by Paris Singer
Doing my best to appear shocked at the news, I said, “Wow, no! That’s crazy! I’m glad no one was hurt, though.”
“So, did you have any luck finding out who that girl is?” asked Pi, yawning and stretching.
“No, none.” I sighed.” How about you two?”
I suddenly felt nervous, almost nauseous, about hearing Iris’ and Pi’s replies. On the one hand, I feared they may have received information on the mysterious girl, which could potentially endanger their lives—assuming the mysterious girl was being truthful. I also instinctively worried their own lives could be in danger through me.
However, another part of me wanted desperately to find out who the mysterious girl was. Despite her warnings, I couldn’t help but remain curious.
“Sorry, Seven, I asked everywhere and no one had seen her. I wish I could give you better news.”
Half-disappointed, half-relieved, I looked at Pi who simply replied, “Nah. Sorry, bro.”
I couldn’t deny the overwhelming frustration I felt then. As much as my logical mind told me it was most likely for the best, my heart—or my sense of curiosity, anyway—had taken a blow and any hope I’d had at finding the mysterious girl vanished. It was also in that moment I realized I didn’t completely trust her. While her warning had felt ominous, how could I be expected to place unquestioning trust in a complete stranger? In that same way, however, I couldn’t utterly dismiss her, either. It was maddening.
The crowd of onlookers around us dwindled as the repair units rapidly continued fixing the hole caused by the explosion. Some teachers still stood consolingly around those colleagues whom I guessed had been inside the academy when the event had occurred.
“Hey,” said Iris enthusiastically, “why don’t we go to Shabli’s and talk about what we can do next to find this strange girl?”
“We’d better hurry if we do,” suggested Pi, looking around him. “Pretty sure most people will be heading there right now.”
I wanted nothing more than to go with them. I craved a milkshake so much I could taste it on my salivating tongue, but I needed to think. I was so confused as to what was what that I didn’t know who was friend and who was foe. The terrible thought that I may not be able to trust my best friends, that I was as alone as the mysterious girl had told me I was, hurt immeasurably. I was in no way ready to accept her words, but I also couldn’t be sure they were untrue. I had to get away, I needed space and time to think.
“Sorry, guys.” I sighed. “I think I’m going to go to my quarters.”
“Why? What’s wrong?” asked Iris worriedly.
“No, it’s nothing,” I replied reassuringly. “I just didn’t sleep well last night, so I think I’ll try to nap for a while.” I’d started turning back toward the town when I added, “You guys go on ahead, though. We’ll catch up later.” Leaving them standing with perplexed expressions on their faces, I turned fully around and started into the town, toward my quarters, before they could say anything.
“Okay, then,” Iris called out in a forced, gleeful way. “See you later. Get some rest!”
“Yeah, see ya later, bro,” added Pi.
I walked hurriedly to my quarters, feeling a wave of relief when the door swooshed closed behind me. For a moment, I stood in silence in the relative darkness of the short corridor that led to the main living space and closed my eyes. I tried to empty my mind of any thoughts. I realized then how tired I really was. I rubbed my face with my hands and walked inside.
“Hello, Seven,” came Ava’s deep, sultry voice. “Are you ready to play?”
“Hi, Ava,” I mumbled grumpily, shaking my boots off my feet and then kicking them away. “Play what?”
Instead of verbally replying to my question, the display screen turned on and loud game music at once filled the room, jogging my memory. I’d promised to play with Ava when I got back.
“Sorry, Ava,” I winced, “but I’m really tired.” The silent treatment was a tactic Ava subjected me to from time to time, usually with great results, and was far more effective than any words she could have spoken.
I walked into the kitchen, trying to find nothing in particular, as the game music tauntingly continued playing in the background. Slowly but surely, the guilt ate away at me as I mindlessly stared inside the near-empty chill cube until finally I conceded defeat and walked back into the living area. I sat cross-legged on the bed and picked up a game controller.
“Very gracious of you to play, Seven,” stated Ava as I joined the game.
