Hey! Thanks for all the reviews! They made my day! Here is chapter seven.

Review and enjoy,

-GoneLoverMM

Chapter Seven

Quinn

Ever since night had fallen forever in the FAYZ, or as Howard liked to call it "The Blackout", the fish hadn't been biting. It had only been a day or two since then, Quinn wasn't exactly sure which. You kind of lost track of time without the sun or moon to tell you when to go to sleep and when to wake up. It was disorienting to say the least.

Quinn and his crew usually woke up at the crack of dawn, loaded their boats, rowed out to sea, and put their rods and nets in the salty water. They would work through the day, only stopping when the sun was high in the sky for lunch. This was how the gaged time. The sun acted as their clock, and they kind of went off guesses. When the sky was streaked with orange and pink they would row back to shore, and bring their day's spoils to Albert's.

They did this everyday. It was definitely not an easy job, but Quinn loved it. Kids still depended on him, but not in the way they depended on Sam or even Caine. However, there was still a certain amount of pressure. This pressure was more and more for everyday that the fish didn't bite.

The fish also used the sun. This was why they were most hungry early in the morning and in the early evening. It was almost like they had an internal clock that said, "Feed me! Time to eat before it gets too hot!" However, with no sun to heat the top layer of water, the fish were all messed up. They were just as lost as most of the kids. They were feeding at irregular times, and not the same times every day.

Quinn and his crew were at a loss. They didn't know what to do. Eventually the supply of fish that Albert had stored would rot. Kids would go without their only source of protein. They could survive on the limited supply of fruits and vegetables, but for how long? Quinn had to talk to Albert, and soon.

Sam

Sam and Astrid walked hand in hand to the dock. They both sat down on the edge and let their feet dangle into the water. They kissed again, but this time Astrid pulled away first. Just like old times, Sam sighed.

"It's not you," Astrid said.

"What, It's me?" Sam said sarcastically.

"No, don't be stupid." Astrid said looking into his eyes, "I have something important to tell you."

Suddenly she became very serious. All of the good-hearted lightness had vanished, leaving in its place the cold, grim expression he had grown used to. Sam's hope disappeared just as quickly as it had come.

"What?" He asked worriedly.

"I went down to that mine shaft. I needed to get Petey back, I needed to see if he was there, and –"

Then mid sentence, Astrid screamed. A blood-curdling scream filled with anguish and pure, raw terror.

"Astrid, Astrid!" Sam called, "What's happening? What's wrong?"

The screaming stopped then, and Astrid looked at him. Sam gasped. Her eyes glowed neon green. He hadn't been wrong the first time, and this only solidified the fact. Then Astrid spoke, only it wasn't her voice. The voice came from her mouth, but it was a horrible, garbled sound. It kind of resembled that of the coyotes, only it was more menacing.

"Bring me the Blood Sharers. The two halves of one whole. The dark and the light. I am in need of them. Then I need the Pure Light. Only the Pure Light can make me whole. Do it or Nemesis dies, along with the rest of your race at Drake's whip hand."

Then Astrid was herself again. She fell sobbing into Sam's shocked arms. Her hair was plastered to her sweaty forehead, and her breath was coming shakily. Sam didn't know what to do, so he held her while she cried. The salty tears soaked Sam's shirt, but he barely noticed. He was still trying to figure out what had been said.

Sam had met the gaiaphage once down in that mineshaft. It had touched his mind. Luckily Sam had been nearly delusional with pain, so that memory wasn't as sharp. He still remembered it though. He could never forget the way it touched his mine. However, it had been unable to leave its' hooks in him like it had in Lana and Caine.

Sam couldn't make sense of what had been said. Who were the two halves of one whole? Who were the dark and the light? What did it all mean? Drake was alive? At moments like this he needed Astrid to be on her game. He didn't need the Astrid that he loved, he needed Astrid the Genius. Once she had stopped sobbing somewhat, Sam spoke.

"Astrid, what does it all mean?" He asked.

Astrid looked up at him through wet eyelashes. "Sam, it wants you. It wants you and Caine. I needs you, but I don't know why."

Astrid was hyperventilating by the time she had finished the sentence.

"Shhh Shhh," Sam soothed, "It will be okay."

Sam absorbed what she had told him. It made sense. Caine was the dark twin and he was the light one. Sam kept asking her questions, trying to gain as much information as he could.

"Is Drake really still alive? Or is that just an empty threat? Do you know?" The sentences all kind of ran together in Sam's haste to find the answers.

"He's there." Astrid said. She was looking off into the distance, her eyes staring out at the dark lake. "He whipped me Sam, he whipped me."

Anger boiled inside of Sam. "I'll kill him, this time I really will."

Astrid sort of nodded. She was obviously reliving that moment. Sam could relate. It was easily the worst experience of his live. The sat in silence before Sam spoke again.

"Who is the Pure Light?" Sam asked Astrid.

"I don't know," Astrid answered honestly, "I don't even have a theory. It said that the Pure Light was someone who had never seen or done any evil. I thought it was talking about Petey, but it said that even he was not pure."

