Trapped in the Hollow Earth Novelette Series Omnibus Edition (Books 1 - 4)

by Peebles, Chrissy

  Thorn straightened. “I know what you’re thinking, General sir, but they’re only teenagers. I can’t have their deaths on my hands. Besides, it’ll never work.”

  General Ashtar pondered for a moment. Running a hand through his short blond hair, he stared down at Thorn with his piercing blue eyes. “With millions of lives at stake, Thorn, I don’t think we have a choice.”

  A frown crept across Thorn’s green face. “I don’t like this one bit.”

  The general smoothed out a wrinkle on his black and silver one-piece uniform. “I know you’re not from Earth, and I understand your reservations, but this is a race against time, and the stakes are high. We’ll send Orthon to retrieve the children while we work together on my idea.”

  Thorn nodded. “Yes, sir.”

  General Ashtar touched a blue crystal on the control panel. “Orthon to the control room…”

  * * *

  I took off through the field with Jack and Mike at my heels. Granted, I was trespassing in a foreign land. But I wasn’t familiar with the shoot-first-and-ask-questions-later policy they had in place. The sunflowers grew sparse as I neared the forest, clearing the way for a perfect view of the towering pines. Why do they look so far away?

  After fifty more feet. I leapt forward, my gaze fixed on my target destination as I put my body into gear. Run faster. Thirty feet? Ugh. Why does it feel like a hundred? There was no time to look back, but I had to take a tiny peek over my shoulder to see how close they were. I turned when my foot caught on something hard, almost tripping me. Before I toppled, I regained my equilibrium, but my ankle throbbed, slowing me down.

  Twenty-five more feet…just fifteen more… My leg hurt so much I was almost hopping, as if I was trying to skip rope on one leg, and I’d never been any good at that. My lungs whizzed with the effort, and a sheen of fresh perspiration ran down my back.

  A red beam crossed the air with a high-pitched whistle, landing pretty darn close to my feet. Letting out a shriek, I covered my head with my hands as flying clumps of earth hit me from every angle. What lunatic tries to kill a girl anyway? Just ten more feet...five more…three more...almost there…one more foot, and…

  I darted around the huge trees as fast as the burning muscles in my legs would allow, dry leaves and twigs crunching beneath my feet. More beams whizzed by. Was there a whole army shooting at me like I was some sort of national threat? A tree burst into flames and toppled over with a crash in front of me, the blazing flames scorching my clothes. That was a close one. A few inches to the right, and I would have been toast—literally. I spun and found an alternate route, squeezing through the clustered trees in hopes that the firing squad might not see through the dense canopy above my head.

  I exhaled sharply and placed my palm on my chest to calm my racing heart as I bent forward to rest against a tree trunk. Mike and Jack would catch up any second; at least the ship had quit using us for target practice. I had the nagging suspicion, though, that it wouldn’t be long before they realized they were bad losers after all and wanted another try.

  “It’s…still…it’s still…following us,” huffed Mike between breaths.

  Jack reached for my hand. “C’mon! We’re not safe yet.”

  * * *

  I bounded through the forest, gasping for breath, but the craft followed behind, skimming the trees. A piercing roar tortured my ears as the ground trembled beneath me.

  “What the heck!?” yelled Mike.

  What now? I turned slowly, following his line of vision. A dragon? Okay, so maybe I had read one too many fantasy books. No. A real-life sauropod—a brontosaurus! I closed my eyes and blinked before I dared another glance. It had to be at least one hundred feet long, fifteen feet tall at the shoulder. The creature wasn’t green like textbooks said it should be; rather, it was reddish brown, with black stripes. It reared up onto its hind legs like a wild stallion and let out an ear-bursting shriek while swiping at the UFO with a forefoot. The disc plummeted out of view, black smoke rising from it. At least the ship wasn’t coming this way, I thought.

  “Look out!” said Jack.

  Huh? Look out for what? I spun in time to see the dinosaur’s massive tail swing toward us like a giant baseball bat. With a thud, I plunged forward, falling flat on my face as the red blur shot past me and smashed into a tree. Pieces of bark spattered across the thicket, some landing in my hair.

  Mike dropped next to me, spitting out black sand. Jack lay sprawled somewhere behind him.

