{"id":907,"date":"2022-08-23T00:46:26","date_gmt":"2022-08-23T00:46:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blackbox.black\/?p=907"},"modified":"2023-11-21T07:31:00","modified_gmt":"2023-11-21T07:31:00","slug":"the-greenhouse","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blackbox.black\/?p=907","title":{"rendered":""},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"_3d-flip-book  fb3d-fullscreen-mode full-size\" data-id=\"1368\" data-mode=\"fullscreen\" data-title=\"false\" data-template=\"short-white-book-view\" data-lightbox=\"dark-shadow\" data-urlparam=\"fb3d-page\" data-page-n=\"0\" data-pdf=\"\" data-tax=\"null\" data-thumbnail=\"\" data-cols=\"3\" data-book-template=\"default\"><\/div><script type=\"text\/javascript\">window.FB3D_CLIENT_DATA = window.FB3D_CLIENT_DATA || [];window.FB3D_CLIENT_DATA.push('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');window.FB3D_CLIENT_LOCALE && window.FB3D_CLIENT_LOCALE.render();<\/script>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Greenhouse<\/h1>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Chapter Nine, Summer 2037<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Myles woke up shivering. \u201cSheesh.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cAwake?\u201d Color was standing off to his left thumbing her knives for sharpness, her tarp folded next to her. The air was foggy and moist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Myles stood up. \u201cLook at that, I didn\u2019t see stars when I stood up just now.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Color clapped her hands a few times as she walked over and they hugged a \u2018good morning.\u2019 Myles folded up his own tarp and placed it in his backpack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cDo you want to put your tarp in my backpack?\u201d He asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Color looked at hers for a moment and then handed it to him. \u201cThat would be great, thanks.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Myles wasn\u2019t in the mood for a rabbit; he wanted berries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWait,\u201d he said as he thought, \u201cI know where some berries are. And\u2026 something else\u2026 wait\u2026\u201d He hopped on his bike and pedaled away, Color following him along the path. He led them offroad several hundred feet along and arrived at another house, abandoned in the middle of the forest, obviously from a much larger rock. The entire house was tilted a few degrees because of the boulder\u2019s placement, but mostly upright.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWhat\u2019s in there?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cNothing in there,\u201d Myles said, \u201cbut in the greenhouse behind it there are strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries. And I think there are mushrooms.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cMushrooms? You\u2019re going to eat mushrooms?\u201d Color asked as they put their kickstands up and walked to the backyard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThese are the mushrooms that are the drug kind,\u201d Myles said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Color stopped walking. \u201cYou\u2019re going to eat <em>those<\/em>?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Myles looked back, still walking. \u201cAfter I eat some berries, yeah.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cSo early?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIn an hour or something. We\u2019re only a few hours from Stablefield with our bikes,\u201d Myles said. \u201cThere\u2019s not much of a rush.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI don\u2019t know why you\u2019d do that.\u201d Color shook her head and started walking with him. \u201cI don\u2019t think you should.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Myles cocked his head. \u201cWhy\u2019s that?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWell, why would you?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He thought, then said, \u201cI think it\u2019s going to speed up my fraise.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cYou shouldn\u2019t be taking drugs,\u201d Color said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Myles shook his head. \u201cIt\u2019s not like that; I\u2019m feeling called to take them. Not so much for you, but for me, yes. I\u2019m a prophet, but not a good one yet. These will connect the dots for me much faster than just waiting for my fraise to catch up to me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThey could also ruin you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cHow so?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI don\u2019t know much about drugs, but don\u2019t people overdose on them all the time?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cMaybe with drugs like heroin,\u201d Myles said. \u201cI don\u2019t think this is like those drugs. I\u2019m getting a strangely positive feeling toward this one.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Color shook her head. \u201cI still don\u2019t think you should take them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWhy don\u2019t we take some together?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cNo way!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cHave you taken any before?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>She took a breath and admitted, \u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Myles threw his hands up, \u201cSo what\u2019s your argument? How can you say what\u2019s wrong about them?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Color shrugged, clearly uncomfortable. \u201cI don\u2019t see the point.