“You are correct, Brad. This mess is your fault,” says a familiar voice. It’s the Orb, come to gloat. It is hovering beside me, but I don’t look up.
“It is just as I warned you,” the Orb continues. “The Sentinels learned of the earth after your third trip to our world and followed you back through the wormhole. They studied your world through the internet, and were horrified by humanity’s greed, violence and wickedness. They quickly reached the conclusion that humanity had to be destroyed before it could travel to the stars. And so, learning from your idea of making clockwork bodies for Spidey, Roach and the butterflies, they made much larger, stronger clockwork bodies for themselves. Then they embarked on their mission to destroy the world.”
“And this is all because of me. I know, I get it,” I say. I can’t stop thinking of all the people who’ve died because of me. Because I wouldn’t listen. Because I thought I knew better.
“Brad,” says the Orb.
I’m too busy blaming myself to reply.
“Brad, listen to me! What would you say if I told you there is a way to stop the Sentinels destroying the earth?”
“It’s too late, they’ve already done it,” I whisper.
“What if I told you I can send you back in time to just before the Mechanicals launch their attack? Would you be willing to go back and stop them?”
“What? You can send me back in time?” I ask. I’m stunned by his suggestion.
“Yes.”
“And you think an eleven-year-old boy can stop the Sentinels?”
“Yes, I do. Though I would not send you alone. I would send helpers to assist you.”
“Okay, I’ll go. Please do whatever is necessary to help me stop the Sentinels from destroying the earth,” I tell the Orb after a moment of soul searching. The very thought of fighting the Sentinels is terrifying, but I have to do this.
“Very well,” the Orb says. “However, I cannot send you like this. You are far too distressed. To calm you down, I must temporarily erase parts of your memory...”
Chapter Twelve
...the door to the flight deck swings open with a crash. I snap out of the memory to see Georgia and Megan tumbling backwards from the door.
Clockwork chairs and tables march in and drive the four of us towards one side of the room.
There is a loud SNAP and a portal opens directly behind us.
“Why is the portal here now? We haven’t finished the mission yet, have we?” Megan asks. Her confusion mirrors my own.
“Who c-c-cares, it’s our w-w-way out of here. Let’s...go!” Robby says as he moves towards the glowing portal filled with crackling blue energy.
The chairs immediately move in behind Robby and continue herding us towards the portal.
I reach out a hand to stay him. “No, Megan’s right – something’s wrong. We don’t know where that portal leads.”
Georgia says something, but I can’t quite catch her words.
“Don’t even bump the portal, Georgia. The slightest touch will suck you in,” I say.
The chairs and tables come closer. I try to kick them away, but the ones at the back are pushing the ones at the front closer. I stumble backwards. The portal’s only a couple of steps behind me now.
“The butterflies – they’re trying to tell us something!” Georgia shouts in my face. I understand her now, but I don’t have time to look. I’m too busy playing push-and-shove with a chair.
“I’ve got it!” Georgia declares.
She suddenly grabs my arm and pushes me away. Then she grabs the closest Mechanical chair and shoves it at the portal. The chair touches the crackling blue hole and with a WHUMP it is sucked in and disappears.
That’s when I notice the butterflies. They have gathered around the edge of the portal. They knew what to do all along, and it took Georgia to realise what they were trying to tell us.
“Good one, Georgia!” I say. “Quick, let’s throw them all in.”
We are feeling confident now we know how to get rid of these annoying chairs, tables, stools – and toilet – that have hounded us across the airship. We grab them one by one and push them into the portal. Each one is sucked through. Finally, we are alone.
“Phew, we did it!” I say.
“Good work, little guys,” Megan says as she reaches out to her butterflies. They come flapping over to her.
“Tell me, Robby, what is an airship’s greatest weakness?” I ask.
“Fire,” he replies.
“Okay, let’s start a fire.”
“Right. I’ll see if I c-c-c-can find a way to m-m-make the u-u-u-ultraviolet radiators ov-ov-overheat. That should do...it,” he says.