  My heart pounded. I knew we couldn’t stay in one place for too long because that tail would definitely be coming back. “Get up!” I shouted. “Keep moving!” Not chancing another look, I jumped to my feet, hoping the others got the message.

  Adrenaline pumped through my body with each step I took. Ignoring the pain in my side, I ran until nausea bubbled up inside me, forcing me to consider stopping before I broke down in a helpless heap. “There!” I pointed to a giant tangle of branches and moss-covered logs. I crawled through the thick foliage and undergrowth, gasping for breath. Gagging, I placed a hand over my nose and mouth. The moldy, musty odor of decomposing wood overwhelmed me. Mike and Jack squeezed in. I tried to calm my racing heart. Is this a good enough hiding place? Will they find us? Is that dinosaur nearby?

  I squeezed my eyes shut as we all huddled close together. No one moved a muscle or spoke a word. It was surprising for Mike to shut up for a change, instead of being his usual reckless self. More sweat dripped down my back, biting and itching in all the wrong places.

  I had no idea how much time passed. Eventually, birds started chirping again, and the forest came to life. Hearing nature’s symphony orchestra was a good sign, because it meant we weren’t about to be gobbled up like an afternoon snack. The singing crickets reminded me of a family camping trip to Sequoia National Park; it had rained all day, and everyone was soaked and miserable, but the beautiful sounds of nature lifted their spirits—just like now. I peered through an opening in the vegetation. “Do you think it’s safe yet?”

  Mike blinked. “Give it a sec. I mean, did you see the freakin’ brontosaurus zapped straight out of Bedrock?”

  Blowing out a breath, Jack shook his head. “Yeah, it was kind of hard to miss.”

  Jack crawled back to the narrow opening and flicked the ferns to the side when Mike grabbed his arm, wide-eyed. “C’mon, bro! You can’t go out there by yourself. This place’s totally twisted. We’ve literally jumped into Jurassic Park.”

  I bit my lip hard. “Twisted” didn’t even begin to describe it. Try unbelievable, vile, and deadly. “Exactly. That’s why I’m going.”

  Jack pushed his brown hair out of his eyes. “Listen, you and Mike stay here. My dad taught me how to secure a perimeter. Don’t worry, you two. I’ll be right back.”

  Why’s he being like this? Jack seemed as though he had something to prove, like a brave warrior heading into battle. I knew fighting with him would be useless because his mind was already made up. “Be careful, okay?” I leaned forward to give Jack’s shoulder a quick squeeze.

  “Everything’s going to be alright.” He smiled and disappeared before I could say another word.

  A throbbing pain began to radiate from behind my eyes. I needed to let off some steam fast, before I hurried after Jack to make sure nothing happened to him. I scooted closer to Mike. Flashbacks of him standing underneath the UFO infuriated me. I felt like shaking him. “Don’t make me drag you away like that ever again. You could’ve got us killed. Why do you pull stunts like that?”

  He blew out a breath. “I don’t know. Maybe…well, maybe I just need to feel alive.”

  Mike had a Type T personality, diagnosed by his doctor at the age of two; he never let me forget what the T stood for: thrill seeker. He tried to channel and diffuse it through surfing dangerous waves, but some of it still spilled over into his everyday life. It was part of what drew me to him; I was intrigued by his craving for adventure and life, but a lot of times he took it too far, and his crazy
actions with the sharks, dinosaurs, and the UFOs were prime examples.

  I pinched his arm.

  “Ouch!” Mike rubbed the spot.

  “Feel that?” I pinched him again. If something happened to my two best friends, I would never forgive myself. They meant everything to me. “See? You’re alive…even if you are an idiot.”

  “I’m no different than you. You told me you need to paint to feel alive, to get that adrenaline rush.”

  “Well, yeah, but last time I checked, paintbrushes and canvas don’t get anybody almost killed.”

  “Sorry, I’m not perfect.” He pulled me close, smiling. “But I find perfection very boring. Don’t you?”

  I pushed him away. I couldn’t believe he was joking when he’d almost been killed just moments earlier, but then again, it was Mike I was talking to. “What am I going to do with you?”

  He winked. “Anything you want.”