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cDo you believe in God?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cYes,\u201d Color said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cAnd everything He created is Good?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cColor,\u201d Myles started, \u201cWhat if some of the things that are bad for you in your eyes aren\u2019t bad for me in my eyes? Why would God make something like that if it wasn\u2019t Good in His eyes?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThey\u2019re\u2026\u201d Color faltered. \u201cOkay, I won\u2019t stop you, but know that I think it\u2019s a bad idea and I\u2019m not happy that you\u2019re doing this.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They both went quiet and opened the door to the greenhouse. The air here was a steady eighty to ninety degrees and almost maximum humidity. Both fraisers took off their coats the moment they walked in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cJeepers.\u201d Myles looked at the plants. The berries had really taken over, spreading growth and tiny fruit all over the walls and floor. There were no more pathways and the thorny branches were everywhere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Color didn\u2019t have to move far to find many berries to eat, but Myles, on the hunt for the mushrooms, ate berries as he explored. He knew generally where to look, but\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There they were, like mini dead atomic explosions, moist and soft. He didn\u2019t want to eat them now, he just wanted to save as many as he could find. Glancing up, he could see that there were many, many more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cGracious,\u201d he started picking them gently and packing them into the smaller pocket on his backpack. Once he had about a half-pound of them, he started eating berries. Eventually, he made his way over to Color.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWhen will you eat them?\u201d Color asked, not looking at him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cAfter I eat some of these berries and we go for a french walk.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They ate in silence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There was a tub of rainwater outside that they filled their water bottles in and then&nbsp; walked back to their bikes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI\u2019ve been thinking about your title for the club. It has to be something you\u2019re good at, like your specialty. Pretty\u2019s the Leader, I\u2019m the Sage, Langley\u2019s the Bug, Mariah is Clairvoyant, Marshall\u2019s the Guru, and Blink\u2019s the Pilot. Man, if it weren\u2019t for Blink driving that car, we\u2019d probably all be dead.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cHm,\u201d Color said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cYou\u2019re still annoyed that I\u2019m going to take these mushrooms.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cHave you taken mushrooms before?\u201d Color asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Myles shook his head.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWhat if you take too many?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cYou can\u2019t,\u201d Myles said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Color narrowed her eyes. \u201cHow do you know that?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Myles shrugged. \u201cI\u2019m a prophet. I wouldn\u2019t know about the greenhouse at all if it weren\u2019t for my prophecy powers.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Color didn\u2019t answer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cLook, Color,\u201d Myles stopped and stood in front of her. \u201cJust because you think it\u2019s bad and I disagree and go against your wishes doesn\u2019t mean you gotta have this little fit. Just because I don\u2019t listen to something you say doesn\u2019t mean we have to hate each other, alright? You\u2019ve disagreed with a lot of stuff I\u2019ve said and I didn\u2019t have a problem with that and I didn\u2019t get mad at you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThis is different. This is something that could change you permanently.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe fraise naturally protects you and keeps you alive. Did you know that? My prophecy wouldn\u2019t have led me to them and given me the idea that I should try to eat these. And you said it yourself, you don\u2019t know what these are going to do.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>She shrugged.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cAm I wrong about this?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He sighed. \u201cColor?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cAre you still mad? That you were wrong?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m not mad that I\u2019m wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cAh, so you admit you\u2019re wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m not wrong, I just think\u2026 we have different opinions.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cYes, yes we do. And there\u2019s nothing wrong with that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cOkay,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Myles thought about the amount of mushrooms in his pack. It felt like a lot. \u201cDo you want to take any with me?\u201d he asked again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>After some sitting around, Color said she wanted to go hunting and left.