Shadowed Eden (26 page)

June and Benny looked at each other and nodded. “We're in,” Benny said.

Avery couldn't stop her smile. It had been so long since she'd had friends, she had almost forgotten how good it felt. “Thanks.”

They made their way toward the creek, steering clear of being seen by the others. The sounds of splashing and laughing carried in the thick air as they drew closer, though, and just as they broke through the brush a few of the guys came down the path.

“Chad's back,” Avery said quickly, thinking fast. “We're packing everything up to leave.”

Bradley's eyes lit up. He turned and cupped his mouth. “Yo! Chad's back!”

Everyone cheered and climbed out.

“Don't forget to bring back water and fruit,” Luca said.

“Fruit? Dude, we're getting the water. You get the fruit.”

Avery rolled her eyes and balled her fists. She stepped forward and shoved a finger in his chest. “Listen, Bradley. I'm looking for my dad. I don't care if the entire van of you leaves me behind, but I'm looking for him. You want fruit? Get it yourself.”

She stepped around him, not caring who stared at her, or hated her, or thought she was nuts. She would find her dad, figure out what was going on in this crazy place, and get back to camp in time to get out. That was all that mattered.

The trampling of brush behind her let her know Luca, Benny, and June hadn't given up on her. They splashed across the creek and headed back to the fork in the path. The sounds of the rest of the group climbing from the water echoed through the air but grew dimmer the farther they walked.

They reached the fork and Avery moved to make the turn right when Luca's arm shot out. He took hold of her.

“We need a plan, first, Aves. What if the fire is still burning? What if it burns us?”

She swallowed hard. “I thought of that. I don't care. If it's just a vision, then can it really hurt us?”

“I don't know, but what if it
does
hurt?” Luca asked. “Are you going to keep going?”

“Yes.” She didn't even hesitate.

Luca turned to the others. “What about you? Are you in or out?”

Benny frowned and shifted from foot to foot. “I'm not getting singed. Sorry.”

“I don't know.” June swallowed hard. “I'll figure it out when we get there.”

Avery almost felt sorry for her. This place was really creepy, but finding Daddy was more important to her than June's feelings right now. She couldn't bring herself to give up on finding him, not for June or anyone else's sake.

She stepped forward and led the way to the fire. It was a long, hot hike through the smoldering air, but just like they'd noticed from the desert staring toward the trees, no smoke filled the path as they drew closer. The air was clear, even if the crackling of the fire traveled in the air waves.

“It's not real,” Luca said. “Can't be. We should be safe.”

Avery nodded. “It's just around this corner.”

They took turns drinking from the one water bottle they'd managed to bring along. It hadn't necessarily been the best of plans, but they were here now. What were they going to find once they got inside? Surely, Daddy wouldn't be sitting in a big chair just waiting for her to find him. In fact, if he'd gotten through the fire he would be long gone.

“Let's do it,” Luca said.

They stepped around the bend, and the wall of flames burned just as brightly as before. But it hadn't spread farther into the jungle.

Avery swallowed hard. A real fire wouldn't stay contained. Right?

“Remember it's not real!” Luca shouted, confirming her thoughts. The roar of the fire rumbled in her ears, but how could they trust their ears when their eyes and skin were betraying them?

“It's too hot!” Benny shouted. “I'm not going in there.”

“You can do it!” Avery said. “Just don't think about it.”

He glanced at her sideways, his eyebrows pulled low. Now he probably really did think she was crazy, but it had nothing to do with her history.

“I'll go first,” Luca said.

The thought of him burned to a crisp sent a wave a fear through her. She hurried ahead of him and put her hand on his chest. She had to shout to be heard. “I'll go first. He's my dad, and it's my responsibility to find him. If something happens to me, then you can all go back.”

Luca barked out a laugh. “You can't be serious. I would never leave you behind.”

Something broke inside of her. A dam that sent gushing torrents of water through her heart. He was hers, and she was his. Just like it'd always been.

She nodded. “I know you wouldn't. Together, then?”

