Just as she had torn a hole in the fabric of her life, with choices made in the heat of the moment—forcing Mr. K and Hunter to lie for her, carrying around something that was clearly causing harm to those she loved. Her choices had hurt others.
Lucy swore to fix her mistakes and make right what she had ruined.
First thing, she needed to get rid of the sphere. Even the thought of that sent a spike of pain through her heart, but she didn't care. She couldn't keep ignoring her problems and using the sphere to make everything feel better.
As the rain poured down on her, she walked next to a tree and lifted a large rock from the earth. Bugs and worms crawled out from under it, and she nearly lost her nerve, but she refused to make another excuse. She squinched-up her face in disgust and kicked as many of the bugs away as she could, then used her bare hands to dig a hole. The sphere pulsed in her pocket, and she brought it out, relief and euphoria rushing into her at the contact. She pushed the sphere into the ground and covered it with dirt. Heaviness weighed down her body with each movement, but she endured, committed to carrying out this task.
Once she'd buried the sphere, she lifted the rock and prepared to drop it back into its spot, but a wave of agony racked her body. The rock fell from her hands, and she landed on her knees and cried out. The pulsing of the sphere no longer sent her energy; it now sucked the life out of her. Rain poured over her face and clouded her vision. She swiped at her eyes and stood again, refusing to give in.
Again, with rock heavy in hand, she leaned over the new grave, and again her body convulsed in pain. But she wouldn't cry out for Hunter, nor for Luke; this was her mess, and she had to clean it up alone.
Once again she picked up the rock, and fought through the pain as she dropped it over the sphere. As soon as the rock landed, the pain stopped. She collapsed in relief, but it was a brief respite. She wasn't done mending fences.
Back at the camp, Hunter sat alone in the rain.
She fought the compulsion not to speak to him, and sat down next to him. "I'm sorry. I never should have used that on you without your permission, and I should have told you about it a long time ago. I'm going to tell my brother the truth, after we get done talking."
Hunter looked at her, his face still hard and angry. "I'm glad to hear it."
"Also, I got rid of it. After you left, I buried it under a big rock. It nearly killed me, but I did it. It's gone now. Can you forgive me?" Tears stung her eyes.
He reached for her hand and held it in his. "I'm glad you did the right thing. I'm sorry I got so upset, but you scared the hell out of me. I don't want to lose you, Lucy, and I can't stand the thought of something like that hurting you."
They sat like that for several minutes, before Hunter stood. "I need to get some rest. I'll see you later, okay? We'll talk more."
Before he could walk away, Lucy grabbed him and kissed him with everything in her. He didn't respond at first, but then his body spoke for him. He pulled her closer to him and deepened the kiss, until they were both left panting.
Lucy traced his lips with her fingers. "We aren't done yet, but there's one more person I have to apologize to."
Hunter kissed her nose and let her go. "We were never done, Lucy. I still love you. That never changed."
Soaking wet and feeling hungry and tired, Lucy went in search of Luke and found him sitting on a log. She sat next to him and noticed that the rain wasn't coming down quite so hard anymore. The sky cleared enough to show them a dazzling image of the sun reflected in the water, creating a magnificent rainbow—a symbol of new beginnings and second chances.
Luke scooted over on his log so Lucy could get more comfortable. "How you feeling, Luce?"
"I'm fine. Hunter's still hurt, but I think he'll be okay too. Listen, Luke, I'm sorry I blew you off earlier. You're right, you have been the one and only person who's always had my back, ever since we were kids. Even Sam hasn't been there for me the way you have. What Hunter and I have, it's special. I don't regret being with him last night, and I need you to accept that. He's saved me and protected me multiple times, putting his own life in danger in the process. What more proof do you need that he cares for me?"
Luke nodded. "Do you love him?"
"Yes."
"Does he feel the same?"
"Yes."
Luke turned to face her. "I just don't want to see you getting hurt. But you're right: he's been good to you. I'm not sure why it's so hard for me to trust him. Maybe it's just hard to trust anyone right now, considering all the things we've gone through, you know? There's a whole world out there we haven't even seen, not as free citizens. Just don't rush into anything."
"I'm not. I mean, I know my own heart, and I am an adult now. You don't need to keep protecting me."
He threw his arm around her shoulder. "That 'aint never going to change, Sis. You'll have to live with it."
She smiled and leaned against him, then sat up straight as she prepared to tell him one more thing. "Luke, there's something else you should know."
He listened as she explained how she found the sphere and what she'd used it for. "I don't know why I never told you. It wasn't deliberate—at least, I don't think it was—but it kind of grew and grew, and then I was scared you would want me to get rid of it. But—" She held up her hand before he could speak. "I already did. It's gone. I told Hunter too. I'm done with it."
"Thanks for telling me. I won't chew you out since it seems like you've had enough of that today."
She laughed. "Thanks."
They threw rocks at the pond and watched them skip away.
"Luke, there's one more thing I need to tell you. We need to leave the valley, and I think I know how we can do it."