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>That\u2019s alright<\/em>, Myles thought, <em>we could probably use some time away from each other<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Myles unzipped the small backpack pocket and took out a few pieces of the mushroom, still a little spongy, and studied them, wondering how many he should eat. \u201cFuck it,\u201d he said and ate several of the spongy pieces. He decided after about two pieces that was enough to achieve whatever it was he was trying to accomplish here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Nothing happened for ten minutes, so he decided to go for a walk with his backpack. The Ledge wasn\u2019t far off and he decided it would be nice to watch the clouds. As he walked through the trees, they seemed much brighter. They were greener, more alive. Full of life, like they were packed with blood and sinew like Myles\u2019s own body.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cHmm,\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Before he made it to the Ledge, he\u2019d become fascinated with the grass and ferns, the suckers on the trees and how the trees provided for both the suckers and itself. The entire life unit of all of these plants, just how strong the connection between all of the plants were. And all of the life happening in their own tiny worlds down there. The bacteria, the, the, the, the, the cells, the biology, biology. That was the word, mostly. That wasn\u2019t everything he wanted to say about it, but it would have to do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cAmazing,\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He sat down at a tree overlooking the Ledge and the clouds, wow. Huge ships of white, giant flat shapes of linen, pasted to the stratosphere. They started swirling in complex patterns, turning inside themselves and out, in a strange circle made of lines pointing to one focal point. The geometry he saw riveted him; he both wanted to move and didn\u2019t want to move because part of him realized he was part of all of this. He was a blade of grass in a field of people. Though they weren\u2019t physically around him, they were close to him spiritually. Everyone was close to him; every human was close to him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>His eyes could perceive the sun moving along the clouds, setting. He\u2019d been sitting in one place, letting his mind wander, for almost three hours. It struck him that he had been thinking about Color and his relationship with her for nearly thirty minutes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cColor,\u201d he said, delighted. \u201cColor. Color Color Color Color Color. I miss her; where is she?\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He finally furrowed his brow, perceived Color\u2019s location, and walked back. He perceived more Dragons\u2019 Head and walked out of the way to get them. He could see everything now, all at once. It wasn\u2019t a matter of trying to see things now; this was a matter of blocking it out and being able to focus on anything. He knew about the holes in the ground under his feet. He could almost hear the gravity and its intentions to keep the Great Hook afloat. He knew the route to Stablefield now, like he\u2019d traveled there before.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He found Color wandering the forest looking for him. \u201cMyles, where did you go?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cColor!\u201d he said, bounding over a few roots. He perceived the last root, but it registered in his mind too late; he fell forward onto his hands, letting the Dragon\u2019s Head fly from his hand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cOh, no,\u201d Myles said, raising his hand filled with flowers. \u201cOh, oh\u2026 no. That wasn\u2019t supposed to happen.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Color whisked over to him and helped him up. \u201cAre you okay?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cColor!\u201d He threw his arms around her and gave her the strongest hug he could. \u201cColor, I need to let you know you have a loving, pure soul and I cherish you.\u201d That was the word he wanted to say. \u201cI cherish you Color, more than I can say. And I dropped your flowers and I\u2019m sad about that. More sad than I would usually be.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He broke the hug and looked at Color. She had eyes like a quiet pond.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI missed you,\u201d she said. \u201cI checked up on you many times. You just sat next to the Ledge for the longest time and then disappeared and I got scared.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s not a different me, it was the quiet me. It was the stuff I didn\u2019t want to say, but already knew all along.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cYou mean the part where you love me?\u201d Color was clearly apprehensive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWell, I think to some extent I love everyone, but you\u2026 I don\u2019t know. I think I just love you more than mostly anyone.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cYou\u2019re on drugs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Myles shook his head. \u201cIgnore that part. It isn\u2019t changing what is in my heart. I can hear little wisps of what you\u2019re saying. You\u2019re wondering if I\u2019ll be the same tomorrow and if I have changed permanently. The truth is yes, but I\u2019m still me. I\u2019m still Myles; I won\u2019t be acting as crazy in a few hours, but I know that in a few hours my feelings won\u2019t be as clear as they are now. But I was out there, next to the Ledge and I just missed you so badly.