Lost in the Red Hills of Mars

by Jackie Hunter

  After finishing his daily routine, he made his way to the commons for his weekly salad. On Earth, he could have a salad anytime, but with the small greenhouse on Mars, fresh vegetables were limited. He wanted something cold to drink, but there was nothing of the sort, only water gel packs to quench his thirst. After a leisurely lunch and an hour of watching those “busybody scientists” work, Stan decided it was time to return to that cabinet of a room to monitor the computer. Don’t these colonists know that people on Earth don’t work like that anymore? he thought as he made his way down the corridor.

  He had been in the exercise room when the drone relayed Celine’s life signature and a view of her walking on the surface. Stan sat down on the hard cold bench to review the computer’s data, and he noticed something different on the screen. The name of the girl who went missing back in May flashed in the upper right corner. He had no idea what that meant. He then saw the visual feedback. “There’s someone on the surface,” he cried.

  “Admin Rittenhouse,” Stan said into his Com. “There’s something you need to see.”

  ◆ ◆ ◆

  Celine wasn’t close enough to hear the busy chatter of the Compound, but she began to think about the constant noise that pervaded her home day and night. Aside from the humming glowworms, the caves, she recalled, had been very quiet. She’d miss that. She remembered all of the talkative people in the Compound who gossiped nonstop, especially Ms. Armbruster. What would she say if she saw my glowing eyes? Is there such a thing as hide-the-glow contacts? She sighed.

  Then something with more relevance crossed her mind; she wondered what had caused Alex’s and her father’s illnesses. She noted that both Alex and her father’s behaviors were similar. Most of the time, they seemed sleepy and confused, but on top of that, her dad’s calm intellect and Alex’s ability to reason seemed to have been compromised. Thoughts of the sobbing male she heard in the cavern made her stomach tense. Who was that tortured soul? Something about the voice had sounded familiar, but then again, she had never heard a male cry before.

  Rarely did the colonists show overt emotions. Lack of emotions was one out of numerous criteria for being chosen as a Martian colonist. The fact that the man in the cavern was sobbing meant that he, if from Earth, was under extreme mental duress—probably much like Alex and her father. She would report all of this to Admin Rittenhouse and Alex’s dad once she reached the Compound.

  Analyzing the surface between her and the Compound, Celine wondered why she hadn’t yet spotted a rescue team of some sort. They should have seen my signature by now. She touched her left forearm. I hope nothing’s wrong with it. After taking a moment to recollect all of her incidents—the fall she had from the gullies, the wind lifting her, banging her elbow while fleeing from the dogs—, she came to the conclusion that nothing should have actually damaged her life signature chip. The fact that there was no team of colonists rushing toward her gave her a tinge of discomfort.

  Finally, after a mild rush of anxiety, Celine saw two colonists heading toward her. She could tell by the smaller size and confident walk of one of the colonists that it was Dr. Baylor. She did not recognize the other person. He was big and muscular, which was rather unusual considering that the males in the colony, besides Morg, were lean. And why isn’t Morg with them? she thought. A part of her wanted him there so she could taunt him with a grin. Yes. I did it. I found Dad. There was another part of her, however, that didn’t know if she could control her anger. Celine breathed a small sigh of relief. Maybe it’s best he’s not there.

  Suddenly, Celine heard movement behind her and turned to see the dog creature and puppy only a few kilometers in the distance. They would catch her before she could reach the rescue team.

  She put down her backpack, unfastened her ray gun, and aimed it at the big dog. The big dog’s aurora was as green as the puppy’s that tried to keep pace with it. Green. They fear me as much as I fear them. I don’t want to hurt them. The large dog began to run toward her. Its long fangs were exposed, and drool dripped from its mouth. Its aura flashed red. Can I change its aura? No, it’s coming too fast!

  All of sudden, the big dog lay yapping in the dirt. Sparks and rocks went flying in all directions. Celine crouched down. She looked behind her. A few meters above her was the guard drone. The drone burned a hole through the wild dog’s chest. It was stretched out, and smoke was emitting from the hole in its body. Celine dropped to her knees and sat back on her heels. Her head was spinning. The puppy finally caught up with what appeared to be its mother. Its aura was bright green. It stood by its mother and whimpered.

