Ari stared behind her in the direction of the city they were now miles away from. Her face was white as a ghost and the tears continued swelling down her cheek. She had lost her voice from sobbing uncontrollably. Art tried consoling her but it seemed to do little to help if anything at all. The sound of a river gently crashing against rocks could be heard next to them as they neared the edge of the forest.
The sun had begun to set once more as the moon peeked out from behind the trees. The chilled breeze blew her hair against her sticky skin as the orange rays of the setting sun shined between each strand. She wondered if Ace felt any pain as his body was consumed by the darkness. She wondered if he may have lived if there were something like water on the other side.
She wanted to ask Scott anything she could but couldn't form the sentences without tears pooling from her eyes. She felt numb, she had prepared herself to never see him again, or hold him again, but once she saw him and held him all of her preparation seemed to vanish. Now that he truly was gone, she had no idea what to do. She felt like throwing up the more she thought.
Her mind festered with unanswered questions, and her body ached as she stared deep into the dimly lit forest. Miles sat silently as well as the others. He couldn't believe how quickly twelve turned to eleven and more than that, he couldn't believe he lost a friend. He wanted to cry, scream, and punch things, but the only thing his body would allow him to do was grip Thicket's antlers and stare out into the distance.
Scott thought back to the moment his boot crushed Ace's skull. He remembered the crunch of it as his eye popped out of his head. He remembered him looking up and gurgling what he could only assume was why? He didn't understand why he had done what he did, but he didn't regret it. He viewed Ace as a weak link and did what he thought was best for the group. He viewed himself as a hero and prided himself on his strength.
Beck remembered growing up with Ace, thinking back on times in church when they would sneak away and wander the eerie building together. They weren't as close as they used to be but she couldn't believe that he was gone. Just like that one mistake, one wrong step, and he was gone forever. The thought of hurdling toward your almost certain death in a dark empty hole, not knowing when you'd hit the bottom terrified her. It made her stomach clench.
"We need to stop," She said, holding her stomach. Miles and Abel pulled back on Hyde and Thicket bringing them to a stop as Beck climbed down. Immediately she couldn't hold it in her stomach acid crept up her throat and spewed on the grassy floor where she stood. The rest of the group slowly joined at her side comforting each other as more tears began to roll.
"We should have a funeral," Abel said, placing his hand on Ari's shoulder.
"That isn't a bad idea," Beck said, hoping not to vomit again.
"Well, we'll need a headstone and some flowers, and we'll have to say a few words. Abel said, looking around for anything they could use.
"We should build a cross," Ari said, softly.
"A cross, that's a great idea," Selena said, grabbing two sticks off of the ground.
"Okay, perfect now we all need to go and find a flat stone, we'll stack them near the river in front of the cross," Miles suggested, walking toward the river. Everybody began searching for items around them to place on the grave they were constructing in honor of their lost friend. Selena and Eden picked a few flowers of all different colors. Miles searched for stones and a good spot. Abel tied the two sticks together in the form of a cross. Everyone else prepared the words they wanted to say.
Abel made his way to Miles who was holding eleven flat stones in both hands. The two of them walked along the river in search of a good spot they thought Ace would enjoy.
"Right here," Miles said, stopping on a curved section of land beside the river. Abel nodded and placed the spiked end of his makeshift cross against the soft dirt. He grabbed a stone and hammered it gently into the ground. Miles smiled slightly looking at the final resting place of his friend and guide.
"I think we're ready!" Abel shouted, beckoning the rest of the group. One by one each of them walked toward the cross where Miles handed each of them their rock. They all stood there for a moment circling the grave and staring at the cross.
"It's missing something," Ari said, softly.
"Hold on," Amanda said, kneeling and pulling her knife from her belt. She took the tip of the blade to the thick cross stick and carved Ace into it.
"There we go, more official that way," She said, placing her knife back on her belt. Ari teared up once more nodding approvingly.
"Okay, who wants to go first?" Miles asked, looking around at the sad group that stood before him. Everyone looked around nervously, waiting for a volunteer.
"Okay, I guess that's me," He said, turning to the cross.
"Ace, I don't think I'd be alive if you hadn't found me by that lake. You offered us shelter and food with nothing in return. We didn't know each other well before, but I'd be lying if I didn't say you gave me the hope I needed to survive, and I can't believe you're gone. You were a hurt soul with more strength than any of us could ever hope to have, and I hope one day, your name will be remembered not only as a friend but as family. Here's to you, the man that saved me. Ace," Miles said, as tears swelled in his eyes. He knelt and placed his stone in front of the cross before stepping back and wiping the tears from his eyes.
"Okay, who's next," He asked, his voice quivering.
"Ace, the love of my life. You saved me before the world ended and continued to do so after. I thought I had prepared myself for the idea that I might have lost you, but seeing you again and hugging you washed those plans and ideas from my memory completely. Losing you seemed like a far-fetched idea and I couldn't have prepared myself for this. Love is an interesting thing. I feel like I can't breathe when I'm around you, but now that you're gone I still can't breathe. Any time I thought of you I would smile or blush, now I weep silently hoping again you'd come back to me. I don't understand what's going on in the world that took you from me,
and I don't know if I ever will. The only thing that brings me any sense of peace is that you can now rest, and see Alex again. Run fast and fly high my guardian angel," Ari said, with each word a new tear swelling in her eyes. She knelt and placed a gentle kiss upon his cross, placing her stone on top of Miles' before stepping back and crying into Abel's chest. The rest of the group was at a loss for words. The things Ari said, outshined anything they could've said. Each of them bowed their head and closed their eyes for a moment of silence.