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Color stared at him with wide eyes, not knowing what to say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>How can I show her that what I\u2019m saying is the truth? How can I explain just how much I care?<\/em> His heart dropped a few notches, unsure of how to proceed. Then he had an idea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cTake my hand.\u201d He put his right hand out, palm up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Color placed her right hand in his, her eyes filled with wonder and trust. Her hand lay in his, like he had just asked her to dance. <em>Alright, now think. Think, think.<\/em> He thought of his experiences and thought about what he\u2019d seen, what he was feeling now.<em> I\u2019m transmitting my state of mind? Who\u2019s the hippie now?<\/em> As he smiled to himself, Color let out a small gasp and withdrew her hand reflexively.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Then she put it back. \u201cWhat was that?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cDid you see something?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI felt something. Like when I dream and I see someone I know\u2026 and there\u2019s that feeling of knowing something?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Myles smiled, his eyes dilated. \u201cIt\u2019s hard to explain, right?\u201d He put his fingers around hers and looked down on their hands. There was something symbolic about this, but Myles didn\u2019t know what.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He started considering her skin and his and how rough and smooth they were. How they were moving around and how he could feel her blood moving in his own hand. Staring for a ridiculous amount of time. He became aware that Color was staring at the same place as he was. \u201cWow,\u201d she breathed without irony.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>But, what about the love?<\/em> Myles concentrated back on that. He concentrated on how utterly clear his whole perspective had become, not how strange he was behaving.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He lowered to the ground, seating himself on the grass, and offered his other hand which Color immediately accepted. They were looking directly into each other&#8217;s eyes now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In a few seconds Myles created a connection with her; they were sharing the same mental space, showing each other tricks and filling neurological gaps. Myles was granting her a dose of his current understanding of the world: The infinite connection between all of life and energy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He deftly steered the moment to his understanding of love, of the love that he had for Color. Not the sexual love, but the unconditional love deep below the surface; the love that gives without expectation. Their love was ancient, older than themselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWhat?\u201d Color managed as she articulated all of this. \u201cWho are you? Who are <em>we<\/em>?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Myles let the connection fade like a riptide and they each took their hands back. \u201cThat\u2019s what I was feeling.\u201d He looked at the ground, noting that the grass was not as vibrant as it was a few hours ago. \u201cDo you think I was telling the truth about love?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThat\u2019s what you were experiencing all of that time?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cExcept it was stronger and the colors were stronger and things were moving around a lot.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI love you,\u201d Color said, her eyes still looking directly into his. \u201cI\u2019ve wanted to say that ever since we found the tarps, but I thought you\u2019d find it a little forward. Since\u2026 you know, you were a little wary about the hugs and sleeping situations. It was never strange to me in my village, but since meeting you, I\u2019ve been able to see your side a little better. And I ate a long time ago; I didn\u2019t know you would still be\u2026 like this right now.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Myles laughed, \u201cI\u2019m not that hungry anyway, just thirsty. And from here I can tell you where several spots to refill are.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Myles lay back and rested, looking up at the trees and the light, falling through the leaves like a waterfall into his face. Color lay alongside him, her hands behind her head. She was smiling, enjoying the sun just like him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>You know? I could die right now knowing what I know\u2026 and I would be fine with it<\/em>. Myles thought.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Without meaning to listen, Myles could hear the front of Color\u2019s mind mumbling something. He knew it was private, but he was too curious to fully ignore it.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>She was thinking: <em>I don\u2019t want anything bad to happen. When things feel this good, it usually means they\u2019ll be taken from me.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Myles didn\u2019t want to think about that while he was in this state. Maybe he\u2019d think about that tomorrow, because right now the answer was <em>I most certainly do, Color<\/em>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He rose to his feet. \u201cI think we should go now.\u201d He smiled as he watched her. \u201cThe Star.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cHm?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cYour Astronomer name. The \u2018Star\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Color put a hand to her mouth and smiled with pleasant surprise. \u201cThat\u2019s my title? The Star?