It was already half past seven. And still no sign of Misabelle.

  Morbus had been waiting near the little cabin for half an hour.

  She'd said seven o'clock. Well, so much for being someone of her word.

  If he had her phone number, he could have reached her. Had she maybe forgotten?

  Impossible, he thought. She was so excited about the discovery this afternoon that she simply couldn't have forgotten something like that. No, Misabelle is definitely trustworthy.

  Once again, his gaze swept over the guard cabin, then across the meadow where many horses stood grazing peacefully, and finally over the road—once a highway—to see if anyone was coming yet.

  Maybe it's a long journey for her.

  For Morbus, it was just fifteen minutes on the metro and a few minutes walking. But it was possible that Misabelle lived all the way on the other side of the city. After all, Aquinox had a diameter of fifty kilometers.

  He thought about how he had done some research on the new disease at home. It turned out to be a mutation of blue-green algae, the common term for cyanobacteria that often appeared in kes and ponds in the summer, causing skin irritation.

  Blue-green algae can only survive in warm temperatures, but one day, there was a shift in their DNA. Scientists believe this is due to a change in the composition of all sea, river, and groundwater. This allowed them to survive colder temperatures, even below freezing. Hence the name: cold bloom.

  It had been discovered a month ago in a man who had gone swimming in a natural ke in the eastern part of the city. From that moment, more and more cases of cold bloom began to appear. But there was nothing to be found about the symptoms or how cold bloom makes the body sick.

  Far down the road, he saw something move. Someone on a bicycle.

  That must be her.

  The bike came closer and closer, until Morbus could recognize Misabelle's outline. She had a small backpack on, and she wore a colorful t-shirt. She cycled into the shadow, and a moment ter, she rode right into the small square by the guard's cabin.

  "Well, the wind could have been a little less harsh," she said gruffly. "Sorry for making you wait so long, Morbus. It was still busy in the b this afternoon, so I had to wolf down my food like a train to—"

  "No problem," Morbus said immediately. "I kept myself entertained by watching the Walls."

  Oh, how I would love to be up there. The view must be epic.

  "Ah, good," said Misabelle sheepishly. "Well, shall we go then?" she asked as she parked her bike next to the cabin. "Your father's illness won't wait."

  The guard cabin was once an old wooden barn. Probably from a nearby farm or something. But now it was used by people employed by the Enforcement Category. Officers who had nothing else to do but wait by the gate all day and open it whenever people left the city. But the guards on the Walls were also part of Enforcement. Besides them, some subcategories of Management, and of course, President Previs, no one else knew how the outside of the city looked like. No one.

  Misabelle knocked on the door of the hut. Not long after, a thick, bald man with a broad mustache stepped outside.

  "Hello," said Misabelle. "We're going outside the city," she said as if it were the most normal thing in the world.

  The man looked at her with small, fish-like eyes. "Your permit?"

  Misabelle rummaged a small card out of her pocket. Morbus recognized the Aquinox logo on the front.

  Misabelle handed it to the man. "We're going to gather new supplies from the Marsh. For the Agriculture b." She patted Morbus on the shoulder. "And this here is one of our newest students."

  Morbus had respect for how calm Misabelle remained. She was an excellent liar. He knew very well they weren't supposed to let on that they were gathering materials for an antidote to cold bloom. Otherwise, Management and Previs would come after them.

  Fish Eyes unfolded the paper and studied it carefully. After a firm nod, he handed it back to her. "Alright."

  Yes. The fish takes the bait.

  He leaned forward briefly into a chest near the barn's entrance. From there, he pulled out two bridles and two saddles, which he handed to Misabelle. "You can each pick a horse," he said, pointing to the meadow behind them. "Let me know when you're ready, and we'll open the gate."

  "Alright," said Misabelle. She took Morbus to the pasture across from the guard hut.

  "Is this your first time on a horse?" she asked him as she opened the fence gate.

  Morbus nodded. "Unless you count the rocking horse from back in the day."

  "It's not hard, don't worry. I'll give you instructions in a bit. Just make a match first. And by the way, try not to step in their droppings."

  Morbus looked across the vast meadow, where around twenty to thirty horses gazed at the two of them curiously. Misabelle enthusiastically ran over to a rge dark brown horse, clearly her favorite. "Hi, Flox. Long time no see." She patted the animal on its head. Flox moved even closer, as if she wanted to hug Misabelle.

