The Other Earth

by Amber LaShell

  I looked over at Vanessa, who finally lifted her head up and looked back at me, "What if you don't go?" she asked.

  "What do you mean? They will find me" I said.

  She shook her head, "We can go back to Europa. They will take us in and the government will never know you are there" she said.

  I sighed, "What good would it do to go there? What can we accomplish there that I haven't already seen?" I asked.

  She looked at me seriously for a few seconds, "You are not understanding me. I'm asking you to stay here and don't go back to your planet."

  I was shocked, "Stay here?" I asked, confused.

  "You say you want to do something that will change the world. What if your world is too far gone to change? Think of what you could do for Terra. You have seen and experienced things that we could never even imagine. Help us to learn and grow and become a better planet" she said.

  "You don't understand. I am nothing alone, I cannot change an entire planet by myself" I told her.

  "You won't be alone Randi. You will have me and all of Europa behind you. You can teach us advanced technology and science that will help us. We need you Randi" she said, reaching out to grab my hand as she pleaded.

  I sighed, "Technology?" I asked.

  "Yes, you came here on a space ship. Your planet is so much more advanced than us, just think what we could do with that knowledge" she said, her eyes glistening with excitement.

  "Let me tell you a little about Technology Vanessa. There was a huge technological boom in the twentieth century on my planet. They designed cars so fast that they would race them, airplanes that could fly through the skies and travel thousands of miles in just a few hours. Rocket ships that could go to the moon, and allow men to walk on it. They invented computers and telephones that were small enough to fit in our pocket, but would connect you with the entire world in seconds." I said.

  "That is what we need!" Vanessa yelled.

  "You don't understand. Our planet was much like yours at that point. The air was clean and the ozone layer was good. Just a little over a hundred years later, we have pollution so thick, you can't walk more than a block without an oxygen tank. Our ozone layer is almost completely gone, causing such extremes in temperature that it is normal for hundreds of people to die from freezing to death in the winter, and just as many to die from the heat in the summer; every year. Technology was great, but in the end, all it did was kill our planet" I said.

  "She's right you know" Brandon said, looking over at me.

  "Who?" I asked, wondering if he was agreeing with me or with Vanessa.

  "Vanessa. This planet is smarter on the ways to make things that are better for the planet rather than use it dry like ours has" he said.

  "You think I should stay?" I asked him, incredibly confused.

  He shook his head, "No, this is the biggest reason why you should leave with me." He said as he turned toward Vanessa. "You see, Randi is also right. She cannot change your planet by herself. We can send people back here from our planet to help create a free society for you all. Then we could work together to create new technology that won't damage Terra the way it did Earth."

  "But that could take years before anyone is able to get back here to help" Vanessa said to Brandon.

  He nodded, "Yes that's true, but change doesn't happen overnight anyway. You can help to start that change in the meantime." He said.

  Vanessa looked back over at me, "But I need her here. I don't think I'd be able to go back living my life the way it was" she said.

  Brandon looked from me back to Vanessa, "You see, there is another problem there too. I know you haven't known the truth about us long enough to know this, but Randi and I aren't brother and sister. We only said that because we saw that your government chose people's mates and we didn't want to arouse suspicion. We did grow up together, that is the truth, but we are not in the least bit related, and also..." he said, looking back over to me.

  He took a deep breath, "I'm in love with her" he said quickly.

  I snapped my head over to him, "What?" I said, holding my breath as the words I had not even realized I craved from him where finally being said.

  He turned and looked into my eyes, "I am madly in love with you Randi, and I have been for quite a long time." He said.

  I put my hands over my eyes as the world around me started to spin. I had been in love with him for so many years, and had eventually lost hope that he would ever feel the same for me. Even after we had been intimate, I had taken it to be that we were just helping each other out

  "Well, say something" Brandon said.

  I uncovered my eyes and looked at him, putting my hands on either side of his face, "I have been in love with you since the first time I saw you in that baseball uniform" I told him.

  He smiled and pulled me toward him until our lips met lightly. Just this small movement made my legs ache and I gave a small squeal of pain involuntarily as I tensed the muscles.

  Brandon pulled away from me and I put my hands over my legs, "Sorry" I said, looking down at my bandages.

  Brandon kissed my cheek, "It's okay, we will have time for that later" he said.

  "So I guess I just lost all chances of you staying here with me" Vanessa said.

  I jumped as I realized that I had forgotten she was there in the heat of the moment with Brandon.

  I smiled, "I'm sorry. I can't stay. You see, not only am I head over heels for this guy, but I have a roommate back home that I promised that I would come back to."

  "I don't know what to do now" she said, looking dejected.

  "Go to Europa and fight for your freedom. This planet deserves that as much as ours did" I told her.

