When Emery regained full consciousness, she turned over onto her back and looked up to see Rye gash open the throat of the boy from behind. Her eyes closed when she felt blood spatter over her face; her nostrils burned from the strong, rusty smell. Sitting up, she wiped her face with the back of her hand and said, "Thanks." She furrowed her brow at Rye's fixed gazing of her then widened her eyes when Rye spoke. It wasn't a complete surprise to her that he wanted her; how hungry his eyes were when he looked at Emery with his his knife against her throat was a clear indication. She was just taken aback how direct he was with expressing his feelings.<br/><br/>A silence fell between them. She wanted to say something, but she wasn't sure how to respond to such words. I can't get emotionally involved, she told herself. Life is too threatened for a distraction like this. She knew she didn't have such a strong desire for Rye as he did with her, but she wondered if her fondness of him could compare.<span style="font-style: italic">Forget the ugliness</span>, she recited in her head. Romance would certainly get in her way of surviving, but Emery was enraptured at the thought of having someone to love and be loved by. She was tired and sickened of the ruthlessness that surrounded her and the paranoia she developed. Intimacy in the midst of such bleakness seemed so wonderfully whimsical. However, Emery wouldn't give herself up so easily.<br/><br/>"Not one for tact, are you?" she said with a smirk as picked up her crowbar. "That's a bold promise." She got to her feet. "Of course, you'll have to catch me first." Without another word, she whirled around and darted through the woods. She ran without faltering over any of the thickets or branches, building up so much speed that her peripheral vision began to blur. Her heart thumped ecstatically against her chest and the air resistance blew tears out of her eyes. She felt like the little girl she once was, being chased around by her daddy again.<span style="font-style: italic">Rye</span>, she said in her mind.<span style="font-style: italic">How could you be so foolish as to fall in love at a time like this?</span>She laughed out loud.<span style="font-style: italic">I appreciate it, anyway.</span><br/><br/>***<br/><br/>"Come back," murmured Eden still underneath the sheet of the parachute. He stared at the white threads woven over and under one another, trying to trace individual ones across his line of sight. He felt lost. He didn't know what to do.<span style="font-style: italic"> Should I just stay here and wait to die?</span>he thought.<span style="font-style: italic">I can't do anything else. It's too painful to move.</span>He wanted someone to blame for his misery, but the only person who was at fault was himself.<span style="font-style: italic">If only I hadn't put my name in so many times.</span>Feeling a pang of guilt, he clutched the fabric over his chest.<span style="font-style: italic">If only I endured those nights without food instead of sacrificing my name.</span>He closed his eyes.<span style="font-style: italic">And my freedom.</span><br/><br/>"Come back," he whispered again, feeling his eyes burn. "I can't do it on my own. I'm not strong enough." A sob rose in his throat and escaped as he choked out, "<span style="font-style: italic">Dammit</span>!" It was then that he heard a muffled shout outside the tunnel and his eyes shot open. He drew in a sharp breath to stop his weeping and kept quiet and still. A low grinding noise sounded and a stream of light rose over the sheet. Eden's throat closed as his chest tensed.<br/><br/>"There's a room down here!" said the voice.<span style="font-style: italic">This isn't fair</span>. There were some shuffles of footsteps above and then they fell down upon the stairs leading to him.<span style="font-style: italic">I can't do anything.</span><br/><br/>"Find anything useful," said another voice only a few feet away. "And then get out." Stark, thought Eden when he recognized the voice. God, please no. The footsteps moved closer. Don't find me, he begged them in his head, forcing down his urge to sob.<br/><br/>"What's under there?" asked another. One moved toward him; their footsteps seemed to beat down upon his chest the closer they got. Eden shut his eyes tightly.<span style="font-style: italic">NO PLEASE!</span>He felt the sheet lift up from him and his heart sank, but he didn't move. There was a disgusted groan followed by, "Oh, gross. It's a body." He heard others gather around and one said, "Is... isn't that Eden?" When he felt someone kneel down to him, he forced slow and shallow breaths to keep his chest from moving.<br/><br/>"It is," said Stark, who was the one beside him. He felt Stark's fingers press down upon his decayed cheek; the skin crackled when touched and Eden struggled not to flinch at the pain. Lightening his pressure, Stark moved his fingers down to Eden's lips and caressed them. Eden didn't breathe at that point. Stark lowered his hand down to his neck and then his chest. Eden's skin tingled where Stark touched him. He felt Stark lean over him and put his cheek beside his. "I'm disappointed in you, Eden," he whispered in his ear. Eden could feel his warm breath against his ear. "You died before I could get to you. I was really looking forward to killing you and tasting your blood that splatters onto my face. I wanted to fuck you as you took your last breaths. And now I can't, you fucking piece of shit. So I hope your death was<span style="font-style: italic">sloooww</span>and<span style="font-style: italic">painfuuulll</span>. And now I'm gonna go kill your friend Rye." His lips brushed against Eden's cheek when he raised his head.<br/><br/>Stark lifted himself from Eden and looked back at the others, saying, "He's dead. There's nothing here, so let's go." They went back toward the entrance and exited it. As they delved back into the forest, Coren walked alongside Stark and asked, "What did you whisper to him?" He looked at her from the corner of his eye and smirked.