Where the Forest Ends: A Sci-Fi/Fantasy Novel

by Turner, Ben

  Vivian felt nauseous. The woman, still holding her gun, fired wildly at the ground and the roots that were working their way up her legs.

  Then the ground opened, and in moments both the man and the woman were swallowed up, their screams abruptly cut off and the pleasant tranquility of the forest returning.

  Vivian turned and dry-heaved. Dave looked back at her.

  "You won't want to see the next part," said Dave solemnly. "But you should. It will explain what's happening."

  Vivian took a deep breath and walked back to the window just in time to see Cornelius walking out of the far door with the two children in tow.

  Cornelius sent them out onto the surface. The kids laughed and played among the leaves.

  She wanted to scream a warning, to tell them to run, but Dave grabbed her arm firmly.

  "There's nothing we can do," he said. "I'm sorry."

  Vivian watched without being able to do anything as the roots rose over the two children, as they screamed and panicked and tried to break away, as they were dragged into the moving river of ground around them.

  Then they were gone.

  Vivian had thought coming here would explain what she'd seen on the treetops, but she had more questions than ever.

  Dave looked across at the other tree. Vivian followed his gaze and saw that there was no one there anymore.

  Tears began rolling down Vivian's face, and although she tried to wipe them away, there was nothing she could do.

  Although there were a million questions she wanted to ask, a million answers which she desperately needed, there was only one that mattered.

  She swallowed and found the strength to say the words deep within her.

  "Is that what happened to my father?"

  Chapter 8

  "Yes," said Dave.

  Vivian stared at him, growing angry. "That's what you wanted to show me? You wanted to show me that Cornelius is murdering people! Why would you show me that? Why would I want to know that? Why am I even here?"

  "I needed you to understand," said Dave. "We need your help. You would never have believed me if you hadn't seen it for yourself."

  "Whatever is happening," said Vivian, walking backwards towards the stairs, "I don't want any part of it."

  "Vivian, think of all they've taken from you."

  "No," she shouted, tears coming in torrents now. "My life was completely fine before you came along. They gave me a home, they gave me a job, they gave me a life. My father was a criminal, probably like those people were, and he deserved what he got."

  "Come on, Vivian," said Dave. "He was a good person who made some mistakes. He cared about you. Does anyone deserve this? They killed the kids!"

  "No!" screamed Vivian. "I was happy before you barged into my life. I'm done."

  She turned and stomped to the staircase, ignoring Dave's protests and pleas.

  This was her home. This was her family. She was going to march right to Chief Hazel and tell her everything that had happened. Hazel would understand and thank her for bringing Cornelius's murders to light. He was probably working with Ambrosia for some sick fantasy they had together.

  Hazel would congratulate her. Cornelius and Ambrosia would go to jail. Vivian would tell Hazel about Dave still being alive, and would be given a reward. Hazel would have the answers. She always did.

  Vivian ran up the stairs as fast as she could, stumbling a few times in the darkness but always catching herself. She heard Dave shouting below her, but his screams became farther apart and more distant as she ran.

  She reached the bridge level and stepped out onto the bridges, breathing a sigh of relief. This was where she'd lived most of her life, where she was most stable and most confident in her abilities.

  She ran in the direction from which they'd come. She got lost a few times, but finally she made it back to the central hub. She ran directly to the Mother Tree. The quarters of the council members and the chiefs were on the far side of the tree. She was blocked by a few guards holding assault rifles.

  "What do you want?" said one.

  "I need to speak with the Chief," said Vivian.

  "Regarding what?" she said.

  Vivian hesitated, thinking through the best way to explain.

  "I have information which suggests the rebel movement is still active."

  The vague yet detailed explanation was enough for the guards, who nodded and led her to the farthest door on the tree. They knocked four times. A few moments later the door opened.

  Chief Hazel was wearing a night gown, but clearly hadn't been sleeping. There were papers spread out on her desk from whatever she'd been working on.

  "What is the meaning of this?" she said.

  "I have information regarding a resurgence of the rebels," said Vivian, reaching up and adjusting her goggles self-consciously.

  Hazel looked at her for a long moment, the white of her eyes sitting perfectly in the translucent skin of her face. She glanced behind Vivian at the guards.

  "Come inside," said Hazel. "I'll make some tea."

  Vivian nodded, a feeling of relief flooding through her body. Hazel shot one last look at the guards and closed the door behind Vivian.

  Hazel's quarters were basic and nondescript. Everything here was a necessity. There was none of the mess which covered Vivian and Ellen's quarter's.

  Hazel gestured towards one of the open chairs and made a cup of tea. The Chief remembered that Vivian liked taking her tea with one sugar, a fact which Vivian was impressed by.

  Vivian sipped at the tea and let its warmth reassure her she was doing the right thing. Hazel sat beside her, waiting for Vivian to speak.

  "After the night of the festival," said Vivian. "I found a note outside my quarters. It was about my father. Someone claiming they knew the truth about what had happened to him."

