Arcadia

by L. J. Higgins

  Bare feet and bag on the ground I took off down the sandy hill to the beach towards him. The sand was hot but not as bad as he'd made out, and it kicked up the back of my legs as I ran. The cool salty breeze licked at my warm skin and I slowed as my feet found the harder cool sand.

  The others were close behind me laughing and panting.

  “You going to go in or what?” asked Seth, pulling his shirt over his head and tugging off his pants.

  “I'm out.” Maya threw up her hands before plonking down onto the sand.

  “Aren't there sharks and other animals who want to eat us in the ocean?” asked Braven.

  “Sharks will go for the biggest of the group, so as long as you come with us,” replied Seth walking past Braven and wading into the waves.

  “He's kidding,” said Ebony, undressing before walking past him.

  Braven's eyes found Vega's. “Are you going in?”

  “Apparently it's safe if you do.” She'd already taken off her shirt and pants and nudged him towards the water's edge.

  “You coming?” I asked Fletcher as Braven toppled forward into a wave, Vega falling on top of him.

  Fletcher closed his eyes and sighed. “If you come with me.”

  We both slid off our shirts and pants and I took his hand before we waded into the waves together. First, the waves licked at our feet and as we waded deeper we were soon up to our stomachs, the waves ebbing and flowing around us. Fletcher gripped my hand tight, fear dancing in his eyes with each roll of the waves but soon with cool of the water at my feet mixing with the warmth of the water around my waist I relaxed into the salty water. He turned to face me, pulling me closer as I let myself float over a wave.

  He pressed his forehead against mine and closed his eyes. “I'm lucky to have you.”

  I swallowed hard at his words and my heart stopped as he opened his chocolate eyes and stared into mine. I opened my mouth to reply, but he narrowed his eyes looking past me.

  “Hey, who's standing up there?” He turned me out of his arms to face the shore.

  Two figures had appeared on the ledge near where our bags and shoes had been ditched.

  “Braven,” I said, drawing everyone's attention to our visitors.

  Maya looked up at us as we all stared further up the shore and she turned to spot them. She rose from her spot on the sand and took a few steps back towards the water. “Who are they?”

  “Do you think Captain Kormak sent them?” asked Vega.

  “No, they're dressed more casual than military guards,” I replied.

  “I know who they are.” Seth's eyes narrowed as he jogged out of the waves onto the shore towards them.

  “It's Sean and Vanessa,” gulped Ebony. “They're two of Brent's best disciples.”

  “How did they find us?” asked Vega.

  “I don't know. But this isn't good,” replied Ebony.

  “Let's hope Seth can talk them down,” I said.

  “Let's hope Seth's loyalties don't change now they're back,” replied Braven.

  Ebony stared towards where Seth had caught up with the two intruders and was talking, pointing back in our direction. “Seth is much happier with you guys. I'm sure he won't go back with them.”

  “You don't sound very sure,” replied Maya.

  “I'm not. But I'm not going anywhere. I'm staying with you.”

  “And whatever he does, you're more than welcome to stay,” I said.

  From the shore, Seth beckoned us towards him.

  “Should we all go?” I asked.

  “Better if we stick together this time,” replied Braven.

  We all jogged out of the water, collecting our dry clothes on the way towards them. I twisted and squeezed the water out of my plait throwing it back over my shoulder before pulling my singlet and pants back on. Together we jogged across the hot sand and up the hill towards Seth.

  Seth turned to us with a grin, but there was a nervousness behind it I didn't like.

  “Everyone this is Sean and Vanessa, they work for Brent,” he said.

  “The prophet,” Vanessa corrected him.

  “Sorry, Prophet Brent,” said Seth.

  “And what are they doing here?” I asked.

  “Brent sent them to find Ebony and me when we didn't return, they've been tracking us for weeks.”

  “They don't speak for themselves?” asked Vega.

  “We're here to rescue Seth and Ebony, that's all,” said Vanessa, her male companion standing silently beside her.

