Where the Forest Ends: A Sci-Fi/Fantasy Novel Read online

  "What does this have to do with my father?"

  "Everything."

  Dave looked up at the rapidly rising numbers above the door. Vivian followed his gaze.

  "We're going to the treetops," she said.

  She looked back down at Dave. He had pulled his cloak back over himself, had pulled up a mask to cover his face, and put goggles on. He pulled gloves onto his hands.

  When he was finished, not an inch of him was revealed.

  "What's it like up there?" said Vivian.

  " Take off your goggles and cover your eyes."

  The elevator jolted to a stop and the doors opened. Vivian had taken off her goggles and used her arm to cover her eyes. She was expecting an onslaught of sunlight, but instead she saw stars and six moons above her.

  "It's night?" she said, blinking as her eyes adjusted. She looked up at the starry night sky. She'd never seen anything so majestic.

  "Keep low to the ground as we move closer," said Dave.

  "Why is it night?" said Vivian.

  Dave moved forward to hide behind a branch that was sticking from the treetops around them. Vivian had been so engrossed in the stars she hadn't looked down at the ground.

  The tops of the trees weren't nearly as maintained as underneath. Although it formed a solid surface, it was uneven and branches skewed in all directions.

  She took a hesitant step onto the treetops and found that it held her weight with no trouble. She joined Dave behind the bushes.

  "Come on," he said. "We need to move fast or we're going to miss it."

  "Miss what?"

  "You won't believe me if you don't see it for yourself."

  "Won't believe what?"

  Dave looked back. "Just come with me."

  As they curled through the overgrowth, staying low, Vivian wondered what the hell she was doing. She should turn Dave in, but she knew she wouldn't. Dave had been executed, yet here he was claiming to have the answer to a question that had haunted her for a decade.

  Dave signaled to stop. They crouched behind a bush.

  Vivian looked through a gap in the bush and frowned.

  There was a spaceship like the one she remembered from her childhood sitting in the middle of a makeshift landing platform.

  A woman stood in front of the ship. Vivian recognized her as the same woman she'd met on that first day that she had arrived and who'd taken her away from her father.

  The woman hadn't aged a day, and didn't seem to be affected by the light, despite her translucent skin.

  Vivian glanced at Dave, confused.

  Dave shrugged and pointed back through the bushes.

  Vivian looked back at the woman. The doors to the ship opened.

  Exiting the ship was a family of people like her, not the pale people of Trella. There was a mother and father, and two boys who couldn't have been older than ten. They were gaunt and weathered. Their clothes hung off them.

  She turned and looked at Dave. There hadn't been new people of her kind on this planet in almost six years, not since Ellen had arrived voluntarily.

  "Come with me," said the woman to the family. "We can take care of the kids. You two need to get to work."

  The father turned to her. "We need to work now?"

  "Yes," said the woman. "We have a serious problem."

  After a long pause, the man nodded. "Alright," he said. "I'll see what I can do."

  "What about me?" said the mother, rubbing her stomach.

  "You need to work as well," said the woman. "Don't worry about the kids. We have people of your kind to take care of them."

  "Thank you," said the mother.

  They turned and walked to the right, the woman guiding the children. Whatever she was saying made the two boys laugh. All five walked to an elevator like the one Vivian and Dave had taken and stepped inside.

  Once the elevator had disappeared and silence had returned to the treetops, Vivian turned to Dave.

  "Who is she?" said Vivian, a thousand questions coming into her mind.

  "I don't know," said Dave.

  "You don't know?"

  "Part of the rebellion was about figuring out who she is," said Dave. " We wanted the council to reveal who she is, and how she can be out here without any protection. We weren't able to find anything. And before you ask if I've tried being out here without protection, I have a missing finger from the one time I tried it. There's something special about her, but we don't know what it is."

  "Okay," said Vivian. "Why is that family here?"

  "To work."

  Vivian sighed. "Why are they really here?"