  “You didn’t have to kill it,” she yelled to the drone in anger. “I could have ch—.” She bit her tongue. The wild dog would have eaten her. The aura around it was powerful, almost dense. It lay there with a hole in its chest. Even dead, it looked ferocious. The puppy nudged its unmoving body. The puppy reminded Celine of a baby wolf. It didn’t look scary whatsoever; it looked vulnerable, as a matter of fact. Celine wanted to comfort it, but she could hear Dr. Baylor warning her to get away from the animal, as “it might bite.”

  Poor thing…it’s frightened. Celine took out her last packaged meal. She was basically home now and knew that she did not need it. “Come here,” she said in a gentle voice. The puppy did not move. Celine slid the food toward the dog and walked away. As Celine continued toward the rescue team, she heard the puppy gobble up the meal, including the plastic wrap that covered it.

  CHAPTER 21

  Footprints in the Sand

  ◆ ◆ ◆

  By the time Celine reached the rescue team, she was barely able to lift her feet. She dragged them across the sand, leaving behind two very long footprints. Her oxygen level was dangerously low.

  “Don’t move!” She heard Dr. Baylor shout through her audio Com in her helmet. Celine stopped in her tracks and flopped to the ground, relieved that she didn’t have to trudge on any further. She watched silently as Doctor Baylor took a data recorder from her backpack and began scanning her with it from a distance, testing for harmful microbes. She was on the verge of toppling over when she realized Dr. Baylor had sat behind her and was holding her up. She grabbed onto Dr. Baylor’s arms and allowed herself to be cradled.

  “I found Dad,” she said in a voice barely above a whisper.

  “Save your breath,” Dr. Baylor said. Dr. Baylor took an O2 pill and a water gel packet from her medical bag. Flipping back the mouth flap on Celine’s suit, she pushed the half-wrapped oxygen pill against Celine’s dry, cracked lips. Celine opened her mouth slightly and felt the pill fizz on the tip of her tongue. She smiled in satisfaction and leaned back into Dr. Baylor’s arms. Dr. Baylor then placed the thin water gel tube up to Celine’s lips and squeezed the gel into her mouth. Celine wrapped her fingers around the doctor’s hand and sucked the nourishing gel from the tube. At last, she knew she would be OK. Celine kept her eyes closed, and Dr. Baylor’s attentiveness caused her mind to drift to thoughts of her mother. She hadn’t thought much about her mom since she had left the Compound, but the gravity of the situation dawned on her: she had just run away from home and risked her life on the surface—with a boy! While she figured her mother’s top concern would be her safety and the fact that she made it home alive, she also knew that there was a strong possibility she’d be furious. But how could she be angry though? I found Dad. The only one who has a reason to be angry is Morg…She opened her eyes and looked up at Dr. Baylor’s beaming face.

  “I’m…I’m OK,” Celine said weakly, as she tried to sit up. Dr. Baylor put her hand behind Celine’s back for support.

  Celine turned to face the doctor. “I found my dad, Dr. Baylor. He’s alive.”

  “Are you certain, Celine?” Dr. Baylor appeared quite worried.

  “There’s something wrong with him. He really needs your help, Doctor.” The words came gushing out.

  “What about Alex? Is he with your father? Is he OK?”

  “He’s OK. I mean he’s alive. He’s
with Dad, but something is wrong with him too.”

  “Where are they?”

  “They’re in this big cave in the Chaos Region.”

  “A cave? The Chaos Region? Do they still have O2 pills?” Dr. Baylor’s confusion was obvious.

  “No, but there’s oxygen in the cave.” Celine could tell Dr. Baylor was in utter disbelief by the look on her face.

  “I’m telling the truth. Why don’t you believe me?”

  Dr. Baylor seemed surprised by Celine’s outburst. “What else did you see there?” she asked.

  Celine detected a change in Dr. Baylor’s voice. She had been so anxious to share her story that she hadn’t noticed that Dr. Baylor’s facial expressions had soured. Moments ago, a bright yellow aura had surrounded her, but now she glowed a bright red. She’s angry! Celine was confused. She did not know what she could have said to possibly make Dr. Baylor angry.

