Part 22: Get Out Alive

The Promised Land: 

(Part 22) Get Out Alive

“If this guy knows everything, what’s to stop him from going to the orphanage?” Eden asked as they drove along.

“I was not the original contact for the package,” Ezra explained from her spot in the driver’s seat.

 “You weren’t?” Eden looked from Caden, who was resting in the reclined captain’s chair beside her, to Shiloh, who was riding shotgun.

“No,” Cay rasped, adjusting the bag of ice on his wrist. “The original died in the massacre.”

“So if he’s looking for the dead contact in Jericho, why are we going there?”

“Supplies.” Eden could tell he didn’t feel like talking. Not that she minded if he didn’t speak, it wasn’t exactly pleasant listening to his hoarse, crypt keeper voice. Not that he had anything encouraging to say anyway.

Twisting in his seat so he was lying on his side, Cay moved another bag of ice from its place on his throat to his bruised jaw. Eden absently stared at the bright red cloth covering most of his neck.

“Nice scarf.”

“Thanks.”

“Matches your eyes.”

Caden sent a short-lived glare in her direction before letting it drop with a short snicker and half smile. “Either he’s starting to appreciate my sense of humor or he’s too tired to care,” Eden thought with a smirk. “I’ll count that as progress.”

She looked out the window and watched as they entered the city of Jericho again. The place was still very foreboding. A chill snaked up her spine just thinking about her last visit. Ezra turned a few corners and drove through a part of town Eden hadn’t seen before. As they were slowing to a stop, Eden looked back at Caden. He looked like he had been dragged into unconsciousness by utter fatigue. When Ezra stopped the van, he jumped with a bloodshot, deer-in-the-headlights expression.

“We’re here.”

Getting out, Eden looked at her surroundings. They were parked next to a row of buildings that were stripped of their former glory. An old McDonald’s, a Taco Bell, a Dollar store, and a few more buildings: all empty. No sign of life in any of the buildings or on the street either.

“I am getting some serious I Am Legend vibes from this future,” Eden thought to herself.

The twins went inside of what was probably once a fast-food place at some point, while Ezra stayed in the van. Leaning over the see the mysterious woman through the window, Eden said, “I don’t mean to be sound rude or anything… but…”

“Why am I creepy?”

“Er, no.” Eden blinked. “I was just going to ask why you’re not coming. But yours is a better question.”

Ezra gave a faint smile. “Forgive me. Many people have asked that question before.”

“I don’t doubt it,” Eden thought to herself before stating, “You can’t really see the future, can you?” She got back into the van, trying to alleviate some of the awkwardness of the conversation.

Ezra shrugged. “I can see many things, most of which have not happened yet. But I only see pieces. Like giant puzzle, but few parts ever fit.”

“Why are you helping these kids?” Eden glanced at the door the brothers had walked through and lowered her voice without realizing it. “By all rights, they should be back at that orphanage themselves, not gallivanting through the land playing Wolverines.”

The older woman sighed. “Several years ago, I watched my loved ones die before it actually happened. No matter what I tried, I could not stop the inevitable.” She stared at Eden with a look she could not place. Sorrow, perhaps. Regret? “I did not choose them, just as I never chose you. But these pieces fit. Somehow, you are here to help change this world.”

Eden scooted away from the dark haired woman a little bit. “Sorry, I want to help, but I’m kind of a one trick pony and saving the world isn’t one of my tricks.”

“Change starts with action. Action starts with thought.” The strange woman inclined her head forward, as if waiting for a reply.

“Eden,” Caden’s voice echoed through the empty street. “You coming?”

As Eden left the vehicle, the gypsy smiled and whispered, “Think about it.”

The blonde sophomore followed the twins into an old, yellowed building. The door closed behind them with a tiny jingle. It was dimly lit inside, not unlike most buildings Eden had been in while in this land. Very few things lined the walls, mostly large equipment that would be hard to walk out of the store with unnoticed. Most of the wares hung on racks behind a large counter. Eden approached the counter with the familiar feeling she got when trying to decide what to order from Taco Bell’s menu. A loud DING rang through the store, making Eden jump nearly three feet in the air. Caden stood by a desk bell on the counter.

A gruff voice answered, “Hold your unicorns! I’m on my way!”

Eden raised an eyebrow, doubting her ears. “Did he really just say-”

A loud crash interrupted her as a tall, narrow man stumbled into the room and over something before managing to catch himself on the counter.

“… uh, hehe.” Standing up quickly, the man brushed himself off and cleared his throat. “Welcome to Sparrow’s! I’m Linus,” he said with his trimmed mustache curling up at the ends. “You’re just in time. I’m in the middle of moving shop. What do you need?”

Shiloh handed the man a list, while Caden watched. Eden noticed his eyes glow with a red tint as his face twisted into a frown. “That kid really needs to work on his trust issues,” Eden thought. The man studied the list for a few minutes before setting it down and pushing the sleeves up on his light blue hoodie. “That stuff ain’t cheap, gumdrops. Show me whatchya got.”

Caden took off the bag he kept with him at all times, pulled out three firearm magazines, and stacked them on the counter. Linus took the time to inspect each one of them. As he set the last one down, he looked back at the list.

"Well?" Caden demanded.