The End of Eden

XIII

"It's the full moon again tonight," Annabelle says as we chuck potatoes into bushels a dozen feet away from us. I throw one, and it makes it into the wicker basket.

"Do you have someone you want to worship with?" I ask, pulling another spud from the ground, throwing that one aside too, but this one misses. I know she had been getting close with others, but I was unsure if she was still affected by the loss of Jonah.

"Not really. You?" She throws two more, each one sinking in. I gaze to the horizon where the sun is quickly descending to. It's almost obvious that I would spend a worship night with the vessels. But which one, I don't know. I don't deign to answer, but Annabelle does it for me.

"One? Or will it be Two tonight? Or will it be two tonight?" I snap my head back to her, a blush creeping up my neck to my face.

"That's lewd," I chastise.

"Don't fake modesty. We both know it's true."

I don't answer. Instead, I pluck a few more potatoes from the ground and stand to walk over to the baskets where I drop them in, along with the potatoes we threw and missed, then pick up the wicker basket. It's not as heavy as I thought, but I know my arms will be tired once we get back.

"I'm ready," I say, and Annabelle sighs before rising from the ground to pick up the extra bushel.

Annabelle chatters as we walk back to the complex, but I barely answer. Instead, my mind wanders to tonight. I already know what to expect tonight, but the new people who have shown up won't know what to make of it, but I don't really feel bad for them. They will probably like it, like everyone else does.

Like how I have come to like the strange way we worship Sleep here.

After dropping the baskets of potatoes off, we disappear to our respective rooms, where I shower the dirt and sweat and day off my body. I braid my hair and let the tail hang long down my back. And in the mirrored reflection, I see the white robe Vessel gave to me. He hasn't been back yet to see me in it, but I don't exactly mind it, because I have a plan.

If I'm stuck in Eden, then I will make the absolute best of it, and that means continuing on the path that I'm already on being a favorite here. The favorite.

But truth be told, Vessel had frightened me the night of the burning, and I haven't allowed myself to approach him, and he has given me space that I so desperately needed. They all had, actually. Two and Three had been respectful in their distance, giving me the chance to come to them. But I just hadn't.

Except for Four.

He couldn't seem to stay away from me... and I liked it.

Even though it was he who forced my hand open that night, it was also he who carried me back to my room after. It was Four who was always kind with me, gentle, and protective over me. He could have told anyone I was thinking about leaving, and I probably would have met the same fate as Jonah, but he didn't tell anyone as far as I knew. It was probably him who I should worship with that night, but I had my sights set on a different vessel.

"My family," Vessel said, a single white rose in his hand for the offering. "Tonight we gather in worship of Sleep. But first, an offering to him."

Vessel tipped the rose into the brazier, and lit it on fire with a torch held by Three. I didn't meet any of their eyes, though I could feel my skin crawling with each set of eyes on my profile. I would let them all ponder on who would get me tonight, and at the thought, I smiled down to myself. Not only did one vessel want me, but it seems they all did in some way.

Dinner was fresh whipped potatoes were with chicken and fresh salad greens, and strawberries for dessert. And after we cleaned up our dishes, while everyone else filed into the courtyard, I disappeared back to my room where I changed from the dress I had thrown on, into the white robe Vessel had given me. Even though I had my plan and felt confident, I still felt sick with nerves.