by L. E. Thomas
Nat considered his sister's words. "I wonder where they came from," he whispered, almost to himself, as he gazed into the crackling flames. "Why are they doing this?"
Tressa sighed. "Doesn't matter now."
"What doesn't matter, babe?" Viper stumbled out of his room, tucking in his dirty white shirt and exposing his perfectly-shaved torso in the process. Nat wasn't sure, but he thought he saw glowrods piercing the guy’s nipples.
"Nothing, sweetie," she sighed, rising and giving Viper a quick kiss. "Just talking about yesterday."
"Oh, right." He gave Nat a thumbs-up. "That was cray-cray day.” He smiled. "That rhymed."
Tressa nodded. "Good for you."
Viper slapped his chest and sighed. "Thank the Founder I got some smokes. You want one?"
"I'm good."
Nat declined with a wave of the hand and Viper stumbled out onto the porch.
"Can't believe you're still with him," Nat said, shaking his head.
She kneeled to stoke the fire. "He listens to me like no one else." Jabbing at the fire, she added, "Besides, don't look at me like that. You look like ..."
"Ma?"
She nodded. "Yeah." Clearing her throat, she stood and joined him on the couch. "Soola's a pretty girl."
Nat rolled his eyes. "Oh, who sounds like Ma now?"
"She's about your age," Tressa continued, twirling her hair around on her index finger. "She's a good artist and got some kind of enrollment at the academy while she's still attending basic ed."
"Whatever."
Nat found Soola's wild hair and lean, wiry figure attractive, of course. He was a human teenage boy. She had a rebellious nature and the guts to steal art supplies when she needed them. But he'd never tell his sister about it.
Still, it didn't hurt to get a little information ...
"So," he said, "what classes did Soola take in—"
The front door propped open with a creak. Kad stepped inside and looked at both of them.
"That boy is one smart-ass comment away from getting left here in the woods," he grumbled. "What are you doing up?"
Tressa nodded toward Nat. "He just got up a minute ago. I'm keeping the fire going."
Kad bent down and set the shotgun next to the front door. "It's gotten real quiet out there other than Viper's rambling."
"Still fighting from the city?" Nat asked, leaning forward.
"Doesn't sound like much," he breathed. "Whatever's happened back there sounds like it's already over."
The words drifted on the air. Greeva ... conquered. Was that even possible? The greatest nation on the planet, the first to establish a colony on Atheron, the pioneers of space flight, defeated by an invader in one afternoon.
"We'll have to head back there."
Nat and Tressa looked at their father. "What?" they asked in unison.
Kad nodded. "I'll spend some time checking our supplies here, but I know it isn't much. There's some shells we could try to hunt with. It's not enough to last the winter." He looked at Tressa, then Nat. "We have to get some supplies."
Tressa stood. "That's crazy, Da. You can't save Ma—you just can't!" She hurled her body into his arms and squeezed. "I can't lose you both."
He held her. Nat stared at the crackling fire, unable to say a word.
"I love you both," Kad said, his voice shaking, "but I can't leave your mother down there. I won't do it."
Nat sighed. "How are you going to get there?" He gestured through the front window toward the car. "Roads are going to be blocked up. Tressa's right—it's suicide to go back to Greeva."
Kad shook his head. "The Carfal River is just over the mountain range to the East. It flows right into the harbor. Shouldn't be a problem to sail there and get into the city that way."
"Yeah," Tressa said, parting from her father, "but you don't have a boat."
"The Greston Twins do," he said and shrugged. "Or they used to. They've got a cabin next to the river. We’ll hike there after breakfast."
"It's pretty cold out there," Tressa said. "I'm not sure I want to go hike over the mountain. Maybe it'd be better if some of us stay here to look after the cabin? We could keep the fire going."
Kad seemed to consider this as he rested his hand on the fireplace mantle. He stared at the chimney's rock face.
"Maybe you're right," he said, glancing at Nat. "You up for a hike, buddy?"
