The Future of Eden

Chapter 1

Authors note: Hello! This is my first story I've written, and I'm quite aware that this will get like, no views since Children of Eden came out so long ago, but I go back and reread my favorite fanfics all the time so maybe someone will like this lol. Sorry these first few chapters really suck since I wrote them a really long time ago, but I figured I might as well finish it so hopefully the rest won't be as bad. Also, my apologies for the length of this chapter XD

PLEASE NOTE THAT I WAS VERY UPSET AT THE DEATH OF MIRA AND ROWAN'S FATHER SO I PUT THEM BACK IN THE STORY. THANK YOU. 

(Lachlan's pov)

I furiously pounded the glass. She was gone. After all she had done, she deserved to live in the world she had created for us, but she chose to die. She chose this, to leave me. As I screamed and cried and pounded on the glass, I felt my sadness turn to anger. I gasp for air as i sob, i can barely see through my tears, my hands begin to bleed from split knuckles. My pleas become curses. "How dare you? I did everything for you! How could you do this to me?" I scream.

I fall to my knees sobbing next to the table, collapsing from exhaustion. I hate myself. This is all my fault. I brought her into the revolution, I brought her to get the lenses, I crossed the desert, I made her rescue me, I helped her into that coffin and I didn't stop her. I let myself fall for someone who I had no chance with, someone who was in love with someone else. How could I be mad at her? How could I blame her? I'm the one being selfish and immature.

Why can't I stop crying? I don't cry, I don't get heartbroken. If something doesn't work, I try something else.

I try something else. I will try something else until something works. I pull myself up, wiping my face with my shirt. My head throbs and I think my hand is broken, but I manage to clear my head a little bit. It's been at least an hour, maybe more since Rowan... left. I can't bear to look at her lifeless body through the glass. I begin searching the room, reading through every description or button I see on the walls. I look for hidden levers or switches. It's a pretty empty room, no furnichure, nothing on the ground, nothing hanging up anywhere, just a wall of buttons, levers, nobs, and switches.

I stop for a second, just long enough for my thoughts to return. I feel a stray tear run down my face and I look down. The EcoPan is stopped, so where are the others? Carnelian and Mira at least should be here by now. Everyone is free, thanks to Rowan. I unconsciously say to myself, "I told you it was a trap. Why the bikk would you press that button?" That stupid button. I come to a sudden realization and find the little red kill switch in the middle of the wall. I have no idea what will happen when i press it, but at this point, what do i have to lose? I take a deep breath and hesitantly flip the switch.

I immediately feel as though I have been punched in the gut. I feel myself slipping away, like someone is pulling me away from the world. My eyes flutter open, but I can't see anything. Just a dark room with nothing and no one in it. My heart drops. It didn't work, she's not here, there's nothing here.

"Oh but I am, Lachlan." I hear a voice say in a low, masculine tone. If it's not Rowan, then who is it? Didn't she take over Arron Al-Bazz? "Mmmm, not quite. We work together now." The voice chuckles at my confusion. It has to be Al-Bazz then, but how does that work? How does he see my thoughts? "Comes with the job. Now, why are you here, boy?" Al-Bazz says. I don't really have a good answer. Why exactly am I here? Because I'm stupid and selfish? "Show yourself, demon." I yell into the nothingness. My voice echoes creepily off the non-existent walls. Where am I? "You're in your mind." Slowly, a person's figure emerges from the darkness. It's Aaron. "I'm in your head, but I'm as real as your 'cascading love for Rowan'," he mocks. He's trying to piss me off. I won't give him the satisfaction of seeing me fight him. "How do you know that? I don't have lenses." I say, trying not to raise my voice. "Umm, hello? I am the EcoPan. I can do whatever I want, whenever I want to. I'm always watching. ." He is definitely trying to get a rise out of me. "You may be all-knowing, but you have no idea what it is like to have real feelings. You're a psychopath!" I yell. Aaron's voice goes low in a threatening, serious tone. "Watch your mouth, Lachlan. I was a human once, too. I can't say it wouldn't be satisfying to erase all of your memories with Rowan..." he laughs at my concern. Can he do that? Can he really wipe memories? "I would find a way. I'm the EcoPan, afterall. No one can stop me, especially not you, foolish boy" he scoffs. I glare into the darkness. I open my mouth to argue but I'm stopped by another voice.

"Aaron, please. The man's been through enough for one day, don't you think?" For a moment I can't breathe. That's Rowan! She is here! "I thought you might figure it out, that little switch," she sighs. I look around, running aimlessly in the darkness. Aaron laughs as I search unsuccessfully for the voice. "Rowan? Rowan! Where are you?" I yell. I stop and catch my breath. I look up and see another figure materializing next to Aaron. "Rowan," I whisper. I run to her, but I'm not getting any closer. No matter how fast I run, she's still too far away to reach. Aaron tries to stifle a laugh as Rowan glares at him. "Lachlan! Stop, please. It's not going to work." I slow myself down to a stop. "I told you he wouldn't understand," Aaron mumbles. From where i'm standing, I can't see any distinct features of him or Rowan, but I know they can see mine. My puffy, bloodshot eyes, my cripled hand, my heavy breathing, my pathetic expression of failure, hopelessness, and anger. Rowan breaks the silence.

"Lachlan, I'm sorry. Truly, I don't want to hurt you, but I made my decision. You aren't going to change my mind," she says. I can hear the emotion in your voice, everything she said to me was her genuine thoughts. I plead with her, "But don't you think you deserve to be happy? After everything you have gone through? You saved the world, now let someone else die for it.

You saved the world, now let someone else die for it. The words echo throughout the abyss.

You should be back in the living world with me." I can sense her guilt as she turns away from me. "Or Lark. You know that I... I don't care as long as you're happy," I add. She doesn't meet my gaze. "What if I'm happy here? What if this is what I choose?" she says softly. Aaron turns, putting his hand on her shoulder in attempts to comfort her. Or persuade her, I wouldn't know.

"I know you better then that, Rowan, and I know you know that. You also know that I will not give up," I say, reaching out to her, beckoning for her to come with me. "You're making this harder than it needs to be, you know," she says. I can't hold back a small laugh. "That's the idea," I scoff. She's considering, I know it. "I'm really going to miss you. You and everyone else, but you have to promise me you won't torture yourself with blame. Promise me you'll find someone that makes you happy," Rowan says. I can tell it kills her to say it. "But what if i didn't have to?" I ask. Honestly I don't think it would be possible to find someone that makes me feel the kinds of things I feel when I look at her, when I kiss her. Rowan's face flushes red and she smiles sadly. "That's sweet, Lachlan, but there's really no way. I'm part of the EcoPan now." Bikk, of course she can read my mind as well.

Out of the corner of my eye I see Aaron awkwardly shifting his weight from foot to foot. Of course he wouldn't understand our conversation, he's insane. "Lachlan, if you don't know what you're doing here, and you have no argument for why she should leave, then Rowan will be staying here where she belongs," Aaron says, straightening up and returning to Rowan's side. I look at Rowan, waiting for her to say something, but she stays silent. "Fine, but I will be back. When I return, Rowan will be coming with me," I say, speaking mostly to Aaron. "Mhmm, we'll see about that," he responds, a dark grin forms on his face.

The darkness starts to melt away as Rowan and Aaron begin to fade. I begin to panic. What if that's the last time I'll ever see her? I call out as the last of the abyss is out of view. "I love you, Rowan!" I yell. I feel like I'm rapidly free falling back to Earth. I hear a response, but it's quiet and muffled. I can't quite decipher the message before I completely lose consciousness on the cold, hard floor of the control room.