  "The same reason your father was. They are outcasts from the rest of the galaxy and they need work."

  "So that's it? They're going to go down to the surface to retrieve a satellite dish?"

  "That's what they'll be told."

  Vivian's eyes opened wide as something dawned on her. "How did you know that they were going to be here? How many times has this happened?"

  Dave grinned. "Almost once a month there is a new arrival. Almost always families, but sometimes a couple."

  "Why?"

  Dave turned. He pulled a piece of paper out of his pocket. "Come to this address in fifty hours. Everything will be explained. Don't mention this to anyone. You could be targeted and become expendable."

  Vivian shook her head incredulously. "They need me as a medic."

  Dave shook his head. "Between you and Ellen, who would they rather have?"

  "What are you talking about? They need both of us."

  "Do they?"

  "I don't understand," said Vivian. "What are you saying?"

  "You need to be ready to learn things you don't want to. Make sure you're ready for that."

  Dave turned and walked towards the elevator. He made no effort to hide himself. Vivian stood and followed. She looked up at the stars and the moons. The six moons had rotated in the sky, moving amongst one another like dancers.

  Vivian still had a million questions but couldn't find the rights words. She stepped inside the elevator with Dave. As the elevator descended, Dave took off his goggles and Vivian put hers back on.

  They reached the bottom, and the doors clicked open.

  "See you in fifty hours."

  Vivian stepped out of the elevator and looked out over the tree city. "What if I need to talk to you before then?"

  There was no response. She turned and looked back at where Dave had been standing, but he wasn't there. A few leaves fluttered where he had been standing.

  She looked at the piece of paper in her hand.

  Chapter 5

  Vivian couldn't get the sight of the family from her mind.

  She leaned over the railing of the bridge. She looked over the edge of the world, down at the swirling mass of still land beneath them.

  "Vivian."

  Vivian spun towards the voice. Standing behind her was Cornelius, his gut protruding over his waist. He grinned and walked up to the railing beside her. Vivian recoiled just a bit and Cornelius frowned. Her father had been ordered by Cornelius to go onto the forest floor, and that was where he had met his end.

  If there was one person who knew what was happening, it was Cornelius.

  "What's wrong?" said Cornelius. "Didn't you have fun at the festival?"

  "I had a lot of fun," said Vivian, choosing her words carefully. "I've been thinking about my dad."

  Cornelius nodded. "I'm here if you need someone to talk to."

  Vivian sighed. "I never really knew my father. He came here to give me a better life, and he died so quickly. You only knew him briefly, but what did you think of him?"

  Cornelius looked out over the trees.

  "He cared about you," said Cornelius. "He knew the job would be dangerous, and did it anyway. We didn't look into his past, but people only come here when nowhere else will have them. I could tell he carried a great weight with him."

  "What happened with the basilisk?"

  "He was sent to retr
ieve a satellite dish. There hadn't been any basilisk sightings in almost a year. To this day it's the greatest beast I've ever seen. Your father was just about to leave my sight when I saw the beast. I tried to scream, but I was too late. The basilisk used its fin to create a wind current which threw your father into the nearest tree. He was unconscious before he hit the ground, but he was still breathing." He paused. "I shouldn't be giving you so many details. It isn't fair."

  "No," said Vivian. She hadn't heard this version of the story before, and she needed to gather as much information as she possibly could. "I need to hear it."

  Cornelius sighed. "All right, but I warned you. The basilisk circled your father. It was large enough to wrap all the way around one of the trees. It closed the distance to your father. I screamed for help, but on the forest floor there is no one to hear you. I was his only line of defense. I grabbed a gun and tried to get a clear shot at the basilisk, but was worried I'd hit your father. I was too scared to go out on the forest floor where I might be the basilisk's next meal. The basilisk crushed your father's body against the tree. No man should ever have to feel pain like that." Cornelius paused. "There was nothing that I could do. I'm sorry."