  She's done this before, Morbus muttered to himself. He looked around at the remaining horses. Where should he start?

  Inspired by her approach, he walked over to the nearest animal, a bck one with brown patches and long mane. But as he got close enough, the horse turned and quickly walked away from Morbus.

  Well, really. How do I do this?

  Misabelle had already saddled up Flox. With the reins in hand, she walked over to Morbus, and Flox plodded along behind her.

  "Don't try to force it," she said, as if reading his mind. "Horses are very sensitive animals. They know exactly who suits them and who doesn't."

  Morbus felt insulted at having just been rejected. "Yeah, how am I supposed to know that?"

  Misabelle didn't reply and pointed behind him. When Morbus turned around, he saw a fully white mare with silver mane standing just a few meters away. The animal swished its tail and looked at him curiously.

  Whoa, where did you come from all of a sudden?

  The horse took another step closer. Morbus did the same, and as they drew near each other, he reached out his hand. The animal lowered its head and clearly wanted to make contact. He pced his hand on its head and gave the animal a gentle stroke.

  "You don't choose the horse; no, they choose you," he heard her say behind him. "Apparently, Zinzia wants to go on an adventure with you tonight."

  Morbus turned his head. "Zinzia?" he asked her. "Do you know all the horses here or something?"

  "I come here often enough. Mostly to collect herbs that only grow in the Marsh."

  Like that eluna shroom or whatever it was.

  "By now, I've ridden just about every horse here. But it varies each time which one wants to come along. Usually, it's this girl here." She ran her fingers through Flox's mane, and she whinnied softly in agreement.

  Morbus broke contact with Zinzia, and Misabelle handed him Flox's reins. "Here, hold this. I'll get her ready for departure." She walked over to Zinzia, pced the saddle on her back, and tied the reins around her head. She did it all astonishingly quickly.

  Once she was done, they switched horses and led them through the small gate out of the pasture. The other animals watched them curiously.

  "Alright, we're set," Misabelle called out so the man in the cabin could hear. "Time for open sesame."

  Footsteps sounded from inside. "Hank," came Fish Eyes' voice. "We're going to open the gate."

  Not long after, a second man, around thirty years old, came through the door. Unlike Fish Eyes, Hank was tall and wore the formal blue uniform of Enforcement. He had a rge round pair of gsses perched on his nose, and his short blonde hair was slicked back with way too much gel.

  "One moment," said Hank when he saw the two standing there. "My colleague is entering the commands on the computer inside. Once he's ready, you can go through."

  Computer? They've really modernized this pce. But I guess it makes sense. President Previs has set strict rules for those leaving the city.

  Hank took a bck radio from his jacket pocket and turned it on. "Team NEG-1. This is Pegasus. We're about to open the gate for two individuals. Is there anything on the other side? Over."

  "NEG-1? Pegasus? What kind of nonsense is this?" Morbus whispered to Misabelle.

  "They use code terms. NEG stands for northeast gate. That's the guards up on the wall, so to speak. And Pegasus are the gatekeepers."

  "Why make it so complicated?"

  "Previs is still afraid of Asroan spies who might be eavesdropping on conversations. He doesn't want anyone knowing what's happening in Aquinox."

  Static sounded from the other end of the line. "Hello Pegasus, NEG-1 here," the radio crackled. "All clear outside Aquinox. I repeat: all clear. How long will the exiters be gone? Over."

  "No more than a few hours. They'll be back before dark. Over."

  "Copy. We'll remain extra vigint for any anomalies. Over."

  "Roger that. We're opening the gate now. Over and out."

  Hank put the radio back and walked toward the Wall, motioning for Morbus and Misabelle to follow.

  "My colleague has finished the preparations," he said. "You may mount your horses."

  Misabelle climbed onto Flox, and Morbus did the same with his horse, though with a bit more struggle. Finally, he sat upright in the saddle and took hold of the reins.

  Misabelle gave him instructions on how to hold the reins, the different gaits, and how to steer. Morbus nodded understandingly.

  I've never done this before, so I'm sure I can manage, he told himself.

  Hank stood about fifty meters from the Wall, next to a small post in the ground. He pressed his thumb against a sensor and heard a voice counting down. "Access granted," said a mechanical voice. "Opening process begins in 30, 29, 28,..."