They left at mid-morning, Kad casting a lingering glance at the front door as they hiked through the chilly woods. The smoke drifted away from the chimney and through the trees, filling the air with the wonderful aroma of burning wood. He turned away with a sigh, his thoughts obviously on his daughter in the cabin with a crazy biker as he led them up the winding path.
In their search of the cabin's crawlspace and backroom closets, they found a second gun—a hunting rifle—and a box of ammunition. Other than a few matches, Grandma's quilts and more cans of beans, the rest of the cabin was empty. Soola woke during the search, dark circles around her eyes. She ate a spoonful of beans, cringed, and pushed the food away. For some reason, she decided to join Kad and Nat on their journey over the mountain to the Gretson Twins' place.
Kad reluctantly left the shotgun with Tressa since Viper said he had no idea how to fire a gun and told her not to open the cabin for anyone but them. They stacked firewood next to the hearth, embraced, and left without saying much.
Kad led the hiking trio, Soola taking up the middle position. Nat brought up the rear, looking behind him as they marched in silence.
Nat had thought he was in good physical shape until midday. His body ached from the hips down, muscles burning and joints popping. He carried four canisters of varying sizes full of water, and a pocket knife. The forest buzzed with a constant drone of insects. Birds flapped through the trees when they approached, but no other wildlife seemed to notice their presence.
Throughout the morning, he couldn't help thinking of the fact he would be in school right then if not for the invasion. Before lunch, he’d been scheduled to give a presentation on the history of the Atheron colony on the system's third planet from the sun, a topic he’d actually looked forward to presenting. Glenn had helped him with the presentation.
His stomach ached.
Glenn.
The guy had been his best friend since they’d had to pair up for a group science experiment in primary school. Had he safely made it out of the suburbs? What about the rest of his classmates? Was his school even still standing?
So many questions buzzed around his head as they hiked. He watched Soola glide across the rough terrain, hopping over fallen logs and ducking the branches. Her pink hair bounced. She might not have been a direct classmate of his, but she was the closest thing to a fellow student that he had at the moment. Ignoring his burning lungs, he quickened his pace to close the gap between them. She turned and smiled.
They reached the mountain's forested peak at lunchtime and shared a can of beans. The dense clouds prevented any view of Greeva in the distance, much to Nat's disappointment. The engines of enemy aircraft echoed across the range, but he couldn't tell where the sound was coming from. But the noises of battle that raged all night had ceased.
"You okay?" Soola asked, reaching for a water bottle.
He handed it over. "Sure. Why?"
"Your face is red," she said, taking a long drink. She placed the bottle between her legs and retied her bright pink hair behind her head. After tying her winter jacket around her waist, she had pulled the sleeves of the shirt to her shoulders, exposing her toned and glistening arms. "Not used to exercise?"
Nat looked away, catching himself staring at her. "I'm active at home, I guess. I just don't hike something like this every day."
She passed back the bottle and placed her hands on her hips. "My father took me up here all the time. Not this exact mountain, but he loved the outdoors. Used to take me camping so we could melt chocolate on crackers over a fire. We'd stare into the stars and dream of all the stories taking place
out there. We'd wonder if people were living on the stars, taking turns making up stories about what they were doing and if they loved like we did, hated like we did, fought and died like we did."
She shook her head. "After what we saw yesterday, I'm glad my father's not here to see it."
Nat studied her, wondering if he should ask about her father. She stared into the white fog surrounding the mountain's pinnacle, a hint of sadness in her eyes.
"You all right?" he asked instead.
"Sure," she said, shaking her head. "Are you sure your sister's safe back there with that guy?"
Nat smiled. "Yeah. Tressa's always been the smartest one in the room. She can definitely handle herself."
"We need to keep moving," Kad interrupted, swinging the rifle around in front of him. "Daylight's wasting. The Gretson place is at the base of this range here. Should be a couple hours’ hike and we'll see if they still have that boat." He cocked his head toward the trail. "Let's go."
