NOVEL NEXT Chapter 61 - The Waterfall
"So... are you going to keep staring or are you going to say something?" Emily asked. Her cheeks flushed slightly pink as she waited for his answer.
Luca hesitated for half a second before reaching out and gently tapping the tip of her nose with his finger.
"You're cute when you're worried," he said.
Emily smacked his arm, but not before he saw the smallest twitch of a smile.
Then he felt Emily's arm slip around his waist.
Luca glanced down at her, raising an eyebrow. "Feeling better?"
She smirked, tilting her head just enough to brush her lips against his jaw. "Mmm," she mused, her voice teasing. "Maybe a little."
His hand instinctively found her hip, his fingers pressing into the curve. "Oh, really?"
She hummed, leaning in, just close enough to make him desperate for more. "I like watching you squirm."
Fucking hell.
The Peregrine jolted as Luca steered it over another boulder, the suspension groaning under the weight. It was hard to find a route forward through the forest. Twisting, uneven ground riddled with roots and loose rock. He had to keep both hands tight on the wheel, but even then, it was a fight.
Emily sat beside him, quiet, her arms folded, gaze distant. She looked adorably worried about the ecosystem changes, that little furrow between her brows that made him want to pull over and kiss it away.
"Luca?" Emily's voice broke through his focus. "We're coming up on something. Look."
Through the treeline ahead, he caught a glimpse of cascading water catching the late afternoon light. A waterfall, maybe thirty meters high, tumbling down jagged rocks into a wide lagoon that sparkled like glass.
"Holy shit," Luca breathed, bringing the Peregrine to a stop at the edge of the clearing. "That's..."
"Beautiful," Emily finished, her eyes wide. "And look—" She pointed to her scanner. "No portals for kilometers. This could be our camp."
The clearing was perfect. Large enough for the Peregrine and perimeter sensors, with the waterfall as a stunning backdrop. The lagoon stretched out before them, crystal clear under the twin moons that were just beginning to rise.
"Finally," Ryan muttered from behind them, rubbing his eyes. "A little peace and quiet. No screeching mobs, no wild beasts."
"Don't jinx it," Zoe said, already unbuckling. "I'm claiming this as our one safe spot."
Luca parked the Peregrine close to the water's edge, the armored transport looking almost absurd next to the natural beauty. The contrast was striking, their heavy armored vehicle parked in paradise.
As the crew piled out, Zoe and Danny immediately gravitated toward the lagoon edge, staying within eyesight but clearly seeking space. Emily watched them go, smiling faintly, and nudged Luca.
"Don't say it. Let them have it."
Ryan saw it all while checking his multitool, grinning: "About damn time."
"Need a hand with the perimeter?" Luca asked, walking up to Joey who was already unloading sensor units.
"Yeah, here," Joey said, passing him a compact sensor. "Set this one by those rocks. If anything bigger than a squirrel comes near camp, it'll trip the alert."
As they worked, Ryan checked his multitool as one of the sensors flickered. "Speaking of which... with fifty-four thousand portals now active across the planet, 'safe' doesn't exactly mean stable anymore."
One of the perimeter sensors malfunctioned, its red light blinking erratically before stabilizing.
"Could just be terrain bounce," Joey said, but his voice carried uncertainty.
"How's Chris doing?" Ryan asked, glancing toward the med bay.
"Should be good as new in a few hours," Joey said. "The med pod's worked miracles. Just needs a little more time."
"Good," Luca said, stepping back and folding his arms as he surveyed the camp. "The sooner he's back, the sooner we can start ragging on him about being the first one to get hit."
Ryan and Joey grabbed their gear for a hunting expedition. "We'll sweep the eastern ridge," Joey said. "Should find something worth grilling."
"And if we're lucky, maybe we'll find something that actually fights back," Ryan added, slinging his plasma rifle over his shoulder.
Joey hesitated, glancing at the trees. "You sure this is a good idea?"
Ryan smirked. "Oh, come on. We've tested everything we've found, and nothing's tried to eat us yet. The area's clear, remember?"