  Morbus looked at the massive metal pte on the Wall, which as rge as a quarter of a whole soccer field. An enormous version of the Aquinox emblem was painted on it—a red fme centered by blue wave-like circles—surrounded with the corresponding slogan: live protected, live forever.

  "17, 16, 15,..."

  He listened as various hydraulic processes began to rattle inside the gate. Then, a motor whirred to life. The noise was deafening, yet Flox and Zinzia seemed unfazed. Understandable, as they’d experienced this many times before.

  "5, 4, 3,..."

  The first vibrations started, causing the sand on the ground to kick up. When the countdown ended, the pte—which turned out to be a gigantic block—began lifting inch by inch. Gradually, a massive tunnel emerged behind it, leading to the rest of Catsroes.

  The pte stopped about thirty meters above the ground, which Morbus found a bit overkill, considering they weren't giants. But then again, President Previs must have had his reasons for turning his gates into a new world monument.

  Hank turned to them. "After you," he said, gesturing to the opening. Misabelle thanked him and gently tapped her foot against Flox's side. Morbus copied her, and Zinzia started moving.

  Flox and Zinzia stepped boldly into the thirty-meter-long tunnel. Only now did Morbus truly grasp the colossal scale of the Walls. No wonder it had taken years and years to complete them.

  Once on the other side, the air was noticeably cooler, thanks to the enormous shadow of the Walls.

  "Let's go," Misabelle said, bringing her horse into a trot.

  Morbus gently squeezed his legs, and Zinzia followed her companion onto the former highway.

  Here goes nothing.

  * * *

  "Let's head off here," Misabelle said after a while. She pointed to the left, where there was a gap in the guardrail. "It's a shortcut."

  They guided their horses off the former highway and into the field. Morbus found it much better this way. Riding a horse on a road once meant for cars felt incredibly eerie, especially with the occasional abandoned car scattered across it, sitting empty and forgotten.

  If it were up to him, he'd be out here beyond the Walls every day, exploring what remained of the nd. Whether there were still societies or communities left after the flood, or any other Catsroans at all. It's just that Previs had banned such excursions entirely, except those temporary trips for special permissions granted to reliable organizations.

  Like Misabelle's b, he thought.

  Under the watch of the setting sun, which cast their long shadows across the grass, they approached a gigantic ke that could easily be mistaken for the sea. Only the small isnds and sandbanks sticking up from the water hinted that this had once been a river, reshaped by the floods. "The water overflowed here too," Misabelle had said. "But the horses can walk right through it. It's only about a foot deep."

  Misabelle and Morbus slowed their horses down. They had no trouble crossing the water. Morbus watched as the horses' legs created ripples, noticing how the water seemed to have a different hue than he was used to seeing in rivers.

  "Evening is the best time to cross," Misabelle said. "That's when the water is low enough. But the floods have altered the tides. Instead of multiple cycles a day, there's now just one. The difference between low tide, which is usually around half past eleven at night, and high tide twelve hours ter, is now several meters."

  No way. Several meters?

  Morbus found it hard to believe. "I don't remember tides ever varying this much."

  "It used to be normal," Misabelle replied. "But the break in the storm surge barrier changed a lot. The entire water ecosystem of Catsroes is a mess. See how this area's just barely submerged?" She gestured across the massive river. "When we're on our way back, it'll all be dry again."

  Morbus found that even harder to believe than the previous bit.

  But she was right. After trudging through the water for about half an hour, the isnds seemed rger, and the water shallower. They even found a long stretch of solid ground with an old highway, where they let Flox and Zinzia gallop again.

  "In my mind, I call it the Horwitz Passage," Misabelle said. "Named after Horwitz, a town nearby." She pointed off to the right. "The hills block the view, or you'd be able to see it, I think."

  Curiosity piqued, Morbus asked, "Can we please go there? I want to know what's going on in the rest of the world."

  Misabelle sighed deeply. "Believe me, I want nothing more. But I really don't want to get in trouble for being outside Aquinox too long. Remember: the city's administration is closely monitoring these excursions. Plus, the Marsh is in the other direction, and your father's illness takes priority."

  Sigh, indeed. But she's right.

  Morbus was almost startled by the thought. It was unbelievable that he still wanted to save his father—something that had been unthinkable just a day ago. So much had happened that his past no longer weighed him down. This string of events had swept him along like a river's current.

  Why am I even doing this for him? Just why?

  But he genuinely didn't know the answer to that.

