The Garden of Eden (Silent Moments Series: Book 5)

Chapter 32

Indra's arrival intensified the urgency of the moment. "Where's Abby? Gaia will need her," she asked, her voice laced with concern.

The question sent a wave of panic through me. "She's not with you?" I replied, my heart racing as I realized Abby's absence. Seeing the faces around me mirror my concern only added to the growing sense of dread. "She was at the village. I've got to get her."

"No," Echo interjected, her hand gripping mine firmly. "We left a group to go door to door. They'll bring her in."

I nodded, reluctantly accepting her reasoning, as we all hastened towards the ship. Once everyone was safely inside, a small group of us remained outside, ready to assist any stragglers. The tension was palpable as Raven's voice crackled over the laser-comm. "Monty. Where the hell are you? Please respond." Her tone was a mix of worry and frustration. "Guys, if we wait much longer, we aren't going anywhere."

At that moment, Madi descended the ship's ramp and stood beside Bellamy. I couldn't hear what she said to him, but it was clear from his expression that her words had an impact. For the first time since our reunion, Bellamy's gaze met mine. There was a complexity in his look – a mix of hurt, understanding, and perhaps a glimmer of hope. It was a silent acknowledgment that maybe, just maybe, there was a chance for redemption, for mending the fractures that had formed between us. In that fraught atmosphere, with the clock ticking down and lives hanging in the balance, every gesture, every glance carried weight. We were all bound by a shared history, a tapestry of decisions and consequences, love and loss. As I stood there, surrounded by those I had fought with and for, I felt a profound sense of responsibility and resolve. We were on the brink of yet another life-altering moment, and the decisions we made now would define us, for better or worse.

The urgency escalated when someone shouted, "There they are!" I looked up to see my mom rushing towards us, Octavia and another figure carrying a stretcher with Kane on it. The severity of his condition was apparent even from a distance.

"What happened to him?" Bellamy's voice cut through the air, laden with concern, but his question hung unanswered.

My mom approached, her expression weary. "Look, I didn't know—" she began.

"You could have," she interjected, holding up a bag of blood. "The mothership has an O.R. If I can get up there, I can save him."

Before she could continue, Bellamy's voice rose above the commotion. "Sonic boom! It's close. We have to hurry!"

The urgency was palpable as the rest of the group emerged from the woods. Harper was at the forefront, her voice tinged with panic. "Murphy was hit, and we didn't have a stretcher for him! They're coming, they have to!" she yelled, leading the group in a desperate sprint towards the ship.

Frantically, I tried the radio again. "Monty, come in!" I shouted. "Monty, do you read me?"

Raven's voice suddenly cut in over the radio, her tone urgent. "Uh, guys, look up. We can't wait, we have to close the door."

Looking skyward, we saw the hytholodium plummeting towards us, a deadly spectacle in the sky. The urgency was now at a fever pitch.

"Bellamy!" I called from the doorway, my voice strained with anxiety.

"I'm waiting for them!" he responded, resolute.

"One minute until impact," the ship's automated warning system announced, adding to the tension.

"Bellamy, we have to go!" I urged, my voice a mix of desperation and command.

"Kegan, you do what you have to! I am not leaving my friends!" Bellamy shot back, his expression determined. "I can't do that again."