“I should probably go and find us a way out of here,” he says quietly. “I thought you should know that Callie is only a name to me. But Zandrea is a name that means so much more to me. Hope and inspiration. Love. I’m not asking for you to take me back. I’m just asking for a second chance, at least at being friends.”
He walks away, back to the big picture window. The ships outside rumble down the runway, jetting off somewhere into the galaxy. As far as I know, the war is still waging on the North side of the galaxy. The South has been safe for a while, but no one knows when war will strike next.
I walk along the length of a glass wall, overlooking the runways. Different size crates line the wall, each one labeled with different weapons and tools. I figure it’s the supplies for the soldiers in the war, brought to the areas where the fighting is the strongest. The Corps had already taken control over half of the galaxy when I returned home. The numbers must have grown immensely since then. I hope my mother is out of the war zones and in neutral territory. I push the thought away immediately; she’s dating the leader of the Corps, of course she’s safe.
I find an empty space between two crates and wedge myself into the snug area. Snow litters the ground outside, and the cold seeps in through the windows, making me shiver. Of the ships that are stationary, only a few remain on the runways, the snow covering them like a blanket. I bring my knees closer to my chest to keep warm, but the frosty glass prevents any warmth from reaching my body. I stare out at the runway until I drift off to sleep.
My mother always told me I had a creative imagination. I used to believe I was a superhero who could save our galaxy from any harm the Corps threw at us. I would make up stories about other heroes that lived far away. Kyle loved story night. I would dress up in a sheet that I used as a cape and tell the story of some guy that fought against the Corps. He would join me and act like my sidekick. He was too little to understand that the Corps was real and they needed heroes, real ones, to save the galaxy. To him, it was fake. An act. But to the rest of the galaxy, it was a real-life nightmare.
I let my dreams take me wherever they want. It starts out great, wonderful even. The Corps have long been deceased, and the peace that once was present had been restored. In my dream, I’m married to someone with light brown hair and big blue-green eyes. I couldn’t have asked for a happier dream right now, in the mix of all this mess. I can almost feel myself smiling in reality.
My dreams start to take a wrong turn a little later. I find out my husband is the leader of the Corps, and he’s planning to take revenge on the galaxy yet once again. I try to stop him and tell him it’s not worth the loss of so many lives. It reminds me of the woman I met in the cage. She told me she and her husband got into a fight, and he was the reason she was beaten and put into a cage with her children. I worry that I may turn out like her, beat and tired with no hope and nowhere to go.
I wake with a start later, hoping no one asks why. I stand up, my legs cramped from sitting in the same position for who knows how long. I find that most of our group has left the area I last saw them in. Only Kyle and Kelton sit on the ground, playing some kind of hand slapping game. I walk over to where they sit and watch them play. They pretend like they don’t notice me, though, which I guess is better. I have other things I need to worry about, things that are more important than a silly game.
“Do you want to play?” Kyle’s voice catches me off guard.
I stare at him blankly before finally finding my voice. “I guess,” I say, even though I’m not sure I want to. “How do you play?”
He explains the rules to me, but my mind is elsewhere. I nod along, pretending I’m listening, but all I can think about is how we’re going to get out of here.
“Do you get it?” Kyle’s voice interrupts my thoughts and snaps me back into focus.
“Oh sure, it’s simple,” I say absentmindedly.
“You weren’t listening at all, were you?” Kyle asks the question so nonchalantly I smile and laugh.
“It’s nothing personal,” I say after a few minutes. “I’ve just been really distracted lately.”
“No kidding,” Kelton chimes in. “I’ve been trying to get your attention for like the last two minutes as Kyle was explaining the game. I think you need more sleep or something.”
“I just need to get out of here,” I say tiredly. I rest my head in Kelton’s lap, and he smooths my hair like a mother would to her child. The touch soothes me, and I close my eyes, dreaming of home.
Chris sits in my father’s favorite chair. His hands are clasped and rest on the armrests of the chair. He looks almost comfortable, except his back is straight, alert, and his eyebrows furrow into each other. His eyes are fixed on something behind me, but I don’t turn to see what it is. I don’t need to. I already know what’s there.
“That’s my chair,” my father says calmly from behind me. “I need you to move.”
“That’s not going to happen,” Chris says back, calmly. The tones of their voices scare me. No one should be that calm while arguing with someone.
I step out of the way as my father moves gracefully toward Chris. Chris doesn’t move, not even flinch, as my father eyes him up and down, sizing him up. My father could probably take on Chris any day, but something is stopping him. That something is my mother.
Her entrance into the room draws the attention of both men, causing them to momentarily forget their differences. By the way they look at her, you would think she is the highest form of honor there is. My mother, being who she is, ignores their stares and steps farther into the room.
“I thought I heard bickering,” she says in a monotone voice. “I don’t allow bickering in my house.” Her eyes move back and forth between Chris and my father, not staying on either one for longer than necessary.
“We weren’t bickering,” Chris begins. “I was explaining that this is my chair and my house. He’s the one who got testy with me.”