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cYeah, because you\u2019re so happy and bright all the time. That\u2019s your specialty.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>She smiled peacefully and said, \u201cI love it,\u201d and walked with him back to their bikes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The fraisers chatted for a short period about plants and how long the few days they\u2019d been together felt like. Myles was continually being sidetracked by the trees and their life, like viewing muscles moving inside of their skin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Then he stopped his bike altogether. Color imagined it was another kind of distraction, but he put the kickstand on his bike and said, \u201cGet your knives ready.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Color dexterously swung her leg over the bike in an arc, landed on that same foot, and while still in the air, removed her knives from the sheaths. She lowered her other knee alongside her foot as her head darted around searching for danger.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThere are a ton of dead somethings out there,\u201d Myles started walking into the woods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cDead whats?\u201d Color said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI have no idea. I don\u2019t think I\u2019ve ever seen or heard of them before.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They approached the area on which Myles was fixated and slowed when they saw an open-mouthed, decaying, strange-looking man. There was a small piece of metal sticking out of his head and blood had dried in a dripping pattern.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cA barrygang,\u201d Color said. \u201cSomeone killed it with a knife it looks like.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cKilled <em>them<\/em>, you mean.\u201d Myles pointed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Color looked to where he was pointing. There were a half-dozen others, slain and lying in the short grass.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s been a couple days since they were killed,\u201d Myles said. Color moved the creature\u2019s gray-skinned torso so she could see the underside and the gray was much darker on the parts that had come in contact with the ground.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cDead bodies do that. The blood pools at the lowest parts of where they died. You see what I mean,\u201d Color said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Myles nodded slowly, feeling nauseous. \u201cThink the cavs did this?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe cavs would have caught and sold them; I think a fraiser did this. Hush probably. All other fraisers wouldn\u2019t have gone to the trouble with a knife unless they were terribly desperate.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Myles was getting a strong feeling from these slaughtered beasts. A feeling of familiarity. \u201cMarshall?\u201d He started running toward the other dead barrygangs and began feeling visions of the area, of what happened here, just by wondering what really <em>did<\/em> happen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cMarshall was here! Marshall killed these things!\u201d Myles said to Color who had stayed close to him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cMarshall is one of the Astronomers, right?\u201d Color said, still eying the area for any sign of danger.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cHe\u2019s the Guru!\u201d Myles reached the tree that all of the barrygangs seemed to have fallen under. He looked up at the tree\u2019s branches about ten feet above him and said, \u201cThere was someone with him. A girl. I think he saved her.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWas the girl an Astronomer?\u201d Color said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cNo\u2026 the only other girl Astronomer is Mariah, other than you, of course. I don\u2019t recognize this girl.\u201d Myles looked to his left, into the woods. Then he kept walking until he reached a small, charred, day-old campfire.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cMarshall,\u201d Myles said. \u201cHe was here and the girl was there, lying down.\u201d He pointed to a patch of grass that appeared flattened. \u201cOnly a day ago. And they were on foot\u2026 Color, we could catch up to them!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cRace you back to the bikes?\u201d Color grinned like an idiot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe both know you\u2019re a way faster runner than me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI\u2019ll only use one leg. Or how about I have to run on my hands?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Myles smiled at that thought. \u201cOkay, hands only.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Myles started off toward the bikes as Color rolled onto her hands and started the most hilarious run Myles had ever seen, to which he began laughing so hard he slowed his running. Color\u2019s feet dangled at the knees and occasionally slapped her butt as her torso made the oddest turning motions and her arms acted in the place of her legs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWhat the fuck!\u201d Myles managed through his laughter as Color passed him. What made the whole ordeal even funnier was the fact that she didn\u2019t stop until she reached the bikes, a full ten seconds ahead of him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI win!