Fan Fiction ❯ Human Alloy ❯ One Last Hope ( Chapter 16 )

You waited for chapter 15 and 16 for me to type THIS?! I know… feels more like a filler chapter cause it kinda is ^ ^; it was fun to write about though…. Always remember to do your homework kids! And yes, all that wilderness survival is true… you can eat those things, but make sure you do it properly and eat the right parts x.x;

 

Oh yes I remember Jalene had seen the turtles on the log before… just never uh….. in the position they are in now x.x;;;

 

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I awoke to a cool morning light, the warmth of the sun spreading over my body like a warm blanket. I stifled a yawn as I sat up, the grey sky soft as is evaporated the light mist that trailed like a thin membrane over the world. Where was I? This wasn't anywhere near the Black Halo—was it? Looking around I confirmed that thought: we were in some other region of the garden. Cale wasn't far away, sitting on the hill we were placed, leaning against a great oak tree. He was watching over the vibrant expanse of land below, fingers absently playing with the grass. The boy looked to me as I stirred. He said nothing as I joined by his side to watch the run rise to the left of the wondrous valley almost half a mile beneath us. All we did was enjoy the scenery, the cool—nearly cold—wind that approached with the rising morning. How long had it been? A day? Two days? Several hours? I was not aware of time, nor was I aware of the Cale leaning his head on my shoulder until he spoke up.

 

“Jalene's all right, if you were wondering,” he said softly, eyes penetrating the quickly diminishing mist. I slipped an arm around Cale's waist, hugging him, and I nodded. Silence resonated thickly as early morning birds twittered about the tree top above us.

 

“Can you tell me what happened?” I asked. My throat caught. Such memories were meant to be buried deep, and never resurface for anything. Cale pondered; then nodded against my shoulder. From his place against me he said, “Yes. You fainted against Jalene before he changed back. I was more focused on my brother, actually, than I was on you, but he went back to that first form; that angel. He was kinda beat up and bruised….. but his first priority was our safety. Then he put me to sleep.” Cale sighed. “It was such a warm, pleasant dream.”

 

“Is that all?”

 

“No,” Cale replied, “I awoke around here and Jalene was with us, still in that form. He smiled and just said not to worry; that he had to go somewhere for a little while and for us to just stay here.”

 

I nodded, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. The mist burned my eyes after focusing too long, so I tried concentrating on Cale instead. Looking at his form beside me he seemed like a slightly worn doll, his clothes dirty and ripped in a few places, although I wasn't any better myself.

 

“Jalene said he had used the key. He told me that when he came back he wouldn't remember anything previously, and thought that at least someone should know. He also wanted me to share the information with you, just in case. He said we should live down here for a while, until it's completely safe to go above ground—”

 

I regarded this with irony.

 

“and even then we needed to be cautious. He thinks there are still plenty of rampaging robots on the surface, Rebounds even who are collecting those robots that can still be controlled. He also says there are obscure places where people have probably hidden, and that even though a lot of them had probably died, that a few probably survived. He said we should look for them as soon as it's safe.” Jean's brother was indicating the stragglers from Mars, those unworthy of a new life on another planet.

 

“What did he say about the key? What was it exactly?” I asked, thumb strumming gently down Cale's arm like an oddly played guitar. He half shrugged in my grasp.

 

“I don't what it is exactly, but Jalene did say it was something of a biological factor that would do something with the enzymes in a body and completely change it into that insectile beast. He thinks Root knew something about it, and that's why he had it and had given it up. He said he thought that Root knew he could trust you to give it to Jalene.”

 

“So it's like a smaller, speedier version of a Legend?” I asked, unsure if I wanted to try to comprehend what had taken place or if I wanted to dismiss the thought completely.

 

“Sounds like it.” I bit my lip. Root knew about this, somehow. What did that mean? Had he been a part in creating the Legends? Did he know this would happen? As if reading my mind, Cale answered my silent questions.

 

“I don't know Root very well myself, but I'm guessing he had some role to play. I don't know if we'll ever know what it is or not, but I don't think it matters now anyway.”

