Adam stepped toward the man, kneeling to look him eye to eye.
“The Wardens’ planes are in the sky and mutant wolves are on the ground. We are hiding out for a bit,” Adam said.
“I promise you,” the man said, “whatever you're facing out there, it’s ten times more dangerous for you in here.”
Now even Lilah sounded skeptical. “Why are you here, then?” she asked.
“I have lived here for many years,” the man said. “The curse doesn't harm me. But most people never make it out alive.”
Curse? Adam thought. What curse?
“Are you a mutant?” Nate asked as he continued trying to wiggle his leg out of the man’s grip.
“Why else would I be living in this cursed cave?” the man said, finally releasing Nate. “There is no other home for me.”
Nate huffed. “I don’t believe in curses.”
“Do you believe in science?” the man asked.
“Of course.”
“Maybe curses, and blessings, are sciences we don’t understand yet,” the man said. “They thought creating mutants would be a blessing. But it's never felt like that to me.”
“We are going to a place called Eden, a safe haven for people like us. Have you heard of it?” Lilah asked.
The man shook his head. “People like us? There are no people like me.”
“We are mutants as well,” Lilah said. “Would you like to come with us?”
“Wait,” Nate spoke up. “You don’t get to decide that.”
Lilah’s question seemed to distress the man. His muscles tensed and a deep frown fell upon his face.
“I’m afraid I can’t do that,” he said. “This cave is my home.”
He looked at Lilah’s bandaged leg, and his face lit up.
“But I can help you with your wounds. I have some salt, vinegar, and water to clean that right up.”
Lilah allowed the man to tend to her wound as Adam and Nate ate a quick lunch. The mixture stung, but afterward, Lilah admitted her leg felt brand new.
“You must have some type of magic touch,” Lilah gushed.
The man chuckled nervously. “Magic. Science. Mutations. I don’t care what you call it. Let’s just say I always look for opportunities to be a blessing. It’s the least I can do. Glad you are feeling better. Please, do me a favor and go back the way you came. Trust that I'm still helping you out by giving that advice.”
“Dude, just let us rest here for a bit,” Nate demanded. “We’ll be out of your way soon.”
“Well, if you won’t leave, I will,” the man said. “You can’t say I didn’t warn you.”
The man walked deeper into the tunnels as Lilah stood up on her leg.
“Wow,” Lilah said. She spun in a circle then leapt into the air. “No pain.”
“Maybe that's his mutation. Healing,” Nate said. “That man’s so strange. Who is he to tell us to leave?”
Lilah frowned. “Well, it is his home. And he’s not so bad. My leg feels amazing.”
“Maybe we should get out of here, now that your leg is better and all,” Adam said.
“No way,” Nate said. “Dude, he’s obviously hiding something. Maybe the entrance to Eden. Treasure? Who knows. But when someone tells me not to do something that they themselves are doing, that makes me want to find out why. I say we go deeper into the tunnel.”
The boys looked at Lilah to break the tie.
“I’m down with exploring,” Lilah said.
Chapter Thirteen
Lilah
Lilah trailed behind Nate as he took off into the tunnel. As they descended deeper, it became more difficult to see. Now they were in the belly of it, exploring crevices that sunlight couldn't touch.
She kept her hand on the wall as she walked to keep her bearings and looked over at Adam. Even though she couldn't make out his expression in the dark, she could picture the defeated grimace on his face. She knew he felt going deeper into the tunnel was a bad idea, and under normal circumstances, she would agree. However, choices were limited…and the man did seem to be hiding something.
Exploring the tunnel was better than going back outside and getting eaten by wolves or spotted by Kane. God forbid if she would be so careless as to lead Kane to Eden. It was much safer to be underground.
“This is a bad idea,” Adam whispered under his breath as Nate picked up the pace.
“We're getting closer to something,” Nate said. “I can feel it.”