Kad rushed down the hill, his pace faster on the incline. Sweat dripping down his nose, Nat followed Soola who appeared to not even be winded.
After less than an hour, Kad paused and kneeled behind a thick tree surrounded by an Annieberry bush. Nat heard the steady roar of rushing water before he saw it. He blinked, allowing his eyes a moment to adjust to the light. Up ahead and down the trail, the afternoon light sparkled on a fast-moving river. A rickety cabin stood on the far side, uneven wooden planks creating an ugly structure.
"That's what we're here for?" Nat asked, looking at his father. "Looks like a dump."
"No," Kad said, raising his neck to peer over the bush. "We're here for that."
Nat followed his gaze. About fifty yards upstream, stretching out into the swollen river, was a frail dock. Two small fishing boats secured by heavy ropes bounced against the pylons. One of the boats had a rusted outboard engine. Spiderwebs dense enough to see from this distance draped across the dock.
"No one's used those in a while," Nat whispered. "Think they'll start?"
Kad shrugged, raising the rifle closer to his chest. "We'll have to check it out."
"How?" Soola asked. "That water's moving too fast. We can't wade across without it taking us down the river."
He nodded. "There used to be a rope bridge up river a bit."
"And if that doesn't work?"
Kad smiled. "We get wet." He shook his head. "The river falls over a lot of rocks a little higher up. We can cross there."
Nat frowned. "Are you sure this is a good idea?"
"No," Kad shot back, "but it's the safest chance we have of getting back to Greeva and your Ma."
Standing as he stared at the torrent, Kad aimed the rifle at the opposite side of the river and moved parallel to the water.
They hiked for twenty minutes, the landscape rising again. Nat's muscles continued to ache, reminding him how out of shape he’d become. He pushed forward, not wanting to appear weak in front of Soola.
The rope bridge was easy to find, but Nat grimaced as they approached it. Missing every other board, the "bridge" appeared more like a stunt in a competition. The moldy rope, swaying slightly in the cold air, seemed damp and slick.
Kad swung the rifle around his back and took a deep breath. "We'd better go one at a time."
Nat could barely hear his father over the raging waters thirty feet below. Kad gripped the rope, his knuckles blazing a bright white as he stepped onto the first board in the bridge.
It held.
He stretched in a long stride to reach the next board, gingerly placing his boot down to test the surface.
And on he went, inching his way across the rope bridge. The ropes swung, and the boards dipped, but they held Kad's weight as he hurried across to the other side.
Soola turned to him. "You wanna go next?"
Nat shook his head. "After you, of course," he said, his voice wavering and betraying his false projection of confidence.
Taking an exaggerated curtsy, Soola grabbed the rope and started across. She moved quickly, the addition of her weight hardly causing the bridge to move at all. By the time she reached the halfway point, she was nearly skipping toward the other side. She hopped onto the rocky surface of the other bank and smiled, spinning around to beckon him forward.
Nat hated how easy she made it seem. Tightening the straps on his bag, he placed his hands on the ropes on either side of the bridge. The slimy surface slithered under his palms as he stepped onto the first board.
Okay, he thought, that's one.
His heart pounded. He didn't know if his hands were sweating or if it was the mist coming up from the river, but he struggled to maintain a grip as he stretched to the second board.
Everyone always said to never look down. Nat had heard it in every climbing and physical education class. Now he knew why. His mind spun as he gazed into the swirling water cascading over the rocks and downed trees. He kept looking up but would only find himself peering into the river again. He took a deep breath and tried to calm himself. Focusing on Kad and Soola, he decided not to look down at the water. He moved quicker, making his way to the halfway point. He smiled.
Almost there.
"Hold it right there, boy," a deep voice shouted behind him. "Turn around real slow like, and I won't turn you into fish food."
Chapter Three
Nat's muscles froze. An icy bead of sweat rolled down the back of his skull.
"You hear me, boy?" the man grumbled. "I said turn around."
Was it one of the red-armored invaders he'd seen charging out of the ship onto the academy grounds yesterday?