  The highway split again, and they veered left, away from Horwitz. This section of the road was littered with more abandoned cars than before, and more moss and weeds crept up through the cracks.

  What will this pce look like in ten years? Fifty? Will nature have devoured everything?

  Misabelle seemed equally impressed. "The resilience of nature is incredible," she said. "But so is the human body." She winked at him. "Especially with the eluminashroom on our side."

  Soon the highway led through what had once been a forest, but now only tree stumps remained. Apparently, a fire had swept through here—and it hadn't been a small one.

  "We're almost there," Misabelle said, pointing to a spot in the distance where some vegetation still grew. "That's the Marsh."

  Already? I feel like we've just left the city.

  Horses traveled faster than Morbus had expected. Funny, that after all this time of modern transportation, the oldest methods turned out to be the most effective. At least, outside Aquinox.

  Flox and Zinzia reached the edge of the field. "Let's stop here," said Misabelle. She pulled on the reins, bringing her horse to a halt. Morbus followed suit.

  "We'll go on foot from here," suggested Misabelle. "The Marsh isn't horse territory." She tied the reins to a fence on an abandoned piece of nd and patted her horse's neck. "Don't worry, we'll be back soon."

  Morbus tied Zinzia next to Flox. As he did, he noticed how devoid of life the field was. "Where is everyone? How come we haven't seen a single human?" he asked her, though he already had a guess at the answer.

  Misabelle sighed. "I fear the worst. The inevitable thing that happens when an entire country is left on its own."

  Suddenly, a dreadful thought struck him.

  "What if President Previs knew everything was falling apart when the flood happened?" he blurted out. "But did nothing about it. He didn't help the starving people, didn't provide necessary aid. What if he only cared about Aquinox?"

  A painful silence fell. It seemed to strike a nerve with Misabelle.

  "Morbus," she finally said. "I know. Maybe he could have helped people more. But then he'd be overwhelmed by all the people in need. If he kept giving away food and shelter to people in Aquinox, then there would be nothing left for us. All of Aquinox would turn into a chaotic scramble for food, full of aggression and panic." She paused again. "I don't know if I agree with his choice, but thanks to those Walls..." —she pointed in the direction of Aquinox—"...we're safe. Thanks to our system of Four Categories, there's control, enough food, and hope for the future."

  Morbus opened his mouth to say something but couldn't find the words.

  "I don't know how aware Previs was of the rest of the nd, but at least he safeguarded a significant part of the Catsroans," Misabelle continued. "I know it sounds strange, but we have to be grateful to him, Morbus."

  Morbus tied one st knot in the reins. He stared dreamily ahead.

  And yet. It just doesn't feel right.

  Misabelle motioned to him. "Let's not linger too much," she said, starting to head into the Marsh. "We can talk more about it ter."

  Morbus followed her, still half lost in thought. The idea that President Previs had abandoned the rest of the nd weighed heavily on him.

  * * *

  At first, the Marsh didn't look like what he had in mind. It was actually a pine forest with closely packed trees and a floor covered in leaves. But the deeper they went, the more fitting the name became. The ground grew soggier, and the trees fewer. Eventually, the forest gave way to a ghostly heath. Large mud pools were everywhere, and only a few young trees dotted the entire field. Yellow mist floated above the waters, and the air carried an unpleasant sulfuric odor.

  "It helps that it's been dry tely," Misabelle noted. "If it had rained, boots would've been absolutely necessary."

  In the distance, a soft rumble sounded. Misabelle perked up her ears.

  Huh? Thunder?

  "Speak of the devil," she said crossly.

  Morbus was sure the weather app hadn't mentioned it. "This wasn't forecasted," he said indignantly. "And it already stormed on Sunday night."

  "Forecasts aren't reliable anymore, Morbus. Especially outside Aquinox. The world's climate is out of control, remember. The weather does whatever it wants. Just like the tides."

  Misabelle dodged the mud pools as much as possible. "We'll have to hurry. I don't want to be here when it breaks loose," she said, jumping over a rge puddle.

  The deeper they went into the Marsh, the thicker the mists became. So thick that they could only see a few meters ahead. The sky was hidden from view, but the cumutive haze made it feel like night. Sulfurous fumes swirled around them, and the muddy ground sucked at their shoes.

  At one point, Morbus noticed a spot ahead where the mist was unusually dense. There also seemed to be no solid ground beneath it.