 

The sun rose slowly into the sky and the morning fog was burned away completely. I closed my eyes and leaned my head against the tree, weary. I was glad I was able to rest for now. So much had happened and in such a short time. I wondered how Cale was taking the loss of his beloved, Kane. I was so ashamed, when I thought about it. Comparing myself to him, about how righteous I tried to be, about how understanding, compassionate and loving that I longed to fulfill as an idol, Cale had beaten me down and showed me my true human self. I admired him and how strong he was. I felt like the roles had been reversed: Cale was taking care of me, mothering me and understanding, while I was the one crying and helpless. Had I really lost so much strength? Was I really so afraid of the unknown that I'd run in terror, or even completely lose all of my strength and fall to my knees, pleading to be either spared or killed quickly? Who was I?

 

“Where is Jalene now?” I asked quietly, trying to rattle my thoughts as Cale situated himself more comfortably against me.

 

“Don't know entirely. He just said he wanted to wrap things up on the battleground and go somewhere quiet for a little while. I begged him not to go,” he added hastily, “but he only smiled and promised he'd return soon.”

 

“Bastard,” I muttered trough my smile, Cale slowly sliding down to my lap. He smiled, eyes closed to the oncoming day as well.

 

“Yeah, he is, but we still love him,” he murmured, nearly asleep once more. I sat with Cale's head in my lap as he dozed, watching everything that lay before me, watching as the sun started to drift towards a peak in the sky and begin to arch the other way. I wasn't sure what to do with myself, other than rest, slumbering occasionally, but never fully asleep. Half the day crawled by slowly between short bouts of sleep before either of us moved.

 

I stretched, a little hungry but not in the mood for eating. I didn't think I could eat until I started to starve to death, and even then, there was no immediate food with which to prepare a meal or snack of any kind. The sun was dying into golds, reds, and fiery oranges, melting and fading into velvet purples and dark blues. Stars twinkled in the sky and at first I was utterly perplexed. Stars? Like that? In this garden? Cale spoke from where he lay, stretched out on the milky grass, watching the sky, a look of slight confusion mingling with mischief and a smile.

 

“I've been in this place a long time and I've never seen stars like this before. They were always faint lights, pitiful excuses for stars since its never maintained past sun and weather up there, but nothing like this.” They were so bright—simply amazingly beautiful. He mused as I stared at the sky, hands on my hips, neck craned to watch the beautiful diamonds reign across the sky as the sunlight vanished. I smiled.

 

“Do you like them?” someone whispered next to my ear and I nearly jumped out of my skin. He had startled me! There he stood, beside me and staring up at the sky in the same fashion I had, hands on his hips, a look of calm complacency on his face, brows slightly furrowed as if deep in thought, pondering the question of the universe in search for an answer: Jalene.

 

At first, I merely looked at him as he watched the stars, then he turned to me and smiled. Good old, back to normal, Jalene—the one I knew so well. Relief flooded me and I felt the same as I had in the hallway forever ago, if only a day: wanting to cry, and laugh, and hate him all at the same time. I settled for a weak smile, eyes full of sorrow and unable to move. Out of nowhere, Cale tackled him, leaving them both entangled in each other and sprawled on the ground. Jalene grunted after such hard contact with the ground, the long, soft grass breaking his fall, and they both laugh shortly, grinning as they sat up. Jalene cleared his throat, still a little awkward to be so close to his brother. With a smile gracing my face, tears shed as well, I joined the two, pulling Jalene away and wrapping both arms and legs around him, kissing him deeply, passionately and fiercely, rolling atop him and beginning to get carried away before Jalene gasped for breath beneath me.

 

“We have an audience you know,” he said with a slight frown, eyes twinkling.

 

“Never stopped you before.” I kissed him over, and over, never wanting to let him go again. Finally, I was pried from his grip as Jalene made his escape to sit next to Cale who was watching the scene several feet away, perched on his knees in the grass and looking bittersweet.

 

I apologized sheepishly but Cale waved it aside.

 

“It's alright. We're both glad he's back!” he grinned, patting Jalene on the shoulder. Jean smiled lopsidedly a little uncertain of himself.

 

“So what did you go off to do?” I asked, snuggling between the twins, arms around both as I lay back, watching the sky.

