Worlds Apart

Aurora

Eadric stormed off the second we arrived back at Nova's underground lab facilities.

"Give him time." I instruct as the others finish pulling off their masks, some irritation lacing my tone as it was Iolana who immediately began to rush after him. "He needs a chance to cool off."

"What he needs is someone to check up on him." She insists, turning on me.

"Which I will."

Not taking the time to observe her reaction, I direct Jackie and Alice over to the monitors on the lower level in order to explain our reality in further detail while Brian and Carter decide to get some sleep over in the closed off office space on some of the furniture in there.

I use the time to hydrate, relax a bit as my fever continues to worsen, and after exhausting all possibilities that could have gotten us to Superior, it becomes clear by the end of the day as Jackie continues to type data fervently into the monitors that confirm the worsening radiation levels that there truly are none. By then, Eadric has stepped down from the balcony level to check in but remains a little ways off, the wild condition of his waves and reddened flesh around his eyes relaying his frustration and confirming that he is no more okay with our circumstances than he had been hours ago.

I approach him calmly, clearing my throat and doing all I can to ignore the soreness still prevalent as I state, "We have to talk about it."

"Underestimated the radiation levels, Superior's out of the question," Eadric summarizes, turning to face me, "and we're all as good as dead."

"You don't know that."

"I know you're only getting worse, and that the only chance of ensuring your safety is by keeping you here in this bunker until you can ride out the initial wave."

"What about them?" I question, jutting my chin towards the others. "What about you? Even if this Nightblood solution is successful and I somehow manage to survive long enough for the wave of pass, we'll be out of food and supplies in five months rather than five years, and you'll all be dead. Where does that leave me?"

"Alive, Aurora." Eadric insists, stepping forward to grip my shoulder. "It leaves you alive."

"That means nothing to me if you're all dead."

"Don't say that." He argues, pulling away to set his hands defensively over his hips. "I didn't let you walk away from me twice only for you give up on yourself in the end."

"Except you just expect me to give up on you, on all of them." I counter.

"You're a leader, Aurora, a revolutionist. You have to survive and pass on what you've discovered here to our people. You may have come up with the solution that, with the right tools, could allow the next generation of our people thrive, not just survive-"

"That doesn't matter!" I interrupt, the burning of my eyes and throat brought on by more than my worsening condition. "Not with your life on the line. I have to find a way to fix this, to save us, all of us all, and I can't do that if you've resolved yourself to die. I need you with me, now more than ever so please... please don't lose hope on us solving this. We have to try, for their sake if not for our own."

Eadric abruptly averts his gaze from my own, his jaw working and gaze shining over as he contemplates my words.

"Please, Eadric."

Perhaps he is ready to respond, to comment, until Jackie and the others approach us, cutting him off. "Not to interrupt," she begins, the hand raised to the back of her neck conveying her hesitance to step in, "but I've got some news to share."