“That is not true, and you know it,” my father chimes in. “None of that was true. That is not your chair, and this is most definitely not your house. I’m the one who bought it, and I intend to keep it.”
“You need to-” Chris starts, but my mother interrupts him.
“Chris is right, Jordan,” my mother says. “You left us, remember? Chris has taken your place, in my house, and especially in my heart. You can leave whenever you feel like it.” She turns on her heel and walks out of the room with just as much flair as she had when she walked in.
My father turns to run after her, but Chris puts his hand on my father’s shoulders. “From what I’ve learned, once she exits a conversation, she likes to leave it that way,” Chris says.
My father slaps Chris’s hand away and, in one smooth motion, punches Chris in the jaw. “Don’t ever touch me again,” my father growls. Chris holds his jaw with one hand and swings his other hand up to connect with my father’s nose. They begin fighting, each one taking a turn and holding their injuries with their free hand.
I try to shout above the noise, but my voice gets drowned out. I run outside before I’m forced to choose sides. I could care less about Chris, but I know now that my mother would side with him no matter what.
The chilly air outside freezes me to the bone, but I can’t go back to my house. I look over my shoulder at what once was my safe haven before I continue walking down the street and try to ignore my body’s cry for heat. I hear the shuffling of feet behind me and turn to see who’s following me.
“Kelton?” My voice comes out barely above a whisper. “What are you doing here?”
“I came to see how you’re doing,” he says casually. “Am I not allowed to do that?”
“Of course you are,” I reply. “I just wasn’t expecting to see you around here.”
“Yeah, I work up the road a little ways,” he says as he stuffs his hands in his pockets.
I nod and continue walking. I’m not sure where I’m going, but I have to get away from my house. Kelton trots up next to
me and slips his hand into mine. For once, I feel like we’re a normal couple, going for a walk in the cold, laughing about random things.
“I didn’t realize I was that funny,” a man in front of us says. I look from Kelton to the man, who I realize is Daniel.
“Hey Daniel,” I say in a relaxed tone. I haven’t seen him since we got back.
“Looks like you two are getting along just fine,” he says harshly.
“Obviously,” Kelton retorts, pulling me closer to his side. “People don’t hold hands because they hate each other.” His sarcasm makes me laugh until I see the look on Daniel’s face. “Also, people don’t do this if they hate each other.” His free hand moves to my chin, and his lips press against mine. Just like the first time we kissed, I can feel Daniel’s eyes on me, but this time I don’t feel great about the kiss. I just feel sad, because I know this is killing Daniel, and I know that all of the problems I have with Callie don’t compare to what he must be feeling.
About two seconds later, a force pulls Kelton away from me, fast. I open my eyes to find Daniel tackling Kelton to the ground. I step back, and my hands fly to my face, astonished by what is happening.
“Daniel!” I try to yell, but my voice gets lost in the air. “Daniel, stop!”
He glances up at me, hatred seeping in his eyes, and goes back to fighting Kelton, landing a punch square in his nose. I feel bad for even thinking this, but Kelton kind of deserves what Daniel is giving him. He doesn’t take jealousy lightly.
One time, a few years ago, as Daniel and I were at a ship repair shop on Techario, one of the workers came over to me and started flirting with me. I tried to smile, but I could see Daniel out of the corner of my eye. The scowl on his face was all I needed to see to know he was jealous. I quickly ended the conversation with the worker and walked over to where Daniel stood. He didn’t look at me for about a day after that until I finally broke him by threatening to leave.
It has always puzzled me how Daniel can pretend he has no interest in me until someone else tries to take me away from him. I’m like a dog on a leash, always having to do what my owner wants, instead of what I want. What Daniel has taught me though is how much I dislike being a dog on a leash.
I can’t stand to see Kelton get beat up, especially by Daniel, but I know that nothing I say or do will change anything; Daniel hates Kelton, and there is nothing I can do about it. I decide running is the best option for me.
I run toward the landing pad, which is only a few minutes from my house. The cold air burns my lungs as I take in breaths. The wind whips at my face, stinging it. Even though I am breathless and my legs feel like jelly, I keep pushing myself to go faster, further. I have to leave the life of fighting behind.
I see the landing pad about a block away, and relief overwhelms me. As I near the landing pad, I see someone who looks familiar.
“Kyle!” I shout, and my voice carries through the air. He turns to look at me and then lifts his hand to wave. With an extra burst of strength, I run even faster to catch up to him.
“Hey,” he says casually. “What are you doing here?”
“Trying to escape my past,” I say, realizing how deep that sounds.
“Um, okay,” he tries. “That’s nice. Anyway, how have you been?”
“Father found Chris in his chair and started fighting him,” I start. “I ran out of the house and found Kelton, who I walked with for a little, and then Daniel showed up. Kelton kissed me, Daniel tackled him, and, as far as I know, they’re still at it.”
