The storm cleared quickly. 0 insisted they move as far as they could before the storm started again. "No stopping unless it rains…" she took one look at the Twins. 4 cowered behind 3. "Or there's thunder," she quickly added which made 3 and 4 a little bit more at ease.
0 remembered each plant she read about in the Scientist's book and what their sprouts looked like before bark started growing. Pale Verde. Ferns. Pine. Mesquite. Each tree had it's own region but were often mingled together in The State. Each tree carried it's own set of animals to live in it.
Everything around her was quiet. It was almost too quiet for someone traveling with four others. She turned around and found that her worst fears came to life. She was alone again.
She knew not to panic, though. She couldn't panic. If she panicked she would run back to the city of rubble and she would never find Haven again and her mission would have failed.
"0," the voice was rough and familiar. 0 turned around to find the familiar, gruff, green-glowing spirit of 8. Everyone needs a protector and 8 was supposed to be theirs but a protector doesn't have someone to protect them. Something like that was impossible in the world.
0 breathed a sigh of relief. "I'm glad I can still see you this far outside of Haven." She smiled but 8 didn't look as relieved of the reunion as she did.
"1 told you not to involve anyone else." He sounded disappointed.
"I know. But you know I couldn't…"
She didn't finish her sentence before 8 interrupted, "You should have tried harder!"
0 flinched back. She hoped that before his death 8 wasn't nearly as rude and unpleasant. "It's just temporary, 8. Besides these are your friends."
This didn't seem to matter to him. He started to walk away.
"Wait!" She followed him. He was a lot faster than she predicted.
"1 is getting impatient." He finally said when they took shelter underneath a more mature flower. "If you cannot get back soon…"
"I know, I know." She felt herself hunch over and she started fiddling with her hands. She heard the threat a hundred times before. "Give me a little bit more time, 8." She pleaded.
"Fine. Hurry."
0 turned to try and find her friends again. Almost centimeters away from her were the Twins. They stared up at her, peering into her eyes. 7 and 9 were behind them, watching her in confusion. How much did they hear? They weren't ready to hear the truth yet.
It felt like the world around them stopped. Slowly she straightened herself out but as soon as she did the Twins opened the zipper and peeked their heads inside, clicking and flashing and grabbing each wire individually to check the damages that didn't exist.
"I'm fine," she tried telling them but they wouldn't listen.
"Who were you talking to?" 7 asked with a worried tone.
"N-nobody," she lied but her tone told them otherwise. 3 and 4 looked up, at her with worried eyes. Her eyes fell on 9. He was worried and by his body language suspicious. "Really…I'm fine."
Everyone looked at each other and silently agreed to drop the subject. "7, do you have a knife or something?"
7 obviously didn't want to give her any weapons. Reluctantly she handed over a sword she made for her back in the city of rubble.
"4, go ahead and pull up the map again. I can figure out where we are and the fastest route toward Haven." She explained.
4 looked at the ground and a map was eventually brought up. 3 stood behind him with both hands on his shoulders.
"I think we are…here." 0 pointed with the tip of the knife. "So we need to take this route." She dragged the knife along until it hit the black dot. "We'll get there in no time." She promised them.
In no time would she be reunited with the residents of Haven.
As they started to leave again she could tell 9 was tense with suspicions and worry over his friends' safety. When she looked back toward the flower she saw 8 again. He yelled after her, "Remember not to tell anyone about us."