by Debbie Zaken
“Thank you again for the kind invitation,” Ethan said to them.
Dad’s eyes narrowed as he gave him a curt nod. “Goodnight, Ethan.”
“Goodnight,” Mom managed to say, but the fierce look in her eyes conveyed more than the yelling and insults she was holding back.
Ethan and I walked down the front steps, and I closed the door behind me. He leaned in as if to kiss me, glanced over my shoulder at the front door and then jerked back.
I sighed. “Midnight?”
“Midnight. Your window.”
***
“YOU ARE NERVOUS.” Ethan’s gaze jumped to my twitching fingers on my lap.
Nervous? I’d been a mess from the moment he left my doorstep. The incident with Chase had freaked Mom out and she’d threatened to lock me in my room for the rest of my life if I didn’t break it off with Ethan. I begged and cried. She yelled and cried. This time Dad was the calm one.
“I don’t know what to do here, Skye. You saw today the risk involved with this relationship. So many risks that probably haven’t even crossed your mind…” He shook his head and rubbed his forehead. “But who are we kidding? I can’t stop you from seeing him any more than I can actually lock you up in your room. I know he means you no harm, so I’ll go along with the concessions we made… as long as you follow the rules.” He shook a finger at me, holding my gaze. “You’re a smart girl. Be careful, and use your absolute best judgment.”
But being careful and following the rules wasn’t going so well. As much as I wanted to see the inside of a real alien spacecraft, I was risking everything—even my chaperoned time with Ethan—by sneaking out. I’d sat on the turquoise shag rug in my room, staring at my dark window, debating whether to postpone the visit. My nerves had almost gotten the better of me, until Ethan showed up and doubled the temptation. Ethan and a visit to an alien spaceship? An impossible combination to resist. And so my best judgment jumped off the windowsill, before Ethan even had a chance to levitate me off the ledge.
So was I nervous? “Just a little,” I replied. “That flying down the window is quite a rush.” It was a lame excuse and from the look he gave me, one he didn’t buy. “Okay, fine. I’m nervous.”
“You know, we don’t have to go,” he said.
“Yes we do.” I needed to make sure Ethan wouldn’t be sent back to Celeia or shipped off on another mission five million light years from Earth.
And I really want to see that spaceship.
“I’m just worried your sister won’t like me.” What if she refused to help us? Did Ethan have a Plan B?
“It is not about her or any of them liking you. It is not even really about you. It is about me doing something they do not understand. Something they consider dangerous, for everyone—especially you. And it is about the potential fallout.”
“Fallout? What am I? A nuclear war head?” Not exactly the words of encouragement I wanted to hear.
“Naomi already likes you. I have talked to her a lot about you.”
“And Abigail?”
His forehead creased. “Abigail does not like anyone.”
“Super.” A sarcastic grin twisted my mouth. “So where is this elusive Mother Ship anyway?”
“Andrews Field.”
My brow jerked up. “The military base? Where Air Force One is? How does the media not know that? I thought it was buried in some subterranean structure underneath the Pentagon or something.”
“Why would we want to be underground? And technically, we are outside the base. The Pentagon tried to convince us to settle in some proving ground north of Baltimore. Like that was ever going to happen. The Magistrate came to the agreement that we would settle close enough to a military base to appease your government’s security concerns, but not inside one. Our security methods are far more than enough.”
It sounded like the government had little if no authority over the Celeians. Even their efforts to track them with cars and cell phones were being sabotaged by their technology. A scary thought, really. Although they were guests on our planet, they called the shots.
We pulled onto an isolated road. In the distance, I saw the gates and guard booth at the entrance to the military base. But instead of going straight, we made a sudden turn onto a dirt path so narrow it didn’t look like it was meant for cars. We continued driving until the road ended and the woodlands became too thick. Ethan turned off the engine.
“We have to walk the rest of the way.”
He took my hand and led me down a trail that would have been impossible for me to see if not for Ethan’s electric blue eyes lighting the way. We reached a small lake.
“Ready?” He cast me an eager glance.
