My stomach knotted up, my hand gripped tighter on my knife. “You ask a lot of questions.” His question felt more meaningful than it should have.
“I’m just trying to figure things out.”
He didn’t say anything else after that and I made sure I didn’t let him see my face. Everyone had come from somewhere in Eden. I just didn’t know where I had come from. All I had were broken images from my nightmares that didn’t link together, a shattered mirror that would never be put together again.
We walked in hardened silence the rest of the way to the gardens. When we arrived it felt as if every pair of eyes fell upon us, growing wide with fear and curiosity. I couldn’t raise my eyes to meet theirs. The attention made me want to run. I had raised myself to keep out of sight and in the shadows.
Pretending like we weren’t being scrutinized, I led West to the storage shed and grabbed a wheelbarrow. “This way,” I said, keeping my voice and my gaze down.
West was well aware of all the looks he was getting but he didn’t hide from them like I did. He met their eyes, his face showing no emotion as he followed me through the gate and down a path. Despite the questions that they were practically screaming with their eyes, no one said a word as we passed.
We stopped in the western field where hints of corn were starting to sprout. Tufts of green rose in perfect rows. Spring brought hope every year. Every row echoed our victory over the infection, against the Fallen. We were still here. While we were still here there was still some form of hope.
I dropped to my hands and knees and started on a row, picking out the rebellious weeds that insisted in cropping up. Seeing what I did, West dropped a few rows away from me and started pulling too.
My hands worked swiftly and with well-practiced precision but my eyes kept flickering to West’s form. His back was turned to me, his head bent low as he worked dutifully. He looked able to take care of himself. His frame was light but well-muscled.
His dark hair fell across his eyes, left shaggy and long like the majority of the males in the world. It was difficult to cut hair without shaving it completely off. The only man in Eden who kept his hair short was Avian, who shaved his head completely every other week or so.
As I was tangled in my own thoughts I suddenly realized that he had looked at me, his woodsy eyes holding mine. He had paused in his work, his hand a few inches above the ground, holding a weed. I felt frozen for a moment, unable to look away. Why did his eyes echo something in the recesses of my mind, calling to a place in my memory I had forgotten?
The small smile that tugged on his lips was all I needed to snap back into reality.
“How long have you been here, Eve?” he asked, his eyes turning back to his task. He threw the weed in his hand into the wheelbarrow.
“For as long as I can remember,” I said simply. I felt oddly disarmed, as if he had tipped over a wall in me that I didn’t really realize was there. I didn’t really want that wall tipped.
“Since before the fall?” his voice sounded slightly surprised.
“No, just after it.”
“How old are you?” he asked, glancing up at me for a moment.
“How old are you?” I questioned back. I didn’t like the questions. I felt like I didn’t have enough answers most of the time.
“I turn nineteen in two months.”
We were both quiet for a few moments, only the soft sound of earth being disturbed.
“I’m seventeen,” I said quietly to the dirt. “I think.”
“You think?”
“I think,” I said sharply, making sure not to look into his face.
The sound of feet brought my attention up. Graye had moved into our field, keeping a short distance away but watching us as we worked.
“Who’s he?” West asked, meeting Graye’s eyes for a moment.
“Graye,” I answered. “He can have a temper. Stay out of his way if you can.”
West met Graye’s eyes again for a second, holding them as if to test what I had just said.
We said little else as we finished our shift, dumping the full wheelbarrow of weeds into the compost pile. With the rest of the group, we walked back to Eden. Despite the whispers that flew through the group, no one dared to ask about West’s presence.
I saw little of the newcomers the rest of the afternoon. They stayed close to Gabriel’s side, getting settled in. Word was spreading fast about them, it would be impossible for it not to. Emotions were mixed. Some were elated to have three new members come into our family. There was obvious excitement about Brady. There weren’t many children anymore. Other’s felt like I did, not sure if trust was to be automatically given just because they were human.
The sun started to set, an orange haze peppered with stars. I sat on the hill that protected Eden on the north side, watching as everyone went about their evening routine. Some made trips to the outhouses, others to take an evening bath, some heading to bed early. I watched them, feeling a sense of pride for them yet feeling disconnected and distant. I was one of them but they didn’t understand me and I didn’t really understand them.
I heard rubble being disturbed on the trail that led to my spot and poked my head over the ledge. Avian climbed up over the rounded ledge, giving me a half tight-lipped smile as he joined at my side.
The silence was comfortable as we saw the fires being lit below us. Trails of smoke drifted into the sky before they faded into the darkening light. The sound of Avian’s breathing comforted me. It was so familiar. If anything was home in this wreck of a world it was Avian.
“What do you think of them?” I finally broke the silence, my eyes never leaving the tents below us. I picked West out, walking hesitantly to a fire. He didn’t sit to warm his hands, just stood back from the group and watched.
“I don’t know,” Avian mused, watching. The glow of the fires cast an orange haze to his face that highlighted his sharp brow, the line of his cheek bones. “The woman and child seem harmless. I don’t know what to think of West though. There’s something strange about him.”
I nodded in agreement. West had history to him. Some people were just like that. You just looked at them and could tell there was a story behind their face. “He’s keeping a secret.”
