Welcome back to my post-post-apocalyptic novel, Ada’s Children, and thanks for reading! If you’re new to the story, please don’t be surprised that it’s paywalled. The Prologue and first three chapters are free, and you can start reading them here. The previous chapter, “Reunion,” is here.
The last time we were with Sila and Jun, they hatched a new plan to evade Lytta and her darts and escape the Land. Now they’re putting that plan into action.
JUN gazed at Sila, lost in thought.
“What’s that look for?” she asked. She was busy lashing the last net to the tree opposite him. His only job at the moment was holding his end tight, so his mind had wandered.
“Oh, nothing, just remembering when we were kids.”
He’d been thinking of one time when he and Sila had dammed a rill with mud and rocks just to see what would happen. They’d worked together happily, as they were doing now. That was play, of course, and this was deadly serious, but it didn’t matter. He was with Sila. Had he known back then that he’d get to be with her for the rest of his days? Probably not. Lucky kid, though. And an even luckier adult.
The last weeks had been the best of his life, despite being shunned and sharing a camp with the old hermit, who often seemed as addled as Sila claimed he was. Now that Jun and Sila were together, the awkwardness that used to come between them was gone. He’d regained the companion of his youth, and a lover as well. It was more than he’d ever expected from life.
And Sila seemed happier, once the shock and sadness of leaving her family had abated. After getting that glimpse of the land beyond the Land, she seemed still more determined.
But she also kept talking about one day returning to the Land and her loved ones. “If we could bring back more tools like that knife, we’d have proof there’s a whole world beyond the Land. Then they’ll have to give up all of Ada’s pronouncements and rules. We can be together and they’ll accept us back into the village.”
Jun didn’t think they’d ever be coming back, but he didn’t say anything. Sila was happy, and he didn’t want to spoil it.
“Done,” Sila said and climbed down. Jun tied off his end and followed, meeting her in the middle of the wide track the tusked beast had created as it crashed through the Howling Forest. They’d set the trap right at the edge where the trees met the grassland to avoid setting off the Angel of Wrath’s alarms. Yips and howls came from deeper in the forest, but they were used to those by now.
“Hey,” he said, grabbing her arm and pulling her to him. “I’m glad to be here with you, whatever happens next.”
She gave him a funny look. “And I’m glad to be with you. But don’t talk like that, like you think something’s going to go wrong.”
“Yeah, sure, what could go wrong? It’s just the Angel of Wrath we’re facing.”
“She’s…It’s no angel. I don’t know what Lytta is, but it’s not some all-powerful divine being.” Sila seemed almost angry as she said it. “And it can’t stop us. Ada herself can’t stop us.”
Jun grinned. “You’re right.” In that moment, he felt they could do anything, as long as they were together. “Are you ready?”
She nodded. “Let’s get the horses.”
Keep reading with a 7-day free trial
Subscribe to Glass Half Full to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.