Chronicles of the Fall- #1- Empty Night

Chapter 31: Two Sides of the Same Coin

Outside is a little warmer than it has been, hinting that spring may be coming soon to end the seemingly infinite winter. The Council trudges in the direction of the RV park, their feet shuffling among the dead leaves. The air is just cold enough that faint clouds of smoke erupt from the group's lips as they exhale. It is silent.

"What exactly are we supposed to do when we get there?" Todd whispers to DJ.

"You should stay out of the way. Keep an eye on the perimeter so we can talk with Hampton," she orders,  and he nods.

"What if we don't get there first?" William asks.

"We will. We'll hide, observe, and then cautiously make our approach. As unthreatening as possible," DJ says, casting her eyes towards Tripp, who merely shrugs off her stare.

Laken grabs Lucas' hand tightly in hers. Her eyes are wide.

"Hey, you're okay. Everything is going to be okay," he says softly.

"I feel it in my chest, a panic. I don't feel good about this," she says between short breaths.

"It's just your nerves, don't get all anxiety-ridden on me. We need you today. Hampton will listen to you and DJ way before the rest of us," Lucas tells her.

"I don't know. He thinks I'm dead, Lucas. Once he finds out what DJ and I have done, I don't know if he'll ever listen to us again," she whispers.

"You did what you had to do. He will understand that," Lucas says, squeezing her hand tighter. "I promise."

"Alright," Tripp's voice rings clear among the group. "I want you down and hidden. You wait for a cue from me or DJ before you do anything. Do not screw this up for me, for us," he corrects. His eyes meet DJ's, they nod, and then head into the silent RV park.

***

An empty bookbag bumps along in Hampton's hand. It's canvas, rough against his fingers, which twitch rapidly over the strap he holds. He usually doesn't have these nerves.

"You good, Hampton?" Talon asks, briefly putting a hand on his shoulder. Hampton twitches slightly, looking out over the RV park. The trees rising between the sites sway in the breeze, but other than that, it is unnaturally still.

"Yeah," he says shortly. "My spidey sense is tingling, I guess."

"Okay, Peter," Owen scoffs from the back of the group. Nobody laughs.

Faith dangles her bag at the end of her golfclub. She gulps, wondering if what Hampton is sensing is DJ presence, despite her promise that she wouldn't come.

'DJ wouldn't do that,' Faith reassures herself, and dwells no longer on the thought.

Owen is jumpy, as usual. He flicks the safety on and off his gun. Each time it clicks, it urges him to go faster.

"Please stop," Vealy growls. "I will take it from you."

Owen glares at the taller man. "You and what army?" he mutters. Vealy doesn't need to say anything; he looks down at Owen, then down to himself... Owen doesn't dare click the safety again.

There is no sound save for the rustle of pine straw and dead leaves. The Elites drift downwards, through the trees and down the dirt road towards the entrance to the park.

A lone lurker that wanders across the path stands no chance against a well-placed swing of Hampton's bat. He kicks the body swiftly to the side of the road and continues forward.

Under any other circumstance, the RVs wouldn't cause any unease, as they were merely another type of vehicle. But now, after the Fall, their still, abandoned forms loom threateningly overhead. Painful relics of the past, disconcertingly unmoving.