“Do you know where the controls for the ultraviolet radiators are?” I ask.
“They’re right...here.” Robby goes over to a part of the instrument panel that Roach exposed before.
“How do you know they’re the right controls?”
“Well, because they l-l-l-look like ultraviolet radiator c-c-controls. Also, because there’s a label beside th-th-them that says ‘Ultraviolet Radiator C-c-c-control Panel.’ ”
“Haha. Okay, get to it.”
Robby tries to increase the ultraviolet radiator temperature, but every time he changes it, it resets itself.
“No g-g-good!” He slumps down, frustrated.
“Roach, can you help?” I ask.
The clockwork bug bobs his antennae and darts over to the exposed control panel. He cuts through several wires and then scampers back to me.
“Try again now, Robby,” I say.
Robby adjusts the settings on the UV control panel again, and this time he smiles broadly. Moments later, we hear a muffled bang, and then another. Then there is an explosion so violent that we are knocked off our feet. The airship immediately tilts to starboard and we begin to slide across the floor – right towards the portal!
“Orb!” I bellow. “Help!”
Another portal opens – right in front of the other one. The airship tilts further to starboard. Robby and Georgia slide right into the new one and disappear.
“Spidey, Roach!” I reach for my clockwork friends as I go flailing away from them. They dart across the floor and into my outstretched hands. At the same time, the butterflies swarm Megan and cling to her sweater. Megan and I fall into the portal together. We’re sucked through and come out the other side. Right on top of Robby and Georgia.
Chapter Thirteen
It takes a moment for us to disentangle ourselves. Then we look around to see where we are. At first I’m afraid the Orb has lied and sent us on another mission, but I breathe a huge sigh of relief when I realise I know this place.
“Where are we?” Megan asks as the butterflies take flight.
“In my bedroom.” I laugh for joy.
“So it’s all over – we’ve won?” Georgia asks.
“Yes, the Mechanicals have been defeated and the world is safe,” says the Orb. It is hovering beside us.
“But won’t the Mechanicals – the Sentinels – try again?” I ask. I’m worried it’s not really over.
“No, the Sentinels will not try again,” the Orb replies. “The three Sentinels are responsible for protecting our world, Tempestas Mundi, from the other races we encounter. However, there is a fourth Sentinel. This one is responsible for protecting those other races from the first three Sentinels, just in case they get too carried away in doing their job. This means the four Sentinels are sometimes in conflict with each other. However, they are not allowed to fight each other directly.”
“Orb, you’re the fourth Sentinel!” I say.
“That is correct.”
“So it was your job to protect mankind from the other three Sentinels, but as you could not fight them yourself, we had to stop them.” I understand it all now.
“Also correct.”
“How come the four Sentinels strive against each other like this?” Megan asks, frowning. “Doesn’t that mean you’ll always stop each other from doing an
ything?”
“Not at all,” the Orb replies. “The system was designed to balance the Sentinels actions – our world must be protected, but we must not destroy other races while doing so.”
“But w-w-w-won’t our two races meet again s-s-s-sometime in the future?” Robby asks.
“It is possible, but as Tempestas Mundi is on the other side of the galaxy, that may not be for several thousand years. Hopefully by that time, the human race will no longer be so greedy, violent and destructive.”
I pause, and choose my next words carefully, because I don’t want to insult my new friends. “Orb, you sent someone to help me in the three missions against the Sentinels. Each of my helpers was someone I had been mean to at school because they were different or disadvantaged in some way. Why did you do this?”
“Because there was something wrong with you that could only be fixed by spending time with them,” the Orb replies.
“That’s what I figured.” I nod thoughtfully.
“Brad, it is my hope that you can be a force for change in your world. But for this, you need your memories back so you will never forget where you went wrong before,” the Orb says.
“I don’t want them back,” I say quickly.
“Why not?”
“I don’t want to be the person I was before. I’m afraid if I get my memories back I’ll be that guy again and I don’t like him.” I look at Megan, Robby and Georgia.