 

“Well, I don't really remember much. I remember vaguely about being somewhere underground, in a hallway,” he shrugged. “And we were escaping—Cale, Kane, and I. Where is Kane anyway?” I winced at the subject and Cale visibly cringed, turning his face away inadvertently.

 

“He's not with us anymore. I'm not sure where he is to tell you the truth.” It was the truth. As far as I knew, the angel Jalene had taken care of the carnage behind us, and it was odd to see that very same person ask us what had happened. Neither of us really knew what he had been doing. Jean was quiet as we watched the seemingly endless sky.

 

“What else do you remember?”

 

“I remember obscurely about being in a hallway, and I saw you. I had no idea where I was and then something about being there longer than a few days at most and—I don't really remember.

 

“I think I had been in a part of R.A.D.A.R., after they led us out to be killed, I remember after that there was an explosion. I had figured someone had dragged me to a part of the corporation and in their haste had left me in a passage of confusing hallways, but then I came to not far from here. So what's going on anyway? How long <i>has</i> it been? And what exactly happened to me? I mean, last I remember I could see out of <i>both</i> eyes.” I wasn't entirely sure what to say, watching the sky as if the answers would rain down like the stars. Cale spoke up.

 

“Mmmm…. Remember the hallway with those men beating us up? I couldn't help you—no one could with that many men dog piled on you—but they weren't exactly giving love taps either. I don't even know how long it has been. When I'm at home here I keep days by marking them off, but it's never really accurate because I don't always remember if I've marked it for today or not. I think that I marked it today when, in fact, the last time I marked it was yesterday. We could have been here for weeks—even months, or maybe only a few days.”

 

Cale seemed to be good at avoiding a full answer but it didn't seem fair that we couldn't tell Jalene. Somehow, I couldn't find the heart, and even in times far from now, I don't think I would. Jean brooded, brows furrowed, and I kissed his cheek tenderly.

 

“So you're suggesting my eye injury is from those men who captured us in R.A.D.A.R.? How did I get here from R.A.D.A.R.?”

 

“Well, it was a really great escape,” I said with a nod, unable to help a crack of a smile from tracing my face. I signed, snuggling closer between the two brothers, content with life for the moment. It was an intricate jigsaw puzzle in the idea that, we had no clue what Jalene had done, and he had no clue what we had done. We were even but there were still unanswered questions.

 

“Oh hey, Jalene?” Cale asked, partially sitting up to look over me at his brother.

 

“Yeah?”

 

“There's something I want to show you tomorrow, if you both don't mind,” he said, eyeing both. I shook my head. I didn't mind unless it was something that would bring me near death, or if it was a robot race that threatened to kill my love; or if it was another psychopath that would push me towards insanity by degrading my morals and pushing my ethical limits.

 

“What is it?” Jalene asked, curious but somewhat wary. Cale smiled, eyes twinkling with the mischief that Jalene might covet.

 

“You'll see tomorrow. It'll take a little while from where we are, but it will be worth it!” He giggled, hiding his secret but his good mood was contagious, and my spirits were lifted. Silence ensued.

 

“I tried tracking Mercy after I immediately woke up, but my navigational bracelet won't pick up her signal.” Jalene frowned.

 

“I'm sure she'll turn up,” I reassured him, although I honestly had no idea. She could have been destroyed in the battle with the Rebounds, if Alexander had control of her, or she could be in his building somewhere, shut off. None of us knew. I hugged Jalene tight, kissing his face as he wiggled beneath my grasp like a little child avoiding his mother's kisses and affections. I was only a little wounded but I was still blissful. Quietly, I was able to doze off between Jalene and Cale. Despite the fact that all day had been lazy and dreary, the past events greatly outweighed the quantitative hours I had slept and fatigue—more mental and emotional more than physical—overtook me.

