Genesis : Knights of Salvation Series

We make our way back to the mayor’s house as the morning sun begins to actually lite the sky. I look to Clare who for the first time on the trip smiles and for the first time it’s towards me. I guess the deal is good for both of us, growing up Clare was the heartthrob of the A-status crowd yet she didn’t have many friends. Some of it was because most were completely jealous but also because her father kept her on a short leash. Her father was raised in the military and raised Clare just the same. She was more a soldier than a lady by the age of 12.

I guess we both grew up with crappy parents, hers made her a soldier... mine made me a freak of nature.

We get back into view of the house and sitting on the porch stairs is Foxglove and Harrison. I can’t hear what they are talking about from where I am but watching them together now that I know Foxglove likes him, I can see so much more. It’s almost obvious Harrison feels the same way as her, the way he leans in closer to her as they sit next to one another on the steps. Even the way his eyes hang on her when he makes a joke as if trying to see how well the joke landed with her.

We get an earshot of them, Harrison looking up at our footsteps and subtly leaning back away from her. Foxglove looks up as we get to the stairs, her eyes falling on me guiltily.

“Harrison, can I talk to Foxglove for a minute?” I speak up giving him a kind smile. The more I get to know the team the more feel like they are friends, especially Foxglove and Harrison. I’ve gotten closer to Talon than anyone just because he seems to know everything about me now. Harrison nods and head’s into the house, Clare following behind him. I watch until the door closes and sit down next to Foxglove a little sheepishly. I do feel bad about snapping but If she understood the kind of button she accidentally pressed she would understand. I won’t tell her but I will give her a very brief idea.

“Aspen, I’m so so-” I put up my hand making her fall quiet and give her a warm smile.

“I should apologize, not you,” I say, my eyes falling to my wrist a bit uncomfortable with explaining this.

“I shouldn’t have snapped at you... I didn’t get a lot of sleep last night.” I say rubbing my neck nervously.

“It’s okay, Aspen. Clare said you were attacked... that’s why you got upset.“Foxglove shrugs with a smile letting a weight off my chest. I could be angry at Clare about saying even that but I guess it helps explain it off easier than the truth.

“My umm... scars.” I stop slightly really hating having to talk about them.

“They didn’t come from a pleasant experience..that’s shaped my whole life. So I don’t like talking about it. And you caught me unexpectedly.” I mutter out, for some reason my palms feel so sweaty. For a moment we don’t say anything in a slightly awkward moment when Foxglove shakes her shoulders her usual confident smile back on her face.

“Now that the gushy stuff is over I’m going to finish packing.” She jokes as her head’s back in the house. I let my face land in my hands and take in a deep breath. A terrible, dark, and morbid thought pops into my head. I can’t help but laugh at the thought that, in a few days I won’t have to deal with this anymore. I can get away from all this. I smile to myself with that horrid thought. The fact that I can joke about the fact I’ll be dead in a few days is just as crazy as seeing people in weird visions.

I reach into my pocket and pull out the sketch. I want to find whoever this is, if I connected with the forsaken and I turned out to be right then could there be others like me. If there is, then maybe he knew how to survive? If I told the team this.. what would they do? Greta’s words keep sounding in my ears. Can I trust the team or is the team all I have? I close my eyes taking in a deep breath. I stand up and head into the house. Immediately I could feel most of the team’s eyes on me. Already I feel that obnoxious feeling as if warm crawled right under my skin.

So I place that fake smile on my face and lift my hair pulling it into a ponytail. I turn to the team, acting as if nothing happened earlier as best I can.

“When do we leave?” I ask as I finish putting up my hair, a few long strains falling by my temples and I quickly push them behind my ears. Talon stands up from rolling his bedroll with his relaxing smile.

“As soon as your set, we need to reach Solaris outpost before the sunset.” He says with his cheerful voice. I nod moving to my bedroll as Orion speaks up to the group as he peer’s out the window.

“The clouds are heavier today, we need to set out before the storm get’s us.” Enyo moves to the window next to him, my eyes noticing far too much the way his uniform shows off his muscular physique. I shake my head as Clare grabs my arm. I look at her for her to discreetly place a starch white pill in my hand. I simply nod and knock back the pill, which by the larger size of it wasn’t the easiest.

We all finish packing and Talon graciously saddles up my horse. I put my horse’s reins around its neck and watch him tighten the straps around my mare’s stomach. He doesn’t look at me but whisper’s to me.

“Are you okay?” A warm feeling of love it’s me that he even on the outside still cares for me even though he knows I’m a monster.

“I’m fine, I just didn’t get much sleep.” I excuse my fit earlier.

“Is it worsening?” He asks more constrained this time. I can tell he’s worried. I would be too if one moment I was here and the next I could be forsaken.

“A little, I’ll survive till the end of the journey. I made a deal with Clare.” I speak up. I’m not sure why I wanted to tell him, maybe it’s the fact that I finally had someone I could discuss this problem with who doesn’t have an agenda.

“And?” He asked glancing over at me. Talon moves closer petting my horse’s neck as well. Talon stands only a foot away from me, he looks at me skeptically.

“Clare’s agreed that in the end, if the virus begins to kill me... she’ll end it. I want you to promise me that you’ll make sure she does.” I plead to him. He’s agreed to help me disappear if there’s no virus but if there is I don’t want to suffer like those who were killed in the first wave. I’ve heard stories from my father and uncle about the brutality of the virus. Boil’s, bleeding, terrifying hallucinations, then slow painful bleeding from sores. I don’t want to go down that way.

Talon stay’s quiet for a while, his eyes filled with turmoil from my question. Talon is a good person, if he didn’t hesitate and feel turmoil from this request I wouldn’t have asked him.

“Just when it’s close to the end when I’m bleeding out. I can’t go out like that. I know... I really do know the burden I’m asking for you to take on for me but, you are the only person I trust. Just... think about it?” I ask him. My voice is timid and fragile and so is his.

“Okay, Only when you’re in the end. No sooner.” He finishes sternly. I nod in agreement, I can’t help but feel thankful that at least in my last days I have talon to rely on. I give him a calm almost thankful smile that he agreed. Suddenly we both hear shuffling behind us at the gate causing the both of us to step back a few feet and I clear my thought. I pull my shirt sleeves down as I look past my horse’s head to see Enyo and Orion standing there. I can tell they are curious as to what we were just talking about. I swallow don’t the uncomfortable feeling Enyo’s eyes seem to give me and instead keep my eyes away from Enyo and pass by them. I had to grab my backpack, trying to not spare a glance back at Enyo.