Page 57 of Convergence

“In the morning, I’m going to need more information about your involvements with Daisy,” Easton said, his eyes on me again. His tone suggested he was giving me a warning to avoid freaking out again.

We said our goodnights, and I walked out the cabin door and made it two steps before I crumpled. I sobbed into my hands, my newly washed jean clad knees sinking into the cold mud. Everett was close and tried to catch me as I sank to the ground. This was all our fault. My fault. I had had questions in the beginning about the motives and sources for this project. If I wasn’t so damaged and unable to speak up, then I could have prevented this whole thing. We could be safe in our homes and looking into other education options rather than hiding in the woods as suspected terrorists.

Everett picked me up and carried me towards the RV as sobs wracked my body so hard my chest hurt.

“At the risk of upsetting Eva more, I need to say I think something big is about to happen and our faces are going to be plastered to the front of it,” Nate said quietly as we approached the RV.

“I know,” Everett whispered

22

The next morning, Everett woke me and Nate up with soft kisses to our lips before he left to help Easton with the morning work. I knew we should get up and help as well, but I couldn’t get my body to move.

“Come on,” Nate said, groggily. “We have to go milk the chickens or whatever these cowboys do at the ass crack of dawn.”

I smiled and curled against Nate. “I think they’re gathering the eggs and, like… mucking the stalls.”

“There are no horses here,” Nate said. “And I don’t think chickens have stalls.”

“I don’t know. I guess we should go find out,” I sighed.

We dressed and joined the brothers out by the campfire. The air was crisply cold and smelled of pine and snow. The sun was creeping into the sky and the brothers were standing and drinking coffee, planning out their morning. Nate and I were handed a basket and a mug of coffee each and sent into the chicken coop to gather eggs.

Everett and Easton went off to the river to get water and then came back to get it boiling. They were talking as they worked about their parents and the family farm they grew up on. It was nice to see them catching up and laughing, even though they were both hesitant around each other.

When we were finally sitting down to eat breakfast and drink more coffee, I was starving. Everett set up the radio near us and we listened to a local country station and waited for the news and weather reports. When the news finally came on, we stopped talking and eating entirely. Easton set his plate on the ground next to him and leaned forward and put his elbows on his knees as the local news played.

“News out of Cleveland, Ohio today sheds new light on the Truman College attack. Students from Truman College and the alleged attackers’ previous schools have come forth to speak out against the three people involved. Reports quote that Everett Monroe had often made extremist comments and had a strong hatred for the United States. Experts suspect Nathaniel Gibson and Evangeline Reid had underlying mental health concerns that allowed them to be swayed by Monroe’s extreme thinking. Other students have come forth and reported Gibson was often angry and spoke of hurting others, while Reid was antisocial and disconnected from others. The search for them continues and now includes the two people Reid mentioned in her escape from carjackers dressed as police. Sources say two of the suspect's families had also mentioned the names of these individuals. They have supplied no pictures of a Professor Hoffmann or a Daisy Rossi at this time.”

Everett put his head in his hands, and Nate scoffed. I was numb to it. It wasn’t true, and the reports people were giving were false. There was nothing I could do to fight false information. I was tired of it all.

“How about you three head over to the river and do some fishing? Stay on this side of the river and don’t go where you can see the road,” Easton said and stood to gather breakfast dishes. “I’ll check in with my contacts and we’ll see if I can find anything else out. You seem burnt out, and I don’t want you making any more stupid decisions.” His tone was that of a big brother, but I knew it held judgment for our situation. It wasn't an unwarranted judgment, but it still chafed.

Supplied with fishing poles, a cooler packed with snow, and a thermos of coffee, we set off to the river. Nate and Everett chatted about fishing, when they’d last gone, the fish they’ve caught in the past, and their personal records. I trailed behind them, crunching in the dead leaves and snow.

We spent a few hours fishing in the river together. It was calm, and a bit too cold. We had quickly drunk all the coffee and walked down the stream looking for some sunlight to warm us. Trout and bass populated the river, and we had caught a few that could be dinner tonight. I was sitting atop a boulder where the sun was shining while the boys laughed at me. Nate was down the riverbank further, but within shouting distance, and Everett was wearing Easton’s tall rubber boots and standing in the river.

“Looking like a princess on her throne,” Nate called down to me.

Everett laughed as I struck a pose.

“Queens have thrones,” I called back, posing regally.

“Nah, she’s like a mermaid,” Everett laughed.

“Yeah, that part of Little Mermaid when she doesn’t have a voice, but she’s got killer legs,” Nate added.

I giggled and kicked my borrowed sweat pant clad legs in front of me and arched my back. I could see Nate smiling from far away, and Everett winked at me.

A sound of cracking branches and a revving engine sounded somewhere in the distance. My heart leapt in my chest, and I looked around. Everett had also heard it and was looking warily through the trees. The sound of an engine and the cracking of branches got closer to the river, and I slid down off the rock to the side facing away from where the car was approaching. I landed with a small splash in the icy, knee-deep water. Everett was scrambling to the edge of the river in his tall boots and rushed up through the mud. Nate had heard the car approach now and was running backwards down the stream, waving his hands to get our attention. I knew I couldn’t make it up the riverbank and into the brush before the car was in view. I shook my head and waved them on frantically as I crouched behind the boulder.

“Go!” I urged them when they were looking between me and the woods as if they were debating their chances of being seen or leaving me.

With a regretful look, Everett dashed into the woods and I at once lost sight of him as he crashed through the trees. I couldn’t see Nate’s expression from my position, but he turned and ran after Ev did and jumped over a log to get to the woods. I hoped they both ran further than hiding in the brush.

The car stopped before the muddy riverbed, likely where Easton had driven us across almost two days ago. I heard a door open after the engine shut off and a person walking over the wet rocks and mud towards the river. I made myself as small as possible, completely soaked from the waist down, as I hid behind the rock. The cold-water bit into my skin, but my fear kept me from feeling it as adrenaline shot through my veins. I heard them make it to the side of the river behind me and my rock and start up the small hill towards Easton’s cabin. I hoped it was Tommy coming back or someone else Easton knew, but my gut told me to stay hidden.

Once I heard the footsteps retreat out of earshot, I peeked around to see the car parked at the river’s edge. The feelings of adrenaline and terror mixed in my stomach and made me want to vomit. Bile rose in my throat as I looked at the car of a park ranger.

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