A Falling Starr: The Complete Trilogy

by Dani Hoots

  Tonight I was going to start watching Torchwood.

  A loud thumping at my door made me about jump out of my bed. I looked at the clock. Just past two in the morning. Darkness surrounded me as the door shook with every pounding that it took. I could hear it creak under the pressure. My poor door.

  I grabbed the metal bat next to my bed and slipped on some sandals. If I had to run, I wanted shoes on. I had watched too many shows where someone got caught because they couldn’t run anymore on their cut-up bare feet. I was strange but I wasn’t stupid.

  I looked through the peephole. Two men in suits standing outside, trying to force their way into the apartment. It was Beardy and Muscleman. Where were the other three? Why didn’t they ever show up all together? Wouldn’t that just be easier?

  None of my neighbors seemed to care that my door was being broken down. Figures. That’s what happened when you stayed in an apartment close to campus, no one noticed loud noises and Ms. Collins took out her hearing aid at night. Everyone else were probably all wasted and didn’t wake up. That was probably it, it was technically Saturday night after all. From Thursday night to Monday morning, everyone on this floor was wasted. Sometimes Wednesday as well. I learned that the hard way.

  Debating what to do next, I checked my surroundings. I didn’t have a fire escape and I was three floors up. I couldn’t jump down unless I wanted to break something or test the possibility that I could fly. No, not today. The only way out was through the front door.

  Quickly, I grabbed my phone and called Detective Johnson. After four very, very slow rings, he answered the phone.

  “Hello?” he sounded tired, he must have given me his personal number. Thank goodness.

  “There’s someone trying to break into my apartment!” I screamed.

  “Angela, is that you?” he sounded more alert.

  “Yes! Yes it is! Beardy and Muscleman are trying to break my door down!”

  “Wait, who?” he muttered something else under his breath. “Nevermind, I’m sending men there right now, I will be there shortly. Don’t worry, we are coming.”

  “What do I do in the meantime?” I tried taking a deep breath to stop panicking but it didn’t help. I was panicking.

  “Do you have any weapons?” he asked. I heard sirens coming from the distance. He worked fast.

  “I have a bat.”

  “Well, if you need to, use it. My men are almost there, just hang on and stay on the line...”

  As if they knew it was their cue, my door crashed down, splinters shattering throughout my apartment. I dropped the phone, the batteries shot out like two torpedoes. I stared at the phone for a moment, the world seeming like it had stopped. Crap, I needed that. There was no time to lose, I had to protect myself now.

  I grabbed my bat with both hands. Muscleman lunged at me and I swung right into his chest. It knocked the wind out of him and he stumbled back. As quickly as I could, I ran at Beardy. He didn’t see it coming and I knew that. I smashed the bat into his head and ran out into the hallway.

  I hurried out of the building and onto the street, glad that I put on my shoes because glass littered the sidewalk in front of the building. My breaths were short and my sight blurry from my eyes not resting on something for more than a half-second. I tried to slow down my breathing. I needed to think clearly.

  Darkness, just like that night.

  I grabbed my head. Not a good time to get a headache. Why was I always so unlucky? I could hear sirens getting closer and saw their lights in the distance. I started towards them, hoping everything was finally all right.

  Of course, I was completely wrong about that.

  I felt strong arms wrap around my waist. I screamed. They were here, I should have ran towards the sirens the moment I stepped out of the apartment. It didn’t matter, they probably would have gotten me anyway. I tried to escape but he was too strong. I bit down onto his hand. I wasn’t afraid to fight back, I watched too many shows to not be. He let go only for a second but it was enough for me to get loose. I tried to run but Scarface grabbed me.

  “Well, well, what do we have here? Looks like our girl is lost in this strange world. Let us help you get back,” he laughed.

  Our girl? Lost? What the heck, who were these guys?