His mind raced in a frantic search for what to do next. He should flee. Peering through the tattered boards of the rope bridge, the raging water flowed past in a flurry of white froth. He could jump from the bridge; perhaps the water wasn't cold enough to kill him. Or was it? What if it were too shallow?
He looked up. Kad and Soola stood on the opposite bank, their brows wrinkled in confusion. His father held the hunting rifle at his belt, gripping it tightly with both hands.
They couldn't hear or see the voice behind him.
"Last chance," the man said again. "Or I start shooting."
"All right!" Nat shouted, raising his right hand off the rope while holding tight with the other. "Just don't shoot me, okay?"
Being careful not to step off the secure board beneath his boots, Nat swiveled around to face the other way. He searched the dense bush behind him for a few seconds before he saw two eyes peering back at him beneath a thick black ski cap. Below the eyes, the full barrel of an energy bow extended from the leaves.
"Both hands," the man barked.
Nat tried to loosen his vice-like grip on the rope, but his hands shook. "I don't know if I can," he said, his teeth chattering. "I'm scared I'll fall."
"I built that bridge, boy," the man said. "You ain't gonna fall."
The leaves parted and a hulking figure emerged from the forest, the four-foot-long energy bow still trained on Nat's face. An unruly black beard engulfed the man's face and stretched down to his broad chest. His black eyes bore into Nat as he stepped out onto the open bank.
But Nat focused on the energy bow pointed directly toward him. He’d read about the impact of an energy bow, how it hurled small discs the size of a coin at nearly the speed of light and how it could decapitate a deer's head from its body in one well-placed shot. He swallowed, his attention drawn to the weapon.
"Are you one of the Gretsons?" he asked.
The big man stopped, the bow lowering slightly. "What did you say?"
Nat gestured at the bridge. "You said you built this bridge." He cocked his head down the river toward the cabin. "That must be your place, right?"
Now the bow dropped to his side. "Who are you, boy?"
Nat hesitated, words not escaping his chattering teeth.
"Jax!" his father yelled from behind him, his voice rising over the roaring river. "It's me, Kad!"
The man called Jax arched
his lips in a tight smile. "You're Kad Hodges' boy?"
Nat could only nod, again and again.
"Damn, son," Jax said, stepping forward and grabbing Nat's forearm. "Let's get you to the cabin. You look like trash."
With more confidence than Nat would have liked, Jax led them both across the rope bridge simultaneously. The board popped, the ropes stretched, but the bridge held.
Nat crossed with one eye open.
"Been real careful up here since the comm links all went down," Jax said, bringing a fresh pot of coffee to the circular table in the center of the simple wood cabin. "Not picking up any signals on the glass or radio."
Kad sighed, taking a mug and pouring himself a cup. "And I was hoping you'd be able to tell us something about what's going on."
Jax shook his head. "I was off this week from the plant. Came up here like I do, to clear my head and do some hunting."
"What happened to your old lady?"
He paused and stared at the wall. "Didn't keep."
Nat looked around the cabin smelling of ash, wood, and tobacco. Ancient pots and pans covered a shelf near the simple kitchen with a barrel converted into a sink. Two old rifles hung over the fireplace.
"So, these are your kids, huh?" Jax asked in an obvious attempt to change the subject. "Tressa and Nob, right?"
"Nat, actually," Kad said. "And this is Soola. She went to the academy with Tressa. We left Tress and ... another kid… back at our cabin while we came down here to commandeer one of your boats."
Jax frowned. "What the hell you want to do that for?"
"To go into town."
"That's insane. You know as well as I do, Greeva's not safe now."
"Are you sure of that?"
Jax stared at him. "How much do you know, Kad?"
He shrugged, glancing at Nat. "I was working at home when the emergency sirens went off. Before the comms went down, a standardized message went out telling us to stay inside our homes. Nat was already home from school. When I looked out the window, I knew I needed to get Tressa. She was staying after as usual. We drove to the cabin and never turned back."