Up ahead, Lilah saw the dull flicker of faint light on the ground. It took her a moment to realize it was the candle from the lantern the man who healed her leg had been holding, its glass shattered around a still flickering flame.
“Why would he drop his light?” Nate asked.
“Maybe something was chasing after him,” Adam whispered through gritted teeth.
“We would have heard it,” Nate said. “These tunnels aren't soundproof.”
“Shh,” Lilah hissed, because in the distance Lilah could hear something. The faint sound was a mix between a grunt and a whimper.
“I don’t hear anything,” Nate said
“Quiet,” she whispered. The sound all but faded away. Lilah wondered if she had imagined it.
“Dude, you’re paranoid. I think—” Nate didn’t have a chance to finish his sentence. He was interrupted by a low growl that echoed through the tunnel, and the pitter-patter of quick footsteps approaching.
“Somethings coming,” Adam said, grabbing Lilah and Nate by the arm and pulling them back the way they had come. “We are leaving. I overrule your votes.”
The source of the sound came into view, a large, monstrous creature that was twice as large as the mutant wolf in the forest. It raced toward them, eyes blazing red, a crimson tongue hanging out of its drooling mouth. It stopped for a moment, pausing near the candlelight as it let out a shrill, unnatural howl.
Lilah only had a split second to get a good look at it before she raced in the opposite direction, gasping for breath as she moved through the darkness. Now that they had moved away from the candle, it was too dark to see, but the terrifying creature was etched into her memory. The strangest thing about the creature was its paws. While the rest of the creature had brown fur, its paws were pale pink and too long, their shape almost resembling human feet.
She could hear the creature’s footsteps as it raced behind them. They needed a plan, and fast. Lilah mentally praised the strange man for healing her leg. Without his help, she wouldn't have a fighting chance.
“Adam, I think even you’ll agree it's a good time to use my gun?” Nate said, gasping for air between every other word.
Adam nodded, not slowing down his stride. Then, remembering how dark it was, he breathed out an audible “yes.”
Nate pulled his gun from his waist and shot the beast twice. The creature let out a distressed wail as the bullets struck, but it continued to charge. Lilah wondered if its skin was bulletproof. The mutant continued to cry out in pain. The sound would have made Lilah feel sorry for it if it wasn't trying to kill them.
The creature lunged at Nate, taking hold of his body in a matter of seconds. Nate’s cries echoed through the tunnel as the beast sunk its teeth into his skin, dragging him back toward the candlelight, away from Adam and Lilah.
No, Lilah thought, this can’t happen. Maybe my powers can help? It would be worth it to reveal my mutation to save a life.
Lilah gulped and started to move toward the creature, allowing all her fear and rage to radiate toward her trembling hands, when Adam gripped Lilah’s arm and pulled her back into his chest.
Good thing he didn’t grab my hands, Lilah thought.
“No,” Adam said, pulling her further from the creature. “I’m not letting you get close to it. You don’t even have a weapon. We are gonna take it down at range.”
He pulled out a gun to aim at the beast.
“Why don’t you shoot?” Lilah asked, though her words were masked by Nate’s screams.
“I do
n’t want to shoot blind. I can’t see where Nate is. All I can see is that…thing. And I can barely see that,” Adam said.
“We don't need to see to know that Nate is getting eaten!” Lilah cried. “Shoot!”
It was so dark that Lilah couldn't see what was happening very well either, but she could see the creatures back in the dull candlelight and hear it gnashing and gnawing. She could hear Nate’s screams and the creature’s growls blending together, echoing through the tunnels.
Adam fired at the beast three times.
An inhuman squeal echoed through the tunnels. She could almost feel the ground shake as the beast fell. A heartbeat later, all was silent, save Lilah’s and Adam’s heaving breaths.
Not so bulletproof after all, Lilah thought.
Lilah and Adam sat in the dark, huddled together, afraid to move toward the fallen creature for fear of what they might find.
Eventually, Adam crept in the direction of the monster to investigate.
“Is it what it looked like?” Lilah asked, fearing that Nate was dead.