  I kept fighting, but it was no use, he was a lot stronger than the other men and I had trouble getting out of his grasp. Scarface didn’t leave any of his flesh near my mouth, he had seen what happened to one of The Brothers. I didn’t stop trying though, I would never stop trying.

  “Let go of her!”

  Emmerich stepped out of the darkness. Both of The Brothers pulled out guns—at least I think they were guns. They didn’t look like any guns I had ever seen. Before they could shoot, Emmerich drew his own. Within seconds two were dead and Emmerich pointed the gun at Scarface.

  Scarface used my body as a shield. “You won’t be able to shoot without hitting her. Do you really want to risk that? Not when she means so much.”

  “It’s no risk,” Emmerich pulled the trigger and my heart skipped a beat. The man crumpled, dragging me down with him. I shrieked.

  Emmerich hurried over to me. “Are you okay?”

  I shook my head. “No! What’s going on? Why are your brother’s friends after me? And how could you just kill them like that?”

  He pulled me up. “They aren’t my brother’s friends, I just didn’t want to frighten you. There’s a lot to explain but we have no time. We have to go.”

  “But the police are almost here, they will protect us.”

  He grabbed my wrist. “No, they don’t have any clue of what’s going on. They can’t help us.”

  “Are you crazy? They are policemen! We can’t just run off.”

  “They have no jurisdiction where we’re going,” his voice was no longer soft, but almost strict and in charge.

  “What are you talking about?”

  “You have to trust me, Angel. You have to come with me.”

  So many questions ran through my mind, but with everything going on all I could say was, “What?”

  “Please, just listen to me. I want to help. I can take you somewhere safe. Somewhere far from here.”

  I knew I shouldn’t listen to him, that it would be safer and smarter to wait for Detective Johnson, but there was a feeling in my gut that told me Emmerich was speaking the truth. With all the flashbacks that had been happening, I knew he wasn’t going to hurt me. I knew I could trust him. Maybe it was the words ‘somewhere far from here’ or maybe it was something the fortune teller said, but against my better judgment I found myself agreeing. “Okay.”

  Emmerich pulled me towards the alleyway just as Beardy and Scarface flew out the front door of the apartment building, guns at the ready. Two police cars pulled up and I saw Detective Johnson pull his gun. As we lost sight of them, I heard gunfire. I hoped Detective Johnson was alright.

  “Don’t worry, he’s fine.”

  I nodded, then realized something. “How did you know what I was thinking?”

  He ignored the question and led me down another small side street. If he knew about Detective Johnson, did he know more about me? Was he spying one me? And why wasn’t he answering any of my questions?

  I stopped dead in my tracks. “No, for once answer my questions Emmerich. How did you know?”

  He looked back behind me, fearing that they had followed. “Angel, it’s not the time.”

  “Tell me now Rick!”

  My demand triggered something in my mind. Another image, but this time I was in a uniform and Rick and another man were there. Something about the other man made me shiver. I ordered Rick to do something for me and as I turned away he called me “Angel”. I left the room and something grabbed me...

  The image faded away and pain swept through my head. My knees buckled underneath me and I grabbed my head. Emmerich placed his hands on my shoulders.

  “Angel, what’s wrong? Is it the headaches again?”

  Although his touc
h felt warm and comforting, I shoved him back. “Tell me the truth, how do I know you?”

  He hesitated. “What... what are you talking about?”

  “Don’t lie to me, I saw you in a flashback. This is the third time! We were standing on a balcony. You called me Angel, just like you did now. Who are you and what do you want?”

  He sighed, as if admitting defeat. “It’s a long story, Angel, just trust me. Those men are trying to hurt you and I was sent to protect you. We have to get out of here before they come for us. All I want is you to be safe, I will explain everything once we get to our destination”

  “How can I believe someone who is lying to me?” I asked. Nothing was making sense and my frustration level was through the roof. All I wanted were answers; answers to why he was lying to me and answers as to the visions I saw. Were they my past? Did Emmerich know me back then? Why hadn’t he said anything.

