Novels2Search

Milk

Orion and Cole are inside the hut, which is still lopsided from the attack.

Both wonder to themselves if the thing is going to give way at any time.

Cole looks where the blood stains of the fallen was, before Orion cleaned it up. The hole from the spear is still there too.

They quietly bring all the weapons and ammo and supplies out, and start checking all of it, over and over.

Orion occasionally looks at Cole, wondering who he is really is.

Cole has something else on his mind completely. Not forgetting.

Orion looks out the window. "At dawn, we leave. We got a few more hours."

Cole nods.

Orion then stops, seeing a glow.

"What is that?"

Orion slowly emerges from the hut. Cole follows him.

The two come out to a beautiful sight.

The entire village and every inhabitant of the island is slowly rowing up to them in their various boats, canoes, and transportation.

Japanese lanterns light the way in front of them, as floating ones are released into the sky, sneaking past the trees and rising waters.

The villagers bring gifts. Everything they have.

Food. Weapons. Clothes. Baskets.

All have solemn faces, like they are giving the funeral beforehand.

But it is a beautiful sight.

Cole has tears in his eyes. "I think it is the most beautiful thing I've ever seen."

"Try to remember this one," Orion says.

Cole blinks his eyes numerous times.

"Done."

"What?"

"You should have it now too. A photo."

Orion looks at his display. There, a new strange icon appears in the corner. His brain and eyes move it. Blink. Blink. Literal snapshots through his eyes are taken.

"Wow. And you know nothing about cameras," Orion says.

"I know cameras."

"How?"

"I don't know. And no, I don't know why we keep getting these upgrades."

Orion tries not to let his ruin the moment, but it just fills him with more questions.

Was this planned? Is it because Cole has a memory now? Are we sync'd? Is someone controlling this? Is it a fallen trick? A camera in my brain?! Great!

Isla is there with Trix, in their best clothes. Isla truly looks like a goddess of the sea, wrapped in the finest silks from the old world.

Her outfit has a mixture of a semi traditional Hindu garb with Chinese silk and a modern, or before the apocalypse, cut and trim. Her very best.

Trix stands in the middle of their boat with a huge mason jar, filled with fresh milk. She waves it, smiling, trying to get Orion's attention.

Orion nods a thank you.

"Better drink it fast!" Trix yells up to him.

The lanterns float underneath the hut, and the flying ones keep going to the sky. Some glide right past the hut, and Cole's eyes follow them.

"The fallen will see it," Cole warns.

"Let them. Let them know we're human."

The Mayor and some of the men of the village climb up to the hut, bringing all the gifts and provisions.

Nothing is said at first.

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Just bows and thank yous, placing the goods at their feet.

The Mayor turns and starts to walk away, but slowly turns.

"If you survive, it will truly be a miracle."

"You'll be safe either way," Orion assures The Mayor.

The Mayor nods and turns to leave, but stops.

"I think Isla has much to say to you," The Mayor whispers.

"Her outfit says it all," Orion replies.

The Mayor nods towards her and the rest of the people, then finally turns and leaves for good.

The villagers slowly take their procession away from the hut.

Some of the villagers sing a strange goodbye song. Some just wave. Most turn because they don't want to see them again.

Isla cries openly as she paddles away, not letting Orion see her.

Trix turns to yell back at Orion.

"I don't want you to go! Mom is upset!"

"I'll come back!"

"Bring me something!"

"I'll try."

"Something magical and pretty! And great!"

"Okay."

Trix says something else, but Isla has rowed them away quickly.

She never turns around.

Cole looks at Orion strangely.

"Those are some big promises you just threw out there. To all of them. Coming back and their safety."

Orion does not respond at first.

"Finish packing," he coldly says. "We need to combine all of this. Those, don't take. That, take. Not that."

Cole then hands Orion the jug of milk.

"I'll put it in the icebox," Orion says after almost drinking it. "Something to look forward to."

A little time later, Orion and Cole come out of the hut as the sun starts to break in the sky, bags and gear in their hands and on their backs.

They look down at Orion's boat to see they have a visitor.

Howl sits there, staring up at them, with some gear of his own.

Orion smiles. Howl shrugs.

"Scared?" Orion asks down to him.

"Terrified," Howl responds sheepishly back up to him. "It's manic, mate."

"Yup," Orion says as he makes his way down to the boat.

He hugs his friend quickly. They nod at each other, then Orion starts to gets ready.

Cole comes down, staring at Howl strangely.

"Hi Cole!" Howl yells sarcastically at the top of his lungs.

"Memory problems. Not deaf," Cole says, finding his spot in the motorboat.

"We friends yet, mate?" Howl asks.

"Maybe we can use him for bait with the fallen," Cole says to Orion.

"Hey! A sense of humor, he has!" Howl says, drumming on his own lap with hands.

"I don't think he was kidding," Orion says, staring the boat up.

"I don't think we have room for him," Cole says, already annoyed by the whole situation.

"Hell!" Howl says. "For years you just stared at us, and now you think you run the place!"

Cole actually smiles at that, as Orion takes off past the trees, rooftops, satellite dishes, and freeway signs sticking out of the water.

Howl looks down in the darkness and sees the glowing, radioactive fish in their schools below, illuminating some of the old world beneath them.

The sun in the atomic sky breaks above them.