“I wouldn't say that.” Adam’s voice was shaky.
Lilah approached and saw a frightening scene. The glow of the candlelight illuminated Nate’s body, which had been ripped in two by the beast. The creature’s body was nowhere to be found. Lying next to Nate was another human body. It took Lilah a moment to realize it was the body of the man who healed her leg and warned them to leave. He was dead, with multiple bloody bullet wounds covering his naked body.
“I don’t understand,” Adam said, his hands trembling. “Did I kill him? I didn’t even see him come back. Where is the creature?”
Lilah wrapped her arms around Adam and squeezed him tight. He continued to tremble as he stared at the two bodies.
Lilah put her hands on his face and turned him toward her, forcing him to look away from the death around them. She could hardly see more than the whites of his eyes in the dim light of the candle.
“It’s okay,” Lilah said. “We’re okay.”
Looks like I’m not the only mutant with abilities that come and go, she thought as a wave of guilt swept over her.
“Where is the mutant?” Adam asked.
“I think...I think he was the mutant, Adam.” Lilah could hardly get the words out. “I think the man who healed my leg transformed into that…thing.”
“Bigfoot,” Adam mumbled to himself.
“Reminds me more of a werewolf,” Lilah said. “It’s sick, the types of experiments the government did on people before the Bio Wars. Creating mutants like that.”
“You think he was created?” Adam asked.
“I think so. Most natural mutations are less grandiose,” Lilah said.
Adam walked over to Nate and knelt beside him. He pushed Nate's hair away from his face and closed his startled, still eyes.
“Rest in peace,” Adam whispered.
Lilah put her hand on Adam’s shoulder and he stood back up. She could feel her eyes watering from the loss and blinked to push back her tears. They spilled over onto her face despite her efforts. Adam turned to face her; his hands traveled to her face, and he gently wiped the tears away.
“I’m sorry, Adam.” She took both of his hands in hers and gave them a reassuring squeeze. Adam allowed himself to break down and cry as well, all but falling into Lilah’s arms as they wept together. She wrapped her arms around him and let him get it all out.
“I know I didn’t know your friend very well,” Lilah said, “and I don’t think he liked me very much, but he didn’t deserve that. No one deserves to die like that.”
Eventually, Adam pulled away. “Should we turn back?”
“We’ve already come this far. Might as well find that light at the end of the tunnel Nate was looking for.” Lilah shrugged. “If we see anything or anyone else, let’s leave.”
“Right,” Adam said. “But what about the bodies?”
“Do you pray?” Lilah asked.
Adam gasped.
“I know religion is outlawed, and my mom always warned me not to pray outside of the house…” Lilah said. “But we can’t just leave them to rot. We can’t act like nothing happened.”
“Not often. But I do, sometimes,” Adam said.
“I know we can’t bury them,” Lilah said. “But they deserve something.”
Lilah took Adam’s trembling hands in hers, using her thumb to rub circles on his palm, soothing him as they stood next to the bodies.
“Dear Lord,” Lilah said, “please take these souls to be with you in heaven. We pray their bodies rest in peace.”
They stood in silence for a moment, eyes shut, continuing to hold each other's hands. Lilah was in no rush to open them again and view the bloody scene.
She moved closer to Adam and rested her head on his chest. His hand trailed up to the nape of her neck, his fingers caressing the back of her head.
“Do you think mutants have souls?” Adam asked.
Lilah finally opened her eyes to look at him.
“Of course we have souls,” she said.
“But mutants…we…kill. I mean you saw! He turned into a monster, he killed Nate.” Adam said. “We have altered DNA. Changed by man, not God.”
“People have always killed, have always been monsters,” Lilah said. “But no one can take away your soul.”
Was Adam questioning his humanity because of his mutation? Lilah felt a sense of compassion for him but was at a loss for words.
“We should keep going,” Lilah said.
“Yes,” Adam agreed.
