Chapter Text
Footsteps echoed throughout the quiet labyrinth of Eden station as Simon and Carrion ran down the hall towards the tree’s room. They didn’t know if the words they heard shouted by the older Edenite children were true but neither of them could stand the thought of not knowing. Carrion tugged Simon forward by his hand as they ran, whipping around corners and dodging adults who would attempt to stop them before they reached the door to the greenhouse.
Carrion frantically smacked his hand against the palm reader with dire urgency “c’mon c’mon c’mon….” he whispered before it finally registered, the door sliding open. Carrion and Simon both rushed inside, almost collapsing over each other as they rushed towards the big glass window facing the red planet. The words were true. The boys froze as they stared out at mars, eyes wide in shock and fear. “It’s fading..” Simon whispered quietly, in the same way you would announce something you didn’t quite believe. Carrion immediately remembered who was on that planet right now and squeezed Simon’s hand to reassure them both.
“Mama…” Simon breathed out, pressing a hand to the glass of the window as the red planet faded more and more, and soon enough it was like it was never there. “My mom is down there-” Carrion didn’t need to look over at Simon to hear the tears welling up in his eyes. “We have to tell Styx.” Carrion said desperately, pulling Simon behind him as they ran back out the door to the greenhouse, both of them desperately searching the halls for their caretaker. “Styx!!” Carrion shouted as Simon wiped his sleeve across his face, trying to keep his composure enough to be able to warn the adults without tears in his eyes and weepy nose.
When the boys finally found Styx, they were already speaking to The Father, seemingly with the same amount of urgency as Simon and Carrion. They knew. Carrion pulled Simon behind the corner of the hallway so The Father didn’t see them. Simon held in a breath he knew would be a sob if he let it out, to which Carrion pulled the other boy closer. “Let’s go back to our work. Before they notice us.” Carrion whispered, and Simon gave a shaky nod. They both got up, and began walking back to the greenhouse.
…
When the boys returned to their room both were silent. What was there to say? The planets were fading. It wasn’t just Mars either. Styx told them others were gone too. Earth, Venus, Neptune. All habitable planets were gone. The stars too apparently, even though they could all still see their light. Carrion knew Eden wouldn’t lie, but he would be dishonest if he said he believed any of this. As bad as he was taking it, Carrion knew Simon had it worse. The black haired boy stared forward almost blankly the whole walk back, hand limp in Carrion’s. It made his heart feel weird to see Simon like this, made it want to crawl out of his ribs to get to the other boy.
Carrion solemnly slid out of his dirt stained clothes and climbed into his bottom bunk, eyes half closed as he watched Simon do the same, pulling his sweater over his head and sliding off his oversized gardening overalls. Carrion closed his eyes before he suddenly felt warmth against his side, and opened his eyes once more to see Simon, curled up against him. He looked so fragile like this, eyes half closed and glazed over in dull resignation. Carrion hesitated before resting his arm over Simon, and in turn the boy pressed his face into Carrion’s chest, exhaling shakily.
Wordless understanding was something both of them were quite good at, after months of living together it came naturally. Simon shifted slightly under Carrion’s arm, sighing once more before pressing his head further into the blond boy’s chest. It took Carrion a while to register the fact that Simon was singing softly, eyes half open still like he thought if he fell asleep now he would wake up without warmth next to him.
Carrion simply listened to Simon’s hushed lullaby, gentle words about trees and something called a meadow. Carrion had his own station lullabies he had learned long ago, old melodies about the last tree and Eden’s glory. It helped him sleep at night, reciting them in his head. He had never heard Simon sing though. Carrion simply listened softly, hesitantly reaching a hand up to run through Simon’s dark curls, trying to comfort him. Simon went limp against Carrion the second the boy’s fingers touched his scalp, eyes falling shut. After a moment Carrion spoke.
“What was that song you were singing? It’s really pretty.” Simon pressed his face more into Carrion’s chest at the words of praise, exhaling into the skin. “My mama sang it to me.” Simon responded quietly. “Whenever I couldn’t sleep or when I was scared.” Carrion nodded, combing his fingers through Simon’s slightly tangled curls. “We have our own lullabies here too. I can sing them to you if you want. Would it help you sleep?” Carrion asked with a tilt of his head against the pillow.
Simon nodded against Carrion’s chest, glazed over eyes finally lazily drifting up to look at Carrion. “That would be nice.” Carrion shifted closer to his friend as if to give him more warmth, taking a deep breath before gently muttering lyrics in the softest voice he could muster. “Strong are our hearts, strong is our will, strong is the tree and it’s roots come to still..” Carrion had never sung. He imagined he sounded horrible but this wasn’t about him. This was for his friend.