  Once she started talking, everything came in a torrent. It had only been two nights, but Vivian felt like she'd been through a war. Details came back vividly as she recalled going to the treetops and watching the ship arrive. She spoke about the woman she remembered from her first day on Trella. She talked about how she'd looked for the family the next day. She told Hazel about Dave, how they had gone to the surface and watched as Cornelius had sent the family to their deaths.

  By the time she finished, there were tears running down her face, but she felt as though a huge weight had been lifted from her shoulders.

  Hazel held out a hand and put it on Vivian's shoulder.

  "You've been through a lot," said Hazel. "Thank you for coming to me. I had no idea. Cornelius and Ambrosia will be brought to justice. I am here for you."

  Vivian sobbed and leaned into Hazel's shoulder.

  "Come with me," said Hazel. "I'll get one of the guards to escort you back to your quarters. They'll protect you until the danger has passed. Have you told Ellen?"

  "No."

  "She deserves to know what you're going through."

  Vivian nodded. She felt weak as they walked to the door.

  They stepped out the door and back out into the humid air.

  The guards turned towards her.

  "Take her," said Hazel, gesturing to Vivian.

  One of the guards approached awkwardly, as though not sure how to act.

  "Where to, Chief?" he said.

  "Prison," said Hazel with a cool detachment, "on charge of treason."

  Vivian's eyes opened wide as the guard grabbed her arm aggressively. He yanked Vivian away from Hazel as the elderly woman as she walked away.

  "Hazel!" Vivian shouted as the guard dragged her away, desperately trying to fight back. "Chief! What are you doing?"

  Hazel stopped in the doorway and looked back. "You should have come the moment that you got the letter. Any action otherwise indicates traitorous motives."

  Hazel slammed the door shut. Vivian stopped fighting and let herself be dragged towards the prison, thankful that the entire town was asleep and wouldn't be seeing her be dragged to prison.

&
nbsp; Not that it mattered. They would all hear about it eventually.

  Chapter 9

  The prison was carved into the tree below the military headquarters. Stone had been brought in from somewhere to cover the interior of the walls.

  There were only four cells, all empty except for Vivian's. The empty cells reminded Vivian of the rebels who had been hanged just days after their capture. They had been given no trial.

  She wondered why that hadn't bothered her more. All her books from other planets mentioned the right to a fair trial, to make your case and to be judged by a jury of your peers.

  Trella had none of that, and it had never seemed like an oddity to Vivian. It was what she was used to.

  She didn't know how long she'd been in the prison. She was sitting in darkness. Her goggles had been confiscated. It was a harsh reminder she wasn't a local.

  She had realized that Hazel must know what Cornelius was doing, or her actions made no sense. Whatever was happening, the most powerful person on the planet was involved.

  She heard the door open and close in the darkness.

  "Hey," said Ellen. Her voice was monotone and serious, as though holding back emotions.

  "Ellen?" said Vivian, grasping for her form in the darkness. "Did they arrest you too?"

  "No," said Ellen. "I still have my goggles. I can see you, Vivian. The way that you're scrambling around without your goggles is pathetic."

  "Ellen," she pleaded, "whatever they told you, it's not true. You don't understand the whole story."

  Ellen sighed. "I understand you've been consorting with the rebel Dave. I understand you've been lying to me. I understand that you know so confidential Chief Hazel won't even tell me."

  "The ground on the surface eats people!" Vivian pleaded. She scrambled forward until her hand slammed against the bars. She heard Ellen take a few steps back from her. "A family of people like us arrived on the treetops, and were told they were getting a better life. They were told the same things my father was told when he was here. Then Cornelius sent them to retrieve a satellite dish. The ground opened and ate them. I didn't know what happened, but Cornelius did. He sent them to their deaths."

  "I can see your eyes, Vivian. I know you're lying."

  "I'm not!" screamed Vivian, her voice echoing. "I love you, Ellen. You have to believe me."

  Ellen didn't respond for a few moments. Vivian began to wonder whether she'd left. "Did you meet the rebel Dave?" said Ellen. "Did you know he was alive? Did you know where he would be 24 hours in advance and didn't tell anyone?"

  Vivian swallowed. "It's more complicated than that."

  "No. It isn't."

  The door opened and closed, leaving Vivian alone once again.

  She fell onto the ground and crawled until she found the corner, where she curled up into a ball and tried to block out the entire universe.

  Chapter 10

  Vivian was woken by water being dumped on her face.

  "Get up," said a gruff voice.

  Vivian blinked away the water and looked at the darkness where the voice had come from.

  She struggled to her feet, using the walls as support. Her dreams had been filled with Ellen calling her a liar and a traitor, no matter how hard Vivian pleaded with her for understanding.

  "Where is Dave?" said the gruff voice.

  "I don't know," said Vivian.

  "Are you sure?"

  "I'm sure."

  The gruff voice sighed. "Then it's time for you to come with us."

  She heard the cell door opening and footsteps coming towards her. She swung blindly in the direction of the voice, refusing to go down without a fight, but caught nothing but air. She tried to swing again, but the man caught her wrist and wrenched it behind her back, followed a moment later by her other arm. She yelped in pain.

  "You're coming with us," said the man. "You're going to hang for your crimes, traitor."

