“I'm afraid so,” he muttered.
“Did mum know?” I bit at him.
“Yes. She also knew how bad I felt. I've done everything in my power since to expose the truth. But they've done everything in their power to stop me.” His eyes watered, begging me to believe him.
“So, you destroyed the Earth by trying to fix it. This is so messed up.” Braven ran his hand over his hair.
“All those people,” muttered Domino.
“All this time and you didn't say a word,” said Lark.
“It was wrong. I've carried the guilt of what my team and I did my entire life and now I want to fix it. I can't go back and change what happened or save all those people my mistakes killed. But I can find out why the Elite are keeping everyone on the floating cities and why they haven't returned to repopulate earth after all these years. They're more than aware it's safe to return.”
Standing, I locked eyes with the man I'd grown up believing was my father. I'd believed he was a good person, believed he was trying to do the right thing. The whole time he was trying to rid himself of the guilt from the problems he'd caused. He'd left mum and me, mum had been murdered, and I'd never know who my real parents were or who my twin brother was because he created some experiment that went wrong.
I narrowed my eyes at him. “That's why you took me with you to Utopia isn't it? Not because you were so kind you couldn't leave the cute baby behind to die. It was because it was your fault my real mother, father and twin brother were going to die.”
“Aurora, I'm so sorry.” He stepped forward to touch me but I pushed him away.
“No you're not. This whole time I thought what you were doing was because you were selfless, but now I know it was all because you're selfish.” Picking up my backpack I swung it up onto my back and stormed off towards Eden. A few steps away the heaviness of the pendant bouncing on my chest grew to be too much and I unclasped it holding it in my hand for a moment. Is that what the pendant held? The truth about what my father had done. I gritted my teeth as a surge of anger pulsed through me and I threw the pendant towards my father.
“Aurora, wait.” Fletcher struggled with his bag as he tried to chase after me.
I wasn't sure where I was going, but of all the truths I'd imagined my dad playing such a damaging role wasn't one of them. He was the reason the world ended. He'd fed the greed of the corporations we were fighting against. Ahead I spotted another tree and when I got to it I dropped my bag at its trunk and yelled. I yelled until every last bit of air was gone from my lungs and I dropped to the ground panting, tears streaming down my face.
Exhausted, I lifted my face to look towards the shining shape of Eden to find the sun had begun to set. The sky was smudged with pinks, oranges and yellows and I drew in a deep breath admiring its beauty. Despite everything my father had done the earth remained. The sun rising and falling each day. The sensation of a hand resting on my back made me jump and I turned to find Fletcher by my side.
“Beautiful, isn't it?” he said.
“Yeah, it is.”
“How are you?” he asked, his gaze sympathetic.
“Angry. Sad.” I shook my head. “This is all his fault. All those people dying, the Elites controlling the cities, he created it all.”
“Can you hate him for it when he was doing it to try to make things better? He's a good guy Rora, he wouldn't have done any of it if he'd known the outcome.”
“I know. It's just… if he hadn't I might've known my parents, my twin. I would've grown up knowing what it was like to have a mum who loved me not resented my existence.”
“You're mum loved you…” he argued.
“Oh, stop it. I know she loved me. But she didn't want me, she was grieving the daughter she'd lost. I don't hate her for it, not anymore. But there's so many what ifs.” I needed him to agree with me just this once.
“Don't do that,” he said sternly. “What if's will send you crazy. What if I'd stayed on Utopia and I'd never seen you again. What if your dad didn't do those things? I wouldn't have met you.”
“Imagine all of the girls you could've had chasing you then,” I groaned.
Fletcher placed a finger under my chin and lifted it until my eyes met his. “Do you think I'd trade you for any other girl?”
We stare at each other for a moment, his words sinking in. A moment later a pink flush flooded through Fletchers cheeks as he realised what he'd said. “Anyway, since when are you the poor me type? Yes, this totally blows. But we have the chance to fix all your father's wrongs and show everyone on the floating cities the truth. The truth will…”
“Set you free. Yes, your sister and I have had the same conversation.”