  She looked at me with tears in her eyes, but with a determined look on her face.

  "Will I ever see you again?" she asked me.

  I shrugged my shoulders, "I don't know. I can't answer that question right now" I said truthfully.

  She nodded, "Okay" she said as she stood up and walked toward the door.

  I looked over at Brandon. He leaned down and kissed me softly on the lips, "I will go start up the ship, we should be able to lift off in just a couple of minutes" he said.

  I squeezed his hand and let him leave to go to the control room.

  I sat looking at Vanessa in silence as the ship lifted off of the ground, taking us away from the government facility that held me hostage to the empty land above Europa, helping Vanessa get safely underground.

  "You will do great things for this planet you know. I have no doubt about that. You just needed me to push you, and now that I have done that you will be okay" I told her.

  She smiled as we felt the ship land again, taking just minutes to take us what would have taken hours in a bus. I followed Vanessa to the door and went behind her as she walked outside. She turned around once we were both off of the ship and looked at me for a few seconds in silence.

  "So I guess this is good-bye?" she said, reaching out for my hands.

  I took her hands into mine, "Yes. My time here is done for now, but you are in for a long fight. Please take care of yourself" I said to her.

  I reached in and kissed her softly on the cheek, "I will never forget you Randi" she whispered next to my ear.

  I nodded, "I will never forget you either."

  I let go of her hands and turned back to the ship. I walked up the ramp and into the door, not looking back until I was safely back on board. Once I was inside the ship I turned and hit the button next to the door to lift the ramp. I looked out at Vanessa who was still watching me with tears streaming down her eyes. I waved at her as the door slowly slid down, blocking my view of her.

  I walked very slowly up to the front of the ship and sat in the chair next to Brandon, who turned and looked at me as I started to put on the safety harnesses. I sighed in relief as I felt the ship lift up off of the ground again, more than ready to head home.

  Epilogue

  Ten Years Later

  I looked out of th
e window at the planet that I had dreamed about every night for the past ten years. I had never actually thought I would be returning, happy to spend the rest of my life on Earth. But when the SSE opened the option to move the executives and their families to the new planet, I couldn't turn down the offer.

  "Do you think it looks different?" I heard my husband say behind me. I turned to see Brandon smiling at me.

  "No. It doesn't look different, but I'm sure we do" I said, taking the bottle of water he offered me.

  "Oh we don't look that much different. A gray hair here and there and maybe a few new wrinkles, but that's all" he said, smiling.

  I laughed and reached up and put my hands on his graying temples, "Speak for yourself there buddy" I said, reaching in for a kiss. My heart flopped as his lips touched mine gently. Eight years married and he could still make my heart stop with just a kiss.

  "Why is it that every time I walk in here, you guys are kissing?" I heard Stacey say.

  I pulled away from Brandon and turned to look at her, "Hey, I wouldn't talk. I've caught you making out with Vickie so many times I lost count" I told her.

  She shrugged, "I don't know about that. There hasn't been much time for kissing lately. Not since we adopted Star" she said.

  I smiled as I pictured Stacey and Vickie's three year old daughter lying asleep in their room, her cocoa skin glistening as she surely snored. "I beg to differ" I said with a smile.

  Vickie walked into the room, drying her short hair with a towel, "What are you guys talking about?" she asked as she sat next to Stacey.

  Stacey turned to look at her with love in her eyes, "I'm defending the honor of my wife" she said, holding her hand to her heart.

  Brandon laughed, "Ha! She is making fun of us for making out over here" he said, pointing to Stacey.

  Stacey pouted, "You always blow my cover Brandon. Here I am trying to look good in front of my wife so that I could hopefully get lucky and you just blew it" she said.

  We all laughed, "I don't think you have to worry about that" Vickie said to her.

  Stacey giggled, "Whatever do you mean?" she said in a fake southern belle accent.

  "Today is special. A day that dictates that if your cards are played right, you will always get laid" she said.

  Stacey looked over at me and winked. I reached behind my chair and pulled out the wrapped present that was hiding there. I handed it over to Stacey and she held it out in front of her.

  "Happy Anniversary Baby" she said.

  Vickie slapped her on the arm, "I thought you forgot!" she said, taking the present.

  Stacey smiled, "How can I forget that today twelve years ago, I met the love of my life? How could I forget that today on our two year anniversary I married the love of my life? I love you Vickie" she said.

  Vickie looked over at me with tears on her face, "You knew about this present and didn't tell me? What kind of godmother will you make?" she asked.

  I laughed, "Oh don't be mad, it was a good secret. Happy anniversary guys, we are going to bed to let you have the place to yourselves. Don't stay up too late though, because we land early in the morning" I said, pulling Brandon behind me.

