My feet hit the ground repeatedly, making a rhythm like a dance. I always found running comforting, of course, I still do but right now it's a sort of desperation I've never felt, even when running from greenshirts. Then I had a purpose, a goal, a theoretical destination...now I'm just frantically running.

My lungs start to ache and burn against the fierce winter air, a feeling I've long forgotten. My lungs had become brawny and durable, unable to be flustered by any amount of work, until now. I don't know how much time has passed but it couldn't have been too long, I've only just started to become tired now. Still, my legs feel weak and my body protests against my desperate run, that can't be a good sign. I pump my arms, ignoring the aching feeling in my right shoulder that spreads up to my neck.

How long has it been? It couldn't have been too long since my body still has some muscle and resistance. But what if it's been longer? What if it's been years?

I come to a halting stop, sliding on the slick dewy leaves that coat the ground from the recent transition from fall to winter. I smell the sharp air, letting out a breath that comes out as mist.

Where am I going? To them. To the second children. That's where I've been going all along. It's always been my goal since the beginning, hasn't it? I said it best to Lark the magical night we kissed, I've always wanted someone who chose me. I've always wanted more people, more love, more affection. Maybe that's why I got my self into the mess with Lachlan and Lark in the first place.

And my poor Lachlan! What's happened to him? The last time I saw him I left him broken and sobbing. He didn't deserve it.

And Lark? I've felt her presence since being the EcoPan but nothing would make me happier than seeing her lovely face again.

Speaking of the EcoPan, how am I even here right now? How did I wake up? I think I know the answer and just don't want to admit it. If I admitted it then I would be admitting how this will all be ending. I already know how this will end. My destiny is mapped out for me. I'm chained to my duty as the EcoPan.

What will happen when I see my family again? At least a few months have gone by because when I became the EcoPan it was summer. I pray that it's only been a few months and not a few years. I know my mother will be happy to see me and Ash too although our relationship could always be different. The second children will be joyed to see me. Lark will be happy too unless she's moved on. Earth, I hope she hasn't. Lachlan? I wouldn't blame him if he hated me.

How will anyone react to me? I have to brace myself for the fact that it's inevitably going to be awkward. They're going to have a million questions for me and how can I blame them?

I don't want to explain it to them, I can't. I just want to enjoy time with them and act like everything's normal. But that's not why I'm here and if I tell them why I'm really here it would change everything.

What if it isn't everything I expected it to be? What if the inner circle elites can't stand living without their airconditioning and fancy clothing and makeup they think can cover up their miserable excuses for a life?

To be fair that could be anybody. Even me. As Lachlan said, the people of Eden and Harmonia both had it easy. When we needed a light, we flipped a switch. When we needed water, we turned a handle. Our privilege hasn't been all that different and any of us could protest against the change to no technology.

I see Harmonia.

I run the last fifty yards, then halt again. This time I stop so suddenly the slippery brown leaves slide out from under me and I fall backward. I scramble back to my feet, my breath coming fast, not from running but from what I see.

Somethings wrong. I look around and no ones outside of their tree house homes. No, no ones in their tree houses either...no one's here at all. I look around and the only sound I hear is birds fluttering about the trees, bugs, and the wind.

"Hello?" I call out futilely, met with no reply. "Hello!"

Where the hell is everyone? You would think Aaron would tell me where to go if no one were here. I walk to the glass tree house that mom and I lived in and the pieces of the puzzle start to come together. I walk up the stairs and into moms room, hearing the eery creaking noise it makes. The thick rain clouds above head smother everything in a grim shadow. I look in her drawer and only a few select items are left. It's like she packed up and left. I bet if I checked all the other tree houses I would find the same sort of signs. It's obvious she didn't leave in a hurry, none of them did. They left.

I bite my lip. Aaron wouldn't have left me here if he didn't think I could find a way to the others...or maybe I wasn't supposed to find them at all. He gave me no orders that I had to see them, I just assumed I would.

I walk farther up the stairs as the tree house gets darker from the incoming rain. I think my room is the only place in all of Harmonia untouched. My bed is made but my pillows are still messily arranged from where I last slept there. Most of my clothes are still hung up or folded where they belong and nothing seems to be missing. I walk around my old room, picking up small things, thinking about what to do from here.