“We’ll fight for our glory, for this lovely story, for the soil our bodies will make when we die.” Carrion sang softer as he felt Simon’s body going limp against him once more, physically and emotionally exhausted from all that happened today. “May our bodies rot together, amongst its roots, may here be the place where they will bury us two.” The last line tapered off as Carrion himself felt his eyelids pulled down by exhaustion. “Goodnight Simon.” “Goodnight Carri.”
….
The next day wasn’t any easier, despite the tasks being the same. Gardening, Retrieving supplies, Watering the great tree. This was almost every day yet today it felt more urgent. Like everyone on Eden didn’t know how long they would last if the planets had already faded. It seemed like whispers were heard all over that no one would dare to say out loud or ask The Father, of supplies, food and water, sustainability, and most of all the tree. Was it the last of its kind now? What would this mean for all the stations? Of course they wouldn’t share resources with rivals, but would this mean alliances or more wars?
Carrion and Simon could even hear the older Edenite children muttering as they walked past with bags of fresh soil, their words tainted with uncertainty at Eden’s future. It was concrete, wasn’t it? Eden was the most populated station, the one with the gardening and oxygen resources, so they were the most powerful, even now. So why was there a lingering sense of dread? It started small the first couple of days before swooping over the station like a plague.
It seemed fear was rampant now, combatting the strong Martian patriotism of Edenite people. There were questions being asked louder and louder, left and right of what Eden’s future looked like. What would happen when resources ran out, and what would become of the tree if it truly was the last one left?
One worrisome day as Carrion and Simon entered the greenhouse room they were met with Styx already packing up their things into their messenger bag. “Children, The Father wants to have a word with us all. Come along quickly.” They stated calmly. Carrion and Simon barely got a chance to look at each other before they were guided right back out the door by Styx. The boys followed behind the wavy haired Edenite worriedly, glancing at each other with the question in their eyes of what they were being summoned for. From the looks of how crowded the halls were it looked like everyone had been asked for too, probably some kind of station-wide announcement.
Carrion and Simon knew these halls. They had walked them what must be five hundred times yet despite all these people and despite their familiarity this section of the station felt new, even a little bit exciting. The doors in front of them were swung open to reveal the massive room meant for the father to give his speeches and announcements. A place of gathering. Tapestries and ivy hung on the walls, and the largest one there hung behind an older man dressed in clothes that weren’t considered a rich man’s clothes but rather a commander’s clothes. The clothes of a military leader.
The tapestry behind him truly was beautiful and Carrion and Simon couldn’t help but glance over at each other in amazement at it. It portrayed Eden’s great tree with large golden apples hanging low on its branches, surrounded by Sons of Eden all bowing or in some kind of noble pose. Behind the tree in the background of the tapestry stood mars, bold red and proud. It framed the tree like a halo, and it almost looked like the Edenite sons around it were worshipping it.
All went quiet as the older man in front of the tapestry, The Father, began to speak.
“My sons. As the keepers of Eden, we must bear the burdens and worries of our duties. There has been an upsurge in questions that are arising thanks to this new ‘Quiet Rapture’.” So that’s what they were calling it now. Carrion thought that it made sense. How else was Eden and everyone else to explain the disappearance of every habitable moon and planet without such a comparison? It did almost feel biblical in its nature after all.
“As these questions arise, they seem to spread like wildfire amongst our people. I have come with answers.” Carrion and Simon both tilted their heads almost in sync. They had gotten so good at doing things like that, remaining matched with each other's energy. “Eden will thrive my sons. We have always been strong and we remain strong. Do not let the words of the consolidation dim our will, for we are the keepers of Eden!”
Carrion took Simon’s hand in his own as they listened intently to The Father’s firm voice and booming decrees. When the speech was over the doors to the meeting hall were opened by the Eden soldiers guarding them, allowing the flood of Edenites to flow through the double doors and go their separate ways. “So that’s The Father?” Simon asked with a tilt of his head. Carrion nodded. “Uh-huh. Pretty firm isn’t he? He leads us well.” Carrion said proudly. He saw Simon smile softly at him. “You’re so proud of your home.” He said in soft voiced amazement. “I’ve never been anywhere to be proud of.” Carrion shook his head at that. “Nuh-uh! You’ve been to mars, heck you lived there! And plus, wherever I can find you, I'm proud to be there.”
Simon smiled and looked away shyly, to which Carrion gave his friend’s hand a small squeeze. “Now c’mon, Styx is waiting for us in the garden.”