“And I'm sure she also told you to suck it up.” He gave me a wink.
“Yeah, yeah. Can't a chick act like a girl at least once?”
“You could wear your flowery dress again.” He wriggled his eyebrows earning himself a punch in the arm. “There's the Aurora I know and love.”
He shied away at his final word.
“I guess now I've had my sook we better go back to the team and tell them I'm over it?”
“Yup, let's do that.” Fletcher held out his hand and helped me up from the ground.
I dusted my pants off as best as I could with my free hand and let Fletcher lead me back towards the group hand in hand.
Chapter Fourteen
Despite a few sympathetic glances, everyone decided to ignore the fact I'd stormed off, and Dad decided to give me space. They also neglected to tease me for arriving back holding Fletchers hand, even Braven who was sitting beside Vega sharing a laugh. All of which I was grateful for.
The sun had sunk beneath the horizon, turning the sky from brilliant oranges and pinks to deep blues and violets. The lingering light casting eerie shadows from the tree and spiky grass across the reddish-brown dirt. The hot wind had turned into a cool breeze sending a shiver racing over my arms.
“Let's settle in for the night. I suggest sleeping beside someone to keep you warm and wear a jacket, it drops off cold here at night,” advised Lark placing a hand on my shoulder.
Placing my bag back on the ground I unclipped my bed roll and rolled it out before unzipping my bag to find my jacket.
“Roomies?” asked Fletcher holding up his bedroll.
“Sounds good,” I replied and he rolled his bed out beside mine.
Finding my jacket, I pulled it out of my bag and slid it on. How it could go from being so damned hot to chilly in a matter of hours confused me, but Earth was full of weird things.
“Aurora, can we talk?” Dad appeared at the end of my bed.
“Sure,” I stole some courage from Fletcher's smile before following Dad a few meters away from the group.
“I'm sorry you found out this way. I was hoping we'd get the chance to sit down privately so I could tell you everything.” I couldn't ignore the sadness in his eyes.
“I've learned fast with this group, nothing's private,” I replied.
“I do love you Aurora. I can't be sure if I rescued you because I'm a good person or out of guilt, but I loved you like my biological daughter. I still do.”
“I know. All these revelations have me questioning everything, I needed Fletch to help me put everything back into perspective. I know you love me, and you're a good person. If you were truly evil you wouldn't be trying so hard to redeem yourself.”
“The one thing I can't redeem is leaving you and your mother alone. I thought I was keeping you both safe. The Elite wanted me dead and I didn't want you to suffer the same fate as me. I was as good as dead when Brent found me. But to know Jennifer died protecting you because of choices I made…” a tear slid over his cheek and I stepped forward to wrap him in my arms.
His arms wrapped around me too and he held me tight. We both sobbed. Mourning the death of my mother, the woman who'd sacrificed herself to save me, and his wife, the woman he loved with all his heart.
When he pulled away he tugged a ch
ain from his pocket and held his pendant towards me. “This is yours. If you still want to carry it of course.”
“Thank you.” I let him fasten it at the back of my neck. It was heavier than it was before somehow. Maybe knowing what it held made it a bigger burden.
When we made our way back to camp Dad gave me a light kiss on the head. “Sweet dreams, Aurora. I love you.”
“I love you too, Dad.”
He climbed down onto his bedroll and I lay down on mine beside Fletcher.
The air had grown quite cold and I snuggled into the blanket hugging my jacket tight around me. Beside me Fletcher was fast asleep, his chest rising and falling. I wished I could tell him how important he was to me. If it wasn't for him I wasn't sure I could've gotten through everything we'd done and seen. Instead I let him sleep and closed my eyes to try to do the same.
* * *
A growl ripped me from my dream erasing it from my memory as I was abruptly brought back to reality. Opening my eyes I found myself staring into the face of some sort of beast, its dark eyes narrowed and its teeth dripping with spit.
“Aurora, don't move,” Lark's voice came from out of sight and I didn't dare move to see him.