“Together.”

He reached for her. She hesitated at first, staring at his hand. Should she take it? Could she take it?

She had to take it. His fingers wrapped confidently around hers, and they stepped closer.

Heat all but singed their skin as they drew closer, but no ash floated in the air. “Look,” Avery said. She pointed to her arm. “The hair isn't singeing.”

Luca glanced at his own arms and gave her a small smile. “We're going to be OK.”

They stepped forward, into the flames, and Avery gasped as they engulfed her.

Red surrounded them. Red in front of her. Red behind her. Red all around her.

Where was Luca? She grasped at the air, searching for him. When had she let go of his hand?

The red turned deeper until it was almost white. A blinding, white heat that blew all around her. Suddenly, a crackling black face erupted in front of her. The creature's eyes glowed, and its teeth were as sharp as razor blades. Avery stumbled backwards, scrambling to get away from the creature's grip. Tears choked her and she gasped for air. She couldn't breathe. Suffocation seemed like a terrible way to die.

And then it was gone. The fire disappeared, and the heat faded.

The jungle grew around her, just like it had since they arrived.

Except, the closer she looked the more she saw. These trees were different. This stream was different. The air itself was different.

Suddenly, everything in her brain lined up. The map. The visions. The demon prophecy.

The fire protecting this part of the jungle.

She sucked in a deep breath just as Luca stepped into the clearing. “Luca! I think I know what this place is.”

33

Rae

Rae placed his hand on the dirt and closed his eyes. He whispered a prayer, deep and low. Evil had been brought in through Rafa's betrayal to the Father.

The earth vibrated and Rae prayed faster.

The vibrations stopped.

Peeling open one eye, he glanced at the ground.

Nothing. The dead plant was still dead, poisoned by whatever evil had found its way in.

He resituated his hand, then closed his eyes and prayed more fervently. The vibrations restarted and this time he extended his prayer for protection. Continued life. Guidance. When he opened his eyes, the dead plant had sprung anew. It bounced and swayed in the humid air, and Rae smiled.

No matter how the evil one tried, he would never gain access to the garden. He would not find the tree. Never again would he use it against the Father.

A shuffling and a crack sounded to his left. Standing from his place on the ground, Rae scanned the area. At first, he saw nothing, but then he froze. Hot dread seeped through him.

A man stumbled through the inner garden, staring at everything he passed, his mouth hanging wide.

The Miles man.

Rafa!

Rafa was the only explanation for how Miles had gotten inside.

Rae dashed behind Mr. Miles, following as quietly as he could as they moved through the jungle. Cutting him off would be easy; rerouting him would be the bigger issue.

Still, Rae could not force Mr. Miles to leave for good. He had to leave of his own choice, or he would continue returning.

Rae needed Avery. She was the only one who could turn her father back. She was the only one who could stop the wrath of the Father.

Mr. Miles moved slowly, taking in every tree, every flower, every animal with awe. His eyes practically glowed with excitement. While the rest of the group prepared to leave—and should have left, if Rafa had not confused the youth leader's trip across the jungle and doubled the time it took—Mr. Miles was in no hurry. He meandered between trees, strolled along the crystal stream, and even bent low as if he would drink the water.

Thank heavens he didn't. Water directly from the River of Life was not suitable to offer drink to a human. It was bad enough they were drinking from the small creeks that ran through the rest of the jungle.

Rae positioned himself behind Mr. Miles and to the right, then slowly, he projected the air currents toward the man. Closing his eyes, he held out his hands and blew out through his nostrils.

Mr. Miles didn't seem to notice, and he began moving closer to the perimeter of the garden. He stopped to finger a piece of fruit.

Rae projected further. If he pushed too hard, Mr. Miles was sure to notice. He obviously knew he was in a special place, and he would begin to wonder where the force was coming from.

Mr. Miles left the fruit hanging and continued exploring. He moved back toward the inside, away from the wall, and Rae ground his teeth. Miles headed straight for the tree.

