Page 42 of Sweet Poison
We start walking towards the tent together, and as we approach, I can see three figures moving swiftly around inside.The sound of zippers and the clinking of metal fills the air. Bernie, Cleo, and Maya are already at work.
Bernie is hunched over a laptop, his fingers flying over the keyboard. He looks up briefly, a grin spreading across his face as he signs, “Ah, Willow. Ethan. Good morning! We were starting to think we’d have to start without you.”
I wave and smile in greeting.
Ethan speaks first while signing for my benefit. “Morning. You guys been here long?”
Our eyes move toward Cleo, who is crouched over a set of mushroom specimens, adjusting a microscope. At Ethan’s voice, she glances up and waves us over. “Not really and you got here just in time. We’ve got the preliminary data coming in, but we need you to help us validate the readings.”
Maya is next to Cleo, organizing samples and jotting down notes. She looks up with a spark of enthusiasm. “Everything is almost set. We’ll soon be able to see if our data on these endangered babies reveals any new insights.”
“Good.” I sign back to her, matching her excitement.
Bernie then waves towards a mess of equipment. “We’re running final tests on the soil samples we gathered and checking the viability of our species collection. We need to ensure everything is accurate before we start the main data collection. I can’t wait for the results.”
The excitement in the tent is infectious, and I can’t help but smile.
Ethan nods, already moving to assist Bernie with the setup. “I’ll start with the soil samples. Willow, could you double-check the specimen tags and make sure we’re tracking everything correctly?”
I nod, taking the stack of data sheets from Maya. “I’ll make sure everything is in order and ready for tonight’s observations.” I sign.
Maya beams and signs back. “Thank you.”
As I start organizing the specimen tags by color, I can’t help but think of my notes and the focus of our research. We’re here to study rare and endangered mushrooms, highlighting their ecological roles and the impact their extinction could have on ecosystems. At the same time, we’re also exploring the parallels between fungi and human biology—a project that I believe has the potential to uncover astonishing new insights for science. The thought of uncovering how mushrooms mirror human systems is both thrilling and humbling. I’ve always felt a rare connection to them and I hope more people will understand their value to nature after this.
As I keep busy with my task, the tent’s warm glow is interrupted by a loud, jarring sound—like a gust of wind or a distant thunder. My head snaps up from the specimen tags, and I see Ethan and Bernie’s faces shift to ones of confusion. The noise grows louder, and then the tent flaps are pulled aside with a sharp snap.
In the doorway stands Madden.
I blink twice and glance at the others to see if they’re also seeing the same thing or if I’m stuck in a daydream. They all wear looks of surprise as well.
So, he’s really here and he’s not a beautiful figment of my imagination.
The first thing I notice is that his usual polished business attire is replaced by casual sportswear—black sweatpants, a fitted athletic shirt to match, and sneakers. It’s weird seeing him dress so normal.
As usual, his expression is unreadable, and his black eyes lock onto mine with an intensity that sends a shiver down my spine. For a moment, I’m frozen, caught between his magnetic pull and the surprise of his intrusion.
Ethan is the first to recover, breaking through the stunned silence. “What are you doing here?”
Bernie steps forward, glaring at Ethan. “I think Ethan meant to say, Good morning, Mr. Hunt. What a pleasure to have you here.”
Ethan rolls his eyes, and I can’t help but wonder about his sudden bursts of anger towards Madden. Thinking about it, he's been rude every time Madden has approached our group.
Huh.
Madden’s gaze remains fixed on me as he steps fully into the tent, the flaps falling back into place behind him. His voice is calm but carries a weight that immediately grabs everyone’s attention. “I’ll be joining your team for today.”
The tent erupts into murmurs. Cleo’s eyes widen in disbelief, and Maya exchanges an excited glance with Bernie. I can’t seem to tear my eyes away from Madden, my mind racing with a thousand questions. Why is he here? What does he want from us? And why is he looking at me as if I’m the only person in the room?
Ethan steps forward, his brow furrowing. “Joining us? But why? This is a scientific expedition, not a social event.”
This time, I am the one who glares. Whatever issue he has with Madden, he should be professional enough to set it aside for the research. Besides, I don’t like anyone treating Madden that way. Not at all. He’s been hurt enough.
Madden’s gaze finally shifts from me to Ethan, and the sudden cold stare makes my stomach drop. “I’ve taken an interest in your research. I’d like to see it firsthand.” He then turns his attention back to me. “If you don’t mind, of course.”
The room falls silent again, the weight of his words hanging in the air. My pulse quickens as I wonder why someone as important—and undoubtedly busy—would take an interest in our research.
When the silence starts to turn uncomfortable, I step in. “Mr. Hunt, with all due respect, our research might take quite a while, and it may not be what you expect.”
