The Carriers

Chapter fifteen

He nodded. "I don't think I have a choice really."

I chuckled. "You don't."

He smiled at me just before drifting off to sleep again.

For a while, I just looked at him. Everything felt right at that moment. He was okay, and for that moment that was all that mattered to me. For that moment, nobody else was there, Samuel and Aiva and that creature weren't there. There were no problems, but, as always, it was only for a moment.

I looked towards the door to see Ashlynn. She had opened the door and was looking around to make sure nobody was following her. Most everybody was asleep, so she must have thought that nobody would even see her slip out.

I almost didn't follow her, but then I saw what was in her hand. She was carrying a knife. I didn't know where she had gotten it, or what she was going to use it for, but I had a strong feeling that it wasn't good.

After taking one last look at Matthew, I stood up quietly and walked after her. I reached the open door and saw her sitting on the ramp of the ship, holding the knife in her hand.

"Ashlynn?"

She jolted at my voice and turned around quickly. "Oh, you." She forced a smile and turned back around. "You scared me."

"What are you doing out here?"

"Nothing. Just go back inside, Olivia."

I sighed and walked up to her. "Ashlynn, what are you doing with that?"

She was twirling the knife around in her fingers, like it was just a pencil or something. She peered up into the sky as we spoke, not even paying attention to the weapon in her hand.

She said nothing. "Ashlynn, please. Whatever you're planning on doing, I'm begging you to reconsider."

"Look at that." She pointed her finger to the sky, completely disregarding what I had said.

I looked up into the sky to see a shimmering, silver sphere. It was breathtaking; it took me a moment to realize what it was, but I figured out that it was New Eden.

    I had learned in science classes that even though New Eden was just like Earth- except with more buildings-,from the ground of the home planet it would appear silver because of the synthetic atmosphere. I had never realized how beautiful it was, until then.

"Wow." Was all I could say.

"Isn't it beautiful?"

"Yeah. Yeah, it is."

"It's a lie."

I looked back down at her, confused. "What?"

"It's a lie. The planet is so beautiful, so appealing. It makes you want to go there and live there forever, but once you get really close you realize that it's full of evil. People are evil, Olivia, and so is everything else."

I just stood there in awe. I didn't know how to respond to what she was saying.

"My family wasn't given a chance. Every single one of us was infected, and everyone of them died except me and Tyson. I thought that him and I would have a chance here, but I was wrong. I was so wrong. That was a lie too. Now he's gone, and so is every other reason for me to keep going."

I sat down next to her. "Ashlynn, I'm so sorry. I have no idea what you're going through, but I know that there is still a chance here. We can keep going, all of us. We're your family now."