Final Days: Escape

by Jasper T. Scott

  “Where to?”

  “The cabins,” she said, breaking eye contact.

  Roland didn’t ask why, just drove toward them. He’d been staying in the residences with most of the others. The room was small, but he didn’t mind.

  The trip across camp was short, and he waved at anyone he passed. Everyone was so happy here, the entire mood of the camp the complete opposite of what it had been in the valley. He stopped along the edge of the town, and they sat there, watching the construction of the cabins.

  There were twenty nearly completed, each with plumbing and power. A couple of the Brivuk walked by, heading toward Andrew’s cabin, and Roland followed them, seeing Andrew outside chatting with Keller. A couple of months ago they’d wanted to kill one another, and now they were as close as brothers. It was surprising what some perspective and a common enemy could do.

  “Rollie…”

  He glanced at Eve, and for the first time ever, it seemed like she was at a loss for words. “What is it?”

  “You know I’m sorry for what happened, right?” she asked, shifting uncomfortably in her seat.

  “Sure. You may have mentioned it once or twenty times,” he told her. What was she getting at?

  “See that one on the left?” She pointed through the windshield, toward the beginnings of another cabin being erected. So far it was just the framework, and one of the machines was planing two by fours from a row of cut, stacked, and smoothed trees just beside it.

  “I see it. Is it yours?”

  Her hand found his. It was warm, callused from hard work. “It could be ours.”

  Ours?

  “If you’re interested in that kind of thing…” Eve tried to let go, likely taking his lack of response as a negative thing.

  “I’ve never really been in a…”

  She leaned over, cupping his cheek with her other hand, and she kissed him. Roland returned it, and a minute later, she broke away, smiling widely. “What do you say?”

  His answer came quickly. “When do we get the keys?”

  * * *

  Val

  Val meandered along a bubbling stream with Tony. Furry white creatures hopped ahead of them, scattering with their footsteps and flapping papery wings to add to the peaks of their jumps. Giant toothless mouths gaped wide, the skin stretching until it was thin and venous from the light shining through. They scooped up clouds of tiny, buzzing red insects hovering along the riverbank. The bugs reminded Val of aphids from Earth. Harmless. So far they had yet to encounter any natural threats to their existence, and the unnatural ones were far behind them.

  “How are things going with Roland?” Val asked.

  “Pretty good, but it seems like I’m getting sidelined into a career of water filtration. I think Roland’s teaching me so he doesn’t have to do it.”

  Val smiled wryly at the dismay in Tony’s voice. “Well, what would you rather do?”

  “Well...”

  “Well?”

  “I was thinking of becoming a lawyer.”

  Val laughed. “Very funny.”

  He gave her a puzzled look. “I wasn’t joking.”

  “Oh.” Val gave it some serious thought. “I guess we will need a legal system, and that means we’ll need lawyers eventually. What kind of law would you practice?”

  “I dunno. Any kind, I guess.”

  “That’s great, Tony. I can already picture you in a suit and tie with a briefcase.”

  Tony grinned.

  “You might have to cut your hair, though.”

  “You think?” He acted horrified, reaching for his shoulder-length hair and running a hand through it.

  “Maybe, yeah,” Val said. “I like it, though.”

  “What about you?”

  “I don’t know yet. I’ve been studying a little of everything, trying to figure out where I fit in. I guess I could do anything.” Val shrugged. “But right now the future is unknown, at least to me.”

  “Yeah?” Tony stopped walking, and Val noticed they’d reached the edge of the forest. The trees creaked and groaned with a cool breeze. A couple of bulb-shaped leaves dropped, thumping and rolling like coconuts. Val watched one of them plop into the stream and go bobbing down with the current. Those dark green pods weren’t as heavy as actual coconuts, and gravity was lighter here than it was on Earth, but a few people had already been hit on the head, and reported that it wasn’t an experience they wished to repeat.

  “Am I in it?” Tony asked.

  Val glanced away from the forest and up at him. “In what?”

  “That future. Yours.” He reached up and brushed a stray lock of hair out of her eyes.

  Val smiled fondly at him. “Tony, you are it.” And then she kissed him and sank into the moment: the trees creaking around them, the stream bubbling, and the fresh, citrus-scented air filling her whole body with a spreading warmth and contentment. Maybe there were drugs in the air here, too. Or maybe that was just what it felt like to be in love.

  They pulled apart and walked slowly back to the camp, not wanting to risk getting thumped on the head by falling bulbs in the forest. A fire was busy crackling among the cabins, drawing a crowd as people gathered around for warmth and camaraderie. It was late, the burning wood sending wisps and curls of smoke against the darkening blue sky. The sun flickered between tall trees that dotted the grassy camp, sinking steadily toward the distant mountains and the ocean that sprawled between opposing ranges of snow-capped peaks.

  Val saw her father and Kendra on the porch of their cabin, sitting in wooden chairs, watching the fire and sipping her dad’s iced tea, brewed from those citrus-smelling leaf pods. He’d let Val try some, and it was awful, but everyone else seemed to like it. One of the botanists was already extolling the health benefits.