"Silence gives what silence takes, death may come but not today. Today we mourn not who we lost but what they left behind. Today we lost a piece inside. Fly, to the heavenly skies, rest your head, and seal your eyes. Rest easy knowing we're safe, we hold dear what can't be replaced. A friend and lover a peaceful face," Abel whispered, closing his eyes and bowing his head.
"Thank you," Ari whispered, hugging him softly. For a moment the world felt cold and unforgiving. The loss of a friend felt like the end of their story. The end of a journey was well deserved, but they knew this was only the beginning and there was so much more to do. Miles opened his eyes as everyone else began placing their stones atop his. As they stepped back and stared at the eleven stones balancing in front of the cross with Ace's name carved in it a small feeling of relief filled their hearts.
Miles glanced over the faces of the friends that remained and smirked slightly, knowing this was his family now. He knew he'd do anything to defend them. As he stared over them he noticed Scott had climbed to the top of the hill beside the river. He excused himself as everyone conversed and shared stories. He hiked the side of the hill meeting, Scott, at the top.
"You couldn't have waited for everyone to finish?" He asked, agitated. Scott looked unbothered staring over the field below almost like he was in a trance.
"Are you even listening to-" Miles stopped, as he stared out over the field Scott was so focused on. A large field filled with Lavender as far as the eye could see. Bright vibrant purple colors glowed in the orange rays of the almost set sun.
"What is that?" Miles asked, mesmerized by what he was seeing.
"That's where we need to be," Scott declared, confidently.
"We need to make sure that they aren't connected to vines," He continued.
"Vines?" Miles asked, cocking his head in confusion.
"Long story, go and grab a shovel," He replied, sliding down the side of the ridge. He walked through the lavender feeling each bud between his fingers pulling a few from the stem. He wandered as if searching for the perfect purple bundle to extract. As his eyes scanned the waving plants he stopped. He knelt pulled his hatchet from his belt and began hacking the dirt around a small bushel, being careful not to damage the stem. He hacked and dug until he reached the base of the plant.
His eyes widened as he gripped the stem and pulled it from the ground. There were no vines or unfamiliar species. There was just lavender, dirt, and roots. He picked his hatchet up from the ground where he left it, and placed the blade against his palm. Swiftly he slid the sharp edge across his opened palm slicing himself deeply. He dropped the hatchet as blood dripped into the dirt below. He took the buds of lavender in his other hand crushing them and squeezing the oil onto his wound.
The wound began to heal, but slower than the oils he pulled from the vine, and instead of scarring and healing fully, the wound scabbed over. He chuckled as the sharp pain left his hand and became a mild sting. Before long his slight chuckle became an outrageous laugh as he lay in the field and stared up at the darkening sky. Over the ridge, Miles trekked down followed by the other nine members of the group leading Hyde and Thicket into the field.
Each of their sad faces was in awe as they stared over the beautiful valley.
"What is this place?" Amanda asked, scanning the lavender intently. Miles looked around picturing the tents and campsite they could build here. He envisioned the life they could create as he moved through the bushels. Scott stood up and turned to them, his face bearing an expression none of them had ever seen him express before glee.
"What do you guys think?" He asked, looking at the group for a response. Each of them took a moment to think seeing the beauty through the pain they still held in their hearts.
"What should we call it?" Abel asked, looking around at the entranced faces of his friends. A moment of silence washed over the group again as they thought for a moment. Art shrugged, not knowing what name would fit. Ashure, looked like he was thinking hard, but no ideas were forming. Eden and Selena discussed ideas together. Then Ari stepped forward, with the gold necklace Ace had given her wrapped in her hand.
"Lavender Ridge," She said, softly. The group mumbled and thought it over. Then everyone smiled.
"There we go, welcome to Lavender Ridge," Miles said, raising a large bushel of the vibrant plant into the sky.
"Here here!" Everyone shouted, raising their bushels.
Through the night, they set up their tents around the camp. Miles and Beck set theirs near the forest along with a campfire they were able to start after clearing a small section of lavender. Eden and Selena were able to set up near each other closer to the center, where they sat on logs and talked cheerfully. Amanda set up her tent close to Ari who pitched hers next to the hill so she could go visit Ace. Abel and Art were close together near the base of the hill but distanced from Amanda and Ari. Boulder and Ashure decided to share a tent near the plain on the other side of the field. Scott secluded himself he pitched his tent and hadn't come out since.
Miles looked over his family, watching as their sadness slowly turned to relief. He smiled, knowing this was the first time in a long time he was able to rest easy because he was safe with the people he loved the most.
"To Lavender Ridge!" He shouted cheerfully.
"To Lavender Ridge," Beck whispered, laying her head on his shoulder.
"To Lavender Ridge!" The rest of the group called. The moon shined, its red hue across the ridge as small smoke piles floated into the air. Though all of them knew their journey wasn't over, they felt at peace knowing they'd all survived.
end volume 1…
Be sure to tune in for the release of volume 2 coming soon.