The Sky Drifter (24 page)

I didn’t want to know who she was any-more. I just wanted her to disappear as she’d said she would and stay gone. I wanted her to stop whatever game she played and let me get back to my life.

I’d almost reached the mysterious girl, who still held my gaze as she continued to point at something in front of her, when I crashed into the solid back of a bulky Bellua and stumbled into the crowd behind me. Regaining my balance, I desperately fumbled forward and around the Bellua, but it was too late. The mysterious girl was gone.

I walked the few remaining steps to where she’d been standing, looking up the street and down the dim alleyway, but there was no sign of her. I saw what she’d been pointing to. Looking down beside a crate that sat along the edge of the wall to the alleyway, I saw
something I couldn’t even begin to understand.

In the space between the terracotta wall and dusty ground directly in front of it was a hole. Its shape kept changing, becoming bigger and smaller along different parts of its contours as its cubed edges vanished and reappeared again.

Inside the hole lay no surface I’d ever seen anywhere aboard the
Sky Drifter
before. A slick, jet-black metallic surface extended past the confines of the hole, fading into inky darkness beyond.

Slowly, I took a step toward it, craning my neck to look behind, only to find the wall itself. Taking a step back, I looked at it with complete puzzlement. I wasn’t the best at Quantum Mechanics class, but I’d paid enough attention to know this sort of thing didn’t just
happen
. As diverse as life aboard the
Sky Drifter
was, and as much as it had traveled and visited various planets and galaxies, nothing even remotely close to a random floating hole had ever existed—unless you wanted to count black holes, which this wasn’t.

If the mysterious girl had put it there, I couldn’t begin to imagine who, or what, she was. Her capabilities far exceeded my understanding. What was its purpose? She’d clearly wanted me to see that thing. What was she trying to tell me? Or was the idea just to mess with my mind?

Maybe it was curiosity, or maybe a part of me wanted to prove that what I saw was real, but whatever it was, it caused me to kneel in front of the hole and tentatively reach toward it. The closer I got to it, the hotter my hand became until finally my fingers crossed the hole’s blistery threshold.

“Seven?” All of a sudden, Iris’ voice came from somewhere up the street, sounding close to where I was.

“Iris!” I called out, standing back up and taking a couple of steps toward the street. Looking up and ahead, I saw her walking through the crowd. “Iris!” I repeated. She turned to face me and headed toward where I stood.

“Seven, what happened? What’s wrong? Why did you run off like that?”

“I saw her again, Iris!”

“Saw who?” she replied, looking puzzled.

“The strange girl I told you about! She was here—she stood right here!”

“Calm down, Seven.”

I realized I shouted, so I lowered my voice. “She was
here
, and look.” I turned and pointed down at the hole. Iris took a couple of steps inside the alleyway and looked at where I pointed. “See?” I whispered excitedly, keeping my gaze on her. “She did it and pointed at it when I saw her so I’d see it!”

For a moment, Iris stood completely still, her brow furrowed, as she stared where the hole was. She wasn’t just still—she was frozen. Her eyes didn’t blink, her chest didn’t move back and forth.  Just as I’d decided something was wrong and opened my mouth to say something, Iris blinked, and said in monotone, “I don’t see anything.”

“Iris, it’s right
there
.” I opened my hand and looked down, emphasising where the hole was, but it was gone. “What?” I exhaled, baffled.

Without moving her head, Iris turned her eyes to look at me, furrowing her brow even more. “I don’t know what you want me to see. Seven, there’s nothing there.”

“It was
right there
! I promise, Iris. It was right
there
!”

“Seven, calm down,” Iris repeated. “You’re making me nervous. Maybe it was the crate’s shadow. Is
that
what you mean?”

“No, Iris—”

“Seven, I’m really worried about you. I thought you were better, but that’s obviously not the case. You
have
to see the nurse. You
have
to speak to someone about this.”

I didn’t understand. I looked back down at where the hole had been, feeling as if I wanted to cry, blinking hard to make sure it had really gone. I’d even felt the heat that came from inside it, hadn’t I? How could it just have vanished?

“You’re…You’re starting to scare me, Seven.”