  “Maybe one day we’ll have a cabin like that,” Tony said as they drew near to the one she shared with her dad and Kendra.

  “One day?” Val echoed in a warning tone.

  “One day soon?” he added.

  “Better. Dad and Kendra are talking about having kids.”

  “And you don’t want to be around for that?”

  “Sure I do, but it’s a small cabin. Babies cry. And I like to sleep through the night.”

  “Maybe it’ll be good practice,” Tony said.

  She punched him in the arm.

  “Ow!”

  “Don’t get ahead of yourself,” she warned.

  “Hey, Anthony! Val!” Andrew called, waving them over. “Come join us for a drink.” He raised his own glass high, revealing the cloudy greenish color of the tea.

  “You think he’ll be offended if I toast him with an empty glass?” Tony muttered.

  Val laughed. “Yes. At least he likes you now.”

  “And he shows it by force-feeding me that vile concoction? Seems like he’s found a new way to express his disapproval.”

  Val grinned as they stepped onto the creaky wooden porch. Her dad was already pouring two more glasses. He passed one to her, the other to Tony. Kendra looked on with an amused smile.

  Val hesitated, sniffing the brew before taking a sip.

  “It’s better now, I promise,” Andrew said. “A toast.” He raised his glass high. “To family.”

  They echoed his words and each took a sip.

  Tony gasped and spat it out, spluttering in Andrew’s face. His cheeks darkened as he glowered at Anthony, and Kendra burst out laughing.

  “Uh, sorry, sir. I mean, Dad...?”

  Andrew slowly wiped his face with his sleeve. Tony turned to Val for support, his eyes wide and darting, and she retreated with her free hand raised in surrender. “You’re on your own.”

  Andrew set his glass down and stood up with both his fists balled. Tony cringed, his eyes wincing shut as he leaned away in anticipation of the blow.

  Val frowned, wondering if now would be a good time to step between them. He wouldn’t actually hit Tony, would he?

  One hand shot out and grabbed Tony’s shoulder.
He yelped and flinched, one eye cracking open to see why he hadn’t been laid out on the floor.

  “Welcome to the family, son.”

  Tony laughed nervously. “Thanks... Dad.”

  Val let out a noisy breath.

  “You didn’t think I was actually gonna hit him, did you?”

  “Well...” Val trailed off. “No?”

  Val and Tony stuck around as the last of the light faded, sitting on the railings of the porch and chatting about their plans and the progress that had already been made in the colony. Val leaned against a wooden post behind her and stared into the flickering flames of the bonfire between the cabins, pretending to sip her tea and listen to her dad and Kendra’s conversation. Tony sidled up to her and whispered, “Reminds me of when we arrived on Eden,” he said, a note of foreboding in his voice. “Remember that?”

  Val did. They’d been roasting marshmallows and singing songs, celebrating their arrival, oblivious to the horrors to come. “It’s different this time,” she said. “Morris isn’t here. Neither is Hound.” She watched her dad and Kendra, took in their laughter and their smiles—the knowing way they looked at each other. Plus, my dad’s never been so happy, she added quietly to herself. And neither have I.

  * * *

  Andrew

  The morning after the bonfire was Sunday, a day off for most people, but Andrew was back at work, putting the final touches on his and Kendra’s place. It had three bedrooms off the main living area: one for Val, one for him and Kendra—even though they hadn’t shared a bed or a room yet—and one for a new addition to the family that might come along soon.

  The drones and other machinery they’d assembled made the work building their cabin easier than he’d expected. Not quite as simple as going to the local hardware store or lumber yard, but 3D printers and logging machines were almost as good, and at least he didn’t have to pay for supplies.

  He hammered a final nail into a loose floorboard in the main bedroom and holstered the hammer on his belt as he walked through the cabin and checked over his handiwork. The ceiling was vaulted, with exposed beams and roof boards. He was waiting to hear from the experts about winters here. If need be, he’d insulate the roof later, but he’d already built in a chimney and a fireplace, and the windows were double-glazed.

  Reaching the back door, he walked out to find Kendra sitting on the edge of the deck, warming her hands around her second cup of coffee and staring over the shimmering green water, a mirror for the trees. The sun was cresting above them, beams of sunlight flickering through as branches waved.

  “Better take it easy on that stuff,” Andrew said, nodding to Kendra’s cup as he eased down beside her. The supplies had already been rationed out and divided up, and their share of the coffee wasn’t going to last long at the rate she was drinking it.

  Kendra offered the steaming mug to him. “Want some?”

  “Sure.” He took the cup from her and sipped at the dark beverage, burning his tongue in the process. “Damn it!” He passed the coffee back. “Your mouth must be numb if you’re drinking that.”

  Kendra laughed and leaned her head against his shoulder. “You get used to it.”

  A pair of colorful green and yellow birds glided low over the lake, their feet drawing lines in the water before they ducked below the surface, diving for fish. Some other creature let out a crooning call that echoed from the forests behind them, repeating several times as others answered in return.

  “I can’t get over how beautiful this place is,” Kendra said.

  A flicker of movement caught Andrew’s eye, drawing his gaze to a pair of rope swings he’d set up a few days ago. They were tied to a drooping purple blossom tree that stood between their cabin and the neighboring one. Val and Tony were there, slowly swinging beside each other and chatting in low tones about who knew what.

