The Eden Projects (Book I)

Chapter 37. Monkeys paw.

- Zak -

The ground shook and the lights flickered. Zak caught himself on the wall, "Did you feel that?" and stopped, listening to the building settle. "Was that a tremor?"

"No that was something else- we should go back." Toph let go of the railing.

Zak waited. "We're at the top. There's no point in all of us going back, Caleb, could you start heading down?"

Caleb nodded and turned.

"Be careful."

He nodded again before disappearing around a bend.

They waited, listening to him open the steel door they had walked through, his footsteps disappearing in the carpets short pile. "Let's go." Zak continued up. Kasper is fine, they're fine. It was just a tremor. That's all it is.

It took them another twenty minutes to reach their final landing. Cutting across another office space, and stepping to the final door. They were at the top.

Rook stepped ahead, blocking the door. "Zak. There's something we should tell you." He fanned his wings.

"Seriously? Now???" Zak attempted to shove past.

"It's Ace up there-"

"ROOK!" Topher growled.

"Shut it Toph, he deserves to know what's in there."

Zak grabbed at the chest strap on his vest. Looking at the floor. "You knew this whole time? I shoulda guessed you would hold back on saying anything till the last freakin' second-" He gritted. "Kasper was right." 

Toph rubbed his face with one of his hands. "We didn't think we'd actually come this far while he was still using the place. We thought we'd get blocked by something."

"For someone trying to earn Kaspers' trust you're doing a shitty job of it. You should have just told him when we were together. This is gonna cause some massive problems when he finds out. Now MOVE." He lingered and Rook steadied. "MOVE and let me deal with this."

Toph nodded to Rook who stepped aside, smooshing himself against the wall. "Be careful."

"Yeah- yeah- whatever." Zak twisted the nob, trying to hide his nervousness. Ace had quite literally just had him beaten up, now he was barging into HIS house uninvited. The door opened with a heavy push, at once, a soft breeze hit him. Unfiltered light from the outside world spilled in through the broken glass panes that made up one entire wall. Feathers were everywhere, lining the corners like a birds nest. Small downy bits drifted across the floor like colorful tumbleweeds. Seated around the area were others, so many just like Ace. Of all different sizes and colors. More than he had ever seen gathered in the past. They were all busy packing backpacks with supplies, some checked guns and flashlights. A small fire was lit, sorters tossed random useless items that must have belonged to the packs original owners straight in and the flame lapped them up greedily. Stockpiles of rations were spread on tables dotted around the room. The woman at the nearest table stopped her sorting and whistled sharply. Drawing the attention of everyone else.

"Zak, meet The Flock, Flock, meet Zak." Toph, sounding obviously annoyed crossed his arms. Nodding to one of the closer members.

"Oh you've done it this time." A younger man said. "You know the rule." 

"Shaddaaahp Passer you don't know what we went through to get here."

Zak recognized Fog immediately, he sat at the back, letting a small girl play with his wings. He held a stuffed bear in one hand and a pink brush in the other. The girl, unlike him, had no wings, neither did the woman who sat next to him braiding another girls hair. He looked stunned at the sight of them. He was incredibly out of place next to the kids. Especially after those same bruised hands that now worked at combing the plush fur of the stuffed animal had beaten him to a pulp earlier.