 

 

***************************************

 

 

“Five more minutes please, just five more minutes,” I mumbled and a short laugh was heard. I groaned and hugged what I thought was a pillow, which gave a snort of distressed protest. There was more giggling before someone's hands on my shoulders shaking me awake. I blinked my eyes open to see Jalene looking down at me. He was actually looking down the length of his upper torso since I was hugging his upper thighs and had my face buried against his stomach, but nonetheless his look was vaguely amused, a little embarrassed, and somewhat annoyed. I worked my hands under his shirt and kissed his bare skin which recoiled gently at my touch, eliciting a deeper blush from its owner.

 

“Come on, the sun's already up. I'd guess by clock time it's about nine; a good start to the day!” Cale greeted, tugging me away from Jalene. I stood, stretching, dusting myself off, and attempting to fix my disarrayed hair. Helping Jalene up, his one eye closed and scarred but otherwise looking fine, I couldn't resist the urge to pull him into an endearing hug and plant a kiss on his forehead, smiling a maternal smile.

 

“It's going to take a while to get there,” Cale reminded us, beckoning us on with gusto. He was bright and full of energy and I couldn't help but feel like the mother or older sister of this weird family. My stomach growled and Jalene's replied, resulting in an oddly sheepish look from the latter which I translated as a more why-did-you-do-that-you-must-be-crazy confounded look. Cale grinned.

 

“Come on, I'll make breakfast,” he said with a laugh and a shake of his head, taking his brother by the hand and leading us both around the curve of a mountain and down the gently sloping hill on which we had found ourselves, paralleling the sheer drop in front of the tree Cale and I had sat against. As we trotted towards the bottom of the grassy knoll, I was at peace with myself. Yellow butterflies darted between the stalks of sweet grass as we settled at the bottom of the hill under another shady elm tree. I offered to help.

 

“Well, I'm sorry to say that I don't have a bag of provisions or anything, so this is going to be a little harder, but we're going to need to either hunt or gather something. Do we have any preference?” Cale said a thoughtful finger poised on his delicate bottom lip, to which we both replied with a shrug. “Well I guess that makes it easier. You know your plants well, right? See what you can gather around here that we can eat for, or any extras if we can keep them, just in case.”

 

I nodded. Simple enough, just what kind of plants grew around here?

 

“Do you want to come with me Jalene, or stay with Yue?” Jalene's eyes darted between us two in quick decision.

 

“I'll go with Yue, if you don't mind.” Cale, though covering his pout, agreed before rambling off toward the brush and a forest a few hundred yards off. I flashed a smile at Jalene, pulling him along with me as we headed for the same forest.

 

“Let's see what we'll find then, shall we?” I said, pulling Jean a little closer, the grass scuffing beneath our feet.

 

“Just out of curiosity, what are we supposed to eat out here anyway?” he asked, looking around in surveillance. “I don't see any McDonald's or anything.” I chuckled, bumping against the boy as I walked, like a puppy love struck girl. Albeit the plants we found really depended on what we'd eat, plants, nonetheless, weren't in that much variety. We reached the forest in a long withdrawn silence before I replied.

 

“It depends what we find, because it may not make a great meal at all, but at least it's something,” I said softly, a smile gracing my lips and I looked for a good pine tree. I was glad this underground had weather control, for the pines in this forest seemed to be right into spring bloom.

 

“Collect the cones that are mature and closed, which should be most of them on the trees—”

 

“You expect me to be able to climb one of those things?” Jean asked incredulously, staring up into the canopy of the pines, high above our heads.

 

“If you can't find one with low enough branches, yes. If you think you'll get hurt, then just stay on the ground and look for saplings. Pull off some of the small branches, but don't strip the tree entirely ok?” I turned on my heel, slowly looking for a nice tree, then picked one out and hefted myself up on the first and lowest branch that could support me. Jalene watched a moment, skeptical, but shrugged and started to wander off in search of the tender barked pines. I grunted as I climbed the tree, pine straw brushed at my face, the thick scent weighing heavily on me as bark peeled away in my hands and fell in my face.

 

Finally, I was about halfway up the tree and in a good spot, the branches still somewhat spread out but clustered closer to the trunk, allowing me to pry the prickly cones loose and drop them like small bombs to the forest floor. The bombarding continued through the dozen or so cones bunched together before I had to move along the tree again. My foot slipped and the branched beneath me snapped, my heart flying into my throat as I barely caught myself on another thicker branch below, legs stiff from the panic. Collecting myself, my nerves still rattled and breathing shallow, I tried to clear my mind and continue with my collection. Only when my paranoia got the better of me and I jumped out of the tree onto a bed of soft pine needles and mingling grass, was I able to feel safe.

