“What are we going to do? The boys are still in there.” pleaded Cynthia Redmond to her husband as she clung to his right arm.

  Outside of the makeshift first aid area, the tent city surrounding the inner wall of the Reservoir was in shambles. Tents were knocked over, dead bodies of Flaming Pitchfork guards littered the streets, and the entrance to the main building was locked up tight. Several giant cicada corpses joined the fallen guards. They could still hear the tell tale rhythmic thrumming of the bugs that still flittered around the campus.

  “We need to find Tommy. If anyone can get that door open its him.” stated Doc Redmond clasping his wife’s hand. “He built the damn thing for Christ’s sake.”

  Both parents peeked out from the flaps of the triage tent. It was a miracle that it’d gone untouched this whole time. After two straight days of cicada attacks, this encampment was looking just as shabby as it began. Gunfire rang out from atop the main building and bug corpses splatted to the ground.

  “I think he was trying to repair the Eastern wall after that last attack.” She whispered up to him.

  Just then, a cicada the size of a mountain lion landed not six feet away from the tent flap. It buzzed and hopped on the ground spinning in a circle. Redmond pushed his wife back further into the tent before lifting a scalpel. One of them was going to make it to their boys, it didn’t have to be him. The doctor crouched down real low next to the tent flap, internally praying that the mutation wouldn’t poke its insectile head in. He lifted the scalpel hoping he could bring it down in a swift slice blinding half of the creatures’ eyes. Skittering could be heard outside of the tent. Redmond held a breath as his muscles tensed in preparation to strike. He hauled his right arm back grasping the handle in a white knuckle grip before he heard a loud thud and the crunching of carapace. Mustering up what little courage he had left, Redmond peeked through the tent flap.

  There was a large hand made of earth pressing down atop a squashed cicada. Its internal fluids were pouring out around the hand onto the loose gravel around it. As he watched the hand disintegrated into dark earth and the same gravel before settling back down into the ground.

  “What is it? Why are you making that face?” whispered Cynthia as she pulled on her blonde hair nervously.

  “The bug is dead. It’s been crushed. I don’t under—” Redmond was cut off as the tent flap opened and closed suddenly. His attention was on his wife, and he missed the opportunity to strike at the person now standing before him.

  CJ stood there in a pristine looking Flaming Pitchfork uniform. He seemed healthy and whole with a wide smile on his face that reached ear to ear. The flap opened again, and a black furred rabbit scampered inside. It was obviously Monty, CJ’s pet, but it was a little larger than Redmond had remembered. Not by much but definitely larger.

  “Tada!” said CJ holding his arms out wide.

  “CJ?!” coughed Redmond.

  “Oh my god! You’re alive!” shrieked Cynthia under her breath as she pumped her arms in excitement. “I know I saw the message, but I still couldn’t believe it. How?”

  “Long story and from the looks of this place it doesn’t look like I’ll have the time. Where is everyone else? Where’s Tommy?” CJ asked as he turned his head left and right noticing some no phones huddled in corners.

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  “We think he may be on the east side of the camp. He was restoring the walls after the last attack.” Answered Redmond still in shock and looking at CJ up and down.

  “East side. Monty can you scout it? I’m going to get us set up here and let the others know what’s happening.” Said CJ aloud deciding to rip the band aid off.

  Monty looked up at CJ and quirked one eyebrow as if to say, are you sure? CJ just replied with a curt nod.

  “Sure thing, I’ll let you know what I find.” Monty answered aloud before casting “Now You Don’t” and disappearing from everyone’s perception.

  CJ almost felt the gathered fifteen or so people’s assholes pucker upon hearing the two foot tall rabbit talk. Cynthia almost fell back into a support pole holding the tent roof up before Redmond caught her.

  “How…what?” stuttered Redmond, looking back to CJ.

  “Do you trust me Redmond?” retorted CJ.

  “Strange time to ask this but yes. Why?” replied the doctor.

  “This is going to sting a little, but you will understand everything, including your wife’s words about the wah wah after I’m done.” CJ answered looking directly into Redmond’s eyes as he approached. There was an unspoken bond of camaraderie exchanged between them.

  CJ reached up to Redmond’s head with both hands extended. He didn’t try anything stage worthy or attempt to distract others. Keeping his eyes firmly locked on Redmond’s, his hands contacted either side of his head. Guiding his mana through his arms with much more control than ever before after doing this with so many people back at Leaf’s Bend, his mana touched Redmond’s. The doctor winced for the briefest of seconds before his eyes shot open. CJ released the man’s head as he was obviously reading his slate for the first time.

  “What did you do to him?” implored Cynthia as she spun Redmond around looking into his face.

  “I connected him to his slate for the first time.” CJ replied arms folded with a look of self-satisfaction on his face. “All he needs to do is pick a class, I’d recommend whatever is highlighted in rainbow colors. They seem to be the rarest.”

  New Message from Theo: You need the cavalry? We heard gunfire.

  New Message from Party Leader CJ: Sit tight, the situation here is fluid. Looks like they’ve been hit hard by the cicadas and haven’t recovered yet. We must have just missed the last attack. Had to kill one as soon as I entered.

  “You all look hungry.”

  CJ then began producing candy bars and bags of chips. He started lining them up on the table before making a line of bottled water just behind the line of snacks. Several of the cowering people scrambled forward to grab at the food and for the first time CJ thought the situation was even worse than he believed.

  Cynthia brought her husband over to a nearby cot and sat him down. She spoke some words to him as tears rolled down his cheeks. Then she got up and walked back over to CJ with a stern look on her face.

  “You didn’t prepare him for the goddess’s message.” She spat with fury in her voice. “He just had the weight of the past few months dropped on him like a ton of bricks. I don’t think anyone who didn’t know about her offer to take people away from this will understand after living this way. I expected more compassion from you.”

  CJ’s jaw practically hit the floor. The old couple back in town were grateful to know their family was safe and didn’t abandon them. He was wholly taken aback by what Cynthia just said. Never in his wildest dreams did he consider after months of struggle that getting access to your Slate would be so soul crushing. His jaw snapped shut and he hung his head in shame. Then a golden glow rippled through Redmond’s body and shot up to his feet. Cynthia spun back around and stared at her husband alongside CJ.

  “I had a class choice ringed in gold.” Said Redmond in an otherworldly tone, “I selected Acolyte of Caduceus. It was only available to me because I took they Hippocratic Oath. How are you able to do this?”

  “Part of that long story. If I may ask, what abilities did you get?”

  “Healing. I’m a walking medical miracle if I’m reading this right.”

  “Good. This is going to get worse before it gets better.” CJ commented before looking over the gathered people in the tent. “Where are the boys?”

  “The Skippers men closed and locked the main building during the last attack.” Said a flustered Cynthia before steeling herself. “They haven’t come out in days. All the children are still inside.”

  “I guess we’re going in then. Anyone else want an upgrade?” CJ asked gesturing toward the now noticeably more confident and determined looking Doctor.