The Future of Eden

Chapter 2

(Lark's pov)

I could barely keep up with the others. I was too busy taking in the trees, the flowers, the plants, everything! It was all so amazing, I couldn't believe my eyes. I probably looked like a young child at the Snow Festival, but who wouldn't? I had thought all my life that outside of Eden was nothing but the remains of a once beautiful earth. A wasteland that killed anything and everything that stepped foot in it's boundaries. How could they keep this from us?

As we ran through the forest, avoiding large rocks and isolated tree roots that stuck out on our path. I had no idea where we were going. Rowan's friends, Mira and Carnelian were leading in front of our group. After everyone's mind control was released, we were all really confused. Eventually, Carnelian found us and told us we had to find some secret garden where Rowan and Lachlan were. Now, here we are wandering through a new world. Ash, Rosalba, Mira, Carnelian, Flame, Angel, and me, plus a few second children I don't know.

"We're almost there," Mira calls out. "Remember, we have no idea what happened, if it was a trap, if it was guarded, so be careful." Carnelian adds. I am completely out of breath, and Ash is coughing hard by the time we reach the supposed hidden garden. Mira opens a cleverly disguised hatch and we descend into a beautiful and well kept garden. Colorful flowers and vines are intentionally overgrown out of the planters. In the middle of the room, there's a fountain that's been moved to uncover a dark passage leading deeper into the cave. We look at each other nervously. They definitely went down there.

"I don't hear anything," Ash says. "Maybe they destroyed it already?" Angel asks. It's shocking, the difference between the old Pearl and the new Angel. Pretty much everything about her is different. "I'm perplexed. If they destroyed it, they probably would have come looking for us, but wouldn't there be some consequence to it? It's been too long for them to have done nothing, though," Flame says. It's unlike her to admit she doesn't know. I keep to myself. I don't know what they would think if I told them I 'felt' Rowan in my head. It's clear the group is stalling to avoid going down the staircase. "Well, why are we just standing here? Maybe they got hurt, or they need help," I say as I begin the descent down the dimly lit staircase. I hear the others follow behind me.

I enter a room covered in buttons and switches. There are two tables in the middle of the room, but that's not what catches my eye. "Lachlan!" I say. "Where's Rowan? What happened down here?" No response. He's slumped against the corner. "Lark, move," Flame says, as she pushes me aside to examine Lachlan. I guess I didn't notice the gash on the back of his head, or his injured hand. He's breathing, but he clearly suffered from some trauma. Flame and Rosalba discuss what to do, as I sit next to them listening. They don't seem to mind, so I stay.

"Um, guys? I think you should look at this...." Angel says softly. She stands over one of the tables in the room. Only now do I realize there is a glass cover on it. Ash and Angel share a concerned look, then all eyes return to me and Rosalba. Flame joins Mira and Carnelian on the other side of the table, opposite of Angel and Ash. I slowly rise to my feet and take a step closer to the table. I turn to help Rosalba up, and we walk the short distance to the middle of the room. Once again, I cannot believe my eyes. There's Rowan, the girl I love, encased in this glass-covered coffin. Probably a hundred tiny wires run into her sides and skin. I didn't even know if she was alive, but she looked so peaceful. She wasn't forced into this case, she went in on her own. The same thoughts must have gone through everyone's mind. Ash takes Angel into his arms, Mira takes Carnelian's hand. Flame turns to Rosalba, and with her eyes gives a sincere "I'm so sorry." But me, I don't do anything. I stand, frozen over Rowan's body. I won't believe it, she can't be dead, she can't be gone. She worked too hard to lose now. Mira finally breaks the silence.

"She's not breathing," she whispers. I don't really know much about how Mira and Rowan were connected, but I think they were pretty close. "That doesn't mean anything, yet. We have no idea how long she's been in there, or what those wires are doing," Flame says. Even in a time like this, I can't detect an ounce of emotion in her voice. I catch onto what she means. "Yeah, it's probably the shut down process and those wires are providing oxygen or something," I say, trying to convince myself that's what is happening. "We still can't take any chances! My sister may be dying right there, under that glass!" Ash yells, catching all of us by surprise. He starts pounding on the glass with his fists, Carnelian, Mira and Angel joining in. They start yelling, trying to see if they can wake her up. For some reason, I just don't think that's going to do anything. I guess Flame and Rosalba think the same.

"Wait, everyone stop!" Rosalba yells over the noise. Everyone stops, freezing under her command. "You won't be able to break the glass, at least, not with your bare hands," Flame says. "How do you know?" Angel asks, trying not to sound disrespectful. "Lachlan," Rosalba states simply. Flame realizes what she means and continues. "His hands are severely bruised, maybe even broken and his knuckles are split. Lachlan is experienced enough to know how to hit someone without hurting himself. Since the only other visible wound is on his head and not a scratch elsewhere, I think it's safe to assume he got those injuries some other way." I almost feel a hint of pity when I imagine Lachlan pounding at the glass, screaming and crying for his love. My love. Our love? No, that's weird. For Rowan, the girl we both love.

"So you think Lachlan stood here pounding the glass with his hands until they broke?" Ash asks, with a hint of sarcasm really only I could detect. We were so close our entire lives, best friends and we did absolutely everything together. I think about what it must have been like for Rowan whenever I went to their house to hang out with Ash. She must have had to hide somewhere in a tiny cramped crawl space or something. I barely manage to keep a tear from falling as I recall the night we met at the Jungle club, and the night after when I brought her to look at the stars... and we kissed, and I fell in love with her. I guess I thought I would be the only one, that we could live happily ever once she got her lens implants. But of course, the big Underground Hero had to go and complicate things. I know he loves her, but Rowan has kind of known me forever, because of Ash. She wouldn't pick some hotshot warrior over me, right?

"I mean, it makes sense. Besides, there's no sign of fighting down here, or in the garden," I say, gesturing to the seemingly untouched room around us. I can see the gears turning in Flame's head as we all wait anxiously for her next idea. Finally, she lets out a dramatic sigh. "Well, the next step will be to wake Lachlan and get some more information. Then we'll hatch a plan to get Rowan out. He will probably know what happened and will be able to help us break Rowan out of that case," she says as she returns to Lachlans side. "Harmonia isn't even half a mile away from here. I could run over and get a stretcher and our doctor if you want..." Mira offers. Flame nods and Mira quickly rushes up the stairs and out of sight. "We can't let anyone else know about this place. The elders will have it destroyed," Rosalba tells us. "We'll have to get Lachlan out and away from the garden. No one can know the EcoPan is down here."