“Like what?” Avian asked.
I shook my head. “I’m not sure. He knows something.”
Avian was quiet, unsure of what to say, echoing my own thoughts. I didn’t like being uncertain about people, especially when those people could end the lives of the others around me. All it would take was one simple beacon to call out the Fallen.
“Happy birthday, Eve,” Avian said quietly. He extended his hand out to me, a small box in his palm.
A small smile tugged at my lips. “My birthday.”
It probably wasn’t my real birthday. Having no memory of anything when I came to Eden, Sarah insisted we pick a day as my birthday. Some date to mark the years of my life as they passed. I had no idea the date had come.
“There was once a time when turning eighteen meant something. It used to be a big deal.”
I took the box from his hand. It was simple, nothing special to it. I pulled it open and something light and shiny fell into my hand. I held it up to the light. It was a silver necklace, attached to it was a tiny set of wings, carved out of a soft black stone.
I took the wings gently in my fingers. They seemed so delicate, yet hard at the same time. I knew I must be gentle with it or it would break. It was the most elegant piece of craftsmanship I had seen.
I smiled as I recalled the conversation he and I had had when I was about fourteen. I had asked him what his name meant. He explained that it related to things to do with birds and flight. I had loved his name ever since.
“May I?” Avian asked.
I only nodded. Avian took the necklace and fastened the clasp behind my neck. His hands felt warm as they brushed my neck, causing goosebumps to rise on my flesh. He sat back and watched where it lay on my chest.
“You made it,” I stated, picking it up again to observe the flawless details. The feathers looked so soft I almost brushed my fingers over them.
He only nodded, his eyes still looking at his creation. “I didn’t want it to go by without some notice. It’s an important day for you.”
“It doesn’t feel important,” I said as I lowered the necklace to my chest again.
“It is,” Avian said, his eyes going back to Eden.
And we sat there on the hard earth, our shoulders barely brushing, until the sky went black and the stars shone with burning intensity.
FIVE
I cinched my pack tighter to my back as I walked out of the armory. A blade was strapped to each of my legs, a handgun secured in my belt, and a rifle rested in my left hand. I stood to the side of the door as Graye looked at me with serious eyes and ducked inside. Bill joined us a few minutes later.
“Same as always?” I asked as they both looked to me. They nodded their heads, Graye shifting a gun into his other hand, Bill strapping a blade to his arm.
“Just a minute, Eve,” a voice came from behind us. I turned to see Gabriel walking toward us, West following two steps behind. “I want you to take him with you.”
“We can handle it, Gabriel,” I said as I turned back to my scouting partners.
“I’m not asking, Eve,” he said sternly as he joined our small circle. “With Tye’s loss we need him. I won’t leave us unprotected because of your pride.”
“Fine,” I said as I stalked into the armory. I grabbed a rifle and walked back out. I raised my eyebrows slightly at him as I handed it over. “Keep up.”
Not waiting for either of them to say anything else, I turned and headed toward the tree line.
Graye headed toward the northern border, Bill to the west. We kept a constant circle around Eden. I was a little disappointed to see that West had not chosen to follow Bill or Graye. Guess that should have been expected considering my warning about Graye.
I kept my eyes trained to the trees, keeping my ears alert. Maybe I could just simply ignore West’s presence. Maybe he’d get the message and go scout on his own.
“What have I done to make you hate me?” West suddenly demanded. His words stopped me in my tracks. “You don’t… you don’t even know me.”
I whipped around, my eyes blazing as I looked into his. “That’s the point. I don’t know you. I don’t know if I can trust you.”
“And how do I know if I can trust you?” he asked, his voice dropping low. “How do I know that you aren’t just going to turn that blade on me out here where no one can see us?”
“You don’t,” I said, my tone softer. “But I wouldn’t do that. We need you.”
“Exactly,” he said, the smugness obvious in his voice.
My eyes hardened as I held his. I wanted to wipe the small little smile off his face.
“Just stay out of my way,” I hissed as I turned and started walking east.
“Why do they treat you different?” he asked as he followed me. “Like you’re some kind of leader. Like you aren’t just some girl?”
“Why don’t you find out?” I said as I stopped suddenly, turning cold eyes on him again. When he didn’t say anything, I started walking again.
“’Cause I know how to survive,” I said simply as my eyes scanned the trees, keeping my ears keen for any misplaced sounds. “Because I keep them alive.”
“Why are you any better than either of those other two guys?”
“Would you just shut up!” I hissed as I glared back at him. “You’re going to get us both killed!”
West threw both hands up in defense, his gun facing up toward the blue skies. “There isn’t anything anywhere near here. We didn’t see anything since the first day we left our camp.”
I stared at him in disbelief for a second. Did he honestly think that meant he could let his guard down? Finally, I just shook my head and kept walking.
The necklace Avian had given me bounced on my chest as I walked, its surface cool and hard. The light reflecting off it blinded my vision for a fraction of a second. At the same time, the memory of seeing this same item jarred my brain.
“Graye!” I screamed as we headed back into an alley. “Leave it! We’ve got to get out of here!”
