The Future of Eden

Chapter 9

6 months later...

(Lark's pov)

I feel a brush on my shoulder as he catches with me. "Hey, what are you doing out here?" he asks. "Just checking on everything. You guys have made a ton of progress here," I say, smiling. Clayton nudges me playfully with his shoulder. "What are you really doing here?" he asks. I roll my eyes. "Had to get away from everything back in Harmonia. When will it be ready?" I ask in return. "We're really close, Lark. Maybe even a few weeks? All the houses and bubbles are ready, and we've built all the town buildings and such. We just started the shops and farms a couple days ago, but then were home free," Clayton says, grinning. "Good. I can't wait to move out here. This new town will be absolutely perfect," I say. Clayton stops and frowns. I keep walking. "Lark," he joggs back up to me. "Lark, what's going on? I thought you would be more excited," he asks quizzically. I chuckle. "Clay, I'm fine, it's just...."

"Lachlan" we say in the same breath. Clayton and I look at eachother and laugh. Clay doesn't like Lachlan almost as much as I do. "What is it this time? Shut down the auto loops? Remove the irrigation systems?" he snorts. "Worse. He wants to get rid of the EcoPan medical equipment," I say mockingly. Lachlan is obsessed with turning Harmonia into this primitive, minimal technology, underdeveloped little village. He keeps trying to convince the elders to drop "unnecessary advanced pleasantries" he says. When Lachlan started to succeed with some minor issues, I decided to gather some Edenites -people from Eden- and Harmonians - people from Harmonia- and build another town a mile or two away from the outskirts of Harmonia. One without a Lachlan to bikk everything up.

Clayton laughs. "He just doesn't get it," he says. I nod. Suddenly, another man runs up to Clay, hugging him from behind. He turns, "Hey Jasper" he says, and they exchange a quick kiss. "Hey Jasper" I echo. "Hey Larky Lark. Whatcha doin' way out here?" he jokes. "Status update," I respond quickly. "Ah. Always so formal, little bird. Hey, well, I gotta get back to the field but I just wanted to stop and say hi," Jasper says. He kisses Clayton once more before running off back into the bustling construction work.

You would never guess that Clay was into guys, or Jasper for that matter. Not that I care. I've been friends with Clayton for over half a hear now, I met him just a few days after Rowan died. We were both working to help settle the Edenites and we were friends instantly. I only figured out that he was gay a couple weeks ago when I met Jasper. Clay is from Harmonia, but he said it was always just a little suffocating. He always just worked in plantations and agriculture, which apparently, is extremely boring. He likes the idea of more technology, which is probably why he butts heads with Lachlan so much. I told him about Rowan and I, and he always offered to talk about it, but we never did. The less I talked about her, the easier it was to move on. After months of grieving, I finally feel okay, like I could be happy again. I've paid my debt to Rowan and now I feel like I can move on with my life. It's freeing.

I get back to Harmonia just as the sun begins to set. I can smell the communal dinner cooking from a mile away. I meet Ash and a few others at our usual table. I sit next to him with a plate of deliciously prepared food. "Where were you today? I was looking all over for you," he says between bites of his meal. "Melodus," I say quietly. Melodus is what we named the new village. Clayton was the one who suggested we use a play-on-words, Melody and Harmony. I'm still not too sure about the name, though. "You're still thinking about moving there?" Ash asks. "No, not thinking. I already told you. I am moving there, and frankly, you should, too. Maybe before Lachlan gets the running water shut down or something like that," I scoff. I look at Ash and he looks hurt. I don't know why I keep snapping at people lately. "Sorry, I'm just really tired," I say, smiling. He nods in agreement and goes back to his meal.

I hardly touch my food. I mostly listen in on the pointless conversations going on around me. People laughing, joking, sharing brief stories and random opinions. After dinner, Ash, Angel, Rosalba, and I make our way back to our shared bubble. Yet another reason why moving out will be for the best. I still sleep on the sofa in the living room. It's really just as comfortable as the beds here, but it's just a constant reminder that I'm out of place here. I stop at the bottom of the stairs as the rest of them continue up to go to bed. The sun has almost set when I decide to go on a walk in the forest.

I hadn't even been walking for ten minutes when suddenly I begin to shudder. Bikk! Not now, not in the forest! I immediately drop to the floor preparing for a seizure. That's when I realize it's not me shaking, it's the ground beneath me. The earth rumbles as I scramble to my feet and try to run back home. I trip, falling forward as the Earth thunders around me. I look around as birds and critters I didn't even notice start fleeing out of trees and bushes. I look up to see giant trees quivering as they sway back and forth...

It's an Earthquake. A really big Earthquake.