  “Stop it! Why can’t you be more serious…like Jack?”

  “Like Einstein, huh? And have the personality of an iceberg?”

  What? Jack wasn’t born wild and addicted to danger like Mike was, but he was far from an ice cube. Something was up between those two, and I had a sneaking feeling it had to do with the kiss between Mike and I. “What’s with all the insults and tension between you guys?”

  Mike let out a huff, and then turned away. He didn’t want to talk about it, which only strengthened my suspicion. Jack liked me too. I wanted to be the last person to get in the way of their friendship. I decided it was not the time to push the issue, considering we were sitting in a jungle full of dinosaurs under a two-sun sky full of UFOs, trying to get to a glass city. There’d be time for talking when things got back to normal. I let out a long sigh. “You need to run faster next time.” I ran faster than him even with my hurt foot.

  “I would’ve gladly ditched these sandals for a pair of tennis shoes with high-power rockets, had I known we’d be racing for our lives through some forest, dodging death ray beams. You told me we were going to spend the day out on your mom and dad’s sailboat having a great time. I thought we needed swim gear, not running gear.”

  “Well, it’s not exactly what I imagined either.” I wished I could contact my parents, as I could picture them frantic with worry. I breathed in, blinking hard several times as I tried to push my thoughts of my parents to the back of my mind. There was no need to go there, because I couldn’t afford more worries than I was already dealing with. I tapped my chin. “I wonder what we saw. Is it classified military stuff or extraterrestrial? Part of me thinks it’s aliens, but another part screams it’s some kind of top secret government experiment.”

  “I dunno. I’m leaning toward the other dimension theory myself. But look at the bright side. It’s you, me, and the termites all snuggled up close together.” Mike put an arm around me and brushed his warm lips across mine in a soft kiss. “Romantic, eh?”

  I smiled. He had this mysterious way of making my anger melt away, no matter what kind of crazy stunts he pulled. It was impossible to stay mad at him, which is probably why he got away with so much. “We’re under a pile of rotting trees. Is this really the place to bust a move?”

  He squeezed me tight. “When I’m around you, I can’t help myself.”

  His words made my heart melt. “I have a confession to make. I have the same problem.” In a bold move, I cupped his face and kissed him softly, my heart spiking. He didn’t try to deepen the lingering kiss but kept it innocent and slow, and that was nice because it took the pressure off of trying to keep up with the experienced girls he usually dated. The heat from his touch surged through my body. I could have sworn that the whole crazy world stopped all around me—and I’d have been lucky if I could have remembered my own name in that moment.

  Jack’s voice cut through the air, and Mike pulled away, taking a quick breath.

  “One more sweep, and it’ll be safe to come out,” said Jack.

  I gazed out through an opening. A plant I didn’t recognize tickled my ear as I let my gaze dart from the treetops to the forest floor. The landscape looked much like that of the prehistoric past: delicate ferns and Cycads, different species of lichen draped over the pine trees, green moss flowing over rocks and logs, and black sand sparkling as if mixed with millions of tiny pieces of glittering glass.

  Mike leaned in closer and squinted through the gap. “Looks safe.” He draped an arm around me and asked, “Should we take a chance? ’Cause if you’re willing, then I am.”

  Is he talking about venturing outside or being more than friends? I wiped my moist hands on my shorts, taking the bait. He wants mysterious? Oh boy, can I give him mysterious. “I want to—badly—but we might be crossing into dangerous territory. Part of me is just…terrified.”

  His fingers traced my lips, and a tingle shot up my spine. “What’re you so afraid of?” he asked.

  Lotsa stuff, to be honest. I knew he’d never stay faithful, and if he hurt me like that, we’d lose our friendship. I met his gaze. “Wild animals.”

  He pushed a strand of hair away from my face. “A wild species can be tamed by the right trainer.”

  “But they can never be fully domesticated,” I retorted.

  He pulled me into his arms, and my heartbeat spiked…again. “Enough with the symbolism. I think we both know we’re talking about us, so why not take the risk and give me a shot?” He grabbed my hand and planted a soft and tender kiss. “I may not be perfect. I know that. But remember what we talked about earlier? Just think of me as beautifully flawed.”

