The Eden Projects (Book I)

Chapter 24. Winged insects.

It was in times like these that Kasper realized just how vulnerable he was. You could cut him again and again, peel back his skin, burn away at his flesh, but you couldn't kill him. 

Inside however, deep inside... who he was, was so very fragile. Now he felt a single stones toss from breaking. It was a mental exhaustion that dogged him and he wondered just how long it had been since he last slept. Had he already forgotten?

Despite it all, it wasn't himself he was afraid for, it was them. He didn't want to hurt anyone. But he needed to. He needed something or someone to blame, to bring to their knees. To make him feel better. Walking away was the best thing to do but it was childish, like it mattered. Jack was infected sure, but like Kasper? Like him? No. 

He was alone. 

As it always had been. 

Hope dashed on the rocks at the cavernous mouth of madness. 

Hope wasn't made for people like him. 

Hope was a fools game. 

He joined the group at the vehicles and hopped up next to Zak who waited impatiently behind the wheel of their truck. Slamming the door hard, Kasper punched the dash with everything he had. The plastic splintered like glass and the drawer of the glove box snapped open, thwacking his knees. "Shit!" He was angry, and forced it closed again. It popped back and he shoved it in so hard that it crammed backwards. 

"There's Riley, Jack-" Zak squinted. "-aaaand Malcolm. He's still walking. What happened? I sent him out to you like we planned. Why is he still walking Kas?" He sighed.

Kasper shot him an angry glance as the truck rumbled to a start. "I didn't have a chance, Riley was there, I can't just kill her and that- that Freak Jack made a move. DAMN IT!" This time he dug his nails into his pant legs. He was mad at himself. He had complicated things and what was worse, Jack was right. 

"We should just leave. This is getting complicated, I bet- I bet if we try finding Ace- and we just tell him what happened, then-"

Kasper pushed his fingers through his hair. An effort to calm down. He was all adrenaline. "-It's not that simple. We have no idea if he's even in the area anymore." For a moment, he thought maybe Zak was right. Maybe this was a pointless endeavor. Maybe they should turn and run. They could still leave... ditch the backpack and disappear. Kasper no longer cared if he died or not.

"We always find him. Or, he'll find us eventually. He always does."

Kasper thought of the tracker he had dug out. He won't find us. "Can we just drop it for now? Please?" Something inside of him was starting to hurt. He felt at his chest, trying to rub it away. This pain was much too deep, it was a frothing, boiling mass underneath his heavy bones. "Ace made it clear we wouldn't find him easily. We just have to wait this out." Kasper pressed his face into his hands. "My head is killing me."

Zak looked on in momentary confusion "Alright. Okay- okay-" then muttered incoherently.

Their plan had failed.

Zak took notice.

The parade of cars traveled out of city limits and back into the oddly laid countryside. Up and down along the weaving car maze, and finally back to the gravel road that marked their camp. As soon as the tires crossed over the gates guiding track Kasper popped his door open, hopped from the moving vehicle, and let the door glide closed as Zak brought the hulking beast to a stop.

"Hey-" Zak left the truck idling, jogging after Kasper who had already fled the lot and closed the gate behind himself. "-what are you doing?" He kept his voice low. "If you ditch. I'm coming too."