  Their relationship was still perfectly innocent, but Andrew could see it evolving in the years to come, and Tony wasn’t as bad as he’d seemed at first. He’d make a fine husband and a good father. Val would make a good wife and mother, too. It seemed crazy to think that way about a couple of kids, but then again, a year ago he would have said it was crazy to have more children of his own. Now that the danger was passed, what humanity really needed to secure its future was just that: a whole lot of kids.

  “Dollar for your thoughts?”

  “Nope,” Andrew said. Kendra’s brow furrowed, and he grinned slyly. “I’ll take another sip of coffee. Dollars aren’t worth anything around here.”

  Kendra snorted. “True.” She handed him the cup, and he took a more careful sip, contemplating things. He hadn’t had a panic attack or a flashback in quite some time. And he couldn’t even remember the last time he’d been craving a drink, let alone the last time he’d actually had one. Thinking back, though, he could remember. It was on Earth, right before he’d realized Val was missing. He’d woken up to a hangover and the call from his ex-wife, Selena. That felt like a lifetime ago, made so distant from recent events that it could have been someone else’s lifetime.

  “You still haven’t elaborated,” Kendra pointed out.

  He turned to her with a grin. “Right. Well, I was just thinking that maybe it’s time we had that date.”

  “You mean the picnic?”

  “That’s the one. But you’ll have to wait for me to catch dinner first.” He nodded sideways to indicate the lake. A few of the colonists had already cracked out the fishing rods, and apparently the lake was teeming with big silver fish. Dr. Hartford was the resident fishing expert. Andrew set the coffee cup down and stood up from the deck. “I’ll go see the doc, and—”

  Kendra rose with him, shaking her head. She grabbed his hand and pulled him in a different direction, heading back inside.

  “Whoa, what are you—”

  She held a finger to his lips and kissed him hard. They stumbled through the doorway together. “Let’s have dessert first,” she whispered.

  EPILOGUE

  Kendra

  Sparks flew from the bonfire, sending flames into the clear sky. They’d burned the excess from their construction sites, making use of the material to celebrate their arrival and partnership with the Brivuk.

  Both groups were together in their entirety for the first time, and it was great to see how many of them had survived. The Brivuk had children, and they danced around the fire with glee. Diane joined them, and their joy was palpable.

  The flames reminded Kendra of their celebration when they’d first landed at Eden, but now, the night wasn’t laced with threats and danger: only friends and hope for a real future.

  The flickering and crackling logs also made her think about the last group of people Hound had demanded be burned after the Brivuk had attacked their camp, fighting the Saints. They’d lost too many good people, over two hundred, but Kendra wouldn’t forget them. None of the remaining colonists would.

  She glanced around the beach, the water lapping along the shore quietly, and saw couples forming. A few were already expecting, meaning Thomas Hartford was going to be a busy man delivering babies eventually. Maybe even ours, she thought, remembering the morning she’d spent with Andrew. She hadn’t thought much about having a family in her lifetime, but this felt right, organic.

  Despite the laughing and camaraderie echoing across the shore, Kendra’s heart ached for the loss of her sister. She’d searched for Carrie for so many years, seeing her face among the crowd on countless occasions, and the fact that she’d left to work with Hound had set Kendra on the very path that had reunited them. Now she was gone, and nothing could bring her back this time.

  “Why so glum?” Andrew’s voice grounded her, and she turned to see him smiling at her. He was a changed man. His often-cantankerous mood was more mellow, easier-going these days. She appreciated the fire that still lived in his belly, but adored this new version of him.

  “I’m not. Everything’s great.” Kendra spotted Tony and Valeria walking toward them, holding hands. Roland
carried a plate of food, cracking jokes with Eve, and joined the group. Eric Keller, his goatee now a beard, sauntered over, crossing his arms as they stared toward the ocean.

  No one spoke for a moment, then they all did at the same time. This caused them to laugh, and then no one said anything, not wanting to be rude.

  Val took the lead. “I love it here.”

  “So do I,” Tony said.

  “I hate it.” Roland frowned. “I’m not sure how to live without a dictator in charge.”

  Kendra laughed at his joke and shook her head. “Don’t ever change.”

  She had a family again. The others turned, heading back to the fire, and she stayed.

  “You coming?” Andrew asked from behind her.

  “I’ll be right there.” She listened as his soft footsteps carried across the sand, and stared into the night sky. The stars were brilliant tonight, not a cloud in sight. A couple of them danced in the distance, shooting across the horizon. She knew it was nothing but space dust entering the atmosphere, creating a meteor, but it felt like a sign from her sister.

  She peered higher, closing her eyes for a moment and taking a deep breath of the salty ocean air. When she opened them, she thought she saw one of the stars blinking. Could it be…? But it vanished. Nothing to worry about. They were far from anywhere, and Hound’s people had no way to track them.

  The flames licked high in the air, and Diane ran to her side, grabbing her hand, and pulled her closer to their group of friends.

  Kendra would never forget this moment for what it was.

  Humanity’s first days.

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