  “But you're not going with them are you Seth?” asked Ebony.

  He looked between them and her, a nervous tension sweeping over him. “Vanessa, Sean and I have a lot to talk about. Things have been hard for Brent since we left. He's been mourning Lula and the camp is still being repaired after the cyclone.”

  Ebony's shoulders sunk. She already thought Seth was gone, but I couldn't help thinking he still might pick us over Brent.

  “What now? We sit and wait while you have your chat?” asked Braven.

  “We would like to camp for the night,” started Vanessa. “Then we can talk to Seth and have a rest. We haven't stopped for days.”

  She didn't look near tired or sore enough to have been walking for days. She looked as though she'd hopped out of a comfy bed, her blonde hair slicked back into a ponytail and her clothes and tanned skin clean and smooth.

  “We'll stay the night. But I get to sit in on your conversation, understood?” said Braven.

  “I don't think you're in a position right now to be making demands,” growled Vanessa.

  “You don't? I'm not sure if you've noticed but there's two of you and seven of us,” replied Braven.

  “I think you'll find there's four of us and five of you, and we have the weapons,” she said.

  Sean touched her arm as she stepped forward, stopping her from getting any closer to Braven who smiled at her sharp glare.

  “We have nothing to hide. You may talk with us,” said Sean in a deep gruff voice.

  Vanessa stepped back but didn't drop her gaze.

  “Right, best we find somewhere to camp,” I said, trying to ease the tension.

  “We've already found a good spot a little way along from here. Grab your things and we'll take you,” said Vanessa.

  “Looks like we don't have a choice,” Maya whispered to me under her breath.

  The two of them continued ahead while the rest of us pulled on our socks and boots and lifted our bags onto our shoulders.

  “You're trying to tell me they happened to stumble across us but have already set up a camp. I'm not buying it,” I whispered to Braven.

  “Neither am I,” said Braven. “Maybe we should refuse and keep travelling.”

  I looked at Seth who was having a heated conversation with Ebony. He looked over his shoulder and I averted my gaze.

  “The real question is do we trust Seth?” I said.

  “Do you? He's been good and settling in. But Brent has a hold over him I'll never understand,” replied Braven.

  My brain hurt as the pro's and con's raced through my mind. If we left now, I'd be showing Seth despite all the ground we'd made I still didn't trust him. But staying might put us all in danger. We didn't have time for all of these complications, we needed to get to Elysium.

  Braven sighed. “Let's follow. I'll listen to what they have to say and we'll take it from there.”

  “Thank you,” I replied, knowing he was trying to make my decision easier.

  “You two okay?” asked Vega.

  “Of course,” replied Braven. “Let's go see this camp.”

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Vanessa and Sean led us into a small clearing among the bushes and palms where two swags were rolled out on the dirt and sand floor.

  “You look cosy for two people who just turned up,” said Braven.

  “We saw you weren't going far and took the time to settle in,” replied Vanessa giving Sean a sideways glance.

  “What now? You exp
ect us to settle in for the night and trust you won't slit our throats in our sleep?” asked Vega.

  “We don't go around slitting people's throats,” snarled Vanessa.

  “No, you like to drug them up and chuck them in deep holes,” I replied.

  “This isn't going to work,” said Seth.

  “What? You can't expect us to trust them,” said Braven.

  “No, I guess not. But they're my friends,” Seth replied.

  “We're your friends. They work for Brent and unless you're going back with them, Brent's not going to be happy. What were they ordered to do if you didn't want to go back?” asked Braven.

  “The prophet gave us no orders. He assumed Seth was either dead, injured or lost. His disciples swear an oath to keep him safe and serve him for as long as physically possible. Seth not coming back with us isn't an option,” replied Vanessa.

  “Yeah, and who's going to make him go with you?” I bit back.

  Seth raised his hands, casting me a warning glance. “Let's all settle down. We'll set up our beds and Braven and Aurora can join us for the talk you wanted.”