  Once back in our room and under the covers together, I turned toward Brandon, who was looking at me with an odd expression.

  "What's the matter?" I asked him, sliding my arm under his.

  "Are you thinking about Vanessa?" he asked.

  I shook my head, "No, I actually haven't really given her much thought to be honest. I just hope that she has been as happy this past ten years as I have" I said, sliding my body closer to his.

  He sighed, "There is just a history there you know" he said.

  I smiled, "No, there was someone who was attracted to someone that was new and different. I always thought of her as just a friend. I was too in love with you to have any real feelings for anyone else. That's not history, you are my history, my present, and my future" I told him.

  He looked at me, "I don't doubt you love me, I know you do. I just worry that some old feelings might come back up" he said.

  "I've told you time and time again, I didn't have romantic feelings for her." I slid even closer to him, my body now completely touching his, "Are you going to keeping worrying about something that is not going to happen or are you going to make love to your wife, who is hot and horny for you" I said, rubbing my hands down his body.

  I reached down and felt that he was already starting to harden, "Yes, that's what I thought your answer would be" I said, rolling my body on top of his.

  ***

  I stood at the door of the ship, waiting for it to open so that we could step off of the ship and head to our new home. I watched as the door slip upward and as I looked out onto Terra once again, I saw a woman standing a few feet away with a tall man.

  The woman was Vanessa, I would recognize her tan skin and smooth face anywhere. It also helped that she didn't look as though she had even aged a day in the ten years since I had last seen her. I walked down the ramp toward her with Brandon by my side.

  I smiled as I stopped in front of her, "Hello Vanessa" I said.

  She smiled back at me and pulled me into a large hug, "Randi, I am so happy you came back!" she said.

  "It's good to see you again" I said, pulling out of her hug and looking over at the man next to her.

  "Where are my manners, I'm so sorry. Randi, Brandon, this is Xavier, my husband." She said, beaming as she looked at him. He was exactly the type of man I could see her with, with his long black hair and olive skin, very much resembling what I would call a Latin hunk.

  I reached out my hand, "It's very nice to meet you" I said.

  He shook my hand, "It is great to finally meet you too, I have heard so much about you" he said, releasing my hand and taking Brandon's in a handshake.

  "I didn't figure you the type to ever get married" Brandon said to Vanessa.

  She smiled, "Oh, I always wanted to get married, I just didn't want a government to dictate who I could marry" she said.

  I nodded, "That sounds like the Vanessa I know. How did you guys meet?" I asked.

  "Well, after you left I went back to Europa and began working on programming a few computers that would help us to hack into the government systems. Xavier was my partner and we fell in love pretty quickly" she said looking back over at him as she spoke about it. "It wasn't until some military people came back here from your planet a year or so later that we were able to finally take down the government and start a free society." She said.

  "How has that been?" Brandon asked her.

  She smiled, "It was easier than I had thought it was. People didn't want to be restricted any more than I did. Xavier and I were finally married about six years ago. We were the first couple to legally get married to someone that wasn't chosen for us by the government." She said.

  I clapped my hands together, "That is so exciting" I said with a squeal, always the romantic.

  "We now have a four year old daughter, a two year old son, and a child due in six months" she said, putting her hand over her flat stomach.

  My mouth dropped open, "You are three months pregnant? You do not look it" I said, trying to see something bulging in her perfect stomach.

  She laughed, "Well, I'm not quite showing yet. I would love for you to meet my children though. They have been told stories about you, but I'm afraid they aren't old enough to really understand yet" she said.

  "We would love that" Brandon said beside me.

  "Hey do you ever hear from Flora?" I asked her.

  She smiled, "Yes. After you left I called her to tell her that you had aborted your mission because of being caught. She was really upset and said that she was tired of playing operative and secretly moved to sector six. That's when she met Freddie, and they really fell for each other. They were married two years ago."

  "I'm so happy to hear that" Brandon said.

  I looked over at him and smiled, "Come on, let's go home" I said, turning toward the cars wait
ing with my extended family ready to take us to our new home on the planet Terra.

  Also by Amber LaShell

  Abby Kane Trilogy:

  Celtic Magic - Book 1

  Celtic Secrets – Book 2

  All books available on Smashwords, Amazon, and BN.com

  About the Author

  Amber LaShell was born in Dallas, TX as Amber LaShell McManus to a supportive mother and father who always told her to follow her dreams. She graduated high school in the small town of Malakoff, TX and went on to pursue her dreams of writing about magic and mythology, science fiction, and romance. She still currently lives in Dallas and is not only proud of her Texas native roots but also dreams of Celtic mythology and hopes to one day visit the land of her ancestors, Ireland.