  “No, you’re a perfect diamond in my book.” I touched his face and noticed the hint of a smile on his lips. “Mike, can we talk about this later, when we’re safe?” And alone. I didn’t need Jack getting in my business.

  Speaking of Jack, the leaves shuffled a second before he appeared. I dropped my palm too late; Jack’s lips tightened into a grim line, realization visible in his eyes. “It’s gone. Perimeter’s secure. And Mike, that daredevil behavior better stop. Next time, I might not come and rescue you.”

  “Three’s a crowd,” said Mike.

  “This is me ignoring you.” Jack turned and left.

  “You know what that was, don’t you?” I asked. “That was Jack pissed off ’cause I was snuggled up to you and you getting mad at Jack because he interrupted us. Will you two ever grow up?” I started to crawl from our hiding place.

  “Hey, don’t go!” Mike scurried after me. “I’m sorry. I’m a jerk. I know this isn’t the right time to talk about us, but can I help it if my best friend’s totally hot?”

  I stopped and glanced over my shoulder with a smile. “I didn’t know you felt that way about Jack. Maybe you two should have a long talk.”

  “Ha ha. My other best friend.”

  Mike threw the word “hot” around quite a bit, and I had to wonder if our friendship meant so little to him that he’d keep flirting with the other girls. I wondered if he would even care if we lost our friendship in the process or if he really thought everything would just be cake: marriage, a house with a dog, and two-point-five kids playing behind the white picket fence. The Cosmopolitan articles my mom left lying around weren’t exactly based on lifelong research. I knew better than to believe anyone could “Turn a Guy from a Cheat into Husband Material in Just 10 Days!” but that didn’t mean I couldn’t hope.

  With a sigh, I scampered out. The fresh smell of pine lingered in the air. I brushed the dirt off my clothing with a few quick strokes and stretched my neck to search the sky. “No hovering ships. Guess they didn’t radio their friends for backup.”

  “That doesn’t mean anything,” said Jack, his voice tense. “Whatever you do, don’t let your guard down.”

  Mike nudged me and cleared his throat. “Like I said…” He sang the next few syllables. “…iceberg.” He walked off with that cocky grin of his.

  “Hey, where’re you going?” Jack called out.

  “To see if we’re anywhere near the river. I’ll be
right back.”

  “Mike, please come back. That’s not a good idea.” I chased after him but he had already disappeared into the foliage. I let out a long sigh and walked back toward Jack. Mike was probably hoping to run into a dinosaur. Darn adrenaline junkie.

  Jack pushed his shaggy hair off his forehead, showing off those pretty blue eyes. He grinned as I met his gaze. I couldn’t help but wonder if he really did have a crush on me.

  “What?” I asked. “How can you smile when we’re lost, probably being stalked for revenge by the fleet of UFOs we saw flying above our heads? They can’t be too happy we took down one of their comrades.” Technically, it was the fault of the brontosaurus, but I was sure the ships would somehow blame me.

  Jack’s perfect white teeth gleamed as he smiled wider. “When you asked me to come on vacation, I never pictured jumping into an adventure like this.”

  I laughed. He was like a beacon shining through all of the gloom. No way was Jack an iceberg. “Yeah, I’m full of surprises, aren’t I? So what do you think those disks were? I say military. Maybe aliens, but I think little green men is a big stretch.”

  “Definitely military,” said Jack.

  I swallowed past the lump in my throat. “Mike says we’re in another dimension. What do you think?”

  He smiled. “I don’t believe in aliens or other dimensions, remember?”

  I smiled back. “Of course you don’t. I don’t know why I bothered asking.” He smirked as I nudged him in the ribs. “Well, I know one thing for sure…we’ve got to find some help.”

  Jack shifted his stance and exhaled. “So let’s head to the city.”

  Seriously? Is he crazy? A chill ran down my spine. “You can’t be for real. They just tried to kill us.”

  He stepped toward me, looking me intensely in the eyes. “You don’t know that. Do you have proof it was them?”

  “Do you have proof it wasn’t?” I crossed my arms, waiting for his evidence.

  “We’re not safe out here, that’s for sure. I’m going to that city, and I hope you’ll come with me.” His voice was pleading.