  "You have no idea what they're doing," said Vivian. "You have no idea what they're doing. They're killing them."

  "Whatever you say, traitor," said the man, laughing.

  Vivian let herself be led out of the cell. She stumbled a few times as they walked. She tried to figure out where they were going, and it wasn't hard to figure out.

  She was being taken to the gallows to hang.

  Somehow, this realization didn't bother her. Somehow, she had already known what her fate was going to be.

  She heard murmuring and movement around her. A crowd had gathered. She wondered if Ellen was there.

  Hazel would be there. She had to give the final declaration for the Mother Tree to take a life.

  Her shin hit the staircase up to the gallows. She cursed. The guard behind her laughed. A few people in the crowd hesitantly joined in. She gathered her wits about her, gritted her teeth, and walked up the stairs to her death.

  She realized that the people around her could see her with no problems, and yet she was blind to her surroundings. The last thing she'd ever see would be the guard ripping off her goggles as he shoved her into prison.

  Another hand took her arm and the guard released his grip.

  Vivian hadn't been to any of the executions of the rebels, but she had seen the executioner walking around town. He was a beefy man with a kind expression. This was the man who was going to take her life.

  She was walked to the middle of the platform and turned towards the murmuring voices.

  "I'm going to put the noose over your neck," said the executioner. "Are you ready?"

  Vivian was shocked by how kind the man sounded.

  "I'm ready," she said, trying to sound brave.

  The man pulled the noose over her head and tight around her neck. The ridges of the rope dug into her throat.

  From somewhere to her right, Chief Hazel cleared her throat. The entire crowd quieted.

  "Vivian Masters," said Hazel, "you are sentenced to death by hanging for the crimes of treason and espionage. If anyone has any reason why this sentence should not be carried out, speak now."

  Vivian listened to the darkness. No one spoke.

  "If there is no one to stand for this woman," said Hazel, "she will be executed without further delay."

  The executioner stepped forward. Vivian could feel his breath on her face.

  "I had some advice for you," said the executioner. "Stay limp, and remember to drink."

  She didn't have time to look confused as he pulled the hood over her head. As the hood came over her head, she took her chance to let the people know the truth.

  "Go to the surface," she screamed out. "That's where the truth is. That's where Hazel's murders are taking place."

  "Silence her!" came Hazel's voice through the din.

  The noose tightened around Vivian's neck. Then she felt something she hadn't expected.

  The executioner wrapped a thin wire each of her arms. Then the executioner stepped back and whispered, "remember what I told you."

  Vivian swung her head from side to side, trying to loosen the noose. As she did, her mouth touched something round. She frowned and tried to find it again. She did. It was a small straw fastened to the inside of the hood. She thought about the executioner’s comments and sucked slightly on the straw. A foamy, thick liquid rushed into her mouth.

  It tasted vile and made her want to gag.

  The executioner’s footsteps receded to the lever which would open the trap door beneath Vivian.

  Hazel spoke briefly about the sentence and the need for safety and stability in Trella. It was the same speech Vivian had once found comforting.

  Deciding it was worth the risk, Vivian grabbed the short straw in her mouth and sucked until all the disgusting liquid in the small pouch had been sucked up.

  Then, without warning, the floor beneath her disappeared and she plummeted. The rope caught her, snapping back her neck and cutting off any breath.

  Between her panicked breaths, a few brief thoughts went through her mind. The first was that it wasn’t just her neck
hurting. The strings the executioner had discreetly put under her arms dug into the skin of her armpits, drawing blood and taking some of her weight away from the noose. She could still breathe, even if it was ragged and panicked.

  Her head started going foggy, and she started losing focus.

  The pitch darkness around her began to swirl and come alive with colors. Her head slumped to one side. Although she wanted to gasp for breath, her body wouldn't listen. She thought of the liquid that she had drank and wondered what she had drank.

  Then the swirling colors in the darkness began to coalesce into the crowd standing in front of her.

  Somehow, in her dying breaths, she could see the crowd standing in front of her in vivid color like she hadn't seen since in a decade.

  They were standing in front of the gallows, looking up at her. To her right stood Hazel, her arms crossed and looking stern.

  Vivian looked around. She could see all around her, even though she was essentially blind and wearing a hood. She felt as though she could see the entire universe if she wanted to.

  At the rear of the crowd stood Ellen. She was leaning against a tree and had a hand covering her mouth, as though she was about to be sick.

  Nowhere in the crowd was Cornelius.

  The crowd continued to get brighter and brighter, until it should have hurt Vivian's eyes to look at. She looked away from the crowd and at the trees above her.

  She felt her heart miss a beat as she the man floating in the air above her, as though there was an invisible platform he was standing on in front of her.

  "Hey Vivian," said her father.

  Chapter 11

  Vivian stared wide-eyed at her father.

  "I'm proud of you," he said.

  Vivian felt a tear coming to her eye. Her father looked exactly as she remembered. He was wearing a white t-shirt and jeans. His hair was slicked back and styled. Even when they had been on the run, Frank Masters had always been serious about looking good and making sure his hair looked great.