by Lynn Moon
We stand for a few seconds so I can adjust to my new surroundings. Students and teachers are walking around shopping or eating. Some are just talking or sitting. People seem content.
“Well, what do you think?” he asks.
“Wow.”
“We really need to work on your vocabulary,” he adds. “Come and let me show you the other buildings.”
By the time we finish strolling through the campus, eat lunch and walk the grounds, it’s time to leave. That day, I discover Takoda’s easy to talk to, and he listens to what I have to say. He tells me about his family and how it saddens him his little sister will never know their mother. He explains how my father used to work with his father at the Government center. I tell him about Earth and how I think people here seem to love blue jeans so much. A new fad, apparently.
I find it odd he never mentions his home planet of Journey. It’s okay, because I just want to know about him.
“I want to be your friend,” he says, as we ride the train home. “You have a good heart. I enjoy my time with you. Will you please be my friend?”
“I thought we were already friends?” I’m surprised he thought he had to ask. Then I remember I’m not on Earth anymore and quickly add, “Yes, Takoda, I will be your friend.”
We sit together the rest of the way home holding hands. When we get back into his jeep, I ask, “Will Anneeta be okay with us being friends? Am I safe being your friend?”
“You have no worries from Anneeta. You are the daughter of a Council member, it would be very bad for her if she does not show you the respect you deserve.”
Although I understand, his answer doesn’t make me feel any better. Kickboxing, I say to myself. I must learn kickboxing. But do they even offer a class for that here? I will have to check it out once I’m officially enrolled.
6
TUTORIAL
THE MORNING sun woke me early. It’s my first day of school and the mystery only adds to my excitement. Dad will be taking me my first day, and I’m a little anxious to see if I will run into Takoda.
We really seemed to hit it off, and it would be easier for me to make it through the day with someone to talk to—or hide behind. As my anticipation grows, my heart also sinks as I remember Anneeta. But I can’t worry about her now. Even if she does make my first day a nightmare, there isn’t much I can do about it.
I pull the uniform that Abeytu dropped off for me out of my closet. Black isn’t my color, but I’m stuck with it. It’s not bad, not really. The slacks are tight fitting and flare a little at the ankles. The jacket reminds me of an elevator man’s uniform with gold buttons down the left side, not in the middle. We’re to wear a lightweight, dark-blue turtleneck, which is very soft and comfortable. There’s even a cute little hat that reminds me of an old English army beret with the school logo.
Standing in front of my mirror, I feel a little awkward. But I look good. The outfit compliments my rather thin frame. We picked up some black boots for me when we went into town the other day, and I’m zipping them up when my dad enters my room.
“Ready for the big day, sweetheart?” he asks.
“Do I have a choice?” I reply. “This uniform is surprisingly comfortable, though.”
“I think the clothing here is better than back home,” he replies with a grin.
We head for the kitchen. Makayah’s just finished eating. I smile as I admire her red school jumper and plaid knee-socks. The outfit matches her spunky personality.
“Good morning.” Abeytu greets us from the front door.
“Good morning, Abeytu my friend,” my dad replies pouring coffee. “Would you like a cup?”
“Don’t accept it unless you like Earth coffee,” I warn with a smile. “Where we come from, it is not an insult if you say ‘No, thank you.’”
He nods with a smile. Abeytu seems to have a good sense of humor. “Coffee is good, Miss Journey.” Dad hands him a cup and he coos a long drawn out sigh as he takes a sip, “Mmm, very good, thank you.”
I have to laugh. I know, his moan of delight is for me.
“You are welcome,” my father replies. “It looks like Makayah is ready to go. Right, Sport?”
“Yep,” Makayah answers, jumping up from the table and running to give Abeytu a hug. “Let’s go Abeytu. Bye, Dad, see yah, Journey.”
“I guess we are off then,” Abeytu says, nodding.
“Perhaps we should be going too,” Dad says as I finish my toast and juice.
“Are we taking the train?”
“Yes,” he replies. “And we need to get a move on. I have a car waiting to take us to the station. Ready?”
“Ready as I’ll ever be, I guess.” I follow him out the cabin door and into the cool crisp morning air.
The ride to school is uneventful, and I’m soon registered for classes and saying goodbye to my dad. I reassure him I know my way home. He kisses me on the cheek, and I watch him walk away. It feels good to be alone, but also a little scary.
Although I’ve always thought that uniforms were for geeks, I think I’m going to like wearing one. Everyone all dressed up makes the classes seem more official. My guide escorts me to my first class, which is at the back of the campus. Although the buildings are made from large stones and are huge, the classrooms look like any other classroom back on Earth. Swetaachata Culture is on the fifth floor, and the class is small with only fifteen students, which is a good thing. I’m already intimidated enough.
Math is next, then philosophy and right before lunch is ancient history. These classes were much larger, about forty students in each. When I enter ancient history, I accidentally bump into the person in front of me, and when she turns around my heart explodes. It’s Anneeta.
“Excuse me,” I say, trying to evade her while desperately searching for some place to hide. But she refuses to budge, and I have nowhere to go.
