Chapter 77: Stowaway

Alessa had spent the better part of the ride to Raptor in the second to last car, wedged cozily between her sister and Isaac in one of the few less-crowded corners of the train. By now the morning's excitement had worn off, and most of the exhausted rebel group had taken to carving out small places on the floor to rest their weary heads.

Alessa had napped peacefully like the rest of them for the past hour or so, the rhythmic chug of the wheels lulling her into a deep and restful slumber.

But at some point something had woken her, some disturbing, incongruous urge that'd crept stealthily into her subconscious. The thought had faded the moment she'd sat up with a gasp, and now she couldn't remember what it was. But an unsettling feeling had whittled its way deep into her gut, and she couldn't seem to fall back asleep.