I looked around at the dark waters of the lake and the lights of the town nearby. No sign of an alien spacecraft. “What am I missing? There’s nothing here.”
He chuckled. “All those science fiction books and movies and no imagination.”
Extending one hand, he touched the empty air like a mime. Out of nowhere, a strange doorway appeared, translucent and rippling with currents of energy.
I sucked in a breath. “An energy barrier. I should’ve known.”
“Yes. Invisible to those on the outside.” A proud grin touched Ethan’s lips. “And since we are in a military buffer zone, the entire area is blocked off. Pretty good security measure, don’t you think?”
I observed the waves of energy I’d need to pass through. A combination of excitement and fear sped up my heart. “Does it hurt?”
“No. It is just like passing through a gust of wind.” He reached for my hand.
I took a deep breath, held on to him, and stepped through. Powerful winds hit me, blowing my hair all around. I closed my eyes to shield them from the gust. It was like being caught in the middle of the storm Taylor and I had experienced the night the Celeian ship landed. The sensation lasted only a second and when I opened my eyes again, I stood in front of an enormous metallic structure that resembled more a piece of modern art than a spaceship.
Floating on the lake, was a silver ring with four triangle beams curving up like the sails of a boat, one on each of the four cardinal points. A giant luminous blue orb, reminiscent of the planet Celeia, hovered in the middle.
“Whoa…Now that’s a Mother Ship.” I stared in awe at the gleaming alien vessel. It was beautiful and imposing, just like the aliens themselves.
“Are you having second thoughts?” Ethan’s gaze jerked to me.
“Are you kidding? This is beyond my wildest dreams. Why? Are you?”
“Always. But we are here and Naomi went to a lot of trouble to help me sneak you in.”
From the floating spacecraft, a metal ramp extended until it reached our feet on the shore. We stepped on it, and it began retracting, carrying us closer to the ship. A door surfaced from under the depths of the liquid metal vessel, and rose like a curtain to reveal a blue glowing light inside. With Ethan’s hand in mine, we stepped in.
WE MOVED THROUGH a tunnel, the liquescent walls of the ship lit by the blue glow coming from the other end. Their sheen surface distorted my reflection. I raised my hand and stared at my fingers reflected on the wall. They twitched as I fought the urge to touch it. Would it be like dipping them into a pool of mercury or like touching solid metal? Fear won over curiosity and I slowly lowered my hand.
“No one uses this entrance anymore,” Ethan said. “Actually, this entire part of the ship is vacant. No chances of being seen here.”
My lips pursed into a pout. I knew what that meant. I wasn’t going to really see much of anything on the alien ship.
I’m finally on a bona fide alien ship and all I get to see is a back entrance?
We’d hardly taken three steps when we arrived at a second entrance. The silver door ascended like a metallic waterfall in reverse. Inside, I recognized the striking brunette with glowing amethyst eyes sitting on a purple velvet couch.
“Skye, so nice to see you again.” Naomi smiled.
She g
ot up to walk toward me, except she didn’t really walk—she glided, like some mythical creature right out of an extraterrestrial adaptation of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. It was odd to see her dressed in ordinary jeans and a pink flowy blouse. When she stopped in front of me, I had the oddest feeling she was about to hug me, but she gave me another glorious smile instead.
“Please, come sit down. I have been waiting for you two.”
“I see you kept yourself busy while you waited. Redecorating?” Ethan cast a glance around the room.
“The place was in no condition to receive guests. And not one as highly regarded as this one.” Naomi’s gaze fell on me and her dazzling violet eyes lit up.
Embarrassed, I turned to look around. The place looked more like a stylish futuristic lounge rather than an abandoned room. An intricate flower pattern engraved right into the silvery metal covered the walls. A large white shag rug sat on the shiny floor. Two blue lounge chairs, a small white coffee table and the purple vintage couch gave it a funky, but inviting, feel. Too bad I couldn’t post a picture. As far as alien spacecraft went, this one was pretty trendy. Mom would’ve loved it.
Naomi took a seat in one of the chairs, leaving the couch for Ethan and me.