  “Her? We said we'd let him listen in, but nothing about the girl.” Vanessa spoke as though I was something gross stuck to the bottom of her ugly brown boots.

  “If you want me to consider coming back with you, you'll let her join us,” he replied.

  “Who do you think-”

  Sean cleared his throat loudly. “Let her come. I'm intrigued to know why she's important to him. Why he's with these floating city scum in the first place when he was sent to kill them.”

  Maya gasped.

  “My orders weren't to kill these people. Like I said, let's set up camp and then we can talk,” said Seth.

  Sean grabbed Vanessa's hand and her shoulders relaxed as they turned to sit near their bedrolls.

  Braven kept his eye on the two of them as he dropped his bag and began setting up his own bed. The rest of us followed suit.

  Seth stepped towards me and I leant close to his ear. “I hope you know what you're doing. My friend's lives are in your hands.”

  “I won't endanger your friends,” he whispered back, his eyes darting back towards the watchful glare of Vanessa.

  I flicked out my bedroll and smoothed it out, wiggling it across the sandy ground as far away from the intruder's beds as possible.

  “Do you trust them?” Fletcher appeared beside me, wriggling his bed as close as possible to mine. Not only to be close to me but to shield me from our new friends.

  “Not one bit. But I trust Seth,” I replied, my eyes daring him to argue with me.

  “And I trust you,” he replied.

  As the sun faded around us, a chorus of crickets filled the air over the background of rolling waves against the shore. The tide had risen while we were setting up and grew closer, as though threatening to wash our camp away in the night.

  “Imagine waves a thousand times higher than those,” said Maya. “It would've been scary.”

  “Seth's mum told him they were so high they could see them while climbing the mountain they escaped to.” Ebony had steered clear of her old friends since they'd arrived, embedding herself firmly within our group.

  We all gazed out at the water, trying to imagine the fear those poor people went through. The moon's light rippled across the surface of the ocean, sparkling and continuously moving.

  “You ready to talk?” Vanessa asked Seth, loud enough for everyone to hear.

  “Braven? Aurora?” Seth asked, keeping his eyes on mine.

  “Sure thing,” I replied.

  “Where do you want to go?” asked Braven.

  “Let's go down to the beach where it's a bit more private. As private as it can be anyway,” replied Vanessa.

  As I stepped to walk away Fletcher grabbed my hand and I turned to face him. “Be careful.”

  I smirked at his concern. “I have Braven with me. I'll be fine.”

  He pulled me in and pressed his lips hard against mine as though he wouldn't have the chance to kiss me again.

  “Okay, I wasn't expecting that. What was it for?” I asked breathlessly as he pulled away.

  “I felt like I needed to kiss you.”

  “I'll be fine,” I assured him.

  “Please, don't do anything stupid,” he replied letting my hand go as I left.

  As I reached Braven he placed his arm around my shoulder and we fell into step with Seth as we followed Vanessa and Sean through the foliage and down the side of a sandhill. There were mere meters of sand left between the sandhill and where the ocean licked at the shore, and we strode along the beach following Vanessa and Sean.

  “I hope they aren't leading us away to murder us,” I whispered to Braven.

  “Stay alert. You've got your knife?” he asked.

  I patted my utility belt, glaring at Vanessa as she turned around to look at us.

  “You have your stun gun?” I asked after she'd turned back around.

  “I sure do, and Seth won't let anything happen to you,” said Braven.

  Seth had picked up his pace and wavered between us and his friends from the Freedom Camp. He looked back a few times to make sure we were still following. I'm not sure if it was out of fear we'd leave him on his own with these people, or because he was keeping an eye on us.

  “You sound pretty sure. I wish I could be so confident,” I said.

  “This spot looks good,” Vanessa called out as she stopped beside a smooth grey fallen tree. “No-one should hear us here.”

  “What exactly do you want to talk about?” asked Braven as we reached them.

  “With you? Nothing. You're here merely to listen. You and the redhead can sit over there and stay quiet,” Vanessa replied.

