Chapter 64

Lily turned to see who was speaking, and was stunned to see a younger version of Darren standing on the other side of the cabin. He was wearing combat fatigues and had a rifle slung over one shoulder. Though he spoke to Lily, his attention was focused on the jungle outside.

“I’m guessing not.” She looked at Darren, then back at his clone. “So, what are you supposed to be? His lost childhood? Dreams of better days?”

“I’m the one who watches over him, ever since the war.” The clone frowned, then turned his attention to Lily. “The dreams are coming for him, you know. The venom keeps them at bay, helps to hide him from the shadows, but it isn’t the same. He used to think it was the venom that kept the darkness back, and maybe in the beginning it was. But death comes for all things, and when it took her away, he learned an inconvenient truth.”

“Are you talking about his wife?”

“Ana.” The clone laughed, then drew his gun and fired it out the window. The staccato bu