They walked away from the horror that was before them, deeper into the tunnel until they saw a faint light.
When they emerged on the other side of the cave, Lilah looked up at the clouds. She saw bright rays of light shining between them.
The forest was still. No wolves. No airplanes. But there was an unfamiliar sound. It took Lilah a moment to recognize it as the sound of birds chirping.
Beyond the birds, there was an even quieter sound, one Lilah had been hoping to hear from the moment she took off into the forest: The faint notes of a piano.
The sound of music.
Chapter Fourteen
Adam
Adam was on edge after they made it out of the tunnels. If one mutant could cause death so quickly, he wasn’t thrilled about meeting a large group of them with unknown abilities.
Another day went by without them finding anything new, but now that faint music periodically floated through the forest, Lilah was eager to reach Eden. With her map in hand, she moved through the barren branches and vines with renewed vigor.
“I feel like we’re getting closer,” Lilah said while looking over her map. She pointed to a small stream of murky water almost hidden by dried weeds and sticks. “This stream is on my map.”
“The map says ‘river,’” Adam pointed out. “That's barely a trickle.”
“We’re close,” Lilah said. “I know we are.”
Adam offered her a small smile, but he was hit with a strong sense of guilt. He didn’t plan on following her into this proverbial new land. Once they found Eden, he would sneak away and contact the Watch. Lilah and any other mutants they found would be captured and eventually killed.
Would the Wardens spare Lilah’s life?
It was clear she wasn't like the other mutants. There had been tears in her eyes for Nate, a boy she hardly knew who’d been eager to see her dead.
He felt a small amount of uncertainty. As dangerous as mutants were, Lilah had been a good friend to him. Even though he wouldn’t be the one pulling the trigger, he didn’t want to be the cause of her death.
“Oh my God! Adam!” Lilah whispered, crouching close to the ground and pointing ahead. “Look at that!”
Adam gasped when he looked in the direction she pointed. There was a tall wooden fence in the distance that seemed to stretch for miles and miles, safeguarding whatever was inside like a fortress. The tops of trees peeked out above the fence. Unlike the barren foliage th
at populated most of the forest, these had bright green leaves. Adam had never seen so much green in his life. One even seemed to be growing red apples. The sight of the fruit made Adam’s mouth water.
“What do you think?” Lilah whispered. “Eden?”
“Looks more promising than that creepy cave,” Adam admitted.
“This is it. I know it,” Lilah said. “Can you believe it? It’s real.”
Unable to contain her excitement, she wrapped her arms around Adam and squeezed him tight. Adam’s heart sank when he realized her joy would be short-lived. The guilt returned, but the logical part of his brain knew he had no need for it. He was only doing his job, and he needed to get out of his head.
Lilah frowned at the fact that Adam was so stoic. “Aren’t you excited?”
“Yea…” Adam said quickly. “It’s just a lot to take in.”
“Tell me about it,” Lilah said with a sigh. “I’ve spent my whole life trying to blend into society. This will be the first time I’ll be around others with mutations. Don’t you think it will be nice, not needing to hide what you are anymore?”
Adam realized that his time in the woods with Lilah had been the only time he’d ever had to hide who he was.
“Definitely,” Adam said. “But we can’t really see what’s inside. I think, for now, we should still be a little cautious.”
Lilah nodded, then crept over to the fence, which reached three feet above her head. The music started playing again, and it was easy to tell it was coming from beyond this fortress. Lilah followed the wall until she noticed the rectangular outline of a door. She traced her finger along the entrance. There was no handle, so she raised her fist to knock.
“Lilah, wait...” Adam said, wanting to delay this moment but unsure of what he should say. If she entered Eden, he didn’t know how he could protect her once the Watch showed up. He considered tranquilizing her and hiding her far away from this place. Then, he could take Eden down while keeping her safe.
It was too late. She all but tore the fence down with eagerness as she banged on the door. Eventually, the music coming from the other side stopped.
Finding Eden Page 6