The Eden Projects (EDITING)

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? Earthquake?"

"No- we should go back." Topher let go of the railing.

"Toph if it was the failsafe there is nothing we can do." 

Toph looked to Zak. 

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, don't try to fight it."

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 in an old building. That's all it is.

It took them another ten 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.

Zak attempted to shove past. "What."

"Ace is 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? You didn't anything till the last freakin' second-" He gritted. 

"It's not because we didn't want you to know." 

"Ohhhohoho- Kasper was right about you." Zak huffed.

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 Kasper's 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."

"He doesn't have to find out. We can turn around and tell him it was blocked."

"HE'S NOT STUPID, He'll know. I'm done with whatever Ace is doing. Now move." 

Rook stood still.

"Rook I swear to God-" 

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 beaten up, now he was barging into HIS house uninvited. 

The door opened with a heavy push, at once, a soft breeze hit him and he squinted. 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.