“Where is Abigail?” Ethan’s brows furrowed.
“She is in with the Magistrate now. She will be here shortly. I must tell you, while she agreed to this meeting she is unaware that Skye will be here.”
“You did not tell her?” Ethan thundered.
“Ethan…” Naomi’s worried gaze traveled from Ethan to me and back. “She would have never agreed to come. It was hard enough to convince her when she thought it was just the three of us.”
I looked at him, fidgeting, while I tried to untie the kink in my stomach. He gave my hand a gentle squeeze. “It will be all right.” But he didn’t sound so convinced himself.
A soft drone echoed from the door. The metallic liquid curtain rose inch by inch to reveal Abigail’s perfect feminine figure clad in brown knee length leather boots, skintight white leggings and a long cream colored cowl-neck sweater.
“I am far too busy for this nonsense, Ethan,” she complained from behind the door. “I have a meeting with the Europeans tomorrow and I still need to—” Her eyes hooked on me sitting on the purple coach next to her brother, and her model-perfect face turned cold.
“What is she doing here? Ethan, have you lost your senses?”
“She is not the first Earthling to be inside the ship, Abigail. Relax.” Ethan’s glare turned almost as cold as hers.
“Do not play dumb with me, little brother. You know there is a difference.”
“Little brother?” I mumbled under my breath.
“Abigail is one hundred and eighty five seconds older and not a day goes by she does not feel the need to point it out.” A sardonic grin strained Ethan’s mouth.
“Yes, and I also outrank you.” Abigail’s icy glare shifted to me. “I suggest you take the little prom queen home before Mommy and Daddy find out she is missing.”
“Abigail, she is already here. Sit down so we can talk this through.” Naomi crossed one leg over the other. Everything about her was calming, even her soft voice. She seemed to appease Abigail too—at least enough for her to sit down in the remaining chair, despite the annoyed look twisting her face.
“If you two insist on wasting my time playing silly little games with a silly little girl…” Abigail tossed her long, blonde tresses over her shoulder. “Skye.” She looked at me—really looked at me for the first since she entered the room. Her ice blue eyes pierced me like a sharp, cold blade. “You are pretty for an Earthling, I suppose.”
“Abigail, watch it,” Ethan snarled.
She waved one porcelain hand in the air. “Yes, yes. I know. You have feelings for her.” The word rolled out of her mouth with disdain. “But let us be practical about this, shall we, Skye?”
Something about the way she looked at me made it impossible to look away. I was hypnotized by the glaciers floating in the blue sea of her eyes. The room grew so cold, a trail of goose bumps prickled my skin. So cold I was convinced that if I exhaled through my mouth, my breath would fog up.
“I know why you are so entranced by him.” A small smile crossed Abigail’s thick lips. “That is fairly obvious. It is the nature of our kind that draws you to him. What I find hard to understand is what he sees in you. Even if your beauty and intelligence are above average for an Earthling, you could never live up to one of us.”
“Abigail, I am warning you.” Ethan’s voice sharpened.
Her mouth twitched as she ignored him, her gaze never wavering from mine. As much as I wanted to, I couldn’t tear my eyes away from the drifting glaciers in hers.
“Do not fool yourself, Skye.” Her voice was as cold and mesmerizing as her eyes. “This little romance will not last. It cannot, because our kind does not experience love the way you do. It is the novelty of it all that appeals to him, nothing more. See, my brother has always had a strange fascination for the earthling culture. You should see his collection of artifacts back home—books, artwork, movies, little gadgets, and knick knacks. While he may not admit it to himself, I am afraid that is what you are to him. Another curiosity, a trinket to add to his collection. Easily discarded once he gets bored.”
Abigail’s words cut through me like the sharp, jagged pieces of ice swimming in her gaze. A stabbing pain shot through my chest. I saw the truth reflected on the cold, hard surface of the ice. For somewhere deep down inside, her words weren’t too different from my own thoughts. I wasn’t beautiful enough or smart enough to compare to any of these resplendent, super-intelligent beings.