Even though her tone remained unchanged, the sarcasm of her every word had not eluded me. As we played, I remembered how Ava had lifted my spirits the night before. Agreeing to play the game with her was the least I could do to thank her. In a way, she was still helping me disconnect even now.
“How are you, Seven? You seem pensive.”
The relief I’d been feeling while playing the game shattered with Ava’s question. I’d felt myself about to tell her all that had happened that morning, and only barely restrained myself from doing so. The words the mysterious girl had told me echoed in my mind as loudly as if she stood next to me. I felt angry, wishing I’d never met or spoken with her. And what was worse, I couldn’t shake the idea that she might just have been telling the truth. If that was the case, I couldn’t even trust in Ava any more.
I suppressed a lump in my throat, and replied, “I’m okay, Ava. Just a little tired.”
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
BANG. BANG. “SEVEN!”
I’d been unable to sleep that night either, and was dressed by the time Iris banged on my door. This time, however, I waited a while before answering, so I could avoid more interrogations.
“Yeah, yeah. I’m awake,” I called out in my best sleepy tone.
“Hurry up or we’ll be late!” shouted Iris, sounding as aggravated as usual for that time of day.
“I’m coming, I’m coming!” I replied as convincingly as possible.
During the course of the night, I’d decided to play it safe, and would keep my thoughts to myself until I knew what was going on, whenever that was. Once I thought I’d waited long enough, I opened the door just as Iris prepared to knock again. I seemed to have a knack for timing that just right.
“Finally.” She exhaled, rolling her eyes before turning and walking away, her bright blue floral dress whirling lightly around her as she did.
“How you doin’ today, bro?” Pi called out as he leaned casually against a tree on the other side of the path. His black lips stretched the length of his face, showing off a gleaming set of pearly-white teeth as his smiled.
Trying my best to appear aloof, I replied, “Much better, thanks.”
“Well,” interjected Iris, reaching the tree Pi leaned against, “that will change if we don’t get a move on.”
As we started down the path that led to the town, Iris and Pi chatted about the day ahead, teachers, new flavours at Shabli’s, Sphere—the usual—though, as much as I tried to follow and be involved in the conversation, I kept drifting out, replaying the meeting I’d had with the mysterious girl. Her words repeated without end in my mind, and with them, a sense of guilt whispered in my ear at the mistrust I felt for my friends.
“Hey, Seven,” said Pi, snapping me out of my thoughts. “So, what do you want to do about the girl then? Any plans?”
Iris fixed her gaze on me but remained silent, as if in anticipation of my reply. At the very mention of the mysterious girl I felt my face redden and my brow dampen with beads of sweat. It made no sense, of course, but in that moment, it was as though Iris and Pi had both read my mind and had known I’d been thinking of her.
I feigned a quick smile, trying to regain my composure, and replied, “Not really. I’m getting bored of the whole thing, to be honest.”
Iris leaped to my side and interlocked her arm with mine. Through a bright, beaming smile, she said in a dismissive tone, “She was strange, anyway, Seven. Are you looking forward to Sphere practice later? There’s a
rumor Mr. Hist has some exciting news.”
I felt a little embarrassed and frustrated that I hadn’t heard any news relating to Sphere, and instantly shifted my gaze from Iris to Pi and back to Iris. “What news?” I asked.
“Depends on who you ask,” replied Pi. “Some think he’s changing the team, others reckon Mr. Hist is retiring, but no one really knows.”
“Why would people think he’s retiring?” I asked puzzlingly, worried that for once a rumor might be true. Mr. Hist had been my coach ever since I’d started playing Sphere, and I just couldn’t imagine anyone else taking his place.
“It’s just a rumor, Seven,” answered Iris reassuringly. “It has no basis in reality. You know how rumors are.
“Yeah, Mr. Hist is pretty stubborn,” agreed Pi. “It’d take a small army to get him to retire.”
“I guess you’re right,” I said, feeling some relief. The coach adored the sport and would be very unlikely to retire from it.
