The Eden Projects (EDITING)

Chapter 31. Those we Keep.

Zak's chest rose and fell in gentle waves as Fog rose to stand.

"Show some restraint. Jesus." Ace put away his gun. "Is he alright?"

Fog kicked Zak's arm, it twitched and settled. "Out like a light."

Kasper grimaced. There wasn't much he could say. Whatever pain the bullets were causing felt like jagged glass being pumped through his veins. Cutting up the delicate pathways with a self indulgent masochism. It felt good being torn apart, it felt good when that hurt anchored him. So he grimaced and said nothing at all. 

"You know, they aren't nearly as nice as me."

There was something inexplicably familiar and irritating about this Ace. It was a pecking familiarity, a nagging something that worsened with prolonged exposure. Kasper did his best to stay upright.

Ace patted his side. "This is the weapon of the future. Made to hurt US. Not humans?" Ace turned. "This is what they use. If you're buddy there got shot with this, he wouldn't feel the same burn." He crouched ahead of him. " I know you feel it. Eyes say a lot more than words."

"He's not my buddy." Kasper muttered.

Ace's brow rose impossibly high. "Let's keep that between us." He looked to Zak. "Whether you like it or not, remember or don't; he's the only person left that cares about you regardless of what you do... Or don't do."

Kasper looked to Zak's limp self. Laid out in the mud in a pathetic heap. "Him." He was too exhausted to think. "Him?" His eyes were burning. 

"Trust him. He knows you. He knows what you are, and he's the only one crazy enough to give anything to save you. Take care of him. You know. BONDING type shit. Go get him help from other humans." At this Ace chuckled. "There are two of mine at the camp. They have orders to shoot if you try anything or kill anyone else."

 Kasper sat back on his heels with a wheeze. 

"There's nowhere else to go. Nowhere to run."

Ace strode this his truck.

"When it's time for the next move I'll find you."

"Wait-" He scooted forward.

In a whirl, their truck spun out and back onto the road, tires screeched against the asphalt, sending up a cloud of dust and debris, leaving him standing alone at its side to process the chaos that had just unfolded. His heart raced with the aftermath of the sudden disturbance. The scent of burnt rubber mixed with the sharp tang of gasoline filled the air, and he could barely comprehend what was said as his senses heightened.

The truck disappeared down the road in a fading red blip and before he knew it, he was once again alone. 

Kasper sat silently, listening to the rain patter against the loose gravel. He grimaced, letting his head roll down and back against the damp surface behind him. His body followed suit, surrendering to the weight of exhaustion and pain. All of him ached with a dull throb that resonated through his limbs and settled in the marrow of his bones. With a wheeze, he clawed at the bullet hole in his chest. He dug his fingers in, feeling the jagged edges of the metal fragment lodged in his flesh, searching for a grip. When he finally found purchase, he steeled himself and pulled, freeing the sliver of metal with a sharp tug. "Ow..." The sound escaped his lips. His head throbbed painfully, and for a fleeting moment, the idea of disappearing into the dense woods surrounding him felt like the best of plans.

Kasper's body reeled. The final bullet was wedged so deep inside of him, there was little chance of freeing it himself. So he bit back against the pain, gritting his teeth and doing his best to stand, even though every movement sent fresh waves of an unrelenting burn coursing through his body. His teeth felt like heavy stones grating against each other. Where his lips met each other cracks sutured them together. He licked them, hoping any moisture would help. When his feet were finally found, he stepped over towards the trees, their sturdy trunks offering a semblance of support, the rough bark pressing into his back. What is all this?  The stillness was suffocating. He fished his fingers into the bullet hole that still held something— and he struggled to think, to piece together the fragments of his shattered consciousness. A primal something burned deep within him, a flicker of instinct urging him to fight, to survive. Who are they? The question echoed in his mind Run. I need to get away from here.