“Hang on! I’ll be right back. I’ve got to grab something!” The helicopters above our heads nearly drowned his voice out.
“Graye!” I screamed, but it was too late, he had already dashed back out into the street. At the same time, Tye jumped out from behind me, dropping his pack full of supplies beside me.
I was about to dart after them when a strong hand grabbed hold of my arm. I whipped around to see Bill shaking his head at me. “We don’t all need to get caught.”
I stared at him wide-eyed, yet knowing what he said was the truth. I wasn’t thinking clearly. But what was Graye doing? We had everything we needed. What could he possibly be going back for?
A light shone overhead from the circling helicopter. We ducked behind a long unused dumpster, dropping into the shadows. The faint sound of glass breaking was followed by the roar of a Hunter’s ATV.
Twenty seconds later we saw a flash of light from in front of the building as the Hunter exploded and Graye and Tye came running around the corner. The glint of the circling light overhead reflected off an object in Graye’s hand.
An hour later Tye’s eye had hardened and turned metallic.
My breathing came in shallow breaths as I looked back down at the necklace. Avian had asked Graye to grab it for me on the raid. Tye had saved him from being turned but had been infected himself. Tye had died to get Avian’s gift for me.
“Why are we stopping?” I jumped as West’s voice was too close behind me. His eyes scanned the trees for the reason for my hesitation.
“Uh, nothing. Why don’t you take the south trail? You don’t need me to babysit you,” I said as my brow furrowed, my fingers closing around the pair of wings.
West gave me a concerned look but nodded and started walking in the direction I had told him to.
It suddenly felt like my blood was burning with fury. Why would Avian risk so much for something so stupid? Something so unnecessary? Tye’s death was in no way worth the shiny bobble I wasn’t sure I even wanted anymore.
Taking two seconds to collect myself, I started off toward the eastern border. I wouldn’t let myself get distracted on scouting duty. I couldn’t live with myself if a Hunter slipped past me because I was regretting things I had no control over.
The terrain took a steady climb upward as I reached the limits of our boundaries. I took two steps backward before sprinting forward and then launching myself onto a branch of a wide-leafed tree. I pulled myself higher into the branches, twigs and leaves brushing my skin as I ascended. When the branches began to thin and bow under my weight I found one and settled.
Valleys and low mountains spread before me. At one time this was a part of something, belonging to some state or city. None of that mattered anymore. Once the infection got you, nothing mattered anymore, except for turning the rest of us into nothing too.
And beyond where I could see, there was an entire city of Fallen. And more cities full of them beyond that.
A movement below me caught my attention. It could have been nothing, a breeze I hadn’t felt, an animal stalking through the forest. Nonetheless, I was down the tree in less than five seconds and moving through the woods on silent feet.
Something breathed a few yards away, a heavy sound, reverberating through a chest too big to be human. A musky smell floated in my direction, the scent of wet fur.
It saw me at the same time I saw it. A recently woken brown bear.
Adrenaline shot into my system like a geyser erupting from the earth. At the same time that I grabbed for my blade, the bear realized it was in danger and was taking lumbering bounds toward me.
I leapt at my opponent, blade gleaming in the air, and swung. It connected with the bear’s throat, though as I had ex
pected, it wasn’t enough to take it down. The beast gave a ferocious cry and swiped at me with a massive paw. I jumped out of its reach, reaching into my belt for my handgun. At the same time another shot was fired from above my right shoulder.
I shouldn’t have gotten distracted. I was a better hunter than that.
In the half second I glanced over at West where he sat perched in a tree, the bear leapt at me, angry and fearful at the same time. Blood seeped into his fur and that was all I noticed as his gigantic paws swiped at me.
I landed a good four feet from the creature and by the time I rolled over to spring back up, it was on top of me again, it’s teeth bared as it gave a very ticked-off growl in my face.
I pulled my handgun once again and fired one shot straight up into the bear’s heart.
It collapsed on top of me with crushing force.
“Eve!” West’s shout came from somewhere behind the mass of the bear. “I’m sorry, I didn’t think it would keep coming at you after I shot it!”
Bracing my hands against the bulk of the beast, I shoved with everything I had. It was just enough to roll it off of me and wiggle out. I stood, wiping my hands, and noticed West’s wide-eyed expression.
“What?” I asked, annoyance in my voice.
He blinked twice and then shook his head. “Nothing. I think we should get you back to Avian. I think the majority of the blood is the bear’s but that looks like a pretty nasty scratch.”
I barely even glanced down. I was fighting some very angry words back that were going to be targeted in West’s direction.
“Come on,” I said instead. “Let’s haul what we can of this.”
We hacked what we could off, hauling as much of the eighteen-hundred pound beast as we could and set off through the woods.
“What was it like?” West suddenly asked as we huffed from our loads, struggling through the forest. “Where you came from, before here?”
“You really ask too many questions,” I said as I wiped my arm across my forehead quickly. When he didn’t say anything in response, I rolled my eyes before fixing them on the unmarked path in front of us. “I don’t remember anything before I came to Eden. Eden has taken care of me, Gabriel mostly, Sarah. Avian when I needed him.”