  Vivian stared over the forest. She had been ready to begin punching holes in his story, but instead he had told her the most honest version she'd ever heard of her father's death. She wasn't ready to believe him, but she would give him a chance.

  "There was a woman," she said, "on the day I first arrived. She took me from my father to the daycare. I haven't seen her since. Do you know who she is?"

  Cornelius nodded. "I thought you knew. It was a great tragedy, and people have stopped talking about it."

  "What are you talking about?"

  "That woman," said Cornelius, "was named Ambrosia."

  Vivian frowned. "Was?"

  Cornelius nodded. "She died of an illness a few weeks after you arrived. It was the reason we decided that we needed a professional healer, and why we trained you for that purpose. Because of you, that illness that killed her is now easily prevented."

  Vivian frowned, thinking of the woman she had seen on the treetops not an hour earlier. "Who was she?"

  Cornelius sighed. "I'm surprised you don't know."

  "Who was she?"

  Cornelius looked up at her. There were tears in his eyes. He took a deep breath. "She was the love of my life."

  Chapter 6

  Vivian knew that Cornelius's tears couldn't be faked. He thought Ambrosia was dead.

  "I'm sorry," she said.

  "I'm over it," said Cornelius, rubbing his eyes. "Have a good night, Vivian."

  He walked away, his shoulders slumped.

  Vivian walked back to her quarters. She crawled into bed beside Ellen and listened to her soft snoring.

  The next day, when she arrived at breakfast, there was no mention of any new arrivals in the city. When Ellen had arrived, there had been an immediate announcement and a large festival to induct her into the community.

  Today, there was nothing.

  Maybe they were just waiting for a good time, thought Vivian. She looked up at the head table, where Chief Hazel sat.

  Her eyes came to rest on the basilisk skeleton above the table. It wasn't long enough to wrap around any of the trees of Trella. Either Cornelius was lying, or this wasn't the snake that had killed her father. She didn't know which option was worse.

  She decided that she was going to meet with Dave again. She needed to know the truth.

  "How much did I drink?" said Ellen, falling into a seat beside her.

  "I lost count. You were having fun."

  "Fuck fun," said Ellen, reaching for the pitcher of water in the middle of the table. "I'm never drinking again."

  Vivian laughed. "You say that every time. Then the next festival or event rolls around and you're downing a pitcher of beer in a single swig."

  "Did I do that?" Ellen groaned when Vivian nodded. "Fuck. Anything else I need to know about last night?"

  "Nothing," said Vivian, deciding not to tell her about Dave and Ambrosia. Not yet.

  Ellen looked at her for a moment, as though she could sense the lie, but then clenched her eyes and grabbed her forehead.

  Vivian patted Ellen on the back. "Come on," she said. "I have something for you at the clinic."

  Chapter 7

  Over the next day, Vivian waited expectantly for someone to mention the new arrivals and the family who had arrived on the treetops. Instead, she'd heard nothing.

  So here she was, at the meeting place Dave had indicated on his note. She'd taken a convoluted route to ensure she hadn't been followed.

  "You're here."

  Vivian turned to see a cloaked figure approaching.

  "Why am I here?" she said, keeping a few feet away from him.

  "Come with me."

  "I need an explanation," she said, crossing her arms. "I can't be going all over the planet in places I've never been without an explanation."

  Dave looked at her. "Do you want to know what happened to your father?"

  A cold chill ran through Vivian's body. "What are you talking about?"

  "Justice."

  Vivian swallowed. "Alright."

  Dave nodded and set off. Vivian followed him down paths and bridges she'd never set foot on before. Every time they stepped onto another bridge, Vivian took a deep breath before stepping onto it.

  They reached a tree far past anywhere Vivian had been.

  This tree was smaller than the ones in the city, but still immense. Dave walked around the far side of the tree and pushed on the bark. A hidden door popped open. Inside was a staircase which twisted around the interior.

