Eden

I crouch closer to the ground, one hand pressing against the cracked, dry earth. My focus trains itself on the vibrations rolling across the surface like waves. Each has its own frequency— some quick like anxious fingers and others slow like lumbering footfalls.

Here, beyond the city limits and the crude map lines, time seems to move slower. Morning came hours ago, after a millennia of darkness where the sky seemed to be permanently hazed red from Druxy behind us. Yet, even in the daylight, my senses struggle to handle all the new sounds, sights, and smells.

It's been two weeks.

Two weeks of true night and scorching heat. Two weeks of rationing water and sharing scarce meals. Two weeks without machines surrounding us or hunting us.

But then, there's also been two weeks of sunsets— bright orange and pink, colors I never knew existed in such intensity. Two weeks of sunrises— soft, baby pinks and blues that would be impossible to describe.

Every new experience brings the same thought to me.

I wish Cyrus were here to see this.

"Any luck?" a soft whisper asks behind me. I don't jump, don't move even an inch. I felt his feet as he approached and heard his thumping, erratic heartbeat. He should really get that checked out, I think, grinning to myself.

"It would be a lot easier if you'd stop hovering," I scold gently. "They have senses almost as good as mine. You're scaring them off."

I close my eyes as Linux kneels down behind me.

Then, I feel it. A rhythm twice as fast as mine, steady and solid. My eyes pop open, and I start to crawl forward. My movement is unnoticeable. If the poor animal didn't sense me before, it isn't going to now. My body moves like a phantom, each step more precise than the last. Even my own heartbeat slows to a crawl.

I see it before I can reach it.

Hidden behind the trunk of a skinny, branchless tree sits a rabbit no bigger than one of the rats that used to live in Druxy's sewers. It's really too small for all of us to share, but it'll have to do. I stare for a minute, holding my breath so I don't disturb it.

In two weeks, I've come across dozens of the tiny, brown creatures. They never seem to know what to do at the sight of me, and instead of running, they stare. This one's solid black eyes blink in my direction, nose twitching as a new scent enters its area. Down covered ears prick up. It listens but doesn't hear me.

It's almost unfair to prey on, like an Idyllic hunting a human child.

No, like an Idyllic hunting anything.

With a sigh, I give up on the ruse and lunge forward, grabbing the unsuspecting rabbit by the spine. It squeals in protest, but I'm already up and on my feet, moving back to Linux. His eyes go wide as I hold it out to him.

"Dinner is served," I flatline.

Linux gently takes the rabbit from me, trying to avoid the squirming animal's teeth. The color drains from his face.

"Why didn't you put it out of its misery before giving it to me?" His voice falters. The rabbit nearly gets away from him, and I bite back a laugh. "How am I supposed to hold this without getting bitten?"

"Wrap it in your shirt." As Linux starts to shove the rabbit into his stomach and stretch his shirt out, I add, "Take it off first, goof."

He hands the animal back to me and strips the shirt off. Without missing a beat, he wraps our dinner up like a mummy and clutches it with both hands.

"Don't squeeze it too hard," I warn. He nods, still white faced and nervous. Without another word, he turns and heads back to where our group camps out for the day.

I watch him for a minute. Linux was skinny before we left, but now... I count the ribs shining against his sun-starved skin. His arms are bright pink from the sleeve line down; red splotches cover his cheeks and forehead. What were once knobbly limbs and joints now jut out at sharp angles. All of the Luddites look the same: pained and hungry.

Did I make the right decision by bringing them out here? Is the discomfort of sunburn, dehydration, and hunger better than the life they would have faced under Druxy?

Surely it is.

No one has complained, but... Guilt still tugs at the corners of my chest.

With a sigh, I follow Linux, ducking under branches as we go. Here, the forest is thick. It makes for good hunting and shade. We aren't always this lucky to find a good resting spot, though.

"Here, Mason," Linux says weakly, passing the shirt off to a second boy who's sitting cross legged by a pile of sticks. I'm sure it's supposed to be firewood, but once again, they'll all be huddling together for warmth.

"I'll take care of it." Mason unwraps the rabbit before drawing a long knife out of his bag. The girl beside him sucks in a terrified breath. "What?" he asks, hesitating.