  “I’m sorry I lied to you but there is a lot going on, given that you don’t remember any of it. That you don’t even remember who I am,” he whispered the last part. “But know I would never hurt you or let harm come to you. I couldn’t say anything because I don’t know what they gave you to forget. Your head hurts every time you remember something, doesn’t it? I’m afraid of what might happen if I tell you the whole story. I have to take you to someone who can figure this out. Do you believe that?” I nodded slowly. “Good, but now we have to go. Can you walk?”

  “Yes.”

  He grabbed my hand and we hurried back down the street. Not many people were out in the dead of night and those who were, were definitely Wesen. I edged closer to Emmerich.

  “Where are we going?” my voice sounded more frightened than I had wished.

  “Far away from here,” he murmured.

  I yanked my wrist out of his grasp. “No, you tell me where we are going this instant.”

  Instead of being mad at me, his face softened. “Always so demanding and stubborn,” he shook his head. “But there is no time to explain, not with them on our tails.”

  “At least tell me why they’re after me and why you are helping me.”

  He looked back behind us, then took a deep breath. “You are a very important person who is feared by very powerful people. They want to kill you because you are the only one who can stop them. I’m protecting you because I’m your friend,” he glanced back again. “And want to stop them.”

  “How can I stop them when I don’t even know who they are?”

  Emmerich grabbed my hand. “As I said, I will explain once we are safe. Please, just trust me. Just like the fortune teller said.”

  That was why he had acted so strangely. He knew she was right, there was something bad after me. Did that mean he was here to save me from it? It was just like the fortune teller said. I underestimated her validity.

  “As long as you promise to tell me everything.”

  He nodded. “I will.”

  We turned down one street then another and another. I swore we had passed that Starbucks before, but I trusted Emmerich knew where he was going. And besides, there were a lot of Starbucks in Portland. He was probably going around in circles to throw off Beardy and Muscleman. The night was cool and the moon shined brightly in the sky. Stars twinkled away and it would have been romantic if it weren’t for the fact there were men trying to kill us.

  I wondered if Detective Johnson was all right. I really hoped he was, I would be able to stand him getting hurt because of me. If I left with Emmerich, he would worry. I felt bad but by Emmerich’s look, there really wasn’t much I could do about that. Emmerich had the answers to my past, I couldn’t just let that go, no matter where it took me.

  “Where are we going?” I asked after we passed yet another Starbucks. I swear it was the fifth time I had seen it and I was starting to be concerned.

  “There’s an alley around here somewhere.”

  Somewhere? I couldn’t believe what I heard. “You’re lost?”

  He shrugged. “Well, I’m not exactly from around here. I went to Oregon State for my PhD.”

  “PhD? I thought you were an undergrad.” Then it hit me, I knew where I had seen him before. “You’re that physics student that disappeared three or four years back. The police had made me go through all the missing persons reports to see if I had recognized anyone. That’s why you seemed familiar before the flashbacks, and why Dr. Moph recognized you too. Your face was plastered all over the TV.”

  “You caught me, now we have to hurry. Those men are getting closer.”

  So Beardy and Muscleman had gotten away from the cops. Emmerich quickened his pace but that didn’t stop me from asking more questions. “Where did you disappear to? Where have you been for the past three years? And why are you back here?”

  “I’ll show you in just a moment, if I can just find that damn portal,” his eyes scanned forward. “Ah! There it is.”

  I stopped in my tracks. “Wait, did you just say portal?”

  He pulled out a small square device, with three black buttons in the middle. “Yes. Yes I did.”

  Emmerich pushed the left button and a bright light flashed. Suddenly a giant vertical puddle formed a few feet away. It shimmered in the light, sparkling waves ebbing and flowing. The city behind me reflected off the surface. I could see myself and Emmerich.

  And the two men that were following us.

  “Rick!” I pointed at the reflection.