Chapter 102 – Serena
They called it a room, but Serena had seen movies and knew this was where they sent bad people. A room would have a pretty bed with a window and curtains and a dresser with clean-smelling clothes. Instead, she had a stinky, lumpy cot with a scratchy brown blanket that she hated. She didn't get a window, let alone curtains, and they made her go potty in an ugly pit in the corner. It smelled so bad she almost threw up a few times, but tried very hard not to, because then her mouth would taste like vomit... and they wouldn't let her have water.
The pressure in her belly increased and she knew she couldn't hold it any longer, so she crawled over to the pit to "do her business," as they said on television. She couldn't even do it in private since she didn't have any doors, just bars. Angel meowed and rubbed against her when she was done, trying to comfort Serena, but she couldn't be comforted. Her life had turned into the most horrible experience ever, and she couldn't believe it was real.
A man in black came down the hall to let everyone out, so they could spend time in the common room or play outside. The other kids walked in a straight line but none of them spoke, because if they did, the guards would hit them with sticks. One boy had a broken arm because he didn't stop talking.
In the common room, a few kids gathered around to watch television, but most of them sat at tables and waited for the list to be read. The man with the beard came in at the same time every day, and called out the kids who would be taken away. The D's always got called. They were so lucky; they got to leave.
This time, a new man came to call out the names. He was the biggest man Serena had ever seen, with one of those small beards that didn't cover the whole face, and black tattoos all over him that looked like a tribal one her daddy had. He'd said it represented the old ways, but she didn't know what those ways were. Serena slunk back behind the other kids and held Angel close to her. She wished the other man would come back.
He called out the names, but of course Serena didn't get called. She was an A, and A's never got called. All of the kids had been put into a group, designated A, B, C or D, but no one knew what the groups meant. Serena wished she were in group D, since they got to leave more than anyone else.
Unlike the other guard, who looked satisfied when he finished calling
the names, this man looked sad, like Mommy sometimes did when she had grown-up stuff to worry about. Maybe he was sad the kids were getting to leave.
Fifteen D's were lead away by the men in black. Finally the second list was read. This list was never as long, only one to three kids, depending on the day, and usually C's, though sometimes B's—almost never A's.
A boy next to her leaned over to whisper in her ear. "I think they get a special vacation. It's like winning the lottery. They're so lucky."
Serena looked at his shirt. He was an A, too. They were both unlucky, it seemed. They never got picked for the vacations or to leave. This time, seven names were called by the man with the tattoos and the funny beard, more than ever before, but still Serena's name wasn't included.
Once the kids were escorted away, everyone else ran out to the playground for their "Outdoor Activity." Serena sat on the sidewalk, away from the other kids. She would have liked to play tether ball—she'd been good at it at her old school—but the big kids took over the courts and beat up anyone who tried to play.
One boy, a new kid, went to sit on the benches. Big mistake. A few older kids pushed him to the ground and kicked him, then took his seat. His knee started bleeding, and he seemed to be trying hard not to cry. He got up and walked away.
Serena felt sorry for him and patted the sidewalk next to her. "You can sit with me."
He hesitated as if scared she would bite, then sat down.
She couldn't say anything about her powers—that wasn't allowed—but she put her hand on his knee and let a small spark travel through her hand.
His eyes widened as the scrape disappeared and his knee healed.
She put her finger to her mouth. "Shhh... don't tell."
He nodded and smiled. "Thank you. What's your name?"
"Serena. Yours?"
"Tommy. I just got here, but I don't like this place. I miss my mom. She got hurt, and they took me away. I don't know what happened."
His mom was probably dead, but Serena didn't want to say that. "I'm sorry. They hurt my mom too. She's... well, I don't want to talk about it. Nobody likes this place, but at least you're a D. Means you'll get to leave, eventually. That's good." Angel walked up to them and purred. "Hey, here's my cat, Angel. She likes you."
Tommy smiled and petted the white ball of fluff. Then his face dropped into a frown. "I don't think D's get to leave, though. I heard the man with the tattoos talking to another man. They said the kids they took away would be sold as slaves."
Serena felt sick again. "Are you sure? Maybe you misunderstood or something? It has to be a mistake."
Besides, Serena planned on leaving tomorrow, and she had a plan of how to do it, though she didn't tell Tommy. He'd get to leave anyway, but she'd been watching and she figured out the only A's that got to leave were the ones who had gotten in trouble. First they were sent to their cells, then a few days later, they would be called. Maybe they didn't want kids here who were troublemakers and it was easier to let them go. Whatever the reason, Serena could make trouble, and she would.
The perfect moment arrived when the tattooed man called them back in. She ran out of line and kicked him as hard as she could. Well, she tried to kick him, but he twisted so fast and pulled her behind a corner where no one could see them. She wanted to scream for help, but who would help her?
He stared at her with his dark, horrible eyes. "What are you doing?"
"Let me go!" She kicked and punched her small fists. "I'm not afraid of you." She opened her mouth to scream, not caring who heard, and he put a large hand over her face to quiet her.
His grip tightened. "Listen carefully, girl. You do now wish the others to see you behaving like this. Understand?"
She didn't respond.
"Understand?" he asked again, with more of a growl behind his voice, like a wild animal about to be let out of a cage for a hunt.
