The Eden Projects (EDITING)

Chapter 26. Drive.

The rain never stopped. It seemed, in fact, like the rain fought against everything they were. It was only bad. Never good. Never mind the fed tall grasses, stretching toward the sky in a desperate attempt to thrive, or the washed crinkling foliage, glistening with droplets that reflected the dull gray of the overcast sky. That did them no good. The world was trapped in an endless cycle of gloom. And even though Ace thought maybe it helped the smell, the earthy scent did little more than meld with the dampness of decay, it was only barely better, a fleeting whisper of hope in a relentless downpour.

It was only barely better, and Kasper had become a monster...

Maybe this was a bad idea. 

Ace threw the car into reverse. Taking out the left taillight on a sign that had stood in front of the church with a crack. Fog sat shotgun, he didn't make a sound, but his eyes kept running. He wiped them every now and again as they drove violently through town and sped down the opened roadway with such velocity that even though the rain bogged everything down, leaves and debris still stirred in their wake. 

"Where do we even start." Fog spoke. His voice cracked. "They could be anywhere and that's IF they're still alive. God- Cherry."

Ace thrummed his fingers on the wheel. "Camp. We have to warn the closest camps." He thought of their connections. A thing like Kasper wouldn't go unnoticed for long. Neither would an entirely helpless bunch of walking, talking, meals. 

Lightning struck and lit the sky with a momentary burst of something other than filtered gray light. "What do we tell Cherry's family? Her brother-" Fog had been thumbing through the letters she had written. "Not just any flicker could take her down. Suri, her sister, Ace. What do we tell her?" He folded the dry papers back into shape and slid them into their plastic baggy. Along with the family photo she had included. "They'll know." Fog tucked them into his breast pocket. 

"Everyone makes mistakes." Ace was numb. In part from the chill. "We don't lose people for no reason."

"She didn't make a mistake." Fog growled. "I won't make her out to be a klutz." 

"Then let's not make this a habit." Ace knew she had done it to save him, and he felt more than unworthy of the sacrifice. "What happened... happened."

"Flock comes first." Fog muttered. Wiping his eyes. "What happened to that." 

Ace only nodded. "Kasper happened." His mind was elsewhere. Stuck somewhere between the terror of what Kasper was, and the anguish of knowing he was in part responsible for someone's death other than his own. He lowered the car down off the road into the worn down side path. "What was she thinking..." He whispered and brought the car back up onto the street, then down again onto a gravel drive. "Topher and Rook should be there. Right? Right???" 

"They should be. Today hasn't exactly been going according to plan." 

"Mhh." 

The sun had begun to set, casting long shadows and feeding into the woods' densely packed darkness, they were alive as the night approached. The camps lights came into view first, flickering like stars as they bled through the trees, illuminating the path ahead with a warm glow.. Then, the fence appeared, tall and imposing, and the guards could be seen running to open it with a sense of urgency. Ace slowed the car as the heavy gate was pulled open, revealing a sanctuary within the shadows, and they were waved in with gestures lightened by a long awaited gratitude. The guards looked visibly relieved, their tension easing as they recognized the familiar vehicle. Ace put the car in park, the engine humming softly as he pulled out the key, the metallic clink drew up his breath in a knot.