“Are you ready?” Bob asked Ashley with a warm smile, his blue eyes sparkling.
Her hazel eyes met his and she nodded, returning the smile.
“I am!” Mikey exclaimed, hobbling into the room, clutching at his side.
“Oh, no you don’t! You’re not going anywhere,” Bob stated firmly as he watched the teen wince with every movement.
He was only allowed to come back home two days ago. The Rebellions did a good job on him. The left side of his face was burnt and he was covered in cuts and bruises. Several cuts were deep and needed to be stitched. The teen had several fractured and broken ribs and it was a miracle that he didn’t have any fatal injuries. He was very lucky.
“Come on, Bob! The moon’s out. Do you honestly think I’m going to miss this once in three months event because of a few bumps and bruises?” the boy complained.
“You can barely move, but you want to go out and join in the celebrations?” Bob asked, looking at him with one eyebrow raised in disbelief.
“Bob’s right, Mikey,” Gabby said, coming into the room. “You can’t go out in your current condition. The crowds will run you over.”
“I’m sure you don’t want to be road kill,” Bob teased.
“Can’t he just go out for a little while? I’m sure nothing will happen as long as he stays away from all the craziness,” Ashley suggested.
Bob looked at her in surprise as Mikey started doing a little dance, but nearly collapsing from the pain that followed. The teen looked up at him hopefully.
“Fine,” Bob sighed in defeat. “But if you get hurt any more, it’s all on you. I warned you.”
“Yes!” Mikey exclaimed happily.
“Don’t worry, Bob,” Gabby smiled, trying to calm her boyfriend down before he hurt himself again. “I’ll keep an eye on him.”
“Let’s go then,” the broad shouldered man said, holding his hand out to Ashley.
The brunette happily accepted it and followed him out the door.

*

“Second date?” Ray asked, as he leaned against the doorframe of Chelle’s room, watching as Tati helped her get ready.
“First date,” the young girl replied.
“Frank chose the perfect night for it,” Tati stated, pulling a comb through the teen’s long wavy brown hair.
“Let’s hope he doesn’t ruin it by opening his big mouth,” Ray snickered.
Tatiana burst out laughing at Ray’s remark.
“That’s mean,” Chelle commented. “Frank’s not that bad.”
“When his mouth’s closed,” he laughed.
The brunette stared at him in disbelief.
“Ray, cut it out,” Tati laughed. “Chelle’s going on a date with the guy.”
“I know, that’s why I’m trying to prepare her for what’s coming,” he kept joking.
“I like Frank just the way he is,” Michelle stated, voice full of conviction. “You really can’t say anything about him ruining things by opening his mouth, because you’re also guilty of that.”
“Oh, burn!” Tati exclaimed laughingly.
“Well, I guess I can’t say anything to that,” the tall male murmured to himself.
“Knock, knock,” Frank’s voice approached them and then his face was visible from behind Ray. “I hope you guys don’t mind that I just walked in, but the door was open.”
“Come in,” Tati invited him. “We were just talking about you.”
“That doesn’t sound good.”
“It’s not,” Tati admitted. “But I’m sure you’re used to that by now. It’s not like that many people have a lot of good things to say about you.”
“Yikes, Tati! Subtle much?” Frank asked sarcastically.
The raven-haired beauty shrugged, “I’m just being honest.”
“Right,” he rolled his eyes. “Chelle, you ready to go?”
“Yeah, Tati, it’s time to go,” Ray agreed.
“We’re ready,” the girls announced in unison, following them out of the room.

*

“I can’t believe I’ve been here for almost five months,” Gerard said as he and Rae walked onto the crowded streets of Una where the festivities had already begun. “And I’ll be honest with you, I’ve experienced more in these past five months than in my entire lifetime back on earth.”
“That’s actually kind of sad,” the red-head noted, trying not to laugh. “I’m curious, you’re a young adult. What did you do? I mean, what you did for a living. Did you have someone special before the accident?”
“I studied music and as for a girlfriend, no, I was single; all alone in the big bad world,” he joked.
“Now you have me in the small bad world,” Rae chuckled in response.
“I do,” he grinned. “How big is Una anyway?”
“Population? I’d guess about twenty million overall.”
“Wow,” he said surprised. “It’s small. That’s about double the size of New York City.”
A group of children ran past them laughing.
“I still can’t believe this,” the dark-haired male grinned. “This is amazing. This is the only time I get to see the people on Una happy. They’re genuinely alive for a change.”
“Come on!” Rae urged him, laughing and the couple ran into the streets to join the celebrations.