They disappeared into the underbrush, leaving the camp quieter.
Emily stepped up beside Luca as he finished with the sensors, her arm slipping through his. "So," Luca said. "You ready to check out this waterfall?"
"Oh, I'm ready," she said, her eyes sparkling. "I think Danny and Zoe have had enough time to do... whatever it is they're doing. Besides, if they're still there, we can just crash their date."
Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.
The forest seemed to close in around them as they approached the lagoon, replaced by the quiet rustling of leaves and the faint trickle of water growing louder with each step.
"Think they're actually having a moment, or is Zoe still dragging him by the ear?" Luca asked, grinning as they stepped over a moss-covered log.
Emily laughed. "Oh, she's definitely in charge, but I think Danny's finally catching on. Took him long enough, though. Two months of her practically begging?" She glanced up at him. "You're not that oblivious, are you?"
Luca snorted. "Please. I'd have figured it out by month one. Maybe."
"Uh-huh," she said, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "I'm sure that's it."
The waterfall came into view. It cascaded down a jagged rocky incline into a wide, deep lagoon that sparkled under the faint glow of the twin moons. The mist rising from the falls caught the moonlight, creating a soft, silvery haze that made the whole scene look like something out of a dream.
Emily gasped. "Wow. It's beautiful."
"Yeah," Luca said, his voice a little rough. "It is."
She caught him staring and elbowed him playfully. "Stop it, you sap. We're here to enjoy the view, not make it weird."
"Hey, I'm just appreciating the scenery," Luca said, flashing her a grin as he snaked his arm around her waist. "But I guess I can do both."
They started picking their way down to the edge of the pool, but Emily stopped dead, crouching and yanking on his hand.
Luca nearly lost his balance as she pulled him down. "Whoa, what the fuck?"
She shushed him and pointed towards the water. "There they are," she whispered.
Then Luca saw them. Danny and Zoe, making out by the edge of the water, completely lost in each other. Holy shit. And fucking finally.
"Uh… maybe we should give them some privacy?" Luca choked out.
Emily grinned. "Come on, let's leave them to it and go enjoy the waterfall ourselves."
To avoid being seen, Emily and Luca snuck around to the other side of the lagoon. They reached the edge of the water and started shrugging off their protective armor and weapons. Emily went a step further, stripping down to her underwear.
"What are you doing?" Luca asked.
"I think it's time for a swim," Emily said, her grin turning wicked. "You should join me."
Luca shook his head, grinning. "I really should have bought swimsuits for the crew. This is becoming a habit."
Emily gave him a playful wink and slipped under the water with a splash, leaving him standing there like an idiot.
Fuck it. Luca removed the rest of his clothes down and dove in after her. He surfaced next to her, gasping, the cold water a welcome shock.
"Isn't this refreshing?" Emily exclaimed, laughing as she splashed him.
"Yeah," Luca said, a wide grin spreading across his face. "It feels amazing."
They swam around for a bit, enjoying the cool water. Then Emily suggested they try out the waterfall. The roar grew louder as they approached.
"Ready?" Emily asked, her voice buzzing with excitement.
They took one deep breath and dove under the cascading water. The force was incredible, pushing and pulling at them. They surfaced on the other side, below an overhang, laughing and shouting like little kids. This was just like New Hampshire; it felt like home.
They drifted closer, and Luca gently brushed his hand against Emily's cheek, then leaned in for a kiss.
The moment their lips met, it was like a bomb went off inside him. Her body, warm and slick, pressed against his as they swayed in the water, the waterfall drowning out everything else.
Emily broke away, breathless. She looked into his eyes with that mischievous glint, then dove under the water again. With a grin, Luca followed, and they were suddenly playing underwater tag.
Their laughter echoed in the small space behind the waterfall. At one point, Luca caught her by the waist from behind and pulled her close. They surfaced, gasping for air.
Luca wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her close.
"That was awesome," he said, kissing her neck as she leaned against him.
Luca looked out towards the waterfall and spotted movement. Danny and Zoe, also swimming in the lagoon and heading their way.
