Eden Read Free

she threw it at the stem and it bounced back harmlessly to drop on the frosty ground.
    “It didn’t act alive,” Bodie said.
    Matt pulled up behind them. “I’ve brought the sensor pods, but I need help with the solar reflectors,” he said. “I need two pairs of hands to. What the shit is that? he said, staring at the giant flower.
    “It ’s a rare daffodil,” Bodie joked beginning to walk towards it. Jenny followed, leaving Matt sitting in the buggy.
    “Careful, Bodie,” Matt warned.
    Bodie walked a full circle around the flower, parting the leaves and poking the stalk with his gloved finger. The stem was unyielding, but the veins beneath gently pulsed as they pushed fluid around the flower ’s torso.
    In the distance, a coiled tree screamed through the air, but neither Bodie nor Jenny paid any attention as they both studied the giant plant.
    “ I’m going to cut off a leaf for Kate to analyze ,” he said, but before he could put his words into action, the leaves hardened and sprang outward, knocking him to the ground.
    Jenny ’s shocked scream echoed across the frost-encrusted desert, then she grabbed Bodie by the shoulders and began to haul him away from the offending plant. Matt was beside her in an instant, and grabbed Bodie by the scruff, but Bodie was unharmed, and was pushing away the helpful hands, and trying to stand.
    “Jesus -” he said, rising. He rested with his head down and his hands on his knees, and tried to stabilize his breathing.
    “Look at its leaves,” cried Jenny. Bodie raised his head. “They ’re razor sharp. It tried to stab you, Bodie.”
    “A homicidal plant,” Matt said, and began to laugh. “Just as l ong as it doesn’t sprout legs.”
    His laughter waned, and looking at one another in alarm they all ran to the buggy and clambered inside. In the safety of the buggy, they stared at the giant flower, and watched as its leaves became soft and harmless again.
    “Your suit is torn at the shoulder,” Jenny said from the rear passenger seat.
    Bodie fingered the tear.
    “And where ’s your transmitter?” Jenny said.
    All three stared at the plant.
    “I can see it,” said Matt, pointing. “It ’s lying on the ground by the plant. Who ’s going to go and get it?”
    “Well, I’m not going to volunteer,” said Jenny.
    “It doesn’t matter, there ’re plenty transmitters on Taurus. There ’s one here, in an y case.” He patted the dash. “C’ mon Matt, let ’s take a further look around Eden,” he said impatiently, and Matt ignited the engine and the buggy hummed into action.
    “The solar reflectors,” Matt said, stopping the buggy.
    Bodie shook his head. “There ’s plenty of daylight - we ’ll fix them to the buggy later. “
    “You ’re eager,” laughed Jenny, as the buggy began to move off.
    Bodie grinned around at her, his eyes brimming. And Jenny realized he was on the verge of crying. Jenny couldn’t blame him; this was a surreal situation even though they’d prepared and trained for it years before they launched Taurus into the sky.
    After a while, feeling brave, Matt pressed a button and the roof of the buggy slid open, and open-topped they set off to explore the rest of the new wonderland.
    The buggy ’s control was simple: on, off, fast, slow. Its highest speed was forty-mph. It moved on tracks, with the front and back segmented for maneuverability .
    They drove passed dense rows of undergrowth, which were a mass of spiny prickles that sparkled with frost, towards forest that blurred into a green/brown mass. The trees were huge, as if they were all stretching for warmth from the twin suns. Nearing the forest, they could hear a continual drip, drip of thaw. Even before they reached the cold jungle, they could smell the damp and the rot. Under the tracks of the buggy, the ground was suddenly soft, and it threw up debris to splatter its sides and themselves.
    They bumped along, taking their time as they took in the strange and splendid views