Fathom [On Hold]

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Fifteen: Predator 

It's back again. Once more the vast sea of glowing green consumes the sky in front of me. This time the thought of telling Jaycen and Saoirse doesn't even cross my mind. I can't deal with being called crazy; I've been down that road before. If I hear it too many times I may start to agree. 

I wonder what it means, the green glow. Back at home I heard of things called the northern lights that danced across the sky in waves of color. Could that be what I am seeing? 

But that would mean everyone could see them, not just Lani and me. 

I sigh and absentmindedly pick at my thumbnail. We've been rotating every few hours for who keeps watch while the other two sleep. Jaycen, Saoirse, and then me. For six days we've kept this routine. 

I can tell Jaycen is starting to get antsy. Truth be told so am I. We've been here for a week and haven't had one sighting. My post-tunnel life has fallen into a pattern: short placid periods between bouts of catastrophe. The first time Jaycen and I were up here it didn't take long at all for us to be driven out. Same thing with camp. Our paranoia is not without reason. 

Even Saoirse is uneasy. She can joke around all she wants, but it does not completely mask her wariness. We have all taken to packing our bags before we go to sleep every night. Saoirse and I sleep with our knives inches from our hands, and Jaycen with his loaded bow beside his head. 

And then of course there is the big elephant in the room: the Lab. Saoirse is still in the dark as far as it is concerned, and Jaycen is being a total ass about it. There's no reason why she shouldn't know. It involves her just as much as it does us. I've been seriously considering going behind his back and telling her anyways. He needs to get over himself. This is a whole lot bigger than just his personal issues. 

Speaking of Jaycen, he still hasn't told me jack about his involvement in the Lab. I haven't outright pushed him, but I haven't let him forget about it either. When we're alone I'll just look at him until he gets the message and either shakes his head or says, "Not now, Asmara." 

Today, I decide, I'm telling her whether he gives me his consent or not. Ignorance is not bliss in this case; it is detrimental. 

I yawn and look up once again to the green glow. It has faded slightly over the past ten minutes, hinting at the soon to be rising sun. Nine times out of ten there is no need to wake Jaycen and Saoirse, as they almost always awaken at the crack of dawn. The thing about sleeping outside is that you're up with the sun. The cave does not provide much shelter from its rays. The days of tucking my head back under the covers and granting myself a few extra hours' sleep are long gone. 

In less than an hour, I hear Saoirse rousing herself behind me. She's almost always up before Jaycen. I don't think anyone is particularly fond of mornings, but he hates them with a passion. 

"Morning," she says, her voice crackly with sleep. She exits the cave and disappears into the foliage to go and relieve herself. When she comes back she plops herself down next to me. 

 "How did you sleep?" 

"Alright, thanks." We sit in silence for a few minutes, watching the sun continue to rise over the peaks of the mountains and painting the sky with streaks of red and gold. The sunrise always gives me comfort. It shows me that even though the world is full of terrible, unspeakable things that a few beautiful ones can still exist. 

Well, I guess it's now or never. 

"I want to show you something," I say, standing up and motioning for her to do the same. Taking a deep breath I lead her over to where the rock concealing the entrance to the Lab is.