  “I am not certain,” she replied. “I-I’m not sure if what I saw was real or if I…imagined it all.” The fine hairs on Celine arms rose as she stammered her answer.

  “And this cave is in the Chaos Region? You’re sure of that?”

  “Yes, ma’am, I’m positive.”

  Celine’s experiences in the Chaos Region were etched in her mind. She didn’t think she could ever forget them, even if she tried.

  Dr. Baylor stood up from the ground and walked over to Stan, who should have been setting up the tents for the night but instead was yawning. Celine remembered hearing Dr. Baylor say that Stan was a celebrity’s bodyguard on Earth and didn’t belong here.

  Dr. Baylor shot him a cold look. Stan shamefully looked down at his boots.

  “You do know how to set up the tents, don’t you?

  Stan didn’t reply but began fumbling through his backpack for the tent.

  Dr. Baylor stumped away. “Idiot,” she mumbled. She took out her Com to call Admin Rittenhouse. “Rittenhouse, this is Baylor. I have Celine. She appears to be in good health. She says she’s found her father…She left both Mr. Red Cloud and Alex in a cave in the Chaos Region…Great. No problem…Thanks.” Dr. Baylor placed her Com into her backpack and returned to Celine who was resting on the ground.

  “Admin Rittenhouse has ordered a satellite scan of the area. We should have their exact location by the time we reach the Compound.”

  “Thank you,” Celine said. She felt like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders. She had found her dad, and now she would have help getting him home. She watched Stan set up the tent.

  Suddenly it dawned on her that the usual protectors were missing.

  “Where’s Morg?” she asked Dr. Baylor. Surely he’d want to be here to bring me back into the Compound and impress my mom. Celine rolled her eyes.

  “Does my mom know I’m here?”

  “I’ll answer all of your questions when we are back at the Compound. Don’t think about anything right now. Just rest.”

  ◆ ◆ ◆

  Months earlier:

  Morg was extremely satisfied with himself. He had gotten rid of the mess the humanoid soldiers had made of his crew and had sent the rescue team to look for Alex and Celine. Little did they know, they were headed in the wrong direction. He was on his way to the Compound, planning to remain safe and sound, when he received a message from his commander.

  “A thunderstorm is headed toward your coordinates,” the commander said. “Take cover.”

  Dang. He was almost out of the Chaos Region. He glanced back toward the hills and caves he had just left behind. That’s when he saw her, the most perfect woman he’d ever laid eyes on. She was singing, and the sweetness of her voice glided across the wind like the sound of a delicate flute. She stood there in the opening of the hill, not too far away, in a cave close enough to safely run into for cover. He felt compelled to follow her, so he did just that. Her sweet laughter rang in his ears.

  “Catch me if you can.” He heard a playful voice call out—or was it what he wished he had heard. Somehow, it didn’t matter. Morg made his way to the cave, but when he reached it, he did not see the woman. He did, however, see the glowworms giving off an unusually bright light. He made his way deeper into the cave, because for some mystically unusual reason he felt comfortable pursuing the illusory woman. How great would it be if there were more of them in the cave? I mean, they might need my help, after all. He remembered he had encountered the beautiful wall paintings of lovely ladies. When he finally reached the end of the lava tube, he found himself in a large cavern with several tubes extending from it.

  “Which way?” he mumbled.

  “This way,” he thought he heard. He turned to the right and saw the end of her flowing green silklike dress. The scent of warm vanilla and cinnamon lingered in the tube as he followed her. Morg followed her until he thought he might be going in circles. After a while, he couldn’t tell if he were. I’d better get back to the entrance. Maybe the storm has passed. Besides, I’m tired of this silly game.

  Morg turned to leave. Suddenly, he heard something that reminded him of a compulsion engine: a powerful force coming straight toward him. In a matter of seconds, this invisible force slammed into him with such power that he keeled over, landing on his back. For moments, Morg lay there unconscious. When he awakened, his entire body tingled. Morg compared the power that had just struck him to what putting two moist hands on the Compound’s generator would feel like. I’m alive.