“Do not listen to her, Skye. Abigail is incapable of understanding the depths of my feelings for you, so she is trying to manipulate yours.”
Ethan’s voice was a distant hum, his words not registering in my head. I stared at the icebergs drifting, changing shape in the frigid blue waters. They began to whirl, the white polar caps blending with the icy waters until it all became a deep, dark vortex. I closed my eyes against the spinning, against the powerful pull into nothing.
When I opened my eyes again, it was dark as night. In the distance, a small source of light told me I was in a tunnel. The faint sound of water rumbled nearby. A silhouette moved in the shadows. Ethan.
With his back toward me, he moved farther to the light. I called to him, but he didn’t stop. I called again. Still, he continued. And then I understood. He was leaving me. The realization knocked me out of breath. Then everything around me began to swirl again. Two spinning black holes, and the frozen abyss of Abigail’s eyes reappeared.
“That would be terrible, Skye.” Her voice echoed in my head. “The anguish, the pain. I would not wish that on my worst enemy.”
“Skye, look at me. Look at my eyes!”
Ethan’s voice was distant in my ears. I couldn’t seem to break away from Abigail’s stare. And part of me didn’t want to. Seeing the truth on his face, knowing he would leave me would crush the remainder of my heart to a pulp.
“It is not deliberate on his part, Skye.” The melodic notes of Abigail’s voice trilled in my ears. “Ethan has this naive notion that by being around you, reading your novels, listening to your music or watching your movies, he can teach himself to be like you, to feel with the same intensity you feel. But he is wrong. He cannot erase his own nature in an attempt to acquire a more Earthling one. As hard as we might try, we cannot change the genetic makeup that makes us what we are. And is it fair to ask that of him, Skye? To give up everything he is in a futile effort to become something he can never be? Can what you Earthlings call love involve such a selfish request?”
Tears pooled in my eyes as a wave of hopelessness engulfed me. Abigail was right. I couldn’t ask that of Ethan. Neither of us should have to give up everything about ourselves to be together. There was no use trying.
“Poor, sweet Skye, in the end you know he will leave you. There is just no way arou
nd it. He cannot be one of you and you cannot become one of us. So is it not better to save yourself the heartache? I know it hurts now, but the pain will only get worse the longer you let this go on.”
“Listen to my voice, Skye. Try to shut hers out.” Ethan’s words were now nothing but a rustle of wind.
“You know what you have to do, Skye. It is better to lose him now. Whatever pain you feel will be a hundredfold later.”
The icebergs began to whirl again, twisting and turning until they disappeared in the bottomless black holes. My vision blurred. I blinked, as my reality came into focus. I stood on top a cliff, barefoot. Below me sat an icy lake. A gust of wind hit me, and my heart sank to my feet as the blue of the water became the sky. Clouds rushed past me as I plummeted down. Ethan stood by the edge of the water. His face lifted up, his eyes shut, able to save me, but withholding his help. My nightmare over and over.
I tumbled down fast, the cold wind chaffing my skin. I opened my mouth to scream and chocked on icy air. Closing my eyes, I braced myself. The impact of my bones against the water felt like slamming into a concrete building, knocking me breathless. I flailed, struggling against the weight of the water on my clothes, but only managed to sink deeper and deeper into the freezing lake.
“Enough, Abigail! Skye, it is not—.” Ethan’s words slurred in the depths of the water. “None of it! Whatever you are seeing in your mind—” I thrashed, trying to make out what he was saying. “It is all her. She is the one influencing you.”
I clung to Ethan’s voice, something clicking in my brain. But the pain in my chest was growing too strong. I couldn’t hold my breath much longer. Over my head, I saw the bottom of massive icebergs floating in the freezing waters.
“Break away, Skye! I know it is hard. But you have to block her out. Find your way back to me.”
I forced limbs to swim toward Ethan’s voice. Cold needles prickled my arms and legs. The pressure on my lungs burned. I propelled myself as hard as I could with legs that weighed a ton. The surface loomed so close. I could see the light above me.