“There is no excuse for you,” she snickers. If looks could kill, I would be several feet under right now. In fact, I should have fallen straight through this planet.
Out of defense and not knowing what else to do, I lower my head and wish that my first class each morning was kickboxing. Like a complete idiot, I stand there holding up the students trying to get into the classroom. My worst nightmare is coming true—I’m causing a scene on my first day.
“Please, Anneeta. I really am sorry for bumping into you,” I look behind me for some kind of support. But no one seems very anxious to help. She’s taller than me and I’m frightened. Before I can say I’m sorry again, an arm wraps around my waist and a strong bluish-green hand shoves Anneeta away.
“The lady apologized to you, Anneeta, get out of her way. I will report you to the authorities if you continue with this unacceptable behavior.” Takoda is almost yelling at her as he escorts me into the classroom.
Thank God, I’m saved at last.
“Want to sit with me, my friend?” His warm smile is what I really need at this exact moment.
“Yes, most definitely.” I know I’m smiling no matter how hard I try not to.
“Good. Lunch is next so we can sit together then,” he adds, as he glares over his shoulder at Anneeta. When he looks back, he whispers, “Having a friend is a good thing.”
“Yes, it is.” I glance over at Anneeta and feel as though I’ve accomplished something. But I’m sure the only thing I’ve accomplished is inviting an early death upon myself. But it’s great to be with Takoda again. So I don’t really care.
The class is interesting, and I take lots of notes. Throughout the whole class, I can’t help but feel the heat bouncing off the back of my head as Anneeta continues to stare at me.
“I think I’m doomed,” I say, as we shove our tablets into our packs.
Glancing over at Anneeta and then back at his pack, he laughs.
“It’s not funny. She’s going to cream me,” I whimper.
“She looks worse than she really is,” he explains, as we walk out the door and head toward the cafeteria. “She’s
really quite harmless.”
Not believing a word, I accept that my life is officially over.
Fresh fruit and a bread roll compose my lunch, but Takoda has a plate full of just about everything. We talk about our lives, from pets to kid sisters. Unfortunately, the lunch hour passes all too quickly. Every second is wonderful, and I never want it to end. It does, and Takoda’s soon escorting me to my next class, which is Swetaachata literature.
“What do you have after this?”
I read over my class roster on my tablet.
“General science with Professor Trippett.”
“She’s really nice. I’ll be waiting for you when your class ends, and we can ride home together. Is that acceptable to you?”
“It is,” I answer.
I watch him walk away. It feels good having him in my life. I enter my classroom and a young girl says hello from the front row.
“Hi,” I reply.
“You’re Takoda’s friend.”
It isn’t a question, but I answer anyway.
“We just met a few days ago.” I’m a little worried she may be a friend of Anneeta’s, but she seems nice so far.
“My name’s Tryanna,” she says. “With a y not an e. You can sit here if you want.”
“Sure.” I decide taking a seat next to her is probably safe.
“I can’t believe Takoda is your friend,” she says. “He was Anneeta’s little pet for quite a while.”
“I know. Anneeta doesn’t like me at all,” I reply, dropping my backpack onto the floor next to the chair.
“Anneeta doesn’t even like herself,” Tryanna adds with a giggle. “In fact, I don’t think many people around here like her. We all avoid her like the plague. She’s double trouble.”
“Don’t I know it,” I state, as the teacher enters the room and begins unloading her material.
“I heard that Takoda dumped her,” she explains, then asks, “You’re not from around here are you?”
I shake my head. “I’m from Earth.”
“So am I, what part?” she asks. “I mean, from where?”
“North Carolina.”
“Really? Too cool, I’m from Utah. My dad’s a scientist. He’s on some kind of a research exchange program. So here we are.” I instantly like Tryanna.
“My dad’s from…” and that’s when it dawns on me. I have no idea where my father’s from. “My mom’s from here. So here we are. My name’s Journey, by the way.”
“What subject do you have next?” she asks as she pulls out her tablet.
“General science with Professor Trippett,” I answer, mimicking her by pulling out my tablet.
“So do I! We could walk together if you want.”
I agree because it would probably be a good idea to keep witnesses around for the next time I run into Anneeta.
Swetaachata literature is a breeze because I love to read. I’m anxious to experience the new stories, so I know that homework will not be a chore for this class. The science class is a little more difficult, but I tolerate it. Before I know it, time is up, and Takoda’s waiting for me as promised, with a smile. Although I never thought it possible, Takoda is even more handsome in his school uniform.
“Hey there,” he says leaning against a pole and looking eatable.
“Ready?”
“Always,” he answers, melting my heart with his warm voice. “By the way, what are you doing this weekend? Want to spend it with me? I’d love to show you around. It would not be good for publicity if the Council’s daughter were to get lost.”
“I don’t know what my dad has planned. If he hasn’t booked me, I’m yours.”
Takoda’s eyes brighten, and I wish I hadn’t said that. I feel stupid again. He wants to take me somewhere special and suggests I call my dad. Takoda’s cell phone is similar to the ones I’m used to, but it’s different. The symbols are foreign to me, so Takoda has to initiate the call. Once I get the okay from my father, Takoda allows me to play with the phone a little.
