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Chapter 43. Monsters

Ivy looked up at the starry night sky, then back down at Zoe. Her serious expression hadn't changed. "You're serious?"

"I wouldn't lie to you right now."

Ivy wanted to say "yes," with all her heart she wanted to, but she took some time to think about it. "I don't think that's a good idea."

"W-what?" Zoe looked surprised. She hadn't expected that to be Ivy's response. "What do you mean?" Her voice was shaky. "After all of this..."

"I don't know—I want to still be friends, but you shouldn't come with me."

"Why?" Zoe asked, tears forming at the corner of her eyes. "If you stay here, I can go find Colson and we can all..." her voice trailed off, looking at Ivy's expression. "Did they say you could come back?"

Ivy shook her head, "I don't think so."

They stood in silence for a while. The nearby nocturnal forest creatures howled their mating calls. Insects the size of rats buzzing through trees.

"Will I ever see you again?"

"One day. For sure," Ivy said, trying to sound confident.

"I think you're right," Zoe said finally. "They'd probably think you kidnapped me or something," she said half-jokingly.

"Yeah," Ivy said, her voice sounding strained.

"Do you know where you'll go or what you'll do now?"

"I dunno. I'll probably just sit here and think for a while," Ivy sighed.

"Here," Zoe reached back, unlinking her necklace and handing it to Ivy. The pendant slightly glimmering in the dim moonlight.

"I left that golden horn with you," Ivy said, taking the necklace and fastening it around her neck. "This way we'll never forget."

"Thanks," Zoe stared at Ivy. Not sure what else to say. 'Well, if there's anyone who'd find a way to survive on their own, it'd be her...that was such a cope; I hate this! I hate everything about this! Crater, I hate the most!'

"You should go back now. Y'know, before they know you're gone."

"Yeah, I should," Zoe said, turning around quickly.

"See ya around," Ivy said, waving as Zoe walked away. Her face was back to its usual bright cheerfulness, but Zoe only heard her voice's hollow timbre.

After a few seconds, Zoe's figure disappeared into the night. Ivy stood staring for what felt like hours, hoping to see her run back through the darkness, refusing to go back to Crater.

She closed her eyes, turned, picked a random direction, and marched forward.

Walking off the path, the trees of the forest made everything impossibly dark. Using the white glow from her energy, she maneuvered through the woods.

The dark jungle felt as if it were going to devour her whole the deeper she trudged. Not being able to see the sky above her, it simultaneously felt like hours had passed and time had frozen. The more she walked, the more confused she became. The disorientation that came from seeing the same trees hearing the same sounds, and thoughts of Zoe, Colson, and everyone else she'd met.

A tiny clearing appeared ahead of her, a felled tree trunk blocking her path. A large enough ray of moonlight illuminated the small area. She felt tired, not just physically. A cerebral muscle ache ebbed throughout her body. Ivy sighed, plopping down on the log. She sat, staring forward, blinking away tears.