Burning House

Chapter 3

"Awesome, that's all we have time for," Ace said as he signaled for Roller and Mike to descend. In our group alone we had six wild deer, three turkeys, four chickens, and half a dozen eggs. Now came the fun part of trudging our catches back up the mountain when the seal would reopen. The sun had come and set leaving us once again in darkness.

I followed him down the tree and shimmied my way from branch to branch. Trusting more instinct than actual vision. There was no moon tonight making our trip easier to get home in. I stuffed the turkeys and chickens in my duffle before swinging it over my back. The guys hauled the deer over their shoulders and we headed out. Our run not as light-footed as before.

An hour later we made it to the opening right as the seal popped. Mike propped it open as people started filing back in carrying their catches behind. I saw Noelle and breathed easier knowing she was fine and her whole team made it back. She gave me a small wave as she managed to carry the weight of a small grizzly bear with her team. Only one person had been injured with a snake bite to his ankle. Thankfully his buddy was quick and had been able to drain the wound before the venom could penetrate his blood stream.

I kept count as everyone filed in. Two were missing and the seal would close up in less than an hour for another year.

"Ace," I called, "Diesel and Zoe are still not back yet."

"Check with Bryce and Zed," he ordered.

I slipped inside the barrier and ran to the unload station. Zed's purple fohaux bobbed in line as he chatted up the girl behind the counter.

"Dude," I slapped him on the shoulder, "Where is your team, Ace is going to freak out and the barrier closes again soon."

"Shit, I don't now Paige, Bryce said Diesel thought he had seen something by the river. He and Zoe went to look quick. I thought they were behind us though."

"Thanks Zed," I said as I took off back to tell Ace. If Zoe and Diesel hadn't returned yet he'd have to make a decision to find them or lose them. Once the barrier sealed up there was no way back in except from the beginning at the bottom of a very large cliff. Chills raced up arms and spine just thinking of it. The only other problem was that Rosa was the only one who knew how to get there. And she would be gone for the next few days doing her own special brand of hunting.

"Did you find them," Ace asked me anxiously when I reached him.

"Zed said Diesel had spotted something by the river. He thought they were right behind him and Bryce." I struggled to form the sentence in my rising panic.

"Fuck," Ace said. I could see the inter-battle he was fighting inside. If he couldn't find them he could end up dead as well.

"I'm going," he looked at me expectantly.

"I'm going too then. You're my buddy." I told him more confidently than I felt.

"Are you crazy," Roller asked, "The seal is going to close in forty-five minutes."

Ace looked at Roller then pushed his was out the door. I followed behind closely and kept a look out. I could hear Roller mutter "You're funeral" as he went back to propping the door. We were on our own and we were in trouble if we couldn't find them in time.

At the bottom of the hill Ace stopped quickly as Diesel came dodging from the trees.

"Ace, Paige, I need help!" he screamed.

"What, were is Zoe?" Ace asked as he grabbed Diesel by the front of his black spandex shirt.

"She won't move. I think she's in shock, it's horrible," he gulped air in between his words. "Come on!" He began pulling Ace towards the brush. I followed alongside still trying to cover my own back as well as my partners. Not far ahead we broke into a clearing where a cave was nestled into the side of the ground. The telltale rushing of water could be heard. I slowed a little suddenly to scared to go nearer. I saw Zoe standing by the bank oblivious to her unconcealed frame. Thank God there was no moon tonight.

Diesel stopped by me. Ace approached closer to Zoe softly crooning for her to turn around and go back with us. She stood rooted in place her gaze trained on the moving water below. Ace stopped next to her. He stilled, a lethal stance stole over his form. Curiously, I began to move closer.

"Don't Paige," Diesel clutched my wrist to hold me back, "You don't want to see." His eyes pleaded with me. I stopped and looked at him before turning my gaze back to my partner and Zoe. I freed my hand and started walking again. I reached Ace's other side, sliding my hand up to his shoulder. His body was rigged and taunt. He was angry.

I looked down at the water. Swirling on top was colorful robes, dresses, tops, and pants covering the lifeless bodies of people I had once cared about. Some faces I recognized that were frozen in fear, some looked peacefully asleep. My neighbors who I had helped barter and build into respectable civilizations. Some faces I recognized as friends and workers of my brother and the other Covenant members. Young and old the bodies flowed past us disappearing into the cave.

I turned away, my hand coming up to cover my mouth. I could taste the bile rising in the back of my throat. She had done this! There were children down there! My eyes met Ace's. He felt it too, the need to suddenly dismember someone and taste revenge. He scooped Zoe up off the ground and hoisted her over his shoulder. I started running towards the barrier anxious to be back inside the safety the walls gave me.

Diesel jogged in front of me and reached the doors first. I followed behind and only stayed long enough to see Ace and Zoe enter before sealing up the space. I couldn't stay. Tears blurred my eyes as I wound my way back down to the living quarters. I needed to get to my room. I needed to be by myself and process. This wasn't going to be good. Those bodies had to mean something.

Once in my room I tore off my clothes feeling the days sweat and grim. I jumped under the shower trying to scrub the images I had seen from my body. I stayed until the water began to run cold. Shivering I wrapped a towel around my shaking frame and climbed into my bed. I heard a knock at my door but chose to ignore it. I pulled the comforter over my head and let the darkness again take me.

*** Ace at the top (Greg Finley, Star-Crossed version)

***We're getting to the good stuff and I hope you feel the book starts to progress now.