The Playground (Book #1)

ten

When we get to our next Safehouse, while everyone rushes to set Opal down comfortably, I walk slowly over to the corner of the room and sit away from them all by the window. In the last Safehouse, we were surrounded by jungle dirt, now we are above ground and in the middle of a candy forest. The clouds are gray and the world seems as if it's sinking. I feel like I look outdoors for hours, memorizing the small crevices in the branches and the pink pastel tint of the clouds. "Laelia." I hear from behind me. It's Basil's voice. I turn around and meet his grey eyes. "Oliver and I want to go explore out there. Raveena will stay with Opal." I look over at Opal confused. She lies on the large mattress on the other side of the room. Shes completely healed now, with the power of the suit but needs a lot of rest no doubt. Raveena sits at her side, eyes glued to the ceiling. I say yes immediately. I don't want to stay with Raveena no matter how calm and peaceful she may look right now. We gather our things in our pack and head out the door. The scent of the air couldn't be sweeter. The rustling of the candy trees swaying in the light breeze is the only sound. It feels like we are the only living beings for miles and miles. "Fascinating, isn't it?" Oliver says. "I mean an edible forest?" "I don't think I'd recommend eating the candy," Basil replies with a laugh. "Once you start, you'll never stop." "Agreed," I say. "Now where to?" "I'm following you," Oliver says. I nod and begin to lead the way down a path surrounded by cherry colored flowers. Although the scenery is tempting and appears at peace, we keep our weapons close to our body, not about to let our guard down no matter what. We begin to hike up a hill made of frosting, and every so often Oliver picks up a bit with his forefinger and eats it. Basil consistently teases him which Oliver doesn't care for one bit. There are more and more hills each getting increasingly larger, and I begin to think that perhaps this path leads to nowhere and we should go back and then I hear it. "Listen!" I tell them. "Water!" I begin to race quickly over to the sound, the two boys close at my heels. The sound becomes louder and louder until finally, a crystal clear pond sparkles in the sunlight. A small tributary of water flows into it from some sort of candy wall. I reach into my pack and fill my water bottle up and quickly gulp it down. What I wouldn't give to have such clean water at my disposal back home. Home. The word stings me to my core. The familiar pang of guilt rises in me and I am again glad that my siblings cannot see me. Oliver and Basil do the same and we spend a solid minute filling and refilling out bottles as we devour the cool, fresh water. "Solid ears," Basil says to me after taking one last sip. "Very solid ears." "Thanks," I say to him. Then I hear the sudden splashing of the pond. Out comes Oliver's light brown hair and big eyes. "Waters great!" He says giving us a thumbs up. "You lunatic!" Basil says. We both go into a fit of laughter. "Cmon guys!" Oliver says. He bobs back down into the water, a trail of bubbles follows after him. Basil looks back at me, his eyebrow raised in mischief. "After you," He says. I jump up from the ground and I run up to the pond, cannonballing straight in. I am pulled down into the water, which is deeper than I had anticipated it. I remember when we were younger and father had taught us how to swim. I remember I wasn't very good, and still am not. But I remember him telling me how to treat the water like a friend, to not fight it, and instead let it hold you, let it guide you back to shore. I open my eyes and Oliver's face is right next to mine, a cheesy wide grin replacing his usual anxious countenance. I smile back at him, not being able to hide it. We swim back up and see that Basil has joined us, his blond hair sticking to his tan skin. He playfully dunks Oliver's head in the water and Oliver does the same to him. I let out a laugh and go back underneath. I find both of their legs and pulls them under. Bubbles swirl around us and the world falls in slow motion and as they look at me from underneath in shock. Basil comes towards me and throws me up above the water. I land far way on the other edge of the pond. I am about to get my revenge on him when I see something, sparkling from the beneath the rocks in the water. At first, I think it it is just a glare from the sun. But as I peer closer, I see a bracelet, that is attached to a wrist, an arm, a shoulder and then--- I scream. Water goes down into my throat. I choke. I reach for the surface. I go back up in a panic. When i reach the surface, I'm coughing and screaming. Oliver and Basil bolt over in a second. "Laelia! Laelia!" they say as they swim. Basil reaches me first. He hold onto me as I'm splashing and kicking the surface. "Laelia! Are you hurt? What's wrong?" "I saw something down there!" I scream. "What was it?" Oliver asks. "A body! I saw a body." Their expression changes to confused to fearful. "Where?" Oliver says. I point below. He hurries down there in a flash while I lay my head on Basils chest. His hand pats my wet hair. Oliver comes up about a minute later. "Laelia, there's nothing down there. It must have a been a trick of the sun." "No!" I say immediately. I saw an arm. It had a bracelet on. The rest was covered with rocks." There's a silence. "Well whatever it was, Laelia," Basil says. "It's gone. Don't worry about it.We should leave now." he says that last part as a command and lets go of me. The Basil from the train is back. Whatever fun we were having before is over. I swear I saw it. I keep telling my self. I swear. This time, Basil leads us back. But before we leave, I see Ruby hiding behind the trees. Her blue eyes. Just staring.