 

`It's just these past days,' I convinced myself, `that have really gotten a hold on me.' I took a deep, steady breath as I bent and collected my cones, tight as a seal and sticky with resin.

 

With cones loaded in my arms, my shirt serving as a cradle to keep them in, I began my search for Jalene and headed deeper into the forest as the sun climbed the sky. Humming softly and listening for the sounds of racket he was sure to make, I wandered on, weaving through the pine trees, sunlight filtering through the branches, the cool shade refreshing in my face. I found Jean not too far off, a ways into the wood and stopped at a stream which fed into a pond, a sanctuary where multiple fish and insects, amphibians and birds, would nest and birth. The pond was teeming with life: dragonflies of all sizes and colors flitted from lily pad to cattail, frogs plopping into the water, tadpoles jetting around with minnows and baby shrimp, a heron standing still among the saw grass and pompous grass, the reeds and mud. Birds trilled, ducks floated in the water and a fish stirred the water as it snatched at hover bugs and beetles. Jalene was crouched at the edge of the pond at the crook of the stream that strayed into the brackish water, and he was staring intently into the mirrored surface.

 

Curiously, I found a pile of small branches not far from where the boy kneeled, and I deposited my cones with them, sidling up beside the white haired angel. Peering into the water, I noticed several box turtles in the mud, nestled atop one another, at least three of them, and beside them a despondent toad with only its head sticking above the surface. I looked to Jalene and he glanced at me, back at the turtles then held my gaze. His eyes posed a question.

 

“They're turtles,” I said softly, pushing the saw grass aside for a better look at their ritual.

 

“Turtles? I think the reptile department of R.A.D.A.R. made those, so we never got to piece the final product, just the frame,” he said, looking back to the turtles with wonder. “I found them like this a few minutes ago and they haven't moved since. Maybe they're dead?” His response elicited a laugh.

 

“No, they're not dead,” I said, a laugh lacing my voice, eyes shining with happiness at such a simple pleasure. I lay a gently hand on his arm. “Come on now, we have more to collect you know.” And then I added as an afterthought, “Help me pull up some of these cattail shoots, just the younger ones.”

 

Upon gathering our cattails, pine boughs and cones, we waded through the stream, the water refreshingly cool.

 

“There are so many different things here. I didn't see them before at the lake and swamp Cale took me through.” Jalene threw a look over his shoulder as the blue heron stretched its wings and settled back in the water to hunt for prey. I nodded.

 

“I don't know where he took you, but yes, everything in the wilderness is different. Watch your step, the stones have moss so they're a little—” Jalene slipped, wind-milled once and fell with a splash into the water, backwards.

 

“Slippery.” I sighed, grinning and trying to hide a laugh at his shocked, unruffled look. Bemused, I found the opposite shore, my legs thoroughly soaked up my thighs as I waded through the deeper water, setting our collection down before heading back to help the sopping boy. Still smiling pleasantly I offered my hand and helped pull him up—only to find he had slipped again and pulled me with him. Sputtering, now just as soaked as Jalene, I laughed, clear and heartfelt. It was good to laugh, to bathe in such simple pleasures.

 

Pulling Jean up by his shirt I kissed him once, then struggled under our weight as we stood, pulling him through the cool water with sodden clothes and dragging him across a water eroded fallen log, propping him against an oak tree on the other side. Resting under the shade, I took off my shirt and squeezed it out, Jalene eyeing me with a slight blush.

 

“It'd be easier to dry if you took yours off too, you know,” I suggested, shaking my shirt out and laying it on the grass. He nodded, but made no move to remove his soaked shirt as well. “Well at least wring it out first.” I wrestled his shirt off with giggles, protests, and blushes. I was nearly sitting on his stomach, as he lay sprawled beneath me, his shirt in my right hand. I smiled, leaned over him with damp hair trickling about our faces, one arm supporting me, the other on his waist, eyes mischievous. I kissed him once more, intimately, but not passionately, his chest clammy, the wind caressing. When I withdrew, Jalene was staring, half into my eyes, half into another world, an arm veiling his face, mouth ajar.