“Good dog, come on, good dog,” Alice's voice cooed from the opposite direction.
“Alice, keep away from that thing,” warned Tyler.
A loud whistle sounded and the beast licked its soggy lips before darting away in a hurry.
“What was that thing?” I exhaled, sitting up. My heart thudding out of my chest.
“It was a puppy dog,” cried Alice bouncing up and down.
“A puppy dog? That thing looked like it wanted to rip Aurora apart,” said Fletcher.
“Her names Molly,” a strange male voice with an accent I hadn't heard before caught my attention. I turned to find the beast standing beside a tall man with dark skin. He wore a wide brimmed hat and a button up shirt with long sleeves. His cream pants bunched at the ankles over his brown well-worn boots. “The question is, who are you lot?”
Lark stood and stepped towards the man who responded by holding up a long-barrelled gun. “We mean no harm to you or your dog. We needed a rest on our journey and stayed here for the night. We'll be taking off as soon as we're packed.”
The man looked to Molly and they appeared to exchange a glance before he turned back to us. “The names Mick. Molly here's my family, she's a blue heeler. Don't reckon you've seen them around.”
“No, you'd be right in saying that. We aren't from around here,” replied Lark.
“I can see. You look like you be from those shiny floating cities.” Mick gestured towards Eden.
“Yes, we're from Utopia. But we're making our way to Eden,” advised Lark.
“Your lot don't usually come down here. Don't you have those fancy air balloon rocket thingy-ma-jigs to fly in?” Mick's thick eyebrows pinched in the middle
“Airships, yes. But those are reserved for the Elite,” replied Lark.
“Well, this isn't any place to stay. You lot are lucky you didn't freeze to death last night. Grab your swags and we'll head to my place so you can freshen up before you go.” Mick turned with Molly on his heel and began walking away.
We all looked to Lark who appeared in deep thought before shrugging. “I'm thinking we follow the guy. If anything, so he doesn't send his dog after us or shoot us with his ridiculously long gun.”
“You comin' or what?” Mick turned back around with a confused expression. “It's not far. A little past the first few paperbarks over this way.”
We packed our things and Fletcher and I helped each other put our backpacks on before we left our camp behind and followed Mick and Molly.
Molly wagged her tail excitedly as we caught up, and took up pace beside Braven who froze in her presence. Molly sat down in front of him panting with her tongue hanging out.
“Don't mind Molly. Her bite is worse than her bark.” Mick laughed to himself.
“Her what?” Braven's face grew pale.
“Oh, her bark is worse than her bite. Sorry, not often I get to talk to other people. Molly leave him alone.” He gave a high pitch whistle with his fingers pressed to his lips and Molly returned to his side.
Braven's shoulders relaxed and colour started creeping back into his cheeks again.
“Not far now. Past the bottle tree ahead, see.” Mick pointed towards a rusty looking tin shack.
When we reached it, he walked through the front door and Molly lay down just outside the doorway in the shade. “It's not much, but its home. Come in, there's plenty of room.”
I followed Braven over the threshold watching him stay as close to the side of the frame as he could opposite Molly.
Inside, the house was a wide open space, reminding me of the lean-to's in the undercity of Utopia except larger. Mick had a pile of wood in a pit with a vent reaching up to the roof on one side and over it hung a pot and beside it some pans. A single cot sat against the wall on the other side along with piles of various items.
“I'd say pull up a chair but we got none. Pick a bit of dirt and sit down.” Mick spread his arms out wide.
We piled our bags against the far wall and looked to Lark as he found a spot on the ground. Domino sat beside him and the rest of us joined them. Finding a spot between Fletcher and Dad, I sat down and looked up as Alice tugged on the leg of Micks pants.
“Hello there little one. What can I do for ya?” Mick asked his white teeth a stark contrast against his dark skin.
“Mick are you an original?” Alice asked, her eyes wide.
“Sorry Mick,” Tyler arrived at his sister's side and took hold of her hand. “She means Aboriginal and she means no offence.”
