Sinister (Lethal Fear: Book One)

Epilogue

"Its so....beautiful up here."

I heard Lexi call from across the meadow. I saw her. She was perched on the tall yellow grass, pulling grass from the roots. Her eyes were wide in wonder as she stared up at the glimmering sun. It set over us as a reassurance, as our protector.

"I thought you might like it." I said, coming to sit next to her now.

Lexi had never been in the clear air before. She'd never seen what all of us, the hunters, fell in love with above ground.

However, I could tell she was just as in awe with it as I was.

After everything that had happened, it would be awhile before the barrier would be up and running again. That left our station unprotected but it also left room for exploration. It left freedom at our fingertips.

"What do you think is gonna happen to us, Alina?" Lexi asked, catching a beetle with her hands. She let it crawl across her palm, obviously trying not to giggle.

"I don't know," I pursed my lips, closing my eyes, trying to block out the horrible memories. "I really don't."

Lexi erupted into giggles, her black curls falling into her face. "What do they call these things? They're so...ticklish."

I peered down at the bug in her hand. Its wings were a brilliant red and black. "A ladybug, I think."

"So these bugs don't have any guys?" She gasped, flipping her hair over her shoulder. "Damn, that sucks."

I had to laugh at Lexi's naive look at things. "No, there are males."

"Then why are they called lady bugs?"

I couldn't think up an answer and I fell back into the grass. The ice blue sky stared down upon me, clouds drifting past. Lexi fell down beside me and the lady bug flew seemed to eagerly fly away into the clear sky.

"Y'know," I sat up. "I remember something about lady bugs meaning good luck."

Lexi grinned. "Good, 'cause we could use all the luck in the world." She started to crawl away from me, her hands patting the rich soiled dirt.

" What are you doing?" I giggled.

""Looking for a man bug for that lady bug."

I shook my head but joined Lexi in the search. Everytime we came across a ladybug they would crawl on our hands for just a few moments and then fly away. 

"Uh, Alina, c'mere!"

I got on to my feet and ran through the field of tall grass. As I ran, I felt the wind run through my hair. I felt the grass cut at my legs thanks to wearing a dress. It was one of the most blissful feelings I'd ever had. 

Lexi was kneeling on the grass, trying to pull out a strange box out from the dirt. It was old and a horrible odor filled the air. Almost as if something had died.

"I hit it with my foot." She said, her fingers tracing the odd patterns of the black large box.

I kneeled down next to her then. "What do you think is in there?"

"I don't know," She shrugged. "Porn?"

We both laughed at this then, working together to pry the box open. With all our might, we pulled and the top of the box came flying off. It was sent into the underbrush surrounding us and an even worse odor came out of the box.

"Ew, smells like sex." Lexi exclaimed.

I shoved her down lightly. "Lexi!"

"What? Its true!"

I slowly peered into the box and sighed with relief. It wasn't a crazy device from an alien planet. It was just old fire crackers. Something the station had ran out of years ago. 

"Are you sure they're safe to use?" Lexi asked.

"Who said we were using them?" I shot back.

Lexi smirked. "Come on, Alina, live a little."

I contemplated this and realized she was right. If I could survive a sixth attack, what was old fire crackers gonna do? Sure, there was a saying where I lived, 'Don't go searching for trouble or trouble will start searching for you'.

However, its not like anyone listened to that anymore.

As I pulled the fire crackers out of the old box, another ladybug landed on the back of my hand. I froze where I was, watching as it curiously jumped around - and then it flew back up into the endless blue sky.