by Turner, Ben
"No," she muttered as the small clearing began to spread apart. She tried to run, but the ground moved against her, rolling amongst itself and keeping her in place. " Please no."
Then the ground opened up beneath her and she fell into the darkness beneath.
Chapter 27
Dave awoke with a start. He felt as though he had been asleep for a month. He didn't know where he was, except that he was sleeping on a branch and his head throbbed. He reached down to his stomach and pulled away his hand, revealing blood. He lifted up his shirt and saw no wounds, despite his shorts being drenched blood red. He vaguely remembered seeing Gavin, as though in a half-forgotten dream, but couldn't recollect what had happened.
He pushed himself into a seated position and looked around the cave. There was something large and white sitting on the far side of the cavern.
Dave realized what it was and pushed against the wall, staring at the back bones of the basilisk. The last thing he remembered clearly was the basilisk knocking him out.
He tried to stand and found there was a root attached to his foot. He frowned and cursed. He reached down and grabbed the root. He tried to pull it from his ankle without alerting the slumbering basilisk, but the root was securely attached to him. It throbbed and pulsed as he grabbed it.
He managed to get a grip with two hands on the root. He took a deep breath and, with all his strength, snapped it. He suddenly felt lightheaded, weak, and vulnerable. He put a hand to his head and took a few steps back. He looked down at the remainder of the root still attached to his ankle. It was leaking a strange green slime.
He looked around the cavern, using the wall to support himself. The basilisk was a few feet away. The exit was on the other side of the basilisk. To get out, he would need to go through the basilisk's rib cage.
Slowly, he took a few steps towards the basilisk.
He stepped inside the rib cage of the beast, looking back and forth. He looked to his left and into the skull. Then he looked in the other direction into the tail.
He knew he should just walk to the tunnel in front of him, but the same curiosity that had led him to start the rebels got the better of him.
He walked down the rib cage, taking care not to step on the bones.
The basilisk remained motionless.
He walked around the basilisk's head and looked into its empty eye sockets. At the moment, it seemed to be nothing more than the skeleton of an immense snake.
He took a deep breath and put a hand on the basilisk's nose.
No response.
He put another hand on its head and tried again. Still no response. He tried hitting the head, getting braver each time.
Nothing.
Dave took a deep breath and climbed onto the snakes’ head, using the teeth and eye sockets as a ladder. He saw on the basilisk's head.
After a few moments, he climbed down off the great snake's head, asking himself a million questions.
Leaving the beast behind, he walked into the forest and tried to figure out where he was.
Not knowing where he was, he just began walking. On a planet this small, he would end up somewhere he recognized soon enough.
The question was whether he would even survive that long, considering how weak he felt, and whether it would even matter.
Maybe he would be too late to do anything useful.
Regardless, hope was all he had, and so he stumbled through the forest, praying for a miracle.
Chapter 28
Vivian looked at her surroundings. The ground had swallowed her, then it had dragged her through the ground and trees of Trella at such breakneck speeds that Vivian was certain she was going to be launched a hundred miles into the air.
Instead, she'd landed on a bed in a small room. The walls were covered in hundreds of drawings, and a mandolin similar to the one Dave had used sat on the ground. The room had no windows or lights, but her goggles allowed her to see. The bed was too small for her long legs and arms.
"It's been a long time, Vivian," said a soft, faint voice.
Vivian spun towards the source of the voice. There was a small desk behind Vivian she hadn't noticed. Sitting at the desk, barely visible, was a woman with long black hair. She had the transparent skin of the locals.
Vivian swallowed as she recognized the woman.
"You're Ambrosia," said Vivian. "You sent my father to his death."
Ambrosia dipped her paint brush into a glass of water and drew a long red line across the picture in front of her.
She said, "Death is such an ugly word for what I do."
Vivian frowned. "What would you call it?"
Ambrosia pulled her brush across the canvas. "This is why I work in the shadows. I grow lonely her sometimes. I suppose you’re wondering how you're here. Seed brought you here. It needed me to make you see reason."
"Why not kill me?" said Vivian. "Are we under the Mother Tree right now? Deep in the bowels of the planet?"
"No," said Ambrosia. "We are far above the city of Trella right now. If you were to step outside, you would see the stars."
Vivian frowned. "I don't understand."
Ambrosia smiled faintly. "I knew you were watching, that night the Anderson's arrived. Seed told me."
Vivian groaned. " These vague statements don't tell me anything. If you want to say something, then just say it. Tell me what this God is that you're all so reverent of. Tell me what is going on before I just reveal what's happening to everyone."
Ambrosia smiled. "You couldn't if you tried."
"Tell me what it is."
"It is the Seed you have heard of many times."
"What seed?" said Vivian. "You mean the seed in the creation fable for Trella? That stupid story about how an explorer landed here and was carrying a single seed? The explorer declared it a desolate meteorite and then left, but there was a single seed which had hitched a ride. That seed, despite inhospitable conditions and impossible odds, grew until its descendants covered the entire meteorite? You mean that seed?"
"Yes," said Ambrosia in a neutral tone. She still hadn't looked up from her painting.
