𝙄'𝙈 𝘼 𝙎𝙐𝙍𝙑𝙄𝙑𝙊𝙍³ ➣ 𝐵. 𝐵𝑙𝑎𝑘𝑒✔

25 | Absolution Day

"Do you realize what you've done?" Gabriel hissed at the man angrily. He held the man by his collar, getting in his face.

"I couldn't let you leave for all mankind! You don't understand!"

I flinched slightly as Gabriel sent a punch flying into the man's face, causing Hope to shout at him. "Stop!"

After a few seconds, Gabriel let him go and the man ran out of the house. Echo was going to chase him, but Hope stopped her.

"He can't help us off this planet if he's dead."

I narrowed my eyes at the girl as I spoke. "You do realize we didn't need him, right? He just destroyed our one way off this damn planet. What makes you think he can help us?"

"If he doesn't, we're dead," Hope shot, causing my face to fall. The girl continued. "We have five years to train for a jump into the middle of a fortress guarded by thousands of highly trained soldiers to rescue the people we love. By then, he'll love us. That's why he'll help us. Trust me. I've done this before."

°°°

It's been a few hours since the memory viewer was broken. Hope, Echo, and Gabriel started planting some kind of food; tomatoes, I think. I stood off to the side, thinking. As I looked up at the ring in the sky, I muttered under my breath. "Five years..."

"Thinking about it makes it worse," Hope stated behind me. I rolled my eyes slightly.

"She's right," Gabriel added. "Give us a hand."

I inhaled sharply as I looked over my shoulder. "Playing in the dirt won't make the time pass faster."

"Maybe you're right, but it'll make our friend out there long for something,"  Gabriel added as he pulled a weed out of the dirt and tossed it aside. "Seeing the four of us working together as a team. Trust me. He'll want that."

"I say we hunt him down," Echo blurted. I pointed to her, thanking her silently.

"Is that how you make friends in the Ice Nation?" Hope asked. I just pursed my lips as I grabbed a hoe and dug into the dirt, pulling some grass out of the ground.

"It's just Ice Nation," Echo spoke. "There's no 'the'."

I watched as the woman grabbed another hoe and dug into the ground, digging into a still-living plant. I almost let out a quiet laugh, but didn't. After Mount Weather, I had helped around with the gardening, so I've learned a few things.

"And clearly no gardening skills, either." I looked at Gabriel who had a hint of a smile on his lips. "That plant is still alive. I'm guessing raspberries?"

Hope shook her head, looking at the plant. "Paint berries. Eat them, and they make you sick."

No one said anything as we continued weeding the garden. After a few seconds, Gabriel spoke. "Is that what you used on this? Is 'H' for Hope?"

The girl chuckled. "No. Hesperides."

°°°

"The Hercules roses are opening," Echo announced from outside the cabin. I smiled; finally. We've been on Skyring for three months now. As much as I hate the waiting, I'm trying to work past it.

"It's Herc-a-lees," Hope called out to the woman. I was cutting up some roots I had found just outside. "Don't pick them."

I let out a light laugh. "How much do you wanna bet she picked one?"

Hope smiled just as the front door opened and Echo walked inside. The two of us looked at the woman as she spoke. She told us that the man from before had shown up. And that he has pumpkin seeds.