There Once Were Stars by Melanie McFarlane Page B

infected?”
    “No. Of course not. They were destroyed long ago in the Cleansing war.” His face drops. “Why? Has someone in your dome seen them? Did someone tell you there are still some around?”
    “No.” I feel foolish again. “I thought—you know, how my parents died and all.”
    “You thought an infected killed them?” Evan is borderline smug, frowning as if I’ve just asked the stupidest question he’s heard today. “Why would you think that?”
    “There’s obviously no radiation. What do you think killed them?”
    “Sometimes the answer is staring you right in the face. I guess hearing they were torn apart would make you think the most obvious answer would be an infected. But sometimes man is most dangerous to himself.”
    We reach the top of the hill, which has served as the horizon on the other side of the dome walls my entire life. An entire world I never knew existed spreads out before me. A large meadow stretches out between the hills, filled with tall grass and flowers—real ones. Wildflowers are present in every color imaginable, none of which I have ever seen in my life. In the far distance a thick forest of trees borders the end of the meadow.
    I step forward, then look back at Evan to see if he’s going to stop me.
    “Go on.” He laughs. “It’s safe, I promise.”
    I run down the other side of the hill into the meadow with my hands outstretched. The grass reaches my waist, and the flowers grow freely, wherever they please. There’s no rhyme or reason out here, no structure. Everything just lives.
    I spin around, letting my outstretched fingers caress the tops of the grass, as it tickles my hands. I close my eyes and suddenly, so unexpected, I hear laughter escape my lips. This is true happiness. I don’t remember the last time I felt it.
    I open my eyes and see Evan watching me from the top of the hill. His smirk has been replaced by an actual smile, so I motion for him to join me. He runs at me with his arms spread out, and I squeal, running deeper into the meadow. It’s exhilarating to put all inhibitions aside and be free. Nobody is watching, judging, or reprimanding.
    Evan grabs me and spins me in the air. The meadow spins by, faster and faster, until we tumble to the ground, ending up face-to-face, him on his back and me on top of him.
    “If you wanted to get me on my back you didn’t have to trip me.”
    His boldness brings me back to reality. I jump off him and brush myself off, as he scrambles to get up.
    “Nat,” he speaks up, “that was a j—”
    “It’s okay,” I cut him off. The heat emanates from my face, and it’s not from running around. “It’s time we report back, don’t you think?”
    “The perimeter is safe.” Evan nods. He gives me a little push, breaking the tension, and races me to the top of the hill. I’m glad he can joke around, because I’m not used to not being in control of my feelings.
    Back at camp, everyone is already packing up their cameras and small soil samples. Waldorf frowns, as he reaches over and pulls a leaf from my hair. He shoots a look at Evan, before slipping the greenery into a small bag and sealing it up. I quickly run my hands through my locks, to check for other debris.
    “Did you find anything out there?” Roe asks.
    “No,” Evan says, a little too quickly.
    “A meadow,” I say. “It was beautiful.”
    I’m grilled about the meadow. What types of flowers were there? Were there any signs of microorganisms? I have no idea how to answer any of their questions, and Evan leans against the truck, letting me take the brunt of it all. I’m starting to think the people on my team are more than just expedition scientists. The one thing they all agree on is that our next visit must include a trip to the meadow.
    “Perhaps we could bring someone from Biological Research with us,” Roe adds.
    “I know one who would be ecstatic,” I say, thinking of Tassie.
    The drive back is bumpy. Roe advises us to put our helmets