"Take it somewhere else, Mace!" She covers her mouth with a hand, obviously stifling a gag. "Don't do that here."

Mason and I both laugh. Azura's too soft. And due to give birth any day now. Another reason why I'm desperate to find any sort of civilization. While my new information bank tells me in unnecessary detail how to deliver a child, that doesn't mean I want to. It tops my list of things I never, ever want to witness or participate in.

"As you wish." Mason pushes up off the ground, holding the rabbit by its scruff. He presses a kiss on Azura's head and disappears out of her sight. His movements and actions aren't lost on me, but Azura seems content.

My stomach tightens. I like Mason and Azura. He's strong and handy; she's pure and kind. But their relationship reminds me too much of the one I lost. No, the one I never truly had. My fatal mistake was trusting Knox.

"How are you feeling?" I ask Azura, desperate for a distraction from the bad memories creeping in on me. I crouch beside her, and she gives me a weak smile.

"Like a balloon." A giggle erupts from her lips. "One that is about to explode. I'm sorry, Eden. I know I'm slowing us down."

I shake my head. "Don't worry about it. We're alright." The pace is definitely slower than I'd like, but...

"How are you slowing down someone who has no idea where she's going?" a sharp voice asks behind me. Subject 12, who I've since learned prefers to be called by her name, Maggie, glares at me. She might be right, but her attitude bristles the hair on the back of my neck. My face would flush red if the nanos didn't keep a tight rein on my body temperature.

"Would you like to lead us?" I ask flatly.

Maggie crosses her arms. We were all pale at the start of this journey, but her skin seems to be the angriest. Still wearing the sleeveless uniform of the Anthros, her shoulders are blistered and peeling.

"I could do a better job, I'm sure," she hisses.

I set my jaw and try not to return her glare. Has she forgotten who rescued her? Who's been feeding her, finding water for her, and ensuring she has a safe place to rest? Without me, they would have probably dried up like some of the skeletons that litter the forest around us. I can't remind her of that though; I'd just sound pretentious and proud.

"By all means, Maggie, go ahead." I sigh and stand up. Every inch of me aches from staying awake too long. Even my mind's tired. If she wants to figure it out, I'll let her. God knows I ran out of options a long time ago. I thought if I just kept walking, I'd eventually run into something. If I followed the river, surely, we'd run into some sign of humanity.

But it's been two weeks without even a hint. Eventually, we even lost track of the river.

Maggie scoffs. "Not a chance, cyborg. You started this, and you're going to finish it."

I rub at my temple. "Whatever," I mumble, turning away. The rest of the group is watching us carefully. A huge divide separates them— Anthros rescues on one side and Luddites on the other. The ex-exhibits huddle close together, quiet and curious. The Luddites spread apart, not afraid to venture a ways into the woods.

Yet, the most aggravating difference is in the way they look at me. The Anthros crew watches me with careful, distrustful eyes. To them, I'm Eden the Idyllic. I'm too similar to the machines that tortured them during training. They don't see flesh and bone, heart and soul. No. To them, I'm all wires and tubing, synthetic skin and nanotech.

No amount of convincing will help them see me as human again.

I'm not even sure what percentage of me is human anymore.

"Leave her alone, Maggie," one of the Luddites says from beside Azura. "She's doing her best in a bad situation."

"And she has a name," Azura chimes in. "Don't call her 'cyborg.' It's rude."

"I don't care if it's rude. That's what she is." Maggie huffs at them. "Why sugarcoat it?"

"Because she still has feelings! You owe her your life." Azura looks at me sadly. I'm thankful that she's willing to stand up for me. Not many would.

I mouth a silent "thank you" her way, and she smiles.

"I won't owe her anything if she lets me die in this stupid forest."

"That's not going to happen. I promise."

"Don't you dare promise me that. Again, you don't know what you're doing."

I take a deep breath and turn away from her before I say something I'll really regret.

Emotions are fuel for Idyllic fire. When I'm sad, one wrong move turns it into full-blown anguish. A bit of frustration morphs into exasperation so strong I can't function. Annoyance could easily shift into rage. I can see myself smacking Maggie, but that would be a disaster waiting to happen. I'm still learning to control my strength on a good day. One wrong hit...

I don't want to think about it.