I looked pleadingly back at Iris, my body feeling increasingly numb. “Iris…I…”

“Come on, Seven, let’s go to the nurse. She’ll know what to do.” Iris placed her warm hand on my shoulder, looking at me with serious concern.

I was so confused. I didn’t know if the mysterious girl had somehow made the hole appear, only to then make it disappear so I was the only one who saw it, or whether it all really
was
in my mind. One thing I did know, however, was that I didn’t want to involve the nurse. Once she found out, she’d undoubtedly tell the other staff, and it would all escalate from there. I knew then that I was alone.

What I needed was space to think, so I did the only thing I could think of to get out of going to see her—I lied through my teeth. Raising both my eyebrows and managing a huge grin, I turned my head slightly, and animatedly said, “Aah. Gotcha!”

The serious expression on Iris’ face remaining unchanged. “What do you mean?”

“Man, I can’t believe how easily you
fell
for that!” I continued and then laughed.

Raising an eyebrow in doubt, Iris asked, “Really?”

“Ha, ha, you should have seen your face. You were completely
hooked
!”

“Seven.” Iris lowered her eyelids and looked down at her feet. “Are you just saying that?”

“I have to say,” I continued, “I’m touched by how much you care about my well-being.”

Raising her eyes to look at me again, Iris gave a slight grin, torn between being upset that I’d tricked her and being relieved it was only a joke. “Seven!” she exclaimed in mock distress as she playfully slapped my arm. “I can’t believe you
did
that! I was
really
worried!”

“Ha, ha, sorry. Just keeping you on your toes.” I winked.

“Is that why you ran away suddenly then? You looked so serious.”

“Well, I had to sell it, didn’t I? Otherwise you wouldn’t have fallen for it!” I forced the most natural laughter I could. My mind still spinning from what had just happened, I didn’t know how much longer I’d be able to put up a front before Iris saw through it. I had to leave. “Okay, Iris, I have to go. I’m so exhausted and definitely need some sleep.”

Still clearly torn between what to believe, Iris smiled and said, “Okay, Seven, get some rest. And never
do
that to me again!” She slapped my arm once more.

“Ha, ha, okay, I’ll try to try.” I winked. Before she could say anything, I added, “Okay, see you later. Have an awesome time at Shabli’s, Iris.” I turned and headed along the busy street to my quarters, my mind filled with unanswerable questions.

“HELLO, SEVEN.”

I put on some guitar blues, sat on the side of the bed and stared at the floor ahead, unable to think.

“Are you okay, Seven?”

My mind was filled with flashes of the strange events that had happened, and the more I tried to remember them, the less certain I became of what was real or what was imagined.

“You appear ill, Seven. Are you okay?”

“Hmm? Hi, Ava.”

“Is something wrong, Seven?”

“It’s nothing,” I replied vaguely.

“Would you like to talk about it, Seven?”

“There’s nothing to talk about, Ava.”

“You appear ill,” she repeated. “Shall I call the academy nurse?”

“Seriously, Ava, I’m not ill and there’s
nothing
wrong. Can you please just drop it?”

“I am worried, Seven. I will call the academy nurse.”

“
Don’t
. Look, you really want to know what’s wrong? I don’t know what’s what any-more—
that’s
what’s wrong. Happy?”

“I don’t understand, Seven. Please elaborate.”

“I…” I sighed, knowing I wouldn’t get any peace until Ava got what she wanted. “Okay, Ava, look. Remember that girl I saw outside the window? Well, I’ve seen her a few times since. In fact, I just saw her again in town, pointing to some floating hole that disappeared right before Iris showed up. So now she thinks I’m crazy. And I’m starting to think she’s right. I’m losing my mind.” I rested my elbows on my knees and cupped my hands over my face as the sounds of Elmore James’ slide guitar filled the otherwise silent
room.

“What do you think she wants, Seven?”

“I have
no
idea. Wait. You believe me?” I asked, raising my head.

“Of course, Seven. I believe you.”

Exhaling a breath of relief, I said, “Well, then you’re about the only one who does.”

“What do you think she wants, Seven?” repeated Ava.

“I told you, I don’t know. I bet she just—”

“Have you had contact with her, Seven?” Ava interrupted.