  The sound of gunshots echoed through the alley. Emmerich pushed me behind a dumpster and pulled out his own gun. I stayed down, trying not to get shot. If I wasn’t fearing for my death, I would have asked him about the strange looking gun and why it looked like something from Doctor Who. Then again, so did that large portal that laid before us. Maybe I should question that before I question the guns.

  “We have to go through now,” Emmerich ordered.

  I looked doubtfully at the puddle. “I can’t go through that, are you crazy?”

  “It’s safe, I promise. Now hurry! I will cover you.”

  I couldn’t really argue with what I didn’t understand. I sprinted towards the gel-like floating object and stopped abruptly in front of it.

  “Where does it go?”

  “It goes home, Angel. You are going home.”

  “Home?” I opened my mouth to ask where home was, but Emmerich shoved me into it.

  An overwhelming tug pulled me into the darkness and I fell for what seemed like an eternity. It was taking me far away, to a different galaxy I somehow knew. A planet light-years from Earth. A place I used to be. A place that....

  I still couldn’t remember.

  The feeling was practically unbearable. A stomach-turning, hair-pulling, gruesome ride that felt like every molecule of my body was being ripped apart and put back together again and again.

  A ride that I had been on before.

  I had wished for an adventure out of Doctor Who, and I’d gotten one. The worse part? I was still wearing pajamas. Pajamas covered in kittens.

  I almost threw up.

  I knelt down on the cool concrete and took several deep breaths. I couldn’t do it, I could not throw up in front of Emmerich. I was already wearing pajamas covered in cute kittens. If I hurled, I don’t think I would ever forgive myself, let alone ever look at him in the face again.

  Emmerich put his hand on my back. “The feeling will pass, just give it a second.”

  So he felt it too, the gut-wrenching sensation. Good, I wasn’t the only one. I hadn’t been sure if it was just the thought of traveling between galaxies making me sick or if it was an actual side-effect. On TV, a lot of the time, the characters would have side effects, but I had just experienced so much that I shouldn’t be surprised if it made me sick.

  Then it hit me, these past few moments. We had traveled between galaxies in a matter of seconds. How was that possible? This was all science fiction, something on TV. I couldn’t be from a different planet, let alone a different galaxy.

  Could I?

  I
t explained a lot, though, like why nothing on Earth seemed familiar. My therapist had said that in most cases of amnesia the victims lose memories but remember everyday things, like food and books they read. If I wasn’t from there, it would make sense that I didn’t recognize anything and why I swore cars could fly.

  I had so many questions to ask Emmerich, but I was afraid if I opened my mouth, the wrong things would come out, like last night’s dinner and some popcorn. I just had to wait the feeling out and hope it would pass quickly.

  He must have felt the same thing when he first came here from Earth. He was a German exchange student at Oregon State University and somehow ended up in this place. His family must have been worried sick when he went missing. I couldn’t imagine. Yet, he stayed here. Why?

  After a while, my stomach started to feel better. A sour taste still filled my mouth but at least I knew I wouldn’t throw up. I straightened up and dusted off my pajamas, cursing myself under my breath for not wearing something more practical to bed the night before. At least I had slipped my shoes on before running for my life. I looked up at the world around me and gasped.

  We definitely weren’t in Portland anymore.

  Glass, brick, and steel buildings towered over us like giants, I could barely see the tops of them. Neon lights were everywhere—the sides of the buildings, labeling shops and roads. Could you call them roads if all the traffic was in the air? Crafts filled the sky only descending to drop people off before flying back up into the sky. I wished I could show everything to my therapist. She always thought the things I told her I remembered were just fantasies or dreams. Who’s making things up now, eh?

  The city smelled sweet. Portland stunk of fumes, but here the air was fresh like a forest or a field of flowers. There was no trash in the streets, no haze in the distance, it seemed perfect. I felt as if I had been standing there for hours, but it had been only a few moments. I glanced at the people walking around.