*

“Wow, this is amazing!” Chelle exclaimed grinning.
The teen stared at everything around her in awe. People were dancing in the streets. There were performers – fire-breathers, musicians, magicians. High up in the sky fireworks were exploding. Children were running around laughing and playing.
“I know,” Frank grinned, watching her face brighten up with every new sight.
She was glowing with happiness and that little fact sent his own heart soaring.
“This way,” he said, pulling her towards one of the street parades.
“Is it always this festive on a night the moon’s out?” she wanted to know, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
“It’s the only night we get to go out in three months!” he called back over the loud noise. “It’s like the fourth of July every single time.”
Gabby danced towards the couple and grabbed Chelle’s hands, spinning them both in circles. The girls twirled and danced and laughed. Both of them loved dancing and became entranced in the music. Gabby got carried away by the throng of people. Another parade came by and picked up Frank and Chelle. The two teens laughed in delight as they were carried along.
“I absolutely love this!” she cried out as soon as they were back on the side-walk.
“I figured you’d enjoy it,” he grinned broadly. “But come on, there’s still tons to see!”

*

Tati grinned broadly while she swayed her hips to the rhythm of the music as she danced her way towards the bar.
“Come on, Ray! Are you going to work all night?” she wanted to know from her boyfriend.
“Someone has to keep the drinks coming,” he replied, grinning sheepishly.
“Where’s that other dude? Can’t he do it? Just one dance, pleeeaaseee,” she whined.
“Okay,” the tall barman laughed, putting his hands up in defeat. “David!” he shouted over the loud music of the night club. “Watch my spot! I’ll be right back.”
The other guy nodded in response and Ray moved off into the crowd with his beautiful girlfriend.
Erin, Alex and Bellz made their way into the club at that moment, looking around for familiar faces.
“I’m going to go get myself a drink,” Erin shouted to them over the noise. “Do you guys want anything?”
The two teens shook their heads.
“I’m going dancing!” Alex yelled back, gesturing towards the dance floor. “You coming?” she wanted to know from Bellz.
Just then Arin appeared and smiled at the brunette. Annabel shrugged and took Arin’s hand, moving off with him. Then the other two teens also separated. Erin reached the bar and immediately the barman appeared in front of her. She looked up and smiled brightly at the obviously still teenage boy.
“Can I get…hm… Surprise me!” she said brightly.
She watched him as he prepared her drink. He was cute. His black hair came down to his neck, covering his ears and he had a few piercings: a ring through his right nostril and through his bottom lip. She bit her lower lip suggestively as he turned around.
“I’m Erin!” she introduced herself.
“David,” he smiled, shaking her hand.
She pulled out some money, but he shook his head.
“It’s on me!” he told her and she flashed him a dazzling smile.
“Save me a dance later!” she said before moving off to find her friends.
The teen smiled after her.

*

“They tackled me right here,” Frank explained, pointing to a place in the field. “I don’t really even remember everything they did to me except the fact that they stole all my belongings. It might as well have been a mugging. I’d honestly rather face a group of Rebellions.”
Chelle was in hysterics by now.
“I’m sure it wasn’t that bad.”
“Have you ever been attacked by two angry girls?” he questioned her, stopping dead in his tracks and holding her back.
She giggled, “No, but I’ve never played two girls before either.”
“Ouch,” he winced in feign hurt.
“Aw, I’m sor…” her words were cut off as he pulled her closer and kissed her deeply.
“I can take it,” he breathed against her lips. “It’s like Tati said, it’s not like a lot of people have that many nice things to say about me.”
“I don’t think you’re that bad,” the brunette assured him, leaning back in for another kiss.
They heard a sound like a twig snapping and their heads turned in the direction of the noise…

*

“Do you always come here?” Gerard asked, as he and Rae sat in the field staring up at the moon.
“Everyone sees the night the moon comes out as a major celebration, because it’s the one night they can come out without worrying about the Rebellions and they’re right. But it’s also the only night in three months that the moon comes out. I always take part in the festivities, but after a while I like to come out here and look at the moon,” she explained, her piercing blue eyes meeting his hazel orbs.
“You have a good point,” he nodded in response. “You know, I can remember the last time we were here. Erin and Alex tackled Frank and I swear it was the funniest thing ever,” he laughed. “It was right there,” he pointed towards the place. “Right there where he’s busy making out with my sister,” he growled.
Rae chuckled, “Yeah, I don’t think you’re supposed to see that. Let them be. They like each other.”
Gerard sighed in defeat, “I guess. Hm, you know, three months ago everything was so completely different. So many people have been added to our family or friends and…”
Rae crashed her lips to his, completely shutting him up. She was enjoying the evening way too much to even think about how things were before he came into her life and changed everything. Yes, it was great that their ‘family’ has expanded by several members, but the most important addition was right here with her and she has never been happier.
From somewhere in the field there was a loud high pierced scream.
“Ugh, not again,” Gerard groaned, looking back at the field behind them, but seeing nothing. “It seems like something always happens on this night.”
The sound was followed by a howling sound in the distance.
“Something’s wrong,” Rae stated, feeling unsettled and getting up. “Something isn’t right.”
Frank and Chelle came running hand-in-hand towards the couple.
“Did you guys hear that?” Frank asked out of breath.
Rae nodded looking very worried, but the field seemed eerily silent now. However, they had the feeling that it was only the calm before the storm.