She'd seen that on television too. She nodded.
The moment he let go of her, she bit into his hand so hard it hurt her jaw. He pulled her away from him and she kicked at his legs. "I do want them to see me, so they'll let me leave. I'm not afraid of you. I hate you!"
That last part she added because she'd heard other kids say it. She'd heard worse things too, but her mom would have been upset if she'd said more than that. Even saying "I hate you" was probably not okay, but she thought her mom would understand, under the circumstances.
The man grabbed her so fast she didn't see him move, covered her mouth again, and pulled her down the hall. "You're going in a cell."
Yes! Her plan had worked. Soon they'd let her go.
The other guards followed the tattooed man as he threw her back into her stinky cell. When the guards left, the tattooed man leaned in and frowned, not in a mad way, but in a sad way, like before. "I'm sorry for all that has happened. I shall order the guards to forget this matter. Do not act out again! I might not be there to save you next time."
He left and Serena slammed her small hands against the bars and cried. She wanted them to remember so they would release her. Now it would never work.
Angel snuck into her cell through the bars and cuddled up with Serena that night, as she tossed and turned and tried to sleep.
The next day, Serena couldn't hide her sadness when they let her out to hear the next set of names called. First the D's were called by a different man in black—lots of names, but not Tommy, so he had to stay too. A new guy, a scientist in a white coat, called out the second set of names—eleven names, more than ever before. Something had changed, and it scared Serena.
She looked around at how few of them were left: mostly A's.
The man spoke. "Tomorrow, no names will be called. We have what we need."
Serena dropped her head, knowing she'd never get out now.
He adjusted his glasses and looked back down at his list. "Oh, we have one more name. Serena Stevens."
Chapter 103 – Lucy
Lucy stood before the giant beetle, careful to stay calm. Sunlight flickered off its jewel-toned shell and made it look like a beetle pendant made of emeralds and sapphires. A really huge pendant. For a giant.
Stay focused, she admonished herself.
This idea had come to her during one of her meditations with Mr. K, when she'd been able to connect to other living things in the jungle. She now silenced her mind to the clatter that usually consumed her, and focused inward first, allowing the calm to flow through her, and ultimately out of her and into the world around her. The energy of the beetle buzzed in her mind like another presence, non-threatening and at one in its world.
A gentle breeze lifted a strand of hair off of her sweaty neck. She took a step toward the beetle, and then another. It looked at her and shifted its great body slightly, to back away a fraction. She didn't pause, but didn't speed up either, keeping her concentration calm and focused. She lifted her arm.
And the beetle kicked its legs.
Lucy backed off and stilled herself, letting her breath slow down her body. I won't hurt you. The beetle responded, planting its legs and lowering its head. Lucy pressed forward, smiling. When she reached arm's length, the beetle clanked its jaws and reared.
"No, it's okay." She met the beetle's eyes.
Fear resided in them, but it seemed to melt away. The beetle stepped forward.
She reached a hand up and laid it on the creature's back. Its hard shell felt smooth and almost metallic, warmed by the sun. With that touch, their energies blended and Lucy could feel the emotions of the beetle—fear and curiosity, then after several long moments of sharing that intimate space of connection, trust.
Now came the tricky part. She reached for a crevice in its shell to grab onto, and swung her leg over its body and around its head, until she straddled its neck. It fidgeted, but a soothing breath of calm from Lucy settled it. The horns made excellent handles and felt sturdy enough.
She could tell from their connection that she wasn't hurting him, and that it too had tapped into her emotion
s. The beetle had a similar energy to Mr. K and the other beings in this magical place that were not natural. She theorized that Mr. K had fed the earth and water with his roots, and animals ate from his tree, so whatever genetic alterations he'd endured had affected this whole area. More proof that we really were all connected, and that you couldn't mess with one thing without altering so much more.
Using images and emotions, Lucy projected to the beetle where she wanted to go. At first, nothing happened, but then it started to move forward, first slowly, then a bit faster. She imagined stopping, and the beetle stopped. Next she projected an image of them moving backward, but the beetle sounded its horn and refused to budge.
Okay, it doesn't like going backwards.
When she felt sure she understood what to do, she urged it forward, moving faster until she could barely hang on. Adrenaline rushed through her as she realized that this might not have been the best idea. What if it didn't stop? What if it dropped her on her ass? Still, the rush of the wind and the speed and excitement pushed aside any doubt, and she smiled and hung on for the ride of her life.
She pictured it flying, and they left the ground. The wings extended, humming in the wind, sun glistening off its back as they pushed their way through the sky with more grace than Lucy would have thought possible for a beetle.
When they turned into the grove where Lucy and the boys camped, she exhaled a sigh of relief. The beetle slowed to a stop in front of a gaping Luke and Hunter.
Lucy laughed. "You guys look like guppy fish trying to catch dinner.
Once Luke got past the shock, Lucy could tell he was torn between Christmas morning bug boy excitement and concern for his twin who sat atop a giant beetle. "Lucy, what...?"
Hunter had no hesitation. He was 100% worried. "What the hell are you doing? Trying to get yourself killed?"
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