Feral → newt, tmr

Pandemonium erupts in the cold night air. People flood the crowded street, scrambling toward a black, armored personnel carrier encircled by soldiers gripping rifles. The desperation is palpable, bodies pressed together in a chaotic struggle for salvation.

A loudspeaker crackles above the turmoil, its harsh command slicing through the noise: "Step back or we will open fire! Only notified citizens will be granted entry!"

A woman in her early thirties pushes forward, dragging her two children through the frenzied mass. Her grip is tight around the twins, a boy and a girl barely five, as she elbows her way to the front. The crowd is an unyielding wave, but she forces her way through, clinging to hope as if it’s the last thing she has left.

Reaching the carrier at last, she falls to her knees, pulling her children close. Her breath comes in ragged gasps, tears streaking down her cheeks. "Never let go of each other," she whispers, her voice trembling. Her hands cup their small faces as she forces a smile through the despair. "I love you both. I love you so much."

The twins gaze at her, wide-eyed and silent. The boy's hand clutches his sister’s as she nods, trying to be brave.

Soldiers close in, their faces hidden behind dark helmets. The retinal scanner flashes in the night, and then, without hesitation, they separate the twins from their mother’s arms. The twins cries out, reaching back for their mother, but the soldiers carry them into the carrier, drowning their calls in the chaos.

The vehicle lurches forward, parting the sea of desperate people. The twins press against the window, searching for their mother in the crowd. Her figure fades, swallowed by the frantic throng as she cries after them, her voice lost to the madness. "We’ll see each other soon. I promise!"

Katherine’s light brown eyes are wide with fear, her small body trembling as she turns to her brother. "Tommy, I'm scared," she whispers, her voice barely audible above the rumble of the carrier.

Thomas pulls her close, wrapping his arms around her and squeezing tight. "Don't worry, Kat. I'll protect you." His voice is soft but steady, a promise he clings to as the world outside spirals into darkness.

"Kat! Thomas!" A voice cuts through the silence, yanking Katherine from her sleep to the grounds of reality. The helicopter jolts, its whirring blades slowing as it touches down. She blinks awake, groggy, her cheek pressed against Thomas’s shoulder. He’s still out cold, his head drooping against her, mouth slightly open.

She nudges him, urgency in her voice. "Tommy, wake up! We’re here!"

Thomas stirs, blinking in confusion as he takes in their surroundings. The dark night stretches out before them, a massive building looming ahead, its blinding lights piercing the gloom.

"Come on!" Katherine urges, already scrambling out of the helicopter. She grabs her brother's arm, pulling him along as they sprint toward the entrance. Behind them, shouts and chaos erupt.

"Cranks! We got Cranks!" The cry pierces the air, followed by the rapid thud of boots and the clicking of rifles. "Set a perimeter! Hold them back on the right side!"

The twins barely have a chance to look back before the guards shove them through the building's double doors, locking them in with a loud clang. Inside, the space is vast and industrial, machines humming and men moving about in hurried strides. The metallic scent and harsh lighting disorient Katherine, her breath coming in sharp, shallow gasps.