"That's bullshit," said Vivian. "A seed can't grow into a forest on a desolate meteorite with no water and minimal sunlight. Not to mention that Trella is far too big to be classified as a meteorite by anyone."
"Your assumptions are incorrect," said Ambrosia.
"What do you mean?"
"You're assuming Trella has always been the same size. Couldn't the seed have added size to the meteorite, covering it in layers of dirt until finally it broke free from the meteorite and got caught in the twin orbits of two suns?"
Vivian frowned. "maybe. I want to know what happened to my father, and what I'm doing here."
"There is one answer to all your questions, one answer that tells you everything you need to know."
Ambrosia put her paintbrush into the cup of water. She turned towards Vivian and looked up her up and down. "Seed told me everything about this world. Seed gives us everything."
"Seed?" said Vivian, unable to keep from grinning in disbelief. "That's the name of your God? Seed?"
"Yes," said Ambrosia calmly, standing and taking small, deliberate steps around the bed. "Seed is all-powerful, all-seeing, and all-knowing. Seed is also merciful and forgiving, and is willing to forgive you."
Vivian laughed. "If Seed is so merciful, why did it kill my father? Why did it kill my family? Why did it kill the Andersons? What kind of God swallows people whole to feed itself?"
"That word you use," said Ambrosia, stepping around the end of the bed. "Kill. I don't like it. Please refrain from using it."
Vivian stared at her. "Are you kidding me? What would you call it?"
Ambrosia smiled as she stepped around the bed. Her ankle had a root attached to it, which connected into the wall and the tree surrounding them, just like the root that had been connected to her father.
Ambrosia smiled softly and said, "I would call it giving them eternal life as par
t of something greater."
Vivian stared at the root attaching Ambrosia's leg to the tree. It was the same as the root which had attached her father's leg to the tree while he had been talking to her.
"I don't understand," she said, standing and taking a step backwards, away from Ambrosia.
"You met your father," said Ambrosia. "Did he seem dead to you?"
"He was scared," said Vivian. "He warned me about Seed, though he didn't use that name. He warned me. He said Seed was trying to pull him back."
Ambrosia smiled. "Would you like to meet the Anderson's?"
"What?"
The root on Ambrosia's ankle extended as she walked, never prohibiting her movement or slowing her down. "They're here," she said, "and they're happy. We gave them a new life, just like we promised."
Vivian pushed herself against the wall. "Where are they?" she said. "I don't believe you!"
Ambrosia nodded to no one, but as soon as she did, the door opened and in walked the Anderson family. They stood in the doorway, smiling at Vivian.
Except for the roots coming from their ankles, they looked the same as when Vivian had seen them step off their ship on the treetops.
"I don't understand," said Vivian.
"I told Hazel not to execute you," said Ambrosia. "I wanted you to join us. You would have made a fine addition."
"And you?" said Vivian, turning to the Anderson family. "What do you think of all of this?"
The mother smiled. "It's lovely. We came here looking for a new life, and we found it. We never have to worry again. We can be a family forever."
"And the kids?" said Vivian. "What about them?"
"They'll never grow up," said the mother. "Isn't it splendid?"
One of the boys frowned. "Why would I ever want to grow up? Grown-ups are boring!"
"Yeah," said his brother.
"Why would anyone do this?" said Vivian, gesturing to the family. "Ambrosia, what have you done?"
"Once you are connected, there's no going back," said Ambrosia. "If you break the root and don't reconnect, you will die within the week. Your body won't be capable of gathering any other nourishment. All food and liquid will be rejected from your body. It's either this or death."
"I will never do this!" said Vivian. "You're insane."
"You already have." Ambrosia gestured towards the ground.
Vivian looked down and gasped. Attached to her right ankle was a root just like the one attached to Ambrosia and the Andersons.
"Welcome," said the father. "You're one of us."
"No!" said Vivian. She tried to shake off the root which was attached to her ankle, but it moved with her, extending and retracting as she moved. "Why would you do this?"
"To make you see reason," said Ambrosia. "To make you accept Seed as the only God that matters. You are part of this now, whether or not you want to."
"Why have you done this?" screamed Vivian.
"Think about it, Vivian," said Ambrosia. "You get to spend the rest of time with your father, together."
"This isn't living," said Vivian, sudden clarity dawning on her. "This is slavery."
Ambrosia frowned slightly, but then her usual smile and neutral expression returned. The family turned and left with swift, robotic movements, closing the door behind.
"How did you do that?" said Vivian. She raised a foot to stomp down on the toot attached to her leg, but hesitated, wondering how much truth there was in Ambrosia’s statement about certain death.
"It was Seed's doing," said Ambrosia. "We are under its care and protection. Soon you will be able to feel its touch and its control. You'll never be scared again. You will never fear death."
"Seed is controlling them, isn't it?" said Vivian, the pieces coming together. "Is she controlling my father too? Is anything he's said real?"
"It's all real," said Ambrosia. "You know that."
"What the fuck do you need me for?" said Vivian, goosebumps breaking out over her arms and legs and the root seeming to pulse as it pumped nutrients into her bloodstream.
