Aer II

40

Daisy listen to the branches crunching under her feet. She can't hear anything else. She's been walking for a few hours but she doesn't feel tired, the heat hasn't gotten to her yet. She knows she's close and it's enough to keep her going.

She reaches the gap in the mountains. It's exactly how she imagined it. Kids on crosses are lined along the road, some skeletons, some rotting and some fresh. Some crows poke at the fresh bodies, they don't even fly away as Daisy passes them. She can see movement in the distance, a girl runs out onto the road and points at her. Something flies through the air, a syringe hits Daisy in the arm and within seconds she falls to the floor.

'Hi,' she wakes up to a man smiling in her face, he fixes her up onto her knees 'how are you feeling?'.
Daisy doesn't say anything as men tie her hands.
The man has large teeth, the rest of his mouth is covered by a beard. Daisy looks into his blue eyes, they're soulless.

  'We didn't think you would show up so soon,' he says, his voice is soft and calming 'actually we didn't think you'd show up at all'.
'Where is he?' Daisy says.
The man frowns 'who?'.
'Josh'.
The man smiles 'oh, you'll see him soon. My dear brother is busy at the moment. My name is John. For now you will be staying in my part of the compound until my brother feels he is ready to see you'.

A small girl walks into the room. She's wearing a long, flowing white dress, her hair is nearly as white and as long. She has flowers tangled in her hair. She has no shoes, she walks along the hard ground as if it is nothing. There's something unearthly about her.

'You've come to see the guest,' John says 'Eden, this is Daisy'.
'Would you like to come with me?' She says.
One of the cult pushes Daisy up.

Daisy follows her into a large house, the place is empty. It's quiet and peaceful. Eden tells Daisy to sit down at a table. She goes to the counter and pours tea into two cups.
'Oh, no thank you,' Daisy says as Eden puts a cup in front of her.
'You're our guest,' she smiles as she takes a sip of her tea.

Daisy watches her swallow it, she waits for a reaction but there's nothing. She looks down at her tea and it looks normal. Perhaps she's overthinking but she can't stop wondering why they haven't done anything to her yet? They had patrols out hunting them yesterday, and now they're acting as if nothing is wrong.

'Thank you,' Daisy smiles as she drinks the tea, she knows how volatile the cult can be, so trying her best to be mannerly is all she can do.
'Josh thinks highly of you,' Eden says 'he admires your strength and courage'.
  'When will I be seeing him?'.
'Not for a few days,' she smiles softly 'he's a very busy man, but you will like it here'.

  'Do you like it here?' Daisy asks.
Something comes over her, she takes a sip of her tea and smiles 'what is there not to like? Josh helped us when we needed someone, he can help you too'.
'I'm not here to be helped,' she says.
  'Well why are you here?'.
   'I'm turning myself in'.
'You don't do that here,' she laughs 'God is full of forgiveness, and you can see your sins, I know you can'.

  Daisy looks down at her tea. Then she sees it, the tea leaves begin turning into a flower. She smiles slightly as she begins to see her reflection in the tea, she looks so peaceful.
  She looks up at Eden as she stands in a garden. There's just one large tree. The roots growing out from the tree, the tree shines blue as little orbs glow around it.

  'God is good,' Eden smiles 'and Josh has shown us that, our pain has ended. He gave us crosses to bear because he knew we were strong enough to carry them, you can carry your cross, I know you can'.

  Butterflies begin flying around Eden. The largest one lands on the tip of her finger 'Josh will show you the way, and I've opened your mind to that. He is good, he is great. And you will find the way, I know you can'.