Hadn't he known this wouldn't be easy? The elders had told him to be prepared for a day like today. Jacob had warned that not every century would be simple.

Rae's time to fight had come, he just hoped it did not come down to an actual fight.

He prayed quickly then darted behind a tree and worked to hide himself on Mr. Miles' left side. His eyes slid closed and he took a deep breath, then he pushed—not too hard, but harder than before. When he opened his eyes, Mr. Miles had moved back toward the outer edge. Rae moved a few trees closer and continued pushing. Mr. Miles stepped even closer to the wall.

One more push and he would be out. Once Rae had secured their home, he would be free to bind Mr. Miles and send him on his way. The human would never know where he had been, and he certainly would not remember what he had seen.

Taking a deep breath, he projected one last time. Mr. Miles lifted his foot. His body moved in sync to cover the six or eight inches needed to get to the outside. His foot headed toward the ground…

A commotion on the left drew Mr. Miles' attention and Rae growled. He jerked his gaze that way and froze.

Avery and her friend Luca stumbled into the clearing and gazed around with the same awe and wonder that was on Mr. Miles' face. Avery spoke to Luca in a low voice. It was too low for Mr. Miles to hear, but Rae heard it and winced.

She knew the truth, had figured it out for herself. But that also meant she could help.

Mr. Miles' eyebrows rose, showing his disbelief at seeing his daughter. He opened his mouth to speak, but a moment later two others stepped through the wall.

Rae sucked in a breath of frustration. This was impossible! How were they getting through? He would never be able to stop them all.

June gasped and cried, brushing at her skin and shaking. “Get it off! Get it off!” she screamed through her tears. Nothing crawled on her skin, and it was unscathed, though she likely felt like she was on fire. That could only mean one thing, but the girl was hardly his concern right now.

“Whoa!” Benny said. He didn't seem to notice June's distress. “What is this place?”

Avery glanced around, but she hadn't spotted Rae or her father yet. Her gaze finally landed back on Luca and she took a shaky breath. “I think we're in the Garden of Eden.”

34

Avery

One tree stood out among the others. Avery wasn't sure how no one else had noticed it yet—it stood twice as high and twice as full as the others, and its fruit was as big as softballs.

Avery moved toward the tree without thinking. She had to get a closer look. All the while her brain screamed at her to
stop
! This couldn't be right. Could it?

The Garden of Eden had been locked to people thousands of years ago, after Adam and Eve had eaten the forbidden fruit. It was protected by angels with flames of fire.

Pieces clicked together in her mind, and she knew she'd been on the brink of it all along. Rae was—an angel? Then there was the wall of fire, the tree with the amazing looking fruit, and even the healing waters that seemed to point to the obvious. She'd searched for answers in her Bible, and her suspicions had been right. They had found the Garden of Eden from the Creation story. She turned slowly, taking in the beauty around her.

Rae stood to her far right, and Daddy stood just beyond him.

Avery gasped. “Daddy!”

He started toward her but Rae stepped out from where he stood behind a tree.

Daddy pulled up short, staring at Rae in shock. “What—who are you?”

Rae looked to Avery, but she didn't speak. Rae could defend himself, and she was ready to hear what he had to say.

The second he paused, though, he had lost her attention. Her eyes roamed over the jungle—the garden—and she couldn't get enough. The trees were a shade of green she had only ever seen inside a crayon box, bright and vibrant. They grew perfectly portioned, their leaves shady but not quite overbearing. Beyond the trees, a stream flowed throw the garden. Bigger than a stream, it was more like a river. It ran right in the middle, cutting the garden in half, but that wasn't anything spectacular. What really caught her attention was the water inside the stream. It was blue, and it literally sparkled. Sunlight filtered through the canopy above, and the beams bounced off the water in glistening splendor.

Animals lounged in the garden, too, but they weren't animals Avery recognized. One looked like a cross between a hyena and a giraffe—a hyena's head on a short giraffe's body—and another animal resembled what could only be called a unicorn.

She spun around to Luca. “Are you seeing this?”