  "What is this?" said Vivian. "Why isn't there an elevator?"

  Dave shook his head. "There aren't elevators down to the surface. They don't want anyone to find the truth."

  "That truth about what?" said Vivian.

  "Just come with me," said Dave. "Everything will become clear."

  "Just tell me what's going on!"

  Dave hesitated, looking back at Vivian.

  "Stay if you want," said Dave. "You've come this far."

  Dave began walking down the staircase, disappearing into the depths of the tree. "Close the door behind you," he shouted back up.

  Vivian frowned, waiting for him to come back, but he never did. She hesitantly walked to the doorway and looked down the stairwell. She could hear Dave's footsteps several levels below.

  Vivian groaned, knowing Dave had called her bluff. She looked back one more time then stepped into the stairwell, pulling the door shut behind her. The staircase was dark even with her goggles. No light could penetrate this tree.

  She took the steps two at a time, trying to catch up with Dave. In response to her running, Dave's footsteps slowed and came to a stop. She caught up, almost running into him.

  "I'm glad you came," he said.

  Vivian gasped for breath. "What now?"

  "Now we walk down to the surface."

  " We're not going onto the surface, are we? There's monsters down there!"

  "We aren't stepping onto the forest floor," he said. "I want to show you something."

  "Can't you tell me now?"

  "Not yet."

  Dave began walking again, and Vivian followed. They walked in circles around the inside of the tree until blisters appeared on Vivian's heels.

  Finally, she saw a light at the bottom of the staircase, coming through the cracks of a door a few levels down.

  They reached the door and barged through into a small room.

  Vivian frowned. There were cabinets and desks around the room, lockers which contained endless assortments of weapons and body armor.

  It didn't look as though it had been used in years. The lockers were rusted and falling apart, and the guns were scattered haphazardly on the floor. The papers that had once filled the desk were scattered on the floor.

  "Come here," said Dave softly. "Stay low."

  Dave wa
s crouching below a window. Vivian took a deep breath and walked to the window, looking over the green grass and moss that covered the ground. From here, it seemed obvious that the ground wasn't moving. It was beautiful up close.

  Enough light reached the forest floor for Vivian to make out the outlines of trees outside.

  She crouched beside Dave. She was about to ask what they were waiting for when Dave glanced out over the window ledge and gestured for her to do the same.

  At first, Vivian didn't see anything, then her mouth opened wide. There was a tree about a hundred meters from them. In the window of the tree were moving shadows of several individuals.

  Three figures emerged from the tree. Vivian gasped. It was the two people like her who had arrived on the top of the trees. They weren't with their kids anymore. Both the man and the woman were outfitted with body armor and guns, just as her father had been.

  But it was the third figure which bothered her.

  Cornelius was speaking to the two as though they were long lost friends. The two newcomers stepped onto the surface.

  Vivian stayed low so Cornelius wouldn't see her, but could still what was happening.

  "What are they doing?" she said. "Are they looking for a satellite dish like my father was?"

  Dave shrugged. "It doesn't matter."

  "What do you mean?"

  "The task isn't why they're being sent out onto the surface."

  Vivian turned and looked at him. "What are you talking about?"

  Dave sighed. "Just watch. It shouldn't be long now."

  Vivian looked back out at the husband and wife. They were walking casually along the ground in the direction Cornelius had indicated.

  Who were these people? What was their story? What had they done to end up here?

  Suddenly the woman screamed. She was standing less than a hundred meters from Cornelius. Vivian couldn't see what she was screaming about, but it seemed like something had grabbed her leg.

  The man bent over and grabbed whatever it was, his body blocking Vivian's view.

  The woman screamed again.

  Vivian gasped as two more roots emerged from the ground behind the man. She wanted to scream out a warning but Dave put a hand on her shoulder and shook his head. She swallowed and looked back out. The roots grabbed the man's back and slammed him to the ground. The gun flew from his hands. He tried to break free, but the roots held firm.