The Eden Projects (EDITING)

Chapter 13. Into the Eye.

Kasper woke up with a dizzying sensation. 

He could feel the stale, humid air on his face, heavy and oppressive. How it suffocated him and pressed against his skin in loving dimples, as if trying to embrace him with a motherlike caress. "Mnhh-" For a moment, he wondered if he had crossed over, if he had slipped into another realm. If the pressing was from pounds of dirt laid over his corpse, a disorienting weight that felt both familiar and foreign, enveloping him in darkness. 

Then, he opened his eyes, blinking against the dimness that surrounded him. "Uhhnmhh-" His breath was acidic against his tongue, a bitter reminder of his situation, and he knew it was blood. His own. The metallic taste filled his mouth, and a wave of panic surged through him as he looked about, trying to gather his bearings as his eyes cleared. Where am I? The question echoed in his mind. His muscles tensed at the unfamiliarity of it all, every nerve ending alert and on edge. 

Then he heard it. The padding of feet—soft yet deliberate, a sound that sent a shiver down his spine, filling the air with an unsettling tension that made him acutely aware of his vulnerability.

"Kas?" Zak's voice came with a slam against him as he tried to right himself. "Thank God!" Zak's nervous laughter was hot against his ear and he realized, it had been so long since anyone held him like this. "We were worried-" He felt himself relax and his vision came with it. The squiggles that tugged at his vision pulled away, letting in the light.

"Where am I?" Kasper whispered. He was thirsty and his aching throat made sure that he knew it.

"I told you he'd be fine," Zak said exasperatedly, his voice tinged with relief. "You're fine, right?" He released Kasper, his grip loosening as he scooted back slightly to gauge the situation. It wasn't a question borne out of uncertainty; it was an assurance, a firm belief that everything had to be just that: fine. Zak's eyes searched Kasper's for any hint of distress.

Kasper nodded, looking past Zak, convinced that their bond would weather any storm. He could make out Archer's back. He was seated behind a cashiers counter studying the wall. An awkward intensity ebbed from him.

"Is everyone okay?" Kasper asked. He didn't know if he was "fine" and simply couldn't remember what had made him black out or if Adam had taken over. All he remembered was Zero. "Zero..." He whispered. So low it was barely audible. Zero... He thought, the image so burnt into the back of his eyes that he couldn't dare close them for more than a second at a time. It had been so long since he had thought about him. He missed his brother.

"It's gonna be too late to travel soon; the flocks got a lead now." Archer rose to stand, nearly knocking his stool over in his haste as he pulled his backpack from the countertop. "We're gonna have to drive straight through," he added, determination etched on his face. He pushed one of the roller doors aside with a firm grip, exposing them to the quieted storm outside, where the remnants of the tempest still swirled. "Glad you're back with us, Kas," he said, a light smile breaking through his otherwise serious demeanor.

"Right." Zak grabbed his pack and helped Kasper gather his with much steadier hands.

An eerie quiet had settled on Kasper. It was an emptiness. A void. Hello?  

He, for the first time in years, heard nothing. Strange...

"Did I... do anything?" Kasper spoke through the window at the trucks rear.

Where are you???

Archer closed the door, the side window had shattered and the roof was denting in on his side. He banged his fist into the warped area cursing. "No, other than wreck my truck with your ass."