  "Alright," Misabelle said at that exact moment. "We're here." She pointed to the area in front of them. "Welcome to the chasm."

  Morbus stopped and took a closer look at the 'chasm.'

  Holy moly.

  They stood before a massive crater in the earth. The air was so thick that he couldn't see the other side, making it clear that it was truly an enormous hole. The sulfur smell was strongest here, and the air suddenly felt cold and chilling.

  "A meteorite struck here many years ago," Misabelle expined. "It brought a lot of extraterrestrial minerals, which have significantly affected the flora and fauna here. Like the eluminashrooms, for instance. You won't find them anywhere else in the world."

  Now Morbus understood why she often ventured outside Aquinox to gather exotic pnts. This was her goldmine.

  Misabelle peered toward the edge and moved her head from side to side. "Let's see," she muttered. "Where is my… ah, here." She walked a bit to the side and crouched down. "This is our dder down. But don't fall. The bottom is more than twenty meters below."

  Misabelle began to descend. Morbus knelt, turned around, and set his feet on one of the top rungs. He noticed the rope dder swayed with her movements. Very cautiously, he gripped the sides and followed her into the depths.

  "Don't worry," Misabelle reassured him. "It's firmly anchored up top, so we won't fall."

  After descending for a while, he noticed the mist thinning, but the air was even colder. Really cold. The smell changed too. The sulfur was fading, and he picked up a scent he couldn't quite pce.

  He was overjoyed when he looked down and saw Misabelle stepping onto solid ground. Moments ter, he let go of the dder himself and took in the crater floor.

  It was almost magical. The thick sulfur fumes dancing above their heads had blocked most of the sunlight, yet there was still light. Everywhere—from the chasm walls to the ground—tiny yellow lights glowed like underground stars.

  Overhead, the rumbling sounded again, now a bit closer.

  "This is where the eluminashroom thrives," Misabelle said, ignoring the thunder. She sat on a rock near a cluster of light points. "Good name, don't you think?"

  Morbus crouched beside her to get a better look at the little mushrooms. They grew in clusters of hundreds. They weren't rge, about the size of a thumb. But the light they emitted was remarkable. It was as if two hundred small candles had been pced together in an underground celr, illuminating the area around them.

  Misabelle picked one and held it up to her face. "They produce a chemical reaction inside," she expined. "A bit like an anglerfish in the deep sea."

  Morbus picked a mushroom too. Even after losing contact with the ground, they kept glowing. Their translucent glow made it seem as if you could peer inside them, much like seeing the insides of a jellyfish from the outside. Even one of these tiny mushrooms emitted quite a bit of light. But an entire cluster…

  Dope, man, Tomou's voice echoed in his head. Sick dope.

  He looked around in awe at nature's spectacle. Both eerie and atmospheric, it cast a spell over him.

  Suddenly, he felt an overwhelming sense of joy, as if the rest of the world didn't matter anymore. Like everything would turn out fine. As if President Previs had never abandoned Catsroes and genuinely had Aquinox's best interest at heart. As if his father's torment had never happened, and he wasn't sick in bed right now. His thoughts drifted back to him.

  So, these things are really going to cure him?

  Misabelle picked a few more. "We won't need much," she said. "This should be enough." She took a pstic bag from her backpack and pced the mushrooms inside. Morbus put his own one in his pocket as a souvenir.

  "Let's go," she said. "We'll be back before sunset. And before the storm hits."

  They headed toward the dder. Misabelle let Morbus go first. Before grabbing the rope, he looked around one st time, mentally bidding farewell to the beautiful pce.

  I hope I can come back here someday.

  As he climbed out of the chasm, that intense feeling of joy returned. He thought about how Misabelle would create an antidote for cold bloom that would expose the CCB. Then, finally, there would be awareness of what they actually did, and more information about cold bloom would be avaible.

  The edge of the chasm came into view, and the mist grew thicker again. Reaching the st rung, he caught the familiar sulfur scent as it hit his nose. He climbed over the edge and told Misabelle he was up.

  From his left, he heard something move.

  He spun around instantly. His good mood vanished in an instant.

  He was face to face with a…

  What the heck… is that a…

  The bck creature stood about one meter tall. Its rge compound eyes stared at Morbus with an intimidating gaze. It had an elongated body, gossamer-thin wings, and an exceptionally long, spear-like snout.

  Morbus thought only one thing.