Rooftops (Time part 9)

I couldn’t sleep. The bed was too soft, and the room too quiet. Every little creak made my heart jump. I stared out the window, and that’s when I saw them—people on the roof, moving around.

I’d heard Daddy talking to Bear about the monsters outside. I knew they were there. I’d seen them myself, all rotting and stumbling like they didn’t know where they were going. But they were dangerous, that much I knew.

I grabbed Rabbit and tiptoed to the door. Daddy was still downstairs talking to someone. I didn’t want to interrupt. I had to see what was going on up there.

The house was quiet as I made my way outside. I climbed up a ladder that led to the roof. It felt wobbly, but I kept going. When I finally reached the top, I saw a few people standing with bows and arrows, looking out over the walls.

One of them was a girl, much older than me, with short brown hair and a kind face. She spotted me and walked over, her bow slung over her shoulder.

“You shouldn’t be up here,” she said softly. “It’s dangerous.”

I held onto Rabbit tighter, but something about her didn’t scare me. “I wanted to see,” I whispered. “What’s out there?”

She looked out into the dark, her eyes scanning the trees beyond the gates. “The monsters. We keep watch for them so they don’t get too close.”

I shuddered. “Monsters?”

She nodded. “Yeah, but we handle them. You don’t have to be scared.”

“I’m not scared,” I said, even though I kind of was. “What’s your name?”

She smiled. “Everyone calls me Shy. What’s yours?”

“Maisie,” I said.

Shy sat down on the roof next to me, her long blonde hair falling over her shoulders as she rested her bow beside her. "Nice to meet you, Maisie," she said. "How long have you been here?"

"Just today," I whispered, still looking out at the darkness. “Daddy says it’s safe here.”

Shy nodded. “It is, as long as we keep watch.” She glanced toward the horizon. “When I was little, there were no monsters. But now…” She sighed. “Now, we have to be careful.”

I couldn’t imagine a world without the monsters. “What are they like? I’ve only seen them from far away.”

“They’re slow,” she said, her voice calm. “But they’re dangerous if they get too close. That’s why we have people up here all the time, ready with arrows. We don’t let them in.”

I felt a shiver run down my spine. “Do you think they’ll come here?”

Shy looked at me, her eyes kind but serious. “We won’t let them. That’s why we’re up here. To keep everyone safe.”

As we sat there, I noticed a faint glow in the distance, far to the east. “What’s that?” I asked, pointing.

Shy followed my gaze. “That’s Amesbury,” she said quietly. “It’s been burning for months. The flames are a constant reminder of how bad things can get if we’re not careful.”

I felt a chill at the thought of a whole town burning. “Why is it still burning?”

“No one really knows,” Shy said. “But it’s a sign that we need to stay vigilant. Those flames are far away, but they’re a reminder that danger is always close.”

I felt a little better knowing she was watching over us, but still, the idea of monsters outside the walls and a burning town far away made it hard to feel completely safe. “Why do they call you Shy?”

She smiled, a bit of a laugh escaping her. “My gamertag was Fluttershy97 back when video games were a thing!" She chuckled "But also because I used to be really shy when I was younger. Barely talked to anyone. But up here, I have to be brave.”

I liked her. She wasn’t like the other grown-ups who tried to tell me everything would be fine. She seemed honest.

I scooted closer, feeling the cool breeze on my face. “Can I come up here with you sometimes? To help?”

Shy raised an eyebrow but didn’t say no. “Maybe,” she said. “But only if you promise to be careful.”

I nodded eagerly. "I will. I promise."