The Maze of Existence

Episode 11: Scream

"Now, I don't know where Eden, Cassius, or our parents are," I finished, sitting back and letting my words sink in. I told them everything that happened from being alone to that point in time.

    "Does Eden have the compass?" Adria asked.

    "No. He has the key," I said, pulling the compass from my pocket.

    At the same time, a piece of damp paper fell out. Seth's poem he wrote me. I snatched it up before anyone could see.

    "Do you think Cassius would be the one to hurt Jonathan?"

    Lincoln nodded.

    "Why?" she whispered.

    "The Antipode," Lincoln answered. "It isn't necessarily Cassius, either. It's his father, Concord. He's the one who wants to create and test this thing. Clearly he already used the part he had figured out on your brother."

    "What does it do?" I asked, wanting answers.

    "With the Elements there's the compass, the key, and the ring, right? I suspect that the Antipode consists of all three that do the opposite of what they're suppose to do. That's why Cassius is after them, he might need to see what they're composed of," Lincoln suggested.

    "That... Doesn't make any sense," I said, confused.

    "But why would he test it on Jonathan?" Adria asked.

    "When he arrested Stefen, who he's been after, he probably saw Jonathan as another subject and took the opportunity," he answered, sounding sorrowful.

    "Will he come after us now since we know about the Antipode thing?" I asked.

    "Probably. The more people who know, the bigger threat there is that Concord will be overthrown," Lincoln confirmed.

    A moment of thick silence passed between us. Jonathan's breathing was steady and sound. Who knows how long it's been since he had a decent sleep. I smiled weakly down at him. He helped Seth when he needed it. Seth didn't forget about me.

    "I'm going to bed," Adria announced. "We'll decide what to do in the morning." She grabbed a few blankets from the stack and set up her bed near the door. Within moments, she was out like a light.

    Lincoln scooted over beside me. We didn't say anything for a while. My mind raced with what was happening. There was still the big question of where my parents and Eden were. What was Eden doing? Did he turn himself in? Would he rat us out?

    "Who was that paper from?" Lincoln asked.

    "Your brother."

    "So he's Seth to you?" he said, a grin obvious in his voice.

    "Sure is," I replied, smiling at the memory of when I named him.

    Lincoln clasped and unclasped his hands. "He remembered God?"

    "Yes," I answered. I wasn't shocked Lincoln asked. Obviously faith was important to him. He was outlawed because of it.

    "Did you care?" he questioned.

    "I didn't know what to think."

    "Rowin, listen. My faith is such a big part of who I am. Believe me, if Seth remembered God, he was remembering a big part of himself that was missing. But some people don't know that God is watching out for them and that he loves them. People are going to dislike you if you believe the truth about yourself," Lincoln explained.