I kneel before my bed, reaching my hand under it and through the support frame, into the box spring. I had slashed a hole in the box spring when I first got to Harmonia to hide something. Something important. Inside is a small wooden box with engravings along the side. I unclasp the box that only holds one thing, but it's one of the most important things to me. Certainly the most important article of jewelry.

When I got to Harmonia they made it clear that any memory of Eden was unimportant, taking my clothes and asking for any other possessions I had from Eden. I stuffed my necklace into my bra, claiming I had nothing else on me. When I got into my room the first thing I did was look for a safe place to put it.

The crystal necklace is precious to me. It's the only thing I have left of the Underground and the only possession I have from Eden. It's the only object that matters to me.

I open the lid and to almost no surprise at all, it's gone. Why am I not surprised? I have no idea who took it but I hope it was someone with the best of intentions. When I find them I'm sure I'll get it back. I reach my hand in the box spring again and grab the last thing, my sketchbook.

Usually, a sketchbook would be no big deal and they aren't in Harmonia either. I have one sitting on my dresser in fact, but if you opened that one up you would just find sketches of birds and varies plants. This sketchbook is more than that. It's people. My people. I have pages full of detailed sketches of Ash, Lark, and Lachlan mainly. As I flip through the pages I occasionally see one of Rainbow or Iris or Rook. If one of the elders had found this I would have been harshly scolded.

I grab a black backpack and stuff the sketchbook in along with a few changes of clothes, leaving enough room for anything helpful I might find along my way. I change into a black hoodie to protect against the chilly weather and the sprinkle that starts to come from above.

I take one last look at my room and I'm sad to say it holds more bad memories than it does good. I have plenty of good memories here of course. I used to stay up late with Mira, talking about anything until we both couldn't bear to stay awake any longer. Those were the good nights. Mira would fall asleep next to me, holding my hand for comfort. She knew how badly I needed it. On the bad nights, I would stay awake thinking of Lachlan like I do every night until it drove me insane. I would think of the war he was fighting and how he was doing while thinking I was dead. I wondered if he was dead himself. What would I have done if he was? If Lachlan hadn't come to Harmonia, Elena would have attacked the second children without us knowing about it. We only got the heads up since I rescued Lark from Oaks on the mission I came up with. They would all be dead.

When I would wake up I would think of Lark, her light soul being the only thing able to wake me. On good days Mira would wake me up, challenging me to a tree climbing contest. Now she's dead. I bite back the emotion I feel when I think of it. It was only yesterday to me no matter how much time has passed to everyone else.

I walk out of the tree house, pulling the sleeves of my hoodie over my hands. I take a good look around at the abandoned village once more. Again, I'm sad to say it holds more bad memories than good. I feel guilty to admit this place was a prison for me. I had nature at my fingertips in a beautiful, completely un-artificial, real way, and I loved it. It was great. But I couldn't leave, or talk about the people I loved, or even think about everyone I had left behind...this place was a mini Eden.

Is that cruel of me to say? Does it make me a spoiled child to think Harmonia was a bad place? Remembering what they wanted to do to Lachlan makes me think I'm being quite reasonable.

I start to walk, soaking in how alone I am and how alone I'm going to be the next few weeks as I go on my journey. The reality that I probably won't see my friends sinks in too. That's a terrible thought. How am I going to go on knowing that my friends are somewhere out in this world? I could hold them and kiss them again, wiping away their tears, able to feel them.

I keep walking. I'll be doing nothing but walking alone for a few days I'm sure. I can't complain though, it's what I chose. I stop dead in my tracks.

I'm not alone. There's a man. He's crouched down going through some bin next to a tree. My initial instinct is to attack him but I hope he's someone I know. I dangerously put down my guard and make my presence known.

"Hello?" I call out. The man whips around and I realize how vulnerable I am. Luckily, he's someone I know. Amazingly and surprisingly, he's someone that I damn near love. We both gasp when we see each other. When we're past the shock we smile, then laugh. He pulls me into his arms, spinning me around.

"You're here? You're real? How? How is this happening?" Rook asks, astonished to see me.

"I have no bikking idea."