\u201d she said as she folded her body so her feet and hands were on the ground next to each other and she flipped her head up, bright red face brushed by the white hair.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Myles had no words, only smiles. \u201cThat was by far the weirdest thing I\u2019ve seen you do.\u201d He started laughing lightly again as he climbed onto his bike.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cGlad I could make you laugh,\u201d Color said as they pedaled down the road.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Myles used his prophesying to follow Marshall\u2019s trail. It led onto the regular trail and Myles could now pick out footprints on the slightly muddied ground. Small impressions, like a long-footed deer with the split hooves, and every now-and-again, cart wheels and horseshoes. Myles slowed as he began to pick up a different scent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cCavs,\u201d he said. \u201cHorses, guys with helmets\u2026 and a fraiser. A really strong fraiser, but I think he\u2019s imprisoned.\u201d There was another mental scent that he recognized all too well. \u201cI think they have a novis. I don\u2019t know how, but I can sense one just by these tracks. I don\u2019t know if it\u2019s the mushrooms helping me still, but\u2026\u201d The novis were in Langley\u2019s basement while he and Langley were wrapped in those dumbass mexican blankets. Who knew a coke-bottle would be their rescuer?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Myles shuddered. \u201cThe cavs are somewhere ahead. Maybe a few hours on our bikes? But that\u2019s the same way Marshall and that girl went, so we have to follow.\u201d A terrible thought crossed his mind as he looked at Color. \u201cWhat if they caught him?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Color\u2019s giant, wonderful eyes stared back at him with a mixture of shared fear and urgency. \u201cMaybe we should check.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Both Astronomers started pedaling faster, heading through the wilderness, on and on, until Myles drove into a mobile camper parking lot. He looked around and then toward a camper with its door wide open. On the side and in tan lettering, one word read: <em>Denali.<\/em> \u201cThey were here, but the cavaliers weren\u2019t. They weren\u2019t captured by the cavs at least yesterday. And knowing Marshall, he wouldn\u2019t be stupid enough to let that happen if he could help it. At least, I don\u2019t think. And if the girl was a local, like you, she would probably know a thing or two about the cavs, right?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Color shrugged, leaning slightly over her handlebars. \u201cIt\u2019s a good guess, but at this point, I would trust your guesses more than mine.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Myles nodded. \u201cYeah, I\u2019m a lot smarter.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Color pulled a knife out of its sheath. \u201cLets see your smarts catch this when it\u2019s thrown at your face.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cAlright, alright. Don\u2019t get your panties in a wad.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201c\u2019Panties\u2019?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cUnderwear. Girls\u2019 underwear.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cBras?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cDummy, the stuff around your waist.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Color nodded in understanding and said, \u201cThen what do they call boys\u2019 underwear?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe don\u2019t wear any.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Color made a disgusted face. Myles laughed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They stopped here and camped.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Greenhouse Chapter Nine, Summer 2037 Myles woke up shivering. \u201cSheesh.\u201d \u201cAwake?\u201d Color was standing off to his left thumbing her knives for sharpness, her tarp folded next to her. The air was foggy and moist. Myles stood up. \u201cLook at that, I didn\u2019t see stars when I stood up just now.\u201d Color clapped her &hellip; <\/p>\n<p class=\"link-more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/blackbox.black\/?p=907\" class=\"more-link\">Read more<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &#8220;&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[25],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-907","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-fraiser"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blackbox.black\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/907","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blackbox.black\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blackbox.black\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blackbox.black\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blackbox.black\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=907"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/blackbox.black\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/907\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1370,"href":"https:\/\/blackbox.black\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/907\/revisions\/1370"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blackbox.black\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=907"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blackbox.black\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=907"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blackbox.black\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=907"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}