Mick's smile broadened. “None taken young fella. Yes little one, I'm an Aborigine. From what I can tell there ain't many of us left these days so I'm sure I'm a strange sight.”
“I think your skin is beautiful,” replied Alice.
“Why thank you little one. Now would any of you mob like a cuppa?”
“A cuppa?” asked Domino.
“Herbal tea,” said Mick. “Don't tell me you on them cities never had a cuppa?”
“Sorry, I haven't heard them be called a cuppa before, but I'd love one please,” replied Domino.
“I'd love one too, thank you Mick,” added Lark.
Dad asked for one too as did Alice stating it was because she hadn't been able to have one before. Mick promised her a special tea, which lit up her eyes and put a bounce in her step. Alice followed Mick around and he got her to help him by filling up the pot and putting a log in the fireplace. Tyler didn't take his eyes off her as she followed Mick around.
“Stand back now little one. Don't want ya burnin' those little fingers of yours.” With a few scrapes of a flint he had a fire going and he sat a lid on top of the pot. “It'll take a moment for the billy to boil. I'm afraid I don't have a lotta food to offer ya.”
“We have plenty,” replied Lark. “Here, have some of our fruit as a thanks.”
Each of us took a piece of fruit from our bag and handed it to Lark who then placed it all on Mick's small table.
“You fella's are too kind to an old bushy. Molly and I are glad we found you.” Mick picked up an apple and took a bite. “This is delicious. It's been a while since I had an apple. Now, what you doin' tryin' ta get to the floating city?”
We all looked to Lark waiting for his reply.
“Do you live here alone?” asked Lark.
“Just me and Molly. We like to be on our own,” said Mick.
Lark thought for a moment before continuing. “To tell you the truth we're on the run. We have something the Elite's want to destroy because it holds secrets they don't want to get out.” I was surprised at Lark's honesty.
“What secrets would they be?” Mick narrowed his eyes.
“Lark,” Braven warned.
“Sorry Mick, we haven't met many people we could trust on our travels,” said Lark.
“N
o worries. No need to tell me everything, curiosity is a funny thing,” replied Mick.
“We need to meet with someone on Eden and we have no way of getting up there,” said Lark.
“I might know some fella's who could help ya out. They pay me to track for them from time to time. They have one of those helli-chopter thingy-ma-jigs.” Mick looked to the ceiling in thought.
Lark's eyes lit up at the prospect of finding a way onto Eden. “Do you think they'd help us out?”
“Sure. I'll take ya's to them when the sun fades. Too hot to be out there now.” He lifted the lid of the pot with a stick and peered in. “Ahh, billy's boiled.”
Using a folded up piece of cloth he lifted the pot by its handle and took it over to his bench before asking Alice to bring him over five mugs. Alice promptly did as she was asked and Mick dropped some leaves into the bottom of each one.
“What's that you're putting in there?” asked Lark placing his hand on Domino's thigh.
“Camomile. Good for the belly and for resting. Will be good for ya lady.” He gave Lark a wink.
Lark shared a glance with Domino before rising to help Mick hand out the tea. How they could drink it in the growing heat was beyond me. The tin shed continued to heat up as though it was trying to cook us through. If Mick didn't appear to be so genuine and friendly I would've thought he'd tricked us into being his dinner.
“Looks like you fella's need some aloe vera. The sun's bitten at your skin and you're all red as tomatoes.” Mick pointed to Braven whose shoulders shined pink.
My own shoulders radiated heat and I longed to soak them in a cold shower.
Mick disappeared for a moment before coming back with a bowl of a sticky substance. “Lather this on ya face and arms. Tastes like roadkill but it'll take the bite outta the burn.”
Mick held the bowl out to Braven who scooped some out with his fingers and began rubbing it on. He let out a groan and closed his eyes. “That's amazing.”
We all took turns taking some from the bowl and rubbing it on our faces and hands. By the time we finished we all looked ridiculous, the gel making our skin smooth and shiny. But the soothing effect was well worth it.
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