Adam stared where the sky met the tree leaves.
"What're you doing?"
Nine walked next to him and Adam could feel him staring.
"I'm waiting for them to get back," Adam replied.
Nine grunted as a response, and looked at the small clearing that John and the others left from.
No one really stayed to mull about except for Adam and Nine. Sam had given three devices to the group going to Alaska. They were for contacting them and letting them know when they were going to be landing. John, Six, and Nigel each got one in case one or two got lost or broken. Or, if we're being quite honest…their owners didn't make it back.
"What're you thinking about?" Nine asked. "Nothing having to do with what Johnny's doing, I hope."
"How could I not think about that?"
"Easy. Ya think about something else." Nine's voice seemed to have grown sadder.
Adam sighed and decided to indulge him. "Have any recommendations, then?"
"Sure do," Nine told them. He walked around until he was in front of them, then held out his hand to help Adam up. Adam sighed and grabbed it, letting Nine haul him to his feet.
Nine led them away from the clearing, but not towards Malcolm or John's house. They went through the forest, going around trees and getting caught in brambles a couple times.
Eventually, the forest thinned out until Nine and Adam were walking on a worn dirt path that cut through it. Pine needles covered the trail. There were large stones in their way now and again, which Adam walked around while Nine just took big steps to get over.
"Where are we going?"
"A couple different places, but our first stop should be coming up any minute now," Nine replied.
"Why is it farther away from the main part of New Lorien?"
Nine looked back at them before slowing his pace a little and walking side by side with Adam. "Well," Nine motioned his head forward. "It's pretty depressing…"
Adam looked to where Nine moved his head, and they could now see a couple large rocks through the trees. Flowers bloomed around the bottom of most of them.
Each step brought them closer and Adam could now see moss growing on most of them. They seemed to be in messy rows and there were over a dozen. There was a natural clearing for them, but some small vegetation had decided to grow. The ground that was bare was covered with old leaves and twigs.
"What is this?" Adam asked right before they got close enough to see writing on the stones.
"Our cemetery," Nine said quietly.
They entered the clearing together, but Nine hung back as Adam got close enough to read what was on them. The words obviously weren't professionally carved in, but still very legible. "Ran Takeda," Adam whispered, the name foriegn on their lips. Unlit candles were at the base of the grave stone, some of them looked more used than the others.
Adam walked the short couple of steps to the next grave, which only had a number messily carved into it; 5. Adam turned his head back quickly to look at Nine. "He died?" They asked bluntly.
Nine gave them a small smile. "Yeah. You missed a lot."
Adam looked back down at the gravestone. "I…guess I have."