Curse - Septiplier

24: The Eden We Made

I'm so sorry that it took me so long to get back to this story. I hope that you guys enjoy this chapter and forgive me; I plan to pick up right back where I left off. :)

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Mark's POV

My eyes opened, staring at the pale tarp like structure flapping in the wind overhead. I could hear the sounds of boiling water, somewhere near by a bird was chattering noisily to another, and the scent of something cooking wafted into my nose. My back hurt, and I sat up from the hard ground underneath, placing a hand on my lower back and looking around. I had forgotten for a moment that I was still out here. I stretched, let out a yawn, and realized that Jack was not sleeping aside me as he had been the night before. Frowning, I scooted forward and opened the flap of the tent I was under, and couldn't quite contain a gasp.

The sun was up in the sky, but peered down over the large valley that we were sitting atop of. The snow atop the truly tall peaks glistened in the light, and the trees below let off a bright green color, vibrant, and giving a warm atmosphere. The sun glared off the river flowing through the valley, and the air was more than clear. The sky had no clouds, and I could see for miles around, to the end of the mountains ahead of us and back to the bluffs and the bay behind us. It was beautiful, and then Jack chuckled from my left side.

"It's quite the view, isn't it?" he asked me, and I wanted to jump at his presence, but contained myself. I turned to look at him, and smiled. He had bed head, his hair crazy and a goofy lopsided grin on his face. He looked tired, but he was up and cooking something over the same campfire I had used to locate him last time. "Make that two good views first thing in the morning." Jack joked, and I blushed as I realized that he meant me. Agro snorted behind me, as though he understood how cheesy Jack was being and found it as stupid and amusing as I did. Jack loaded a plate of eggs and some other meat he had found rummaging through my things as I continued to stare out into the valley. It really was an incredible view. "I found this cliff top when I was younger, a couple years or so." Jack admitted, handing me a plate and a fork. I turned to listen to him now, cooling my food and shoveling it into my mouth as he continued. "I fell in love with it, waking up to the wind and the sky, the birds chirping and the natural surroundings on all sides. I wanted to stay, and at one point I considered running away and just building a house here, making my own place. I never did; I came to my senses and knew that my mother wouldn't want that for me. I returned home, but occasionally I sneak out here. Rarely, when I need the space to myself."

"I like it." I told him, finishing off my breakfast and setting my plate down on a rock nearby. I pulled my knees up to my chest and looked out over the cliff again. It would be a nice place to settle, especially if you knew how to handle yourself in the woods and could live here like Jack knew he could. I glanced over at him once more, watching him chew thoughtfully and stare at nothing in particular. I allowed my eyes to wander for only a moment before I caught myself and shook my head, clearing my throat. "Well, are we heading back today?" I asked him, and Jack froze, his jaw halfway through chewing. He swallowed roughly, and then looked down at his hands, frowning. I had a sudden feeling that he had planned other things for today, and I suppressed a sigh within me. As much as I might want to go home, and return to the King so that he and the General weren't down my throat about my time spent with Jack, I knew I would feel guilty for dragging him home. I was more worried about him than I was anyone else at the moment.

"I was kind of hoping we could spend this time together instead." Jack mumbled, and I rolled my eyes. There was an undeniable smirk on my face that I couldn't ignore, and I shook my head with a giggle.

"I suppose." I told him, and Jack looked at me with a wide grin, his eyes glittering in relief. He really hadn't wanted to go home yet. He scooted closer to me as I sat back, watching the sun rise.