“You should have one of these.”
“I guess I’m behind everyone else, and it shows.”
“I would be in the same situation if I suddenly found myself on your world.”
“I’ll talk to my dad about getting one when I get home. So where are we going?” I ask, enjoying the scenery outside my window.
Mountains are all around us with trees so huge that a skyscraper would look like a two-story house.
“Tell me about this planet,” I say, breaking the silence.
“What do you want to know?”
“Is it larger than Earth?”
“Much larger. This world is about the size of your gas planet Jupiter. That is the closest comparison I can think of.”
“Excuse me?” My parents are, or were, scientists. Makayah and I grew up knowing more about our solar system and general science than most.
“I’m serious. This is a large planet. Did you see the crossing the other day?”
“Yes, but…”
“Journey is very far away from us. It is as far away as Mars is from Earth. If you were to take an Earth ship and leave here today, you would not land on Journey for about three months. Does that help you get an idea of the size?”
“Yes, thank you.”
Having the distance between our two planets explained, in a way I can understand, is a good thing. No wonder the pull was so strong that I could feel it through my fingertips. It’s all making a lot more sense now. I still have one very important question that I ask cautiously.
“How in the world did I get here?”
“Travel between Earth and here is through an energy beam. It’s confusing for you I’m sure, but we can only travel long distances on the beams. Otherwise, we take the chance of crashing into the destination instead of landing on it.”
“I experienced the strong pull the other day. Is that the reason the rock cliffs are so big here?”
“Is that something your father explained to you?”
“Nope, guessed it on my own. Are you proud of me?” I ask with a grin.
“Very.”
Takoda turns off the highway and onto a dirt road. The ride’s no longer smooth. The jeep hits the holes and fallen branches and we’re bouncing around in our seats.
“My father said the cars here don’t run on gasoline.”
“No, they do not. Our vehicles convert the energy to…I guess you would call it nuclear. On top of the vehicles are solar cells.”
“Makes sense, I haven’t heard an engine since I got here.”
“People on our worlds gather energy from our suns.”
“Suns?” I ask now more confused than ever. “There’s more than one?”
“Our solar system is binary—two suns. Single star systems are rare. Earth and its single sun is unique. You won’t see our second one for about an Earth year. Both are not visible at the same time. Our smaller sun rotates around the center one.
“I knew I’d find this place interesting,” I add, as we come to a stop.
Takoda helps me out of the jeep, and we walk hand in hand down a dirt path. My heart skips a beat with every step. Even if he doesn’t feel the same way I do, we are friends and that is worth everything to me. We come upon a huge eerie broken-down structure that’s made of stone. It’s very old and moss is growing from the crevasses.
“Wow, what was this place?” I touch the rock wall tenderly.
“Your dad told me you were interested in our history, so I thought I’d bring you here. These are the closest ruins, all the others are a several days trip. Perhaps I’ll get a chance to take you one day. Come, let’s explore.”
Vines and trees are working to reclaim the space for themselves. It’s kind of sad to see the hard work of others fall to nothing. I feel like I’m walking through a jungle with the huge trees, long vines, and colorful flowers.
Tree roots jet up from the dirt and break through the brick walls. Some are larger than a house. But much of the structure is still in
tact. We climb up crumbled steps and crawl through empty windows. There’s enough remaining, so I’m able to use my imagination to envision how magnificent it once was.
“This is great!” I’m enjoying every minute of our exploring.
“I’m glad you like it here.”
“You never answered me. What was this place…originally?”
“Not sure. My father said it belonged to one of the royal families many generations ago. It’s been abandoned for a long time. There are smaller buildings over there. Most have fallen. This building was the largest and most complex. Our archeologists say it may have been a castle of sorts.”
“Too cool.”
We continue through the ruins until we come to a pedestal with an intricate carving. Unlike Egyptian, the writing is more like letters than pictures.
“Can you read this?”
“No,” Takoda says, running his fingers along the carvings.
“I wonder what it says? There’s a way to capture this yah know. Next time we’re here, we should bring paper and a piece of coal or a big crayon. We’ll put the paper up and rub the crayon over it and we’ll get a copy.” Takoda gives me a look of confusion so I add, “I’ve done it loads of time on other things. Maybe my dad can read it for us one day.”
“I doubt it,” he says, studying the writings. “The ancient language has all been forgotten. There is no way to translate.”
“For real?” I ask. “With all the books and technology around here, your people never thought to document your original language?”
“Many generations ago, there was a devastating war that almost destroyed both our planets. That is why we are so against violence of any kind. Almost all of our ancient writings were destroyed. Many innocent lives were lost. There’s a gravesite not too far from here. We should go sometime. You’d find it interesting.”
“I bet I would,” I reply, thinking of the Arlington cemetery back on Earth. “Thanks for bringing me, Takoda, this is really great.”
“You are welcome, my friend.” He reaches out and takes my hand in his.