We spent the rest of the journey to the academy chatting and bantering like always, and for a while it was as though nothing had ever happened, as any thoughts of the mysterious girl and her ominous warnings faded lightly away.
Having reached the academy, Iris and I waved goodbye to Pi and then headed to our Interplanetary Ecology class as he ambled off to his own. As the room slowly filled, we found our way to our seats. Sitting next to Iris had its advantages. If there was something I hadn’t understood or heard, she’d explain or repeat it to me. The downside, of course, was that her help tended to come with a gratuitous slap to the back of the head.
As we all sat and then settled to a low chatter, Mr. Sylva announced his presence with the usual dusty thump, following his emergence from the mossy hole within the vertical protuberance on the wall. Dusting himself off, the teacher announced in his gruff monotone, “Good day, students. I would like to begin today’s class with some news.” A hush fell over the class as everyone sat straighter attentively. “As you know,” continued Mr. Sylva, “there was a slight incident on Brattea when recently we visited it on our excursion. Some were evidently rather perturbed by this experience,” he continued, turning his head and fixing his roving gaze on me, “so allow me to appease your minds.”
Mr. Sylva paused for a moment as his eyes darted every which way again as he mumbled, “What was it?” before he triumphantly exclaimed, “Oh yes!” and carried on. “Our dedicated and highly competent staff has since been able to discover that a virus has broken out among the Brattean race, which causes them to dramatically alter their appearance and size and lose control, making them quite, quite violent. Oh dear,” muttered the teacher again, “that sounds rather awful. Hmm, yes, indeed.”
Mr. Sylva drifted off in distant thought as he continued whispering and mumbling words I could no longer hear until Iris, as politely as she could, called out, “Sorry, sir, what were you saying? About the virus on Brattea?” to which the whole class sighed a collective breath of relief.
“What, what? Virus? Oh, yes, of course, yes, the virus. It appears as though it causes affected Bratteans to physically alter their shape and appearance and become really very violent. What we experienced as a class was the start of this outbreak, which I am told, has now spread over the majority of the Brattean population. I have been assured, however, that official steps have been taken to contain and eradicate the dreadful outbreak. Moreover, this virus is only spread within the Brattean species, so all of you are quite safe from its effects. All Bratteans aboard have been placed safely in quarantine within the medical center, and have already begun their treatment. So, you see,” concluded Mr. Sylva, his gaze locking on me again, “there is nothing to fear, as the situation is now well and truly under control.”
A crescendo of whispers rose from the classroom as students discussed the news, either expressing their relief or cursing they wouldn’t have the chance to become great monsters that terrorized the academy. Despite the news, however, one matter still played on my mind, and before really thinking about what I was doing, I stood.
Addressing Mr. Sylva, I said, “What about how you all just stood there as the Brattean became that monster, sir? I mean, none of you seemed to know or even care what was happening. You all just looked on as if nothing was happening.”
An instant silence fell in the room as all eyes turned to face me. “I’m glad you brought that up…student, as it had quite slipped my mind. You see, temporary sensory inhibition tends to occur among those unfortunate enough to be within range of an affected Brattean. It is due to a toxic gas secreted by the Brattean as its morphology changes so that, when ingested, it causes the—well, the victim, I suppose—to be utterly unaware of what is happening, therefore allowing the infected Brattean to attack with greater ease and comfort. Luckily for all of us, it had no effect on that one student who, effectively, awoke us all.”
“That was me, sir,” I confirmed flatly.
“Oh, was it, indeed?” replied Mr. Sylva curiously, though I thought I detected a hint of sarcasm hidden somewhere in the somewhat muffled voice behind the long tangle of mossy gray roots that dangled down his face.
Mr. Sylva’s explanation was very convincing, and it did make me feel much better about it all, but there was still something that bothered me as the mysterious girl’s warnings not to trust anyone resounded in my mind.
“Further,” continued Mr. Sylva, “the effects of the toxic gas, I’m told, lingers for a while afterward, which I suspect, would explain our collective delayed reactions aboard the vessel. Don’t you agree, student?” he asked, looking at me now with his left telescopic eye.