  He tried to stand, but his legs were wobbly. He was not in any pain, but he could not control his legs. They were like rubber. He took out his Com and attempted to call his commander, but, unfortunately, there was no signal. He opened up his Com. The wiring was somehow melded together. Maybe Celine and Alex are still in here. He cried out for help, but there was no response. He dragged himself to the lava tube that he thought would lead to the exit, but the glowworms did not brighten the tube like before. He would turn away, and they would glow, but when he dragged himself to any of the lit lava tubes, it would go dark.

  Morg opened up his backpack. His light was missing, so he took some food from it and began eating. Eating always made him feel better. Surely Abbie will send someone out to look for me. Then he remembered his two crewmen who had been murdered by the soldiers. Samuel was the only one left on his team of protectors. Sam follows orders well, but can he organize a rescue team? I doubt it. I’m my best chance of getting out of here. Morg took out a second meal and gobbled it so quickly he didn’t even know what he had eaten.

  In a matter of days, Morg had run out food. He noticed a few dead glowworms had fallen near him. He heated them with his ray gun; it didn’t take much convincing before he popped a couple in his mouth and found them to be very tasty. “Pretty good,” he said, wiping his mouth with the back of his hands. “Tastes like chicken.”

  In between eating and sleeping, Morg had some time to reflect on his life. He remembered when he was a child, he had been the only one in his apartment building who was overweight. Though the children he grew up with were decently nice to him, he wasn’t nice to himself. First off, he hated his name—Milton—and he despised the way he looked. His self-worth was at an all-time low, but then he decided to join the military. In the military, he changed his name to Morg and used his size to bully others. He was fearless. No one got in Morg’s way. Slowly, he moved up in ranks and was offered the position of First Protector of the Martian colony. He felt like he was at the top of his game until he arrived on Mars and met his new commander—a pint-size, but extremely stern, woman.

  ◆ ◆ ◆

  Dr. Baylor wanted to start treating Celine with pure oxygen immediately, but because Celine’s lungs were in the pill-induced dormancy state, she would have to wait until they arrived at the Compound. She was concerned that Celine had been on the O2 pill for so long. At this point, she thought, it might take longer than usual to get her lungs acclimated to inhaling and exhaling the normal level of oxygen her body needs.

  She had many questions for Celine, but they would have to wait. He
r temper had calmed down since hearing about Morg’s incompetence. Morg had failed in his mission and lied about the whereabouts of the teens. No one was supposed to be in those caves, but now she had to send a rescue team there. It was a good thing Morg was missing at that moment, or she would have had him demoted and shipped back to Earth immediately. She had no tolerance for anyone who would lie to his commander.

  ◆ ◆ ◆

  Celine was on the brink of sleep when she heard whimpering sounds coming from the puppy. It was sitting outside of her tent. The gales had just begun, so she figured she would have a few minutes to set up a tent and get the puppy into it before the sunset.

  “Do you have another tent?” she asked Dr. Baylor.

  “Yes, but not for an animal.” Dr. Baylor rolled her eyes.

  Just as the gales started to blow harder, the puppy began digging and burrowing into the ground.

  “You see,” Dr. Baylor said. “Wild things can take care of themselves.”

  Celine was relieved and nodded off to sleep.

  When she awakened, the puppy was prancing around her tent.

  “I don’t have any food for you,” Celine said in a stern voice as if the animal could understand her. After they had packed their tents, Doctor Baylor gave Celine a morning ration: a sweet protein bar. Celine broke off a piece and laid it on the ground for the puppy. The puppy gave it one lick and swallowed it whole. She patted its head and touched its fur. She was surprised at how small the animal’s body was.

  “You’re just a ball of fur.” The animal appeared to be listening. “You poor thing. You lost your family, just as I found mine.” Celine thought about Alex and his pet seal. While there were no pets whatsoever on her planet, she could see how a person could get attached to an animal.

  “May I keep it?” She asked, even though she knew the answer before she opened her mouth. Food in the Compound was rationed, and there would be nothing for it to eat.