*

“So, how old are you?” Erin asked the teen standing across from her at the other side of the bar.
“I’m seventeen. I’ve actually seen you around school,” he told her.
“U-huh,” she smiled.
“Yeah, this might sound kind of stalkerish, but I know a lot about you, Erin,” David said. “I know for instance that you’re the sweetest girl ever, but you’re also extremely loud and outgoing.”
The blonde girl giggled, “That does sound kind of stalkerish, but I don’t mind.”
The doors of the club burst open at that moment and a strong wind blew through, turning over tables and breaking glasses. People screamed and clung onto their partners or belongings.
“What’s going on???” Erin shouted over the noise, covering her ears and trying to stay in place.
Her hair was blowing in all directions and she narrowed her eyes trying to see. David grabbed her hand, holding her in place, but he couldn’t explain the occurrence any better than she could.

*

Alex ran down the street, trying to get back to the main street. Her heart was pounding away in her chest and she was breathing heavily as fear clung to her whole being. She could hear what sounded like crying in the distance and she knew exactly what was making that sound.
“Alex!” a voice called to her from the ally, making her stop dead in her tracks.
“Arin, what are you doing here and where is Bellz?” she asked, trying to catch her breath. “We need to get back to everyone else. We need to get inside…” she breathed. “The Rebellions… they’re out!”
“I know,” he murmured.
There was a noise not too far from where they were and Arin pulled her into the ally, covering her mouth with his hand.
“Shh… They’re coming,” he whispered quietly and she stared back at him, eyes wide with fear. This was it. They were going to die.

*

“Shit, Mikey, come on!” Gabby urged, trying to help him move faster. “They’re coming.”
“Ah!” he cried out in pain. “I can’t, it hurts too much,” he said as tears rolled down his face.
The teen looked at her boyfriend helplessly, because she knew that he was in excruciating pain, but they couldn’t stay where they were. The Rebellions were out and killing everything in their way. Mikey collapsed on the side-walk. She looked down at him and remembered why he was in his current condition. He protected her when the Rebellions caught them out too late one night. Even though she was useless with fear, she made a decision to protect him this time. She wasn’t going to let anything happen to the blonde boy.
“Come on, Mikey,” she stated, bending down to help him off the ground.
“Gabby, I’m trying, but you should go on without me. I’ll be okay,” he told her, clutching at his side.
“No, Mikey, I’m not leaving you!” she said determined. “I know you’re in pain, Hun, but you have to move. We need to get home,” she begged.
They made it a few feet before they stumbled and fell down on the pavement.
“No, come on!” Gabby cried, tears streaming down her face now too. “We’re almost there.”
“Gabby, just go,” Mikey told her.
“I’m not leaving you!” she yelled angrily. “Now just, please, hold on just a little longer. Please.”
“Gabby…”
“Please…” she pleaded helplessly.
“I’ll be okay.”
The girl stood whimpering in front of him.
“Go!” he shouted harshly.
She burst into even more tears and started running. She was never going to forgive herself. If anything happened to him it was all on her and she would never be able to move on from this night. She just abandoned someone she loved. How selfish and cowardly could she be? No, she would find Bob and they would come back for him. Mikey was going to be fine. He just had to be.

*

The main street was in chaos as people ran around frantically, trying to get inside and back to their houses. Decorations fell down and brought lights with them causing fires. Ashley was sat on the sidewalk, sobbing.
“Ashley!” Bob cried frantically, gently shaking her shoulders. “What’s wrong?”
“The fire,” she whimpered.
The blonde male figured that she was afraid of fire. He scooped her up in his strong arms and started towards his house in long strides. He was worried to death about Gabby and Mikey. He couldn’t believe that the Rebellions were out. They never came out on the night the moon was out. Yet here they were, wreaking havoc. People were screaming and running around. The Rebellions were barely noticeable in all the chaos. They were destroying everything in their way. People were dying all over the place. It looked like the end of the world had come…