thousand people crowded around the base of the
mountain waiting to see what would happen next. Word quickly spread through
the crowd the president wanted to personally escort the outsiders into the
second Southern Kingdom first. I could only assume it was a political move
designed to smooth over any ruffled feathers. I hoped the president succeeded
in bringing peace through diplomacy because I had failed miserably in my small
attempt.
“See you inside,”
Flash said to Zoe, giving her a quick smile.
Zoe nodded and
smiled back.
“Zoe and Flash
sitting in a tree, K-I S-S-I-N-G,” Kale said in a sing-song voice.
He was quickly
rewarded with a slap on the back of the head from Teegan.
“Hey, I was just
picking…” Kale defended, rubbing his head.
Teegan pointed a
finger at him and wagged it.
“Yeah yeah, I get
the message loud and clear,” Kale said.
“You’re such a
juvenile,” Kirk rolled his eyes at Kale.
Kale shrugged. “I
know. Can’t help it. It’s just who I am, man. Love me or leave me.”
Teegan wrapped an
arm around one of Kale’s. She had obviously made her choice.
Being near the
front of the crowd, we were able to watch as the President walked to a point at
the base of the mountain and placed his hand flatly against it. When he pulled
his hand away, a small, square lighted touch pad appeared in the stone. The President
quickly entered a code. The sound of grinding stone filled the air as a large
portion of the rock next to the touchpad was pulled inward and slid to the
right. The entrance seemed to be a little bit bigger than the size of one of
the transporters. From somewhere in the depths of the mountain, a light shined
brightly beckoning the newcomers to enter. Once all of the outsiders were
inside, those of us at the front of the awaiting crowd began to move forward
intent on following them in.
“Wait!” My father
called out. Everyone stopped and looked to him.
Gunshots from
within the mountain were heard but soon cut off by the closing of the large
rock wall door. Panic quickly spread through those of us left behind.
“Did they kill the
President?” Someone yelled.
“Are they just
going to leave us out here?” Someone else cried.
My father just
stood staring at the spot on the mountain where the entrance had been.
“Dad, what’s going
on?” I asked, pulling on the sleeve of his coat to regain his attention.
He looked down at
me. Tears welled in his eye as he shook his head. “I’m so sorry, Skye. I
wish I could protect you from the bad things of this world but I can’t. I’ve
tried but I can’t.”
“What are you
talking about? What’s happening?”
“They’re fates
were sealed when they took us hostage,” my father continued, his eyes becoming
vacant. “There wasn’t any other way.”
“Dad, what are you
talking about? What’s happening?”
My father turned
to the crowd. The look on his face was completely void of emotion like he was
hiding behind a mask of indifference.
“Everyone please
get back into your transporters. As soon as the president returns, we will be
heading to the secondary facility.”
People began to
yell at my father asking him where we were and what was happening inside the
mountain.
“Jon,” Doc Riley
said. “I thought this was the secondary habitation module. If it’s not, what
is it?”
The crowd went
silent awaiting my father’s answer.
“It’s a harvester
installation.”
It was like my
father had set a bomb off in the middle of the crowd. People ran for their
transporters not needing to know more. But I needed an explanation. I needed
him to face me and tell me the truth.
“Was this your
plan all along?” I asked my father. “Is that what the council was arguing
about: whether or not to bring the outsiders here?”
When my father
looked at me, I didn’t know who he was. His face was a mask of soullessness.
“We have to do
what’s best for
mountain waiting to see what would happen next. Word quickly spread through
the crowd the president wanted to personally escort the outsiders into the
second Southern Kingdom first. I could only assume it was a political move
designed to smooth over any ruffled feathers. I hoped the president succeeded
in bringing peace through diplomacy because I had failed miserably in my small
attempt.
“See you inside,”
Flash said to Zoe, giving her a quick smile.
Zoe nodded and
smiled back.
“Zoe and Flash
sitting in a tree, K-I S-S-I-N-G,” Kale said in a sing-song voice.
He was quickly
rewarded with a slap on the back of the head from Teegan.
“Hey, I was just
picking…” Kale defended, rubbing his head.
Teegan pointed a
finger at him and wagged it.
“Yeah yeah, I get
the message loud and clear,” Kale said.
“You’re such a
juvenile,” Kirk rolled his eyes at Kale.
Kale shrugged. “I
know. Can’t help it. It’s just who I am, man. Love me or leave me.”
Teegan wrapped an
arm around one of Kale’s. She had obviously made her choice.
Being near the
front of the crowd, we were able to watch as the President walked to a point at
the base of the mountain and placed his hand flatly against it. When he pulled
his hand away, a small, square lighted touch pad appeared in the stone. The President
quickly entered a code. The sound of grinding stone filled the air as a large
portion of the rock next to the touchpad was pulled inward and slid to the
right. The entrance seemed to be a little bit bigger than the size of one of
the transporters. From somewhere in the depths of the mountain, a light shined
brightly beckoning the newcomers to enter. Once all of the outsiders were
inside, those of us at the front of the awaiting crowd began to move forward
intent on following them in.
“Wait!” My father
called out. Everyone stopped and looked to him.
Gunshots from
within the mountain were heard but soon cut off by the closing of the large
rock wall door. Panic quickly spread through those of us left behind.
“Did they kill the
President?” Someone yelled.
“Are they just
going to leave us out here?” Someone else cried.
My father just
stood staring at the spot on the mountain where the entrance had been.
“Dad, what’s going
on?” I asked, pulling on the sleeve of his coat to regain his attention.
He looked down at
me. Tears welled in his eye as he shook his head. “I’m so sorry, Skye. I
wish I could protect you from the bad things of this world but I can’t. I’ve
tried but I can’t.”
“What are you
talking about? What’s happening?”
“They’re fates
were sealed when they took us hostage,” my father continued, his eyes becoming
vacant. “There wasn’t any other way.”
“Dad, what are you
talking about? What’s happening?”
My father turned
to the crowd. The look on his face was completely void of emotion like he was
hiding behind a mask of indifference.
“Everyone please
get back into your transporters. As soon as the president returns, we will be
heading to the secondary facility.”
People began to
yell at my father asking him where we were and what was happening inside the
mountain.
“Jon,” Doc Riley
said. “I thought this was the secondary habitation module. If it’s not, what
is it?”
The crowd went
silent awaiting my father’s answer.
“It’s a harvester
installation.”
It was like my
father had set a bomb off in the middle of the crowd. People ran for their
transporters not needing to know more. But I needed an explanation. I needed
him to face me and tell me the truth.
“Was this your
plan all along?” I asked my father. “Is that what the council was arguing
about: whether or not to bring the outsiders here?”
When my father
looked at me, I didn’t know who he was. His face was a mask of soullessness.
“We have to do
what’s best for
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