“There is no danger of that, Brad. You have learned your lesson, your heart has changed and that is not something your memories can alter.”
I was going to keep protesting, but what feels like a thick woollen blanket is suddenly lifted from my mind. And then I remember everything. My whole life up to this point. I remember when my mother passed away and my father started giving more attention to his job than to me. I remember my ‘friends’ and how I had been mean to so many others, thinking that would make me popular.
But the Orb was right. I am different now. I consider Megan, Robby and Georgia my best friends. I’m looking forward to spending as much time with them as I can.
“I have to leave now,” the Orb says. “But there are three things I must say before I go. Firstly, the portal in your dad’s junkyard will close soon. You must not go through it again before it does.”
“Don’t worry, I won’t!” I’m not making that mistake again.
“Good to hear. Secondly, the four of you must never tell anyone what has happened these past three hours. Lastly, Spidey, Roach, and the butterflies will only reveal themselves to the four of you. To everyone else, they will be clockwork toys. Nothing more. You must keep their true nature a secret.”
We agree to the Orb’s final words, and it begins to fade.
“Will I ever see you again?” I ask quickly.
“It is most unlikely.”
“Then thank you for everything!” I shout.
The Orb disappears. I hope it heard what I said.
“What do w-w-we do now?” Robby asks.
“Don’t know about you guys, but I’m famished – lets go hit the kitchen,” I say with a smile. “After that, let’s play.”
My friends are all for those suggestions.
Chapter Fourteen
It’s gym class the following day, and we’re going to play soccer. As usual, Mr. Carter chooses me as one of the team captains. Our first order of business is to take turns picking our teammates.
Anton, the other captain, picks Leigh. He’s the best goalie. They’re all expecting me to choose Gavin, because he’s the best goal shooter.
“Megan,” I say. I give her a big smile.
She comes over to stand behind me, with a spring in her step. She’s never been chosen first before.
The other kids, and even Mr. Carter, gasp in surprise.
Anton picks Gavin. I call out Robby’s name. More gasps, and Mr. Carter is watching me closely now.
“Baxter!” Anton calls as he flashes me a glance. He’s very confused. He can’t work out why I’m picking the kids who are normally left until last.
“Georgia!” I shout. She comes over and I give her a hi-five.
This continues until everyone is chosen. I picked all the kids I used to be mean to. Everyone I’ve teased or mocked. Mr. Carter is smiling at me and nodding his approval.
We head over to the soccer field. I call my teammates to gather round and tell them what positions they will play.
“Our t-t-team doesn’t s-s-stand a chance,” Robby complains when I’ve finished. “You let Anton pi-pi-pick most – of the – of the good...players.”
“There’s more to playing a game than winning or losing.” I reply. I look each of my teammates in the eye. “It’s how we play that matters. So let’s get out there, do our best, and be good sports, whether we win or lose.”
“Hey, you kept your promise that you’d choose me first. Thanks!” Megan says as we head onto the field.
“You’re welcome. Now let’s go play some soccer!”
Peter R Stone
Pop into Peter R Stone’s Amazon website on Amazon USA for information about his novels.
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Acknowledgements
Thank you, Lord Jesus, for helping me with everything.
Special thanks to Melissa Scott for finding the holes and weaknesses in the original draft, for her suggestions to improve it, and for editing the manuscript.
Thank you to Rachel Barret for beta reading the manuscript.
Thanks also to everyone who has read the books in this series and given me such positive feedback. You are such an inspiration to me.
About the Author
Peter Stone graduated from Melbourne School of Ministries Bible College in 1988. He has been a Sunday school teacher and church keyboard player for over twenty-five years. He has an international marriage and two children.
He has worked for the same games company for twenty-six years, but still does not comprehend why they expect him to work all day rather than play games.
Peter dreams of becoming a writer when he grows up. However, he has serious reservations that either of these events will ever come to pass.
Peter, an avid student of history, still mourns the untimely passing of King Leonidas of Sparta, and Field Marshal Michel Ney of France.
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