Maggie starts to gripe at me more, but I'm already walking away from her and everyone else. Linux calls my name, his footsteps chasing after me. I don't slow down though.

I've made it a dozen yards away when Linux catches up.

"Jesus, you walk fast." With his hands on his knees, he heaves in shaky breaths.

"Sorry..." I rub the base of my neck. It should be wet with sweat, but the skin's perfectly dry and cool. Another prime reminder of my status. "I forget about my, um, enhancements."

Linux's eyes drift down to my legs. Thankfully, I've changed out of the conspicuous Idyllic uniform. My new pants have holes in them though, some as big as my fist. The white, heavy-duty plastic that covers my mechanisms can be seen through the gaps. Once again, I'm thankful that he can't see the metal and hydraulics beneath.

I may have forgotten that my strides are twice as long as before or that my legs are mostly hardware, but Linux hasn't. He never will.

Grabbing Linux's shoulder— carefully— I steer him to a clear area nearby. He plops down on the grass with an exhausted huff. All of the Luddites act like they're constantly worn down. I suppose it's the lack of food. I lower myself down beside him, stretching my legs out in front of me.

After a long minute of catching his breath, Linux pushes his glasses up and asks, "Are you okay?"

"I think so," I answer. "No" wouldn't be too hard to explain.

"Maggie's just..." He searches for the right word. "Concerned, I guess."

"I know, but—"

He cuts me off. "We all are, you know? I mean, the map is essentially useless. We're wandering in the middle of nowhere without a clue. Everyone thought that we would have run into something by now. Some civilization."

I tug my knees into my chest, wrapping my arms around them. My joints hiss in protest. "I know, Lin. I thought we would, too."

"And Azura's going to have her baby any day now. What are we going to do about that? Food and water is a big enough problem, but... I don't know anything about labor and delivery."

I rub the bridge of my nose, feeling a headache coming on. "Lin. Please."

"We really can't walk forever. I suppose if nothing else we can set up a permanent camp somewhere. The Artificials might find us, though. Moving is safer, I guess. I'm just—"

"Linux!" My voice comes out in a sharp bark. Linux jumps, edging away from me.

"What?" he asks, voice tiny.

"Please. Stop. Talking." I press my eyes closed, one hand still rubbing the now pounding headache between my eyes. "I know what all of the problems are! I've thought about them a million times, but I don't have the right answers.

"I don't know where to go or when to stop. Can't you see the catch-22? If we stop, we risk being found, but if we keep going, then we could all die from dehydration." I groan loudly. "I'm doing my best."

Linux says nothing. Instead, his hand comes up to rest on my back. I almost instinctively curl under his arm, a place where I might have once found security and comfort. I don't dare to go there now. I don't belong there. Linux scratches my back, though, moving in small, gentle circles.

The silence is astronomical. I open my eyes but don't look at him. Around us, the sun is starting to set. Stark oranges take over the skyline, bleeding into the trees around us. The insects are waking up. Their cries fill the air with a hundred different songs. Somewhere nearby, frogs croak. It reminds me too much of the day Cyrus was killed.

My chest contracts, and I sigh heavily.

What I wouldn't give to have Cyrus here with me. He would know what to do.

I stare at the sun receding below the treeline, framed by a distant mountainous horizon. The oranges start to melt into purples, and the speckle of stars appear across the darkness. The sight alone almost makes everything I've been through worth it, a moment of a world with no machine within thousands of miles.

Well, except me.

"I'm trying, Lin," I say softly, my voice stretched and painful. I swallow back tears.

"I know," he whispers.

My chin sinks down to rest on my knees.

I need to be watching the Luddites. The night brings all sorts of new threats out here. I should be looking for more food, more water, a new path. But for just a moment, I want to sit here with Linux and pretend that the weight of all of their survival isn't pressing on my shoulders.

Footsteps approach from behind us. They're rushed and coupled with a racing heartbeat. I jerk away from Linux, on my feet before he can blink. I position myself between the sounds and him, hands spread protectively. A fight rises in me.

But the face that appears through the dark leaves is a familiar one. My body relaxes.

"Mason," I breathe. "What's wrong?"

He frowns at the two of us. "Eden, you need to see this. Maggie found something."