"There's been an issue," said Ambrosia, "on the northern pole. We need you to fix it."
Vivian laughed. "You mean you need me because I can walk out into the sunlight and you can't. Why would I possibly help you? I would rather die."
Ambrosia spoke calmly, but her words sent a shiver down Vivian's spine.
"If you don't agree to what we say," she said, "Ellen dies."
Chapter 29
Vivian stared at Ambrosia. "I'm not helping."
She gathered all her strength and took a deep breath, then stomped as hard as she could on the root attached to her ankle. The wood cracked and splintered. In the same moment, her entire body was overtaken by pain. She felt like her head was being crushed from every possible angle.
"Hurts, doesn't it?" said Ambrosia softly. "You are part of this, whether or not you want to be. Either let Seed reconnect with you, or die painfully. This pain will last for a week, and then you will die screaming. Is that really how you want to die, Vivian?"
"Go to hell," said Vivian. She fought through the pain and stumbled out the door. She burst out onto a bridge she didn't recognize. The canopy of leaves was just a few feet above her head. Small shafts of light were breaking through and lighting up areas of the path in front of her. She removed her goggles. She could see faintly once her eyes had adjusted to the light. She looked around, feeling weaker by the second.
She ran across the bridge and came to a staircase which went down. She had to stop at the top of the stairs and clench her eyes shut against the pain. She managed to focus on the steps in front of her, taking them one at a time and holding onto the railing for dear life.
She made it to the bottom of the stairs and stumbled towards the lights. She had to pull her goggles on and adjust them to see, and she had to wait a few more seconds for her eyes to adjust to the darkness again.
Vivian continued stumbling until finally she came to the city of Trella. She stumbled drunkenly through the crowds as they dispersed. She looked around frantically as the crowds spread away from her.
"Please," she muttered. "Stop them!"
"Vivian!" said a familiar voice.
She looked up as she grabbed onto the railing of the bridge. She looked over the edge. The forest floor seemed completely still at that moment, but Vivian had learned better.
She slumped to one side, although she never landed on the ground. Strong, thick arms caught her and held her.
"Vivian," said the voice. "What the hell happened to you?"
The entire world was shaking violently around her. Her brain screamed out for release from this agony, but Vivian fought through it for just a few seconds.
She managed to focus on the face above her. "Cornelius," she said. "Don't let them take me."
"Don't let who take you?" said Cornelius, tears catching in his throat. "You were executed, hung by the neck until you were dead. I saw it. How are you here?"
Vivian swallowed. "Don't let Ambrosia take me. Don't listen to Hazel. Seed wants me."
"What?" Cornelius struggled for words. "I don't understand."
Vivian didn't have time to explain it to him as her head lolled to one side, the pain becoming all-consuming, and the entire world went black.
Chapter 30
"No," came Cornelius's voice through the gloom. "I won't let you take her until you tell me exactly what is going on!"
Vivian struggled to open her eyes and take in her surroundings. She managed to open them a slit. She felt fully rested. The pounding in her ears and head was gone. Maybe Ambrosia had lied. Maybe it was just withdrawal from whatever it was that Seed was pumping into her that had caused the headache.
Then she shifted her leg and felt the wooden root attached to her left ankle. Somehow, while she'd been asleep, Seed had found her and reattached to her. That was why she was feeling better.
She needed to focus, so she didn't break it immediately. She looked at the other occupants of the room. Corne
lius was blocking the door. Two guards stood just outside. She recognized the guards as the same two men who'd taken her to prison.
Cornelius shouted, "After all that I've done for Hazel over the years without any need for an explanation, I think that I've earned the right to know what's going on. I watched Vivian die, and I was furious. But I held my tongue because I figured there must be a good reason. Now Vivian shows up looking like shit and asking me for help and to keep her away from Hazel. I need answers, or you can tell Hazel I'm done."
"Sir," said one of the guards in a bored, authoritative tone, "we are authorized to kill anyone who stands in our way of getting Vivian Masters. She is the only one we need to bring to Hazel alive. Everyone else is expendable."
"Well, isn't that just convenient for you," said Cornelius. "I don't think Hazel said anything like that, so why don't you leave?"
The guard removed a gun from his hip holster and held it up to Cornelius's face. "Last warning, Cornelius."
Cornelius spread out his arms. " I don't think Hazel would say anything that stupid. I'm too valuable to her. I'm the only one who knows how to feed Seed."
Vivian frowned.
The guard pulled the trigger.
Blood flew from the back of Cornelius's head. He pitched backwards, hitting the ground so hard that he bounced up and down a few times before his body finally came to a stop, his eyes staring lifelessly upwards.
Vivian screamed and scrambled backwards onto the bed, the root moving with her.
As the guards stepped over Cornelius's dead body, Vivian thought of her father and wondered whether he had been under the control of Seed while they had spoken.
"Come with us," said one of the guards. "Hazel would like to speak with you."
Not knowing what else she could do, Vivian stood and followed them out. The root attached to her ankle followed them, moving through the wood of the bridges and the trees as though it were water. Vivian stared at it for a moment, trying to figure out how it worked, then decided it didn't matter.