“Well who can blame him,” Kyle snaps. “You and Kelton are always together, and it’s kind of making us both sick. And while you were planning your wedding, Mother was ill and could barely lift a finger. She asked about you all the time, like when you were coming back and if you were helping me at all. I simply answered with, ‘I don’t know’ and left it at that.”
“I’m sorry,” I say. “I don’t mean to be like that, but things have been different ever since we got back here. I saw Mother earlier today, before Chris and our father started fighting. She told Father that she had moved on without him; I thought that meant me too, since I had been gone for so long.”
“Well, if you weren’t so stuck up all the time and started to care about the other people in your life, besides Kelton, maybe things would be different,” he shouts. “You only care about yourself!”
“That is not true,” I say indignantly. “I do care about the other people in my life, but I’ve been busy lately. I’m back now and you still seem upset. Why?”
“You know exactly why,” he says quietly, but he’s still furious. “Don’t pretend that because you’ve been gone for so long, you have no idea what’s happening.”
“I’m not pretending,” I say, my voice a half step louder than necessary. “But I will pretend that everything is fine if you don’t tell me something soon.”
“I’m surprised he hasn’t told you anything,” Kyle says. “I thought you would have been the first person he would tell anything to. He really hasn’t told you anything?”
“Who? Tell me what?”
“Kelton!” he yells. “Kelton hasn’t told you anything, has he? About taking over the galaxy again?”
“What are you talking about?” I ask incredulously.
“From what I’ve heard,” Kyle says, his voice a whisper. “He wants to do what his father never could. He wants to enslave every planet in our universe and to make them each work for him. He’s already taken control of Demephebis and plans to enslave more.”
I gasp at this news, because Demephebis is one of the most heavily fortified planets in our universe. Chris could never enslave Demephebis because of its security measures and the fact that most of our soldiers come from there. Kyle said something about how Kelton’s father could never do something that he can. I haven’t met Kelton’s father, or have I? I gasp again.
I wake with a start, my heart beating too fast. Kelton sits in the same place he did before I fell asleep, my head still in his lap. He looks down at me, concern filling his eyes. I sit up and look around for Kyle.
“Are you okay?” he asks.
The truth is I don’t think I am. Being away from home for this length of time with long days and short nights has finally taken its toll. I don’t like seeing people I care about worried or concerned, though. “Yeah, I’m fine. I just thought I overslept or something.”
He looks at me for a little longer before standing up. He offers me his hand, but I waive his offer away. I just feel like sitting and thinking. Somehow, I think he understands this and walks away without saying anything. I cross my legs and put my elbows on my knees, my hands holding my head upright.
My mind races with thoughts of my mother, back at home; of Kyle, who appeared in my dream and has now disappeared; and of my father, who has tried so hard to get back to us all of these years. I think about how my mother wrote him off years ago, because she assumed he was dead. She never tried to go looking for him or me for that matter. I’m beginning to wonder if she ever wanted us to come back or if she would have been happy if we stayed away forever. I refuse to believe this. My mother loved both my father and me; she cried the days we decided to leave. It was Chris who changed her point of view. It’s Chris who has been killing innocent people for a living with the war that he started. And it’s Chris who will pay for everything he has done.
As I snap out of my thoughts, I overhear Daniel talking to my father. “I cannot believe that’s how you two met,” Daniel exclaims.
“Oh yeah, it was a very funny story,” my father says. “She felt so bad, and I felt so bad for her that I had to see her again. We laughed about it every time I came in.”
“So she really spilled a steaming cup of coffee on you, and you still came back,” Daniel replies. “I would’ve found some new place to drink my coffee after that.”
“That’s just it,” my father says. “If I had, I never would have married the woman I love to this day, and Zandrea and Kyle wouldn’t e
xist. And who knows, maybe she did it on purpose.” He stares off into space for a while before noticing me.
“Zandrea,” my father declares. “We were just talking about how your mother and I met. I’ve told you the story before, right?”
“I’m not sure, maybe,” I say absentmindedly.
He laughs before launching into the romantic story of my parents falling in love because my mother spilled coffee on him and felt terrible, which led him to come in every day just to see her.
“Ah, yes,” my father sighs. “Samantha was the light of my life. I should never have let her go.” He looks down, as if ashamed by what he did. Kyle puts his arm around my father.
“She doesn’t blame you, and neither do we,” Kyle says sympathetically. “I think she understood what had to be done. You were trying to protect us. It wasn’t your fault that they tricked you.”
“Yeah, I guess you’re right,” he replies. “I just wished I had tried harder to break free. I was gone for so long. I didn’t get to see you or your sister grow up, and that has been my biggest regret. That is something that can’t be reversed.”
“From what I’ve heard,” Kyle says. “I was pretty annoying as a toddler, so I don’t think you missed much there.”
My father laughs his tired laugh and hugs Kyle. “I’m so lucky to have you,” he says quietly.
Max returns later, with news about the ship he and David managed to steal. “So I have good news and bad news. Good news, we’ve found a ship that should get us to our destinations. Bad news is we don’t have a pilot to fly the ship.”
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