Fine,” he said. “He better be back by sunrise, though.” Jonathan nodded, and toted Andrew into the dark. The moment Brian was out of sight, he broke into a run. Andrew met his pace easily, fueled by his terror.

“If Brian tells anyone, they’ll most likely come looking for us,” said Jonathan. “Brian’s practically the only person in town who hasn’t noticed our friendship. If he tells Mary, we’re going to have to really run fast.” Andrew just ran. Jonathan hurried ahead of him, darting around trees and bushes, heading for the edge of the town limits. When they reached a road, he paused for a moment, and Andrew caught up to him easily. They hurried across, and through waist-high bushes.

“Once we reach the fence, you’ll have to climb, and you’ll have to run. Run as fast as you possibly can. There’s a highway a mile or so out from the fence. If you can’t hitchhike, then just run. Run either way, eventually you’ll find a town or someone who’ll give you a ride. Just get away.” Andrew nodded, not wasting his breath on speaking.

Then, behind them, a terrible scream echoed through the trees. Andrew heard Jonathan say, ‘Oh no,’ under his breath.

“They know,” he said. “They know, Brian said something!” He quickened his pace, and Andrew followed suit. There was a huge roar, and the sounds of glass breaking. Andrew chanced a glance around and saw smoke above the trees.

“They have fire!” he shouted.

“Hurry!” Jonathan said. “There are trees up ahead! Run faster!” They bolted through the bushes and back into the cover of trees, but Andrew felt no safer then he had before. Those monsters knew these woods better then the backs of their pallid hands.

And then Andrew saw it. A metallic gleam in the darkness ahead.

“THE FENCE!” he shouted, euphoric. He and Jonathan picked up their paces further. Andrew was pushing himself to his ultimate limit. He had never run so hard or so fast in his life. He slammed into the cold metal of the fence, and Jonathan immediately lowered himself to the ground to give him a boost up. Andrew climbed frantically, trying to stay calm so that he would not fall. He pushed himself up and over the fence, falling onto the hard ground. He stood, and saw an orange light through the trees. He was gasping for breath.

“Come on!” he said. Jonathan was panting as well. He shook his head.

“No, they need a distraction,” he gasped. “I need to stay here to make sure you have more time.”

“NO!” said Andrew loudly.

“Sh! Quiet!” said Jonathan angrily. “Don’t make me regret this! Now run!” Andrew backed away from the fence slowly.

“Thank you,” he said. “Thank you so much.” Tears filled his eyes and he tried as hard as he could to push them away. “I’ll never, ever forget you.” Jonathan smiled a sad smile.

“You’re welcome. Live a good life.” The orange gleam was becoming brighter, and Jonathan couldn’t help but chuckle. “They’re mobbing. Like they’re human or something.” The sound of angry yelling could be heard. Jonathan looked at Andrew. “Are you going to run or what?” he shouted. Andrew jumped, and hurried the other way, away from the fence, away from the one person in the whole world he knew he could trust. He heard Jonathan scream, “I love you,” into the darkness after him, but he could not turn to reply. He had no time.

“I love you too!” he screamed into the darkness, ignoring the awkwardness of the statement, hoping his friend would hear it. He had never loved anyone the way he loved Jonathan. He would never love anyone as much as he loved Jonathan. Jonathan had saved his life twice – once from the abyss of grief, and now again from the gruesome hand of death.

Andrew would never in his life love any person more then the man who saved him.