There was something unnerving about Mr. Sylva’s eye, which along with the other one, normally roved around without apparent control, but was now so unblinkingly fixed on me that I felt uneasy. However, what he’d said made sense—and made far more sense than words spouted at me by some strange girl, telling me not to trust anyone.
I sat feeling lighter than I had when I’d stood, and looked at Iris, who was gently smiling at me as the occasional glint of light on her skin sparkled like diamonds.
***
Later on, I met up with Iris and Pi outside by the front entrance to the academy, and we started toward the stadium, chatting about the day we’d had. Everything already seemed to be back to normal.
The repair units had done such an immaculate job of fixing the gaping hole caused by the explosion the previous day, you’d never have known it had ever happened. It’d seemed slightly odd that I hadn’t heard anyone discussing it that day at the academy, but I suppose given the fact that no one had been hurt and there was no mystery behind it, there had been no cause for gossip.
Neither Iris nor Pi had once mentioned the mysterious girl. My suspicions about the strange trip to Brattea had been pacified by Mr. Sylva’s explanation, so the mysterious girl’s warnings seemed unwarranted. To be honest, I didn’t especially want to think about her, either.
“So? Are you looking forward to it?” asked Iris eagerly.
“Sorry?” I asked, lost in my thoughts again.
“The news! If the rumors are anything to go by, today is when Mr. Hist gives you the news during practice! You have to be excited about that.” She smiled contentedly.
“Oh yeah, that, right, of course,” I muttered, trying to match Iris’ enthusiasm, but failing miserably.
The fact was I’d never paid much thought to rumors that circulated through the academy. When you considered the last one claimed the true purpose of the Sky Drifter was to gather and train soldiers with the ultimate purpose of conquering the galaxy, you tend not to put too much stock in such things.
Outside the stadium students were already gathering in small groups as they waited around for Sphere practice to begin. There seemed to be more of a crowd than usual, but I suspected that was the result of the rumor Iris had spoken about.
“Hi, Seven!” A Banra girl giggled from where she sat with a small group on the grass to my right. As soon as I looked, she quickly tu
rned her head from me to her friends as they tittered in unison. I smiled with embarrassment and looked down at my feet in anticipation for what would come next.
“Looks like your fan club is here,” said Iris sarcastically.
A while ago, a group of girls from Banra had started coming to every practice game there was, giggling as they dared each other to call out my name. To me, it was annoying and embarrassing, but Iris had quite a different reaction to it.
“Why don’t you go spend some time with them before practice starts? Or better yet, take them right in with you now. Don’t worry about us, we’ll just wait here on the grass and for the doors to open like the other regular fans.”
I felt my cheeks flush and replied with the only words that came to mind. “No, that’s okay, maybe next time.”
Like the calm before the storm, everything seemed to quiet around me as I felt Iris’ gaze bore into my skull. From my periphery, I saw her open her mouth, ready with an assault of words that would be as devastating as an all-destroying hurricane.
Just before she could speak, however, Pi suddenly said, “Hey, look. No Face is going into the stadium. Huh, I thought he was banned.”
The heavy atmosphere instantly changed as Iris and I looked up. There, ahead of us, One stood beside the side entrance to the stadium as he waited for one of his Morex goons to open the door for him before walking in and out of sight. The two Morex closely followed, slamming the door behind them.
“I wonder what’s happening,” Iris said rhetorically, more to herself than to anyone.
“Maybe he’s sneaking in,” I offered, not putting something like that past One. “Could be he heard about the rumor and couldn’t resist finding out what it’s about for himself.”
“Yes,” replied Iris dreamily, “maybe.”
“Who cares, guys,” contributed Pi. “It’s not like it matters, is it?”
“No,” I replied, agreeing with Pi. “I suppose not.”
Still looking ahead pensively, Iris simply stated, “Come on, let’s go.” She walked quickly toward the side door to the stadium as Pi and I tried to keep up.
