The Graveyard Kingdom [*ON HIATUS UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE*]

Chapter 31: Home

"You're back!" Taylor created as she saw Ashlyn and Aiden enter. "How'd scouting go today?"

"Probably no good with Aiden there," Tyler joked. Taylor flung a rock at him.

Tyler rubbed his arm, muttering swear words under his breath. Ashlyn smirked, enjoying his misfortune.

"Where's Ben and Logan?" Ashlyn asked.

Tyler rolled his eyes. "Where do you think dumbass?"

Taylor swatted him again. "They're in the 'greenhouse' Ashlyn. Logan's helping Ben grow more herbs for....well you know."

"The sick?" Ashlyn asked somberly.

Taylor nodded. Tyler grunted. "Why the hell are you guys still calling them sick? They're long gone by this point. An infection that's just spreading to everyone else."

"In case you used your brain halfwit," Aiden interrupted. "We don't know how it's spreads. It's not airborne or touch, which are like the main ways. We don't know if we'll get the sick ones back to normal but...we could try and find ways to prevent it from spreading."

Tyler raised an eyebrow. "Wow. Did you actually know what all those words mean or are you just copying Ben?"

Aiden flung a rock at Tyler. Ashlyn hummed.

"I'll go check on their progress. Do you mind holding down the fort here Tyler?" Ashlyn asked.

"I was doing that already dumbass," Tyler snapped, but didn't disagree. There weren't many people in the base that could fight well, so the strongest were out in charge. But they were making progress in teaching the younger ones. At least, Ashlyn hoped so.

Hand running across the stone walls of their base, Ashlyn head up the stairs to the only room where sun shone down due to a hidden cavity in the ground. The greenhouse. Only a handful of people were allowed in, no kids were allowed whatsoever for their safety. Over the course of the year, Ashlyn and the others had scouted out into the forests. Logan took any seed he could find, growing them back home. A few were poisonous, but most he were able to grow underground, so for the most part they didn't need to worry about food.

Ashlyn stepped into the greenhouse, sighing to herself. It was the only part of the base that didn't have stone walls, instead opting for dirt in case they needed to expand. A tree was growing above the cavity, and the roots made good cover when they needed to quickly hide the base.

Logan, now much taller than Ashlyn, helped pluck some herbs from the ground with Ben. His hair was sticking up everywhere, and they were both covered in sweat. Probably had been working since morning again.

She whistled, getting their attention. Logan smiled.

"Hey Ashlyn!" He greeted.

Ben nodded his head. Ashlyn nodded back.

"Hey. I just wanted to see what you two were up to." Ashlyn came over to look at what they were doing.

"Just getting some more herbs," Logan said simply. He sighed, a tinge of excitement. "This might work. I don't know though."

Ashlyn's eyebrows raised. "Think so?"
She looked to Ben. Ben shrugged, both skeptical in this new medication they were making, but secretly hopeful.

"Well it's better than nothing. Let's hope this time lasts longer yeah?" Ashlyn smiled. Logan nodded.

They heard a rumble in the distance, the thuds shaking the walls of the greenhouse.

"Roots—" Logan started, but Ben was already pulling them. They covered themselves. Ashlyn gulped as she heard it.

Again?

As it passed, Logan stiffened. "It's expanding its territory."

"Must be exploring.." Ashlyn thought out loud.

Ben gulped, looking around. "What do we do then? We can't just leave here, we spent forever making this place livable."

"We might not have a choice Ben.." Ashlyn mumbled regretfully.

CRASH!

(A/N: I'm so tired rn Istg. OH AND I MIGHT NOT UPDATE FOR THE NEXT FEW DAYS, SO IF I RANDOMLY DISAPPEAR DONT WORRY IM JUST DEALING WITH STUFF AT HOME)