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The Intergalactic Space Cadet
League
by Jennifer McKenzie
CHAPTER 6
The dungeon
door opened with a creak. The
bony robot entered the tiny hole in the door and handed the food through
the door on a metal plate. Natilinia
picked it up excitedly. The plan was about to begin.
Jao reached his
arm through the food slot and felt a small electric pulse. "Be
careful," He heard Mellia say, "There's a strong electric field
on the slots."
"It
doesn't affect me," Jao said. "My arm is mechanical."
Suddenly, he felt a heavy metal object in his hand. It was a silver
necklace, with a tiny glass star that acted like a prism, reflecting a
small rainbow across Jao's dark cell. He waited until the robots had all
left, and then placed the star in front of the laser barrel. He pressed
the back of his elbow, and a tiny red dot of light went through the star,
and slowly got bigger and bigger until it hit the lock with a shower of
sparks. Quickly, he pushed the door open, and released the others.
"Now
what?" Kethlain said, taking a good look at Mellia.
She looked like a human, except with much longer hair, and it was
blond. She looked about their
age. Her skin was bright
orange, and the wings on her back were silver.
"Follow
me." Mellia said. The hall was marked with 'Date: 1223’
“Today
is 1223.” Said Kethlain.
“That’s
when they plan to kill us.” Mellia said. Kethlain felt a shiver run up
his spine.
She led
them down six or seven narrow, short passageways, until the big
crossroads. Many MURTH guards
patrolled slowly up and down the passageways here. Timing their sprints
carefully, they each ran across, one by one. "Almost home."
Mellia whispered.
"How do
you know?" Natilinia asked her.
"I have
memorized the map of the MURTH Headquarters."
"One more
thing." Kethlain whispered. "We are on Earth, am I right?"
"Yes."
"Well,
once we're free, how do we get back to Quandoia?"
" It looks
like we'll have time, so go on,” said Jao.
"Well, as
soon as we exit the side entrance, we follow the stream until we get to
the escape pods. Then, we pilot the pods to Quandoia."
"Alright."
Natilinia said. "No more talk. We have to be quiet."
For an hour,
the guards kept circling, until the change shift bell went off.
"Go!" Mellia said. They dashed across the huge hall, entering yet another hidden
passage.
"How much
farther?" Kethlain whispered.
"Just past
two more rooms. The engine room and the one room with no name on the map.
By now they've discovered us. The doors are going to close fast,
especially in the engine room."
"Then
let's go!"
The four ran
through the door. Suddenly, they skidded to a stop on the narrow ledge over a
huge, humming, glowing, purple engine.
The jump to the other side was impossibly far, and to make matters
worse, the doors on both sides were slowly closing.
"What are
we gonna do?!?" Kethlain yelled.
"Calm
down. I can fly you all across. If I hurry-"
"Then
go!" Kethlain said, grabbing Mellia's leg.
Mellia strained to pick up Kethlain's weight, but slowly, she rose
into the air and, barely wavering, flew across.
Instantly, Kethlain looked, then jumped through the door.
Jao took hold of Mellia's leg next, and was slowly flown across.
"Hurry!"
Natilinia yelled, seeing the almost closed door.
"I'm
trying!" Mellia yelled back. Natilinia was so close.. the door was
closing.. No way she could make it in time...SHOVE!
"Hey!"
Natilinia yelled. "What was that?..." Wait. She was on the other
side of the closed door. Mellia!
"Mellia!"
"I'm
okay." Natilinia heard a faint voice...from the other side of the
door! No! She was...she
was.....
"Leave."
Mellia said. "Go. Forget me. Just go."
"I-I.."
"Go."
Natilinia could hear someone softly crying.
"Goodbye."
Natilinia said, quietly. "Goodbye."
And suddenly
there was a blood-curling scream.
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