It feels nice to have time to myself, time to collect my bearings after all that has happened. I think everyone has taken a step back, trying to understand how everything went south so suddenly. So, I sit in Eva and I's room, alone. Lying in my lap is another torn page from the journal I had previously found.

A pen hovers over the pages, yet, for the first time in a while, I can't seem to write. Nothing wants to flow out and onto the pages. This frustrates me immensely, and I end up chucking the pen across the room. It doesn't make much of a sound as it collides with the wall and I let out a sigh, flopping back against the mattress. The paper flutters to the ground, and I'm stuck staring at the colorless ceiling.

So much has happened. Cody and I- what are we, really? We both like each other, I'm sure of that. But, is it really wise to get attached to anyone in a time like this? What is going to happen next, and who else will get hurt because of me? I mean, Harper died.

My stomach is jumbled into a flutter of nerves. And, as I lie back, pondering the future, I remember a tool I have; the cookbook. Grinning like a madwoman, I lift up my wrist to eye level. As I'm about to open the cookbook, a thought strikes me; can't they track us by our watches?

Letting out a breath, I realize we need to get rid of our watches. However, before we do, I need to review the cookbook. Maybe, just maybe, there is something in there we haven't read, something that could possibly save a life.

Swiping through the holographic pages above my device, I begin to get frustrated all over again. There isn't anything particularly useful, or anything that I have yet to learn. Most of it is just mechanics and instructions on how to build Chips and how they work. Clearly, I'm not trying to reconstruct the piece of metal that started all of this, that put me here, in this room, in this state of fear.

I'm about to give up when I come across an interesting article titled 'The Master Chip.'

The master Chip resides in the wrist of our one and only government leader. It's black, unlike the rest, which are golden. With it, and the aid of his connected watch, he can monitor and control all other Chips. It is makes all of the other Chips run, and it is the main thing that keeps everything operating smoothly. If it were to be broken, or tampered with, all of the other Chips would cease to work. But, of course, tampering with any Chip by anyone leads to electrocution.

I nearly gasp as I absorb the new information, and my heart nearly leaps for joy. This could be part of the answer I've been looking for. Maybe, if we can get a hold of this government guy and somehow remove and damage his Chip, we can end all of this.

Of course, a challenge as big as this comes with a plethora of problems. One: I have no idea who this 'government leader' is. After all, the government isn't too big on projecting faces everywhere. Although we're not sure of the faces behind it all, we're always aware of the government's ominous presence.

Second of all: how would we even get to him? I'm sure he's flanked by security at all hours of the day. Plus, I have no idea where he resides.

I run a hand down my face, my excitement replaced by a feeling of defeat. Of course, nothing is as easy as bam!- it's done, let's all go home and party. Nothing in life works like that. If it did, nothing would be the way it is now.

Hopping off the bed, I'm eager to run and tell everyone what I've found. Yet, I'm not sure if I should give them false hope right away. For now, we need to focus on disposing of our watches, and fast.

Swiftly, I yank open the door to the room. "Guys!" I bellow, cupping my hands over my mouth. "This is important! Eva, Jared, Cody, Teresa!"

I walk out of the small hallway and into the living room. I immediately notice that the curtains to the back door are drawn apart. My heart pumping with fear, I peek outside. A sigh of relief escapes me as I realize Teresa is simply gardening, tugging at weeds. Everyone else is lounging around in the garden.

I exit the house and make sure to close the door behind me.

"Finally, you've decided to join us!" Eva jokes, plucking a flower from a flowerbed and tucking it behind her hair. "How do I look?"

The smile disappears off her face as soon as she glances at the distraught look on my face.

"Hey, guys, what's on your wrists?"

The all look down, switching between their wrists before finally staring at their watches.

"Oh gosh, we totally forgot about them!" Cody exclaims, yanking his off his wrist and tossing it onto the ground. He presses his foot onto it, and I watch as the glass shatters.

The rest of us follow suit, and it feels so weird to destroy an object I've lived with for most of my life. All my contacts were on there. It was how I would communicate with people. It even held some pictures that I treasured. And, well, I still treasure them. I don't have a choice. It's either the watch or me.

I heave a sigh of relief. Glancing around at my friends, including Teresa, who did not have a watch in the first place, and I smile.

"Well, now that that's over," Jared smiles, walking over to Eva and slinging his arm around her shoulders, "That violet flower really compliments my hair."

"Don't you mean my hair?" Eva laughs, leaning into his arm.

Jared shakes his head, taking the flower from behind Eva's hair and tucking it behind his own. Then, he attempts to strut in the direction of Cody, who is shaking with laughter on the faux grass.

And, for a moment, we have a bit of comic relief. Then, Teresa shakes her head.

"Guys, please keep it down. We need to keep a low profile."

With that, the seriousness of the situation dawns on us.

Teresa turns back to her gardening. "Why don't you guys go inside?"

We comply, our hearts a little heavier than before.

We plop down on the single couch in the living room. Eva sits on the side of the couch, and Jared is beside her. I'm on her other side, and Cody is on mine. We're all squished together, but we don't mind.

I settle into the not very comfortable couch. I'm leaning heavily on Cody's arm and I sigh, glancing back at the door and the still-parted curtains.

"So... I'm bored."

Eva slaps Jared upside the head. "This isn't a time to be bored. It's a time to enjoy the fact that we have a moment of peace, and a moment to breath."
I nod, agreeing with her words. "Yeah. But I'm glad that out of anyone I have to go through this with, it's you guys."

Smiles litter all of my friends' faces as they return the compliment. Then, we return to silence, but this one isn't awkward or tense in any way. For now, I'm glad to just sit here and be.