New Birds

Where To Now Part 35

After sleeping a fitful night at the base of the mountain, Samantha woke with Farling tapping her on the shoulder. She was sure she would wake from every sleep from here on in with a sensation of falling.

"Time we moved on," he said.

Marshall was already up and standing a few feet away, hands shielding his eyes as he looked up at the sheerness of the wall they had descended.

"Has anyone seen Heidi, again?" he asked.

Samantha glanced up but the morning sun now blocked from her the impossibility that was yesterday. As she pushed herself from the sleeping bag, every movement was a slow and cautious one for every part of her hurt. "I want to go to the bungalow. Hal's. Keitin, at least, would have likely stopped in to retrieve some of his and his father's belongings. They wouldn't have remained too long there because of needing to get Hal help, but they might have left us a note. How to find them."

She would accept any sign that they had been there. Better, if they were still there. It would put her mind at rest if she just knew they got down off the mountain also.

"Far too risky," Farling said. "We should keep walking west. Give this entire area a wide berth."

Risky? When compared to climbing down a sheer rock face, she saw little risk at all.

"I need to know they're okay," she said.

"I'm with Sam," Marshall slid on his rucksack, ever so gently so not to disturb the chicks. "We'll avoid all settlements and roadway as much as possible. Shouldn't be too hard."

Samantha nodded looking at the barren rocky land around them. "Lots of geography to keep us hidden."

Farling stood looking from one to another. "You two appear united in this. Just if you don't mind, allow me to lead."

"Show us the way." Samantha swept and arm out in front of her, regretting the pull it caused her shoulder.

* * *

When they reached the small subdivision a day later, Farling had them hide about a hundred metres away, inside the cavity of one of the ruined foundations across the road. They waited., while Farling circled the bungalow twice. As he looked in the windows and checked each of the doors.

"What's taking him so long?" she asked.

Marshall, who had removed his rucksack and was checking on the chicks, Olive and Goth, simply shrugged. The chicks were fine. Marshall was doting and gentle, meeting all their needs, feeding them as often as Heidi had fed them.

A low whistle sounded, and she lifted her head to see Farling finally waving them over before he rounded the house again. She picked up his heavy duffle bag along with her rucksack, and they crossed the roadway.

The driveway where the blast had occurred was now clear of debris and swept clean. No sign that an explosion had ever happened. Her thoughts went to Tyler and him making them coffee.

Farling stood just below what she knew was the kitchen window. In the dirt along the stone foundation he pointed to where four small plants were sprouting. The shine of their green leaves dazzled among the cracked earth and broken cement walkway.

"Oh, how wonderful. They must have come from the Ark. Definitely a sign Tilly has come this way. Who else would have planted them here? Which also means she will be back," Samantha said, looking about, knowing Tilly wouldn't leave them unattended for long.

Farling shook his head. "No, it proves that you were here, Samantha. By the height of them, about six weeks ago. They're not replanted. They grew from seed. Possibly from the pit of an ark tomato that Keitin had at some time discarded. Or perhaps some fruit or vegetable that Keitin had brought back from Anson Genetics.

"Could they have grown from coffee beans?' She asked, remembering Tyler handing her a small cup of the hot brew with a smile on his face. Had she smiled back? She couldn't remember. She hoped she had.

"Possibly," Farling said. Marshall held out his canister of water, the little that was left, and Farling sprinkled some of it around the base of the plants.

"But what do they have to do with me?" Samantha sat the heavy duffel bag down next to the preacher, who picked it up and slung it over one shoulder.

"Their auras are very similar. Whole. Healthy. Just smaller. You either passed it on to these few seeds or you awakened it in them. I haven't until right now even considered such a possibility."

She and Kelly had exchanged energy and experiences, but that was because she originated from Kelly's scraped knee. How had she passed energy to a tomato seed? Or a coffee bean?

"It appears this scientific project, this genetic manipulation, that you and Marshall underwent has another facet to it that has now been properly switched on. What was taken from the ark and housed in your DNA during your inception appears to have the ability to awaken the souls of seeds elsewhere, besides on the ark." He slid his duffle bag partly down his shoulder and paused at the zipper, only to heft it back onto his shoulder and look around, most likely realizing this wasn't the proper place to write more scripture.

"What does all that mean?" Marshall asked.

"You two may possess the ability to wake this earth. Is what that means," Farling said. "In Genesis it reads, 'bring forth with thee every living thing that is with thee, of all flesh, both of fowl, and cattle, and of every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth; that they may breed abundantly in the earth, and be fruitful, and multiply upon the earth.'" Farling straightened, as much as his lean would allow. "And have not the seas receded some? And are you two not of the ark? You two, who may very well come to represent living things. Giving them a new start outside the ark. And I, entrusted to facilitate this." He finally removed the duffle bag and unzipped it, showing them inside. The bottom of which was layered in Louis's prize money. "He had entrusted it to me. To hide it. It is plenty enough to obtain a vehicle and get you two somewhere safe. I did not know any of this would happen like this. I just knew to wait. That one day I would be called. Would be needed."

"But we can't simply run off and leave Tilly and Louis," Samantha went to the front door and tried it. "They could have still left us a note."

Farling was at her side just as quickly. His hand pressed to the door - his seven fingers spread. "A soulless man is always one of deception and cruelty and it is my belief that Tilly and Louis were killed. He had no aura too read for me to ascertain this was always his intention, but there is nothing inside him that might have offered them mercy."

Her heart sank. "Shouldn't we at least find out for sure?"

Marshall came up to stand close to her. "If Farling speaks true, that we are the ark, or part of it, then we could do Tilly no greater service then continue her work. She always wanted her trees to thrive out here."

Reaching into his rucksack's smaller front pocket, he removed a handful of pine seeds. "I know where I would like to plant them. Where I would like to start."

She knew immediately he was thinking about his brothers.

She let her hand drop from the door handle. Marshall returned the seeds and took her hand in his. It was as rough from the climb as hers. She touched his cheek. The first time she met him, she tried but couldn't quite grasp what it was about him that she knew so well, yet didn't. That wondrous smell when she first encountered him. The innocence. The expectations. The depth in his eyes. He was soulful. In the most literal sense of the word.

They started walking. Samantha glanced back at the bungalow once they were on the other side of the ruins again. She hoped they were coffee plants and she hoped they would grow in abundance. For Tyler.