“Well, you won’t believe this, but she blew up part of the academy, supposedly so she could talk to me. Can you bel—”

“Was that when you were in town looking for her, Seven?”

“Yeah, it was right after I—” My heart almost jumped out of my chest at hearing Ava’s question. I hadn’t told her I’d gone looking for the mysterious girl, and no one had been in my quarters to tell her.

“Have you spoken with her, Seven?” Ava persisted.

My heart beat so fast I was almost hyperventilating as I felt the blood drain from my face. I didn’t know how she knew, but Ava had information she had no way of having. Something was very wrong. My every instinct screamed not to tell her the truth and to get out of there as quickly as possible.

“No, I saw her coming toward me, but for whatever reason, she turned and vanished down a street.”

“How did you know she caused the explosion, Seven? How do you know she did it to talk to you?”

I tried to remain as calm and casual as possible as I continued to lie to Ava. “I just put two and two together, Ava. I mean, it was pretty obvious, you know?”

There was a pause that seemed to last an eternity before she said, “What did the hole look like, Seven?”

I stood and casually stretched my arms. “Oh that? I didn’t really have a good look at it. It disappeared just after I got there. Iris thinks I imagined it. I’m starting to think she may be right.” I laughed nervously. When Ava didn’t say anything, I continued, “Well, I guess I’ll go buy some food as I’m pretty sure the kitchen’s empty.” I walked toward the front door, and as I opened it said, “See ya, Ava,” I left for the last time.

Looking down at the path ahead, lost in a thousand thoughts, I rapidly left my quarters. No sooner had I done so, however, when I crashed into something hard. I immediately raised my head to see the burly, stone figure of a Morex looking down at me, growling with obvious contempt.

Before I had any chance of figuring out what it was doing right outside my quarters, a heavy blow fell on my head, and I fell unconscious to the ground.

***

“Wake up, Simian!”

The altogether unpleasant sound of One’s voice bounded and echoed around my aching skull, making me wince. I slowly opened my eyes and saw the hard black grid of the arena’s sphere.

“Well, well, looks like our little star is awake. Welcome, princess.”

I propped myself up and placed a hand to my throbbing head. “What is this?”

“Has being a twinkling little star gone to your head, Simian? I’ll be asking the questions, which you’ll answer like a good little monkey.” One’s sarcastic tone was filled with venomous contempt. “Get up!”

“What are you talking about?” I groaned, still on the floor, “What do you want?”

“I said get up!”

“Ugh, keep it down, will you?” I said, slowly getting to my feet.

“Ooh, what’s the matter? Does our little star’s head hurt?”

“Thanks no doubt to one of your goons, yes. Now, what did you want again?” I asked, rubbing my neck.

“Shut your
pathetic
Simian mouth. I’ll be asking the questions.”

“Questions? You got me all the way down here to ask some questions? What are you, crazy?”

“I said
shut up
!”

One’s echoing voice resounded in my ears, causing me to wince again. I didn’t know what he could possibly want to ask me, but I thought the quicker he did, the faster I’d be out of there. Besides, I wasn’t going anywhere until he got what he wanted. Looming around outside the sphere were the two Morex.

I had far more urgent problems to worry about than him, so in the interest of moving things along, I said, “Okay, okay. Ask away.”

“Do you think you’re being funny, Simian? Do you think this is a
joke
?”

“No, no. I just really want you to ask me whatever it is you want to ask me, that’s all.”

“Well, aren’t you being cooperative like a good boy. Don’t think you can just shrug this off and lie, though, Simian. I’ll know if you’re lying.”

“Whatever. Just ask.”

“Who’s the girl?”

“What girl?” I replied curtly with the foolish hope he meant any other girl, except the one I sought to find.

If he did mean her, however, I’d have to add yet another weight to the already massive bulk that I struggled to carry in my mind. Unlike Ava, whose persistent questions both puzzled and scared me, One’s bold, violent attempt at extracting information about the mysterious girl, aside from being baffling, would irritate me greatly. As far as I was concerned, she was none of his business.

“Are you really as dumb as you look? The girl you’ve been seeing! Black hair, red coat.
Who is she
?”