Sam racked his brain for who this person could be. No one in the FAYZ was completely innocent. Every single person had either seen or done horrible things. That's when it hit him. There was only one person who hadn't seen evil. That person hadn't seen anything actually. They weren't even born yet.

"Diana's baby." Sam hadn't realized he said it aloud until Astrid spoke.

"Diana's baby? What?"

She was confused, very confused. Sam hadn't told her the news yet. It was a major secret. Hardly anybody knew obviously. Sam didn't even tell Taylor. Good thing too. If he had the secret would have been out weeks ago. However, Sam had to share the secret with Astrid. It was crucial.

"Diana's pregnant." Sam said flatly.

He looked at Astrid. He could tell that she was shocked.

"Is it Caine's?" She asked.

"Yup," Sam popped the "p".

"Huh." Astrid said, absorbing that. "It makes sense though," She said after a moment, "What's more pure than a newborn?"

"I don't know," Sam answered.

"That's a rhetorical question." Astrid said smiling.

"The baby is already a three bar freak." Sam said, "That's a problem."

"Actually that's a statement." Astrid said, "But I can see why you would think it could be a problem."

Sam had missed her. It seamed strange, but he missed her condescending know-it-allness. That wasn't a word, but Sam didn't care.

"What's the plan, Astrid?" Sam asked her.

"I don't know," She said, "You're the problem solver. That's why you run this place."

Sam laughed without humour. He didn't run this place.

"I have to talk to my brother." Sam said, "He'll plan something. I'll catch the next car into town."

"I don't think that's necessary." Astrid said.

"What?" Sam didn't get it.

"He's here."

"He's here!" Sam nearly shouted.

"Yeah, I stowed away on his car coming in. That's how I got here in the first place."

"Why didn't you think to let me know?" Sam said incredulously.

"I needed you to focus." Astrid said.

"Thanks Astrid," Sam said bitingly, "But next time I think I can decided when I need to focus. I'm not four years old."

"Fine then," Astrid stood up, "Next time a terrifying monster down in some mineshaft has your brother I won't let you know until you are ready."

"Fine then," Sam mimicked, "Don't bother."

Sam stalked off towards Diana's boat. Wherever she was, Caine would be close.

Caine

He left Diana's boat furiously. She had gotten him. Caine couldn't stand being beat. Usually he would fight back. Defy and win was kind of his motto. Even if you lose in that moment, you still end up winning in the end. However, this situation was out of control. It's not like he was carrying the baby.

He also couldn't just walk away. This was important to him. His kid was important to him, and so was Diana. He did love her. Deep down he did. However, he needed to be in charge more. Caine didn't know what was wrong with him. Right now him and Diana could be relaxing on that island together. But he had to come and save the day, and he had of course.

Caine had to be honest though, being the hero wasn't the only reason why he had to come back to Perdido Beach. He needed to be close to it. It still touched his mind. The gaiaphage still had its hooks in him. He could control it now, but it still wasn't pleasant. He never told Diana though. He wanted her to know as little as possible about that creature. It wasn't safe.

As Caine was headed back towards his car he slammed into someone.

"Watch it." Caine said.

"Oh good, I found you." It was Sam.

"Why were you looking for me, brother?" Caine said. He was eaten up with curiosity, but he tried to play it cool.

"You remember that thing in the mine?" Sam asked.

Caine's heart rate accelerated. Of course he remembered that thing in the mine. How could he not? "Yeah." He said.

Sam told Caine what Astrid had told him. Caine listened attentively. This was probably the longest time that Sam and Caine had talked without trying to kill each other. What had the world come to?

"What do we do?" Sam asked.

"We need to take out Drake." Caine said without hesitation, "Take him out, and you take out the gaiaphage's only threat. It can't act without a body anyways."

"Yeah, that makes sense." Sam said.

Both brothers sat in silence then. When Caine started to walk back to his car Sam called to him.

"Congratulations by the way." Sam smiled.

"Uh thanks." Caine said, surprised by Sam's sentiment.

This wasn't really happy news. It was kind of a disaster waiting to happen actually. This baby was already doomed. After all, Caine and Diana were the parents. Diana didn't know much about caring for babies, and if she didn't know much he didn't know anything.

"How long do we have?" Caine asked.

"I don't know man, a few weeks maybe? A month." Sam said. "Astrid said that she would know when time runs out."

"Okay," Sam said, "I'll be ready."

"You'd better be." Sam said.

Diana

Soon after Caine left, Diana fell into a restless sleep. Nightmares woke her constantly. Some were strange and senseless, others bright and sharp. They all varied, and they were all terrifying. In one dream Diana was blinded by a neon green light. She couldn't see anything at all. Then sharp teeth had formed around the perimeters, and then the rest of the mouth.

Come to me. I need the Pure Light.

It said.

Diana woke up suddenly, expelled from her own dream. She was panting and covered in a layer of sweat. She looked around the small cabin. Brianna wasn't back yet, so Diana was alone. A strange green light filled the room, brighter than a Sammy Sun. That's when the sickening realization hit her. The light was emanating from her stomach.