Chapter 53: Theres No Place Like Home Part 1 (2/2)
”What about your family? I can't be the only one. I just, should I feel guilty for how they make me feel?”
Alton sighed, shrugging his shoulders. ”Family is a hard one dude. My mother died five years back. Ever since the idea of family never really crossed my mind. I hoped to had closed the door on that part of me, you know?”
”What about your father?”
”He's the reason she is dead. He killed her and almost got me too.”
”Oh, shit. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked.
”You know, I have never told anyone that in my entire life.” He chuckled. ”And here I am just casually dropping it like it is nothing. People make out family is the most important thing in the world. That your family defines you. I'm hoping that is never the case in my books. I even share the same powers as him. The ability to create and control ice. How poetic right.”
”I thought you said you could control liquids?”
”That was on my mother's side. Got the best of both worlds. I stayed away from V.I.R.A.L and the world of supers because I didn't want to be a reminder of him.”
Gale looked generally surprised by the information he got out of Alton from seemly nowhere. Conversations had come up about Alton being very secretive between the group, so this was a shock to him. ”Why are you telling me this?”
”Who knows? Maybe I'm just looking to get it off my chest? I guess it could be because I don't want you to make the same mistake maybe if I saw the signs. I tried to help them instead of thinking about myself. If I were stronger or even braver, none of this would have happened. She might still be here. Don't go down that path. She warned me.”
”She? You mean your mum?”
Alton froze for a moment shaking his head in defeat. ”Let's go with that. Just remember Gale, whatever happens, they are family. If they need you by heaven and hell, you should be there.”
”Do you consider your father family still?”
”Yes…”
”Leave. Now.” A voice echoed through the trees. Everyone stopped looking confused.
”I couldn't be the only one to hear that?”
”Leave now!”
Gale began walking ahead as Emil yelled out. ”Ah, come on! When a demonic voice from nowhere tells you to leave, that's your cue to leave!”
”Stop being a coward.”
Gale stood in an opening. He kneeled, seeing cut down wood and an axe. He looked at the others concerned. ”This looked to belong to one of the villagers. Must have been in a hurry. Left all their equipment here.”
”Or something got them,” Scarlett whispered, causing everyone to look at her. ”Oh, pardon? Did say something wrong?”
Alton placed his hand on the tree where claw marks were spotted. ”You wouldn't happen to have any bears on the island, would you?”
”No.”
”Well then, we can officially rule out the cult's handiwork. I don't like this; if something is out there, we are practically just sitting ducks waiting for the dinner bell.”
”Leave now!”
”That's strike three! Come on guys let's listen to the evil forest spirit.”
”Were you not paying attention at all to what the captain said? He can't pick us up for the next serval days because of the storm. We are stuck here whether we like it or not.”
”Le…”
”Huh, guess they gave up?” Percy chuckled. ”Anyway, which was is your village?”
”Just this, what the hell?” Gale whispered stepping away. The trees around them began moving left and right. A soothing whistle swept through with the wind as Gale got a closer look. Touching the log, the tree came to life as a figure ripped out from the tree. Gale jumped back as something covered entirely in moss and vines emerged. It had no facial features or anything to tell it apart. As it moved closer sharp thorns ripped from its hands striking at Gale. Alton stopped the attack directly with a small icicle stabbing it and piercing through the tree. ”What the fuck?!”
”Well at least we know what attacked the villagers. I've never seen anything like it.” Alton exclaimed loudly walking up to the creature. Finishing it off the whole forest cried out. The wind began to pick up as everything went cloudy.
Zinnia fell to her knees holding her head. ”This isn't right, the forest is being poisoned. Something is creating these creatures.”
”Seems some Anti-human doesn't want us here.”
Emil screamed as one of the creatures appeared from the ground, grabbing his leg. Gale rushed over stomping on its serval times as it let go. The moment it did Scarlett threw it aside pinning it to the tree. She flipped her card away as more began appearing. ”You've gone and done it now Alton.”
”Hey, I wasn't expecting to fight undead creatures today. There is way too many of them we need to run. Which way is your village?!”
”This way, hurry!” Gale yelled as more creatures began swarming the forest. Alton turned around freezing the area blocking the horde as he gave a concerned look seeing no end to them. As he followed his allies the forest began taunting him once more with the words he never hoped to hear again.
”The Garden forever grows.”