Chapter One: September Thirty-Fifth

*When the tenth day ends, only one may remain—those within the gate, or those without.* Su Mi stared, then covered her nose. Blood ran between her fingers and dropped beside the text. Instead of soaking in, it flowed backward through the fibers and formed the archaic character for *Mi*. Outside, the first daylight arrived. Every clock in the city lost one beat. The date changed to September 36.