The Eden Projects (Book I)

Chapter 47. The one with all the Ghosts.

- A few Months Later -

It had been a blur. The past few cold, lifeless, months. The snow came early and whether they liked it or not, it was happening. The days drained into long nights wrapped in darkness that choked off the light until it controlled most of each cycles hours. Any sunlight that did happen to peek through was chilled, storms forced them inside, and buffeting winds kept them from venturing too far on their own. Everything was draining down. Hours into days, days into weeks, until all sense of time had gone and they were left guessing as to when spring would arrive. But it would, and when it did. Maybe then, Ark would move. But for now, they had gone silent and an unnerving sense of calm took hold of their daily life.

They relished in its easiness.

All except for one...

"Have you ever seen what happens when a bullet passes through a persons mouth and down their throat?" Kasper took hold of his captives jaw, forcing his gun as far down the mans throat as he could. "Me either." The mans cries turned into desperate gagging and his salty tears dropped into the pressured grooves made by Kasper's fingers on his cheeks. "Why are you crying? Hm? No one cares out here. I don't. The forest doesn't, and neither does he." He chided and flicked off the safety. "-now where is he?" The sound of teeth grating against the barrel cut the choking gasps.

"-on' -ow!!"

"STOP. LYING. Where- is- he!" The him in question was multiple people, Maliver, and Zero, and anyone else who Kasper happened to hate or miss in that particular moment. Any one of the "hims" would be a good enough answer.

The man struggled between fits. "-ease!"

"Wrong answer."

"AH-"

BANG. BANG- BANG.

"What a waste." Kasper often used the gun for intimidation. Bullets were few and far between. But he was ticked. So three could be excused this once. He'd allow it.

The man's cracked jaw slid off the gun and folded shut as he dropped. It was then that blood came rushing up. Only when he had been laid out on the ground. Kasper groaned, watching the blood gather and eat away at the snow with its warmth. He ran his tongue over the barrel of his gun. Taking in whatever had been left on it. His heart fluttered with delight.

"That's another one down." Zak shoved past him. Kicking the body over before pulling his knife and cutting a piece off for himself. Even now, after having done this so many times, he still couldn't look at their faces, let alone take a bite for himself. His knife was an eager ambassador playing partisan for his waiting maw. It wasn't the knife's fault. 

Kasper moved closer, lowering down next to Zak as he ate. His glistening black wings fell behind him like a velvet cloak. Zak was a carrion crow, a vulture, dining on its prey. Doesn't he know he's driving me mad? Kasper grabbed hold of the person's wrist, biting down, and letting his saliva mix with the man's sweat and blood as he lapped at the springs his pointed teeth had made. The tendons snapping when he pulled off a chunk. Zak is too delicate. He swallowed, and let Zak have his way with the body. Humans would always be better than flickers.

"Hh-" Chewing, Zak began. "-that's another straggler. They're getting closer." He gulped, letting his food ride his throat down to his stomach. "They still aren't moving though." He tapped the Ark insignia that brazened the man's chest with his knife. "Why aren't they moving?"