 

I smiled and pulled him up by his shoulders.

 

“Come on Dante Peaks and let's finish scavenging,” I said softly with a smile, referring to an actor who had been a suave fox back in his day, a decade or so ago. Now he was an old man, living off scotch and golf. Wrapping our food in my shirt I checked the oak tree. White acorns. Those could come in handy for flour, or even just boiling in a medley with everything else we had so far collected. Collecting them in handfuls, we ventured on, skirting the pond and finding an obscured patch of canna lilies, but we could only gather a few as there weren't many. Deciding to loop around and just chat about whatever we saw to lighten the mood, we found chestnuts; plenty of dandelions in a field we crossed; juniper berries and twigs for spices and tea; a thick bramble of raspberries and blackberries which we wielded scratches and stains once we had finished; wild sorghum scouting the edges of the field; a jujube tree found near a continuation of the stream from the pond; thistles and nettles were also picked with care around a sassafras tree, its golden leaves and tender roots adorning are full hand made sacks.

 

Once we had made it back, it was like a picnic and we were rich. Cale had founf burdock and amaranth, as well as homier foods: Eskimo potatoes, wild onions, sour apples, and figs. This underground was rich and abound, and not only had he uncovered tangles of wild white grapes, but had patiently pursued fish as well. His trophy of two large trout found much farther downstream from where we had wandered, were strung on a climbing vine he'd pulled from a tree.

 

“There are plenty of other well stocked fish, but trout was most abundant and most easily caught, so trout it is. Great work. Didn't get too distracted now did we?” Cale asked with a sly smile, eyeing our naked chests and the scratches and bruises we sported.

 

“Sure Jalene, tell him about the `incident' in the stream,” I joked, elbowing Jean but he just shook his head and turned away with a roll of his eyes.

 

“What can I help with?” he asked as we took account of everything we had.

 

“Find a way to sew our shirts shut so we can fill the insides,” Cale offered, “or find some dry sticks and twigs for kindle. Jean returned after a moment, our bearings sorted respectively.

 

After moving our campsite next the stream in the shade of the pines, a good long while of boiling, shaving twigs, and replacing water had passed. We used a clay bowl I had fashioned from the mud and clay mixture at the bank of the ponds. After washing all the mud out—a tedious task—and throwing it in the fire to harden without cracking, I had managed a suitable bowl for boiling our roots, shoots, seeds, twigs, and leaves. Thinking ahead, I also concocted something of a gourd shaped jug to carry water in and fashioned two small cups while I was at it. We had two fires going, one for boiling, and one for cooking trout on a spit. Cale had cooked one fish to perfection, using my juniper berries and some of his figs for spice, and as he cleaned it, was instructing Jalene on when and how to turn the spit with the other skewered trout. We nibbled the sour apples, grapes, and berries. I heated the pinecones and cleaned the seeds, made salads with the dandelions, thistles, sorghum, nettles, and cooked pine. I crushed the jujubes on a clean rock from the stream, boiled even more water, waited for it to cool and served sassafras tea and a jujube drink. I shelled the acorns and gathered all the nuts and seeds into one shirt, the rest of the fruit and leftover greens in another. I crushed the jujubes on a clean rock from the stream, boiled even more water, waited for it to cool and served a jujube drink.

 

Trout and figs were eaten with chestnuts; potato and onion had been quick grilled in the fire like a shish kabob and served on the side with trout over a bed of salad I had prepared. It had taken us several hours to hunt and prepare and our stomachs were growling restlessly, but our breakfast—now a lunch—was well worth it. Despite it not being gourmet, it made up as a buffet instead, and as we idled with our sassafras tea, Cale helped clean the burdock plants he had found, shucking the leaves, and stripping the stalks to make a tougher cord. We tied the stuffed shirts with this cord, secured them over our shoulders, filled my beautiful pale clay jug with freshly boiled water, and headed back out, dispersing the ashes and cleaning our eating area.