"Crap," he muttered, suddenly feeling exposed. Under the bright moonlight, there was no hiding much.
"Don't be a hypocrite," Emily teased. She clung to him, her legs wrapping around his waist as they floated. "Hey, you two!" she called out.
Zoe and Danny swam over, but Danny pointedly avoided looking directly at Luca. His cheeks were red, and Luca had a feeling he knew they'd seen them earlier.
"Hey, you guys!" Zoe said, all bright and cheerful.
"What a perfect evening to go for a swim," Emily said, her grin wicked. She was totally enjoying the power she had over the two guys at this moment.
"Should we head back to camp?" Danny asked, his voice strained.
"Nah, let's stay out here for a bit longer," Zoe replied, hanging off Danny's neck.
"I'm with Zoe on this one," Emily said. "We can't waste such a beautiful night."
They all started swimming around again. Danny was being quieter than usual. Emily noticed too and swam over to him.
"What's going on?" she asked.
"Did you guys… see us?" he asked, looking down.
Before Emily could answer, Luca jumped in. "Yeah, we did… we tried to give you space… Sorry about that, we didn't mean to intrude."
Emily looked at him with understanding. She glanced over at Danny. "It's okay. We understand. We were just having a bit of fun ourselves."
Danny let out a sigh of relief.
"We're good?" Danny asked Luca, finally making eye contact.
"Yeah, man, don't worry about it," Luca said with a smile, then punched him on the shoulder. "We're all human."
"Hey, what the fuck, man," Danny said, but he was smiling now, and he splashed Luca playfully.
Luca splashed him back, and they swam off, wrestling around like idiots.
"Boys…" said Zoe, watching them go with a sigh.
"So," said Emily, turning to Zoe with a knowing smile, "how was it? Finally got your moment?"
Zoe smiled and nodded. "Yeah. It was... amazing."
"I could tell," Emily said, grinning at her friend's flushed cheeks. "You were practically glowing when we saw you earlier."
Meanwhile, Luca had managed to pin Danny underwater. "Do you yield?" he yelled, when he finally let him up for air.
"Okay, okay, I yield," Danny said, gasping and laughing. "You pervert! Put some clothes on!"
Emily leaned her head against Luca's shoulder, letting out a contented sigh. "We should do this more often. Just... take a break."
"Agreed," Luca said, stroking her damp hair. "It's easy to forget what it's like to have a quiet moment."
After some time, they all made their way out of the water and put their clothes back on. They lay down on the moss to dry off under the stars.
Emily lifted her head to look at Luca. "You think we'll ever get a chance to relax? Like, back on Earth, where we could just... take a vacation and not worry about anything?"
Luca thought about it. "I hope so. But even if we don't, I think we'll find ways to make it work. Little moments like this."
She smiled, leaning in to kiss him softly. "I can live with that."
Back at camp, Ryan and Joey had returned with a Level 12 pig-like creature, grinning. "Dinner's served," Ryan announced.
"Level 12?" Danny noted, checking his scanner. "Local wildlife is leveling up fast."
As they prepared dinner, the camp settled into peaceful routine. Emily adjusted the Peregrin's spotlights while Joey checked the sensors for the fifth time. Ryan had gathered wood for a bonfire, arranging the logs in a perfect circle.
It was peaceful, like they'd carved out this tiny little haven in the middle of all the chaos New Dawn could throw at them.
Luca knew it wouldn't last. Peace never did, not for them.
The forest around them fell into an unnatural silence. No insects. No birds. Even the waterfall seemed muted.
Ryan was crouched by the unlit bonfire, plasma lighter in hand, about to ignite the kindling. Danny was still laughing, reaching down to help Zoe to her feet from the moss. "Come on, we should—"
Zoe's eyes went wide, staring at something behind him in the water.
Her scream split the night.
"DANNY! MOVE!"
In the moonlit reflection of the lagoon, something massive and angular rose from the depths. Chitinous. Bipedal. Its mantis-like head tilted as predatory eyes locked onto Danny's back.