  “As you wish,” I replied, gripping a reeling Braven's arm and guiding him over to where she pointed and sat on the cool sand.

  “You don't need to be mean to them you know. They're my friends,” Seth told her as Vanessa and Sean took a seat opposite him on the tree. Seth remained standing.

  “What about us Seth? We're your family. Why didn't you come home?” Vanessa's eyes softened.

  “Ebony and I tracked their group like Brent asked, but when we found them they didn't have Alice and Tyler with them anymore. They'd left them in the military camp under Eden. It's so heavily guarded there was no way I'd get in and out alive if I harmed them.”

  “So you stayed with these people? You should've returned to the Freedom Camp, let Brent know you weren't able to fulfil your duties,” said Vanessa.

  “He was scared to face his punishment.” Sean clenched his jaw.

  Seth's muscles tensed in his neck as he leant towards Sean. “I've never been scared to face any punishment I've been given.”

  “Then why not come back? You've never done anything like this before. You've always been loyal.” Vanessa diffused the tension.

  “Things got complicated.” Seth relaxed back, keeping his eyes on Sean.

  Vanessa looked past him towards the ocean. “Sounds like things are complicated all around.”

  “What do you mean?” asked Seth.

  “What I meant to say was, we are your fellow disciples, Seth. You can tell us anything.”

  Seth thought for a moment leaving us to listen to the crashing waves before speaking again. “What if I decide not to go back with you?”

  Vanessa crossed her arms over her chest. “Why wouldn't you want to come back? I'm sure you'd like a bed to sleep in, a roof over your head, food.”

  “You may have forgotten, but I've been on many raids where I went without those things for weeks,” he said.

  “What she means,” said Sean, “is we don't understand why you would abandon us for these, these, floating city scum.”

  My fists clenched at my sides. “You don't know anything about the floating cities.”

  Braven gave me a 'calm down' stare.

  “We know enough,” retorted Vanessa not even bothering to look back at me.

 
“You know what your manipulative creep of a leader told you, not the truth,” I spat, ignoring Braven's glare.

  Vanessa stood and stepped over the tree before stalking towards me, pointing her long skinny finger in my face. I rose to my feet to meet her eye to eye. “You are an ungrateful little brat. The prophet invited you into our camp, into his own home. He fed you, kept you warm and clean, and you repaid him by kidnapping his daughter and murdering his wife.”

  I took a step, closing the already small gap between us, prompting Braven to jump up beside me. “I rescued Tyler and Alice from two people who'd killed their mother and stole her children.”

  “Enough!” Seth's eyes burned into mine. “Aurora, please.”

  I met his gaze over Vanessa's shoulder and stepped back. Braven easing me back onto the sand as Vanessa took a few steps away from us.

  “Vanessa sit down!” yelled Sean.

  Vanessa stood to attention before finding her seat back on the fallen tree. She glanced back to shoot me one last glare before Sean leaned in closer to Seth. “This conversation isn't going the way we'd planned.” He released a long breath. “Look, things are serious back at camp and we need you to come back with us.”

  “Serious? What do you mean?” Seth asked.

  “Ever since Tyler killed Lula Brent's been different…” Sean trailed off as though expecting Brent to jump out of a bush any moment.

  “Different?” asked Seth.

  Sean lowered his voice and I strained to hear him over the crashing waves. “He's sending groups to raid the city even though he knows they probably won't all make it back alive. He's put everyone who was close to Tyler in the hole and has been questioning them under nightmare serum because he thinks there are more traitors among us.”

  Seth thought for a moment before speaking. “This might be true. But these are things he's done before.”

  “Not to this many people,” said Sean. “And that's not all of it. He keeps mumbling to himself, and if you ask him what he's saying he yells that he's the prophet and doesn't answer to anyone. He spends his sermons ranting about the evil of the world and how we all need to prove that we are loyal to him or we'll end up in the already overcrowded hole. Then the day before we left he ordered that each family offer him their firstborn daughter as his wife.”