 

“Now, remind me again where we're going?” I asked, panting as we climbed up a steep hill. The sun was turning in the sky, angling away from us as we strained to beat the formations of the earth. Cale had mounted the hill.

 

“I wanted to show Jalene something,” the boy replied, a breeze picking up and whipping through his hair before shadowing into a sigh. I threw a questioning glance to Jalene behind me and he shrugged.

 

“As long as this hill doesn't end in a sheer drop off, I'm good,” he panted, sweat lining his brow as he collapsed at the top.

 

“It doesn't,” his brother reassured him, and indeed, the gentle slope downhill was reassuring. “We can make it by night fall.” We stopped long enough to drink before setting off. The wide-open terrain was easier going, mountains fading in and out of the distance, the sun at our backs and a cool breeze ahead, trees placed here and there sporadically, and flocks birds passing over head with shrill cries every once in a while. By the time we stopped at dusk under a maple trees other trees of the same sort mingling with birches, we were all tired of walking. We had done nothing but walk the past couple days and our feet were sore. With a well-appreciated break we lay back under the stars for a while, somewhat chilled but content, the grass soft beneath our bodies. We snacked on what we had, started a fire for warmth and fell asleep, I whispering in Jalene's ear, running my fingers through his hair. In the silence, it sounded like the wind had picked up in the distance.

 

 

***************************************

 

 

We were being roused awake and it was barely dawn. The sky was pale as light scarcely reached the depths of its velvety darkness, diminishing the stars in the process. Cale was the reason we were up so early.

 

“What is it?” Jalene yawned as I stifled a yawn of my own, sitting up and stretching sore muscles.

 

“Come on, follow me. We should be there in time to see the sunset,” Cale urgently whispered, although no one was around to hear us. I stumbled to up, rubbing my bare arms as my shirt had been used to carry our food. We hiked on, half asleep, with an exuberant Cale leading the way.

 

“Not too far, not too far! Come on, both of you! You're lagging! Wake up all ready!” he urged, pulling us along if we got too slow. Eventually I blinked in the chilly morning air, awake from its cold fingers against my skin, and so I huddled next to Jalene to seemed to be merely sleepwalking. As we came closer to the horizon, the wind I had fallen asleep to last night had gotten louder, and the golden sun drew brighter. Our pace was ever quickening as we reached the crest of a sloping hill, a steep, rocky drop beneath up several meters down.

 

It was a beach, the glowing orb of light settled above the line of the horizon of endless waves, ocean water crashing in salty brine beneath us. Jalene blinked, rubbed his eyes, and blinked again, clearly awake but probably thinking he was still dreaming. I smiled and held him close to me by his waist. Cale held onto his hand and grinned broadly.

 

“The ocean,” he said with a fond sigh, gazing over the diamond studded deep green water. Gulls milled about in the air, catching drafts as the roar of wind guided goose bumps along our bare flesh. The crash of waves rose and fell rhythmically.

 

“Do you want to go down on the sand? The water's probably cold enough to freeze your toes but everything will warm up as the day goes on,” Cale said softly, tugging on his brother's hand. We allowed ourselves to be lead down the crest of the hill a ways before reachable an accessible path that led to the sand. It was a soft and welcoming relief under our feet. The tide was pulling out and we barely had any beach but enough to walk, the rays of molten sun alighting our faces with fire.

 

The water washed at our weary feet and we sat on the sand, the foam nearly soaking our pants, the smell of salty ocean brine delicate.

 

“Well, what do you think, brother?” Cale asked, swinging his hand back and forth, still clasping hands with Jalene.

 

“It's….. it's big,” Jean managed after a pause, eyes still wide in disbelief. He managed a faint smile. I laughed softly, Cale's smile splitting into a grin. Dolphins broke the surface of the water a distance off and Jean cocked his head slightly, curiously. The waters were cold for them, being so far north and near the mountainous regions, but it was still spring and the dolphins would stay through summer. It was a picture-perfect moment, and everything shared between us, was something one would find in a fairy tale. But for now, we were happy, and content. For now, we would live on this land and enjoy everything it gave us. For now, we would be at peace.