And on top of it all, Miranda and Anthony are still living lives away from each other.
✷✷✷
“But why must she be destroyed? She hasn’t done anything except what she’s been told…” Jade stands resolutely in front of Zephyr, shamelessly pleading with him to let Luna carry on without a threat. “It wasn’t her fault, what happened, you know…”
Zephyr’s cold stare remains resolutely focused on Jade’s opposing snarl.
“Be that as it may, she has been irrevocably damaged, and is thus no use to us here. There is simply nothing I can do, you see, plans have already been put into place, Jade.”
At that moment, Jade’s head snaps out of her smug tilt and to complete attention, awaiting Zephyr’s explanation for such a radical claim.
“What kinds of plans?”
Zephyr cracks his pale, wiry knuckles in the dim light of the Grand Hall. “Well, you may not be aware, but I’ve arranged for her undead fetus to be absorbed into the utero lab, with some consciousness intact. He has been re-formed, and I will have him brought here for a de-briefing momentarily. As soon as that is accomplished, he will be sent back to Earth to carry out my plan for me.”
“I’m not sure I understand.”
Zephyr allowed an all-knowing smile to ooze across his putrified lips. “You don’t have to know anything. I’ll take care of all the details, no need to worry. She’ll be dead within two Earth days.”
Jade’s blood runs cold as her face turns pale. She wants to react, but knows that would only make things worse for her, and for the others.
“Okay, my leader, I’ll get back to work then.” Zephyr nods approved dismissal. As Jade slowly walks down the cold, darkened hallway, she realizes the obvious.
I need to tell Onyx that Luna is in grave danger… and that maybe he’s the only one who can save her.
The enormity of the problem was really beginning to shake Jade’s focus, which is a problem as she holds a coveted leadership position in the Upperworld. She refuses to back down whenever things get tough. But in her own defense, things had never been this tough before.
CHAPTER 2
Delphine sleeps fitfully, even in the nice room that Elizabeth had provided for her. Snuggles had been locked in his crate after the biting and growling incident, but Delphine still does not feel safe. There was no logical reason why not, and it was more likely that she is just frightened after being sent away from the one home she ever knew.
But there was something else too. It seems that being on Earth has this different effect on her, as if she has this insatiable desire… no, a need… to connect with the ground. Or better yet, below the ground. Something about going deeper seemed to feel like home to her. Not that she’s ever been below ground, but she could sense a sort of presence, or rather, a humming, deep below the surface. She doesn’t know what to do with this thought, or what it means (if anything at all).
After an unknown amount of time, Delphine finally falls asleep, but then wakes up to the sound of a barking dog. Elizabeth opens her bedroom door at that moment, as if to apologize for the noise.
“I’m sorry he’s so loud. It’s just… he’s not used to being crated, and he’s hungry for breakfast. Go ahead and get ready to leave - I’m going to take you to Miranda’s approximate location so you can assess how to get her to Anthony. I’m not sure how, but I’m just doing what Evander told me to have you do ASAP. Then after that, we can go shopping for some more Earthly clothes for you. How does that sound?”
Delphine nods calmly at her attempt at welcoming her. Elizabeth was so kind to take her in and help her the way she was, but with every passing moment, Delphine was beginning to realize that she was grasping her mission less and less. She knows consciously that Anthony and Miranda were separated accidentally and must be reunited, but somehow, that seems so far away, when all she really wants to do is explore the depths of the dark, soil-covered Earth.
Temporarily avoiding such vagrant thoughts, Delphine forces herself to remain focused on the task at hand as she gets into Elizabeth’s car and they drive to some unknown location.
“So Miranda’s house is just a street away from here. I’ll be able to take you over there because I’ve set the pretense that you’re new in town and I wanted you to meet some of the locals. Trust me, that'll make sense. Almost everyone knows everyone around here - except for people who live out of town, like Anthony.”
But Delphine is barely listening at all - she is too distracted by the humming of the baked asphalt underneath the car’s tires.
“And… we’re here! So here’s what I think might work. Here is a notecard with Anthony’s contact info. I need you to say he’s a friend of yours who works at the minimart near the park…”
“But I’ve never met Anthony!”
“Doesn’t matter. Trust me on this. It’s going to take a while to get them together, but you’ve got to start somewhere. Evander tells me that they have at least met a couple times, thanks to Luna, so that’ll make things easier for us.”
Delphine slowly nods, even though this “plan” is sounding crazier and crazier every second.
“Okay, I’ll try it. You’ll come with me, right?”
Elizabeth nods.
“Okay then.”
Elizabeth rings the doorbell of Miranda’s house, and after a moment, the door opens to reveal a very casually-dressed Miranda in loose sweatpants and a tank top. Her hair is up in a loose bun, and there’s a scowl on her face.”
“What.”
“Oh, I’m sorry, is this a bad time? My name is Elizabeth Willard, and this is my niece, Delphine. She’ll be living with me and she’s new in town, so I was bringing her around to meet some neighbors.” With a not-so-subtle nudge, Elizabeth guides Delphine in front of her so she is face-to-face with Miranda herself.
“Well, welcome, I guess.”
“Thank you! Here is the contact info of Anthony… you might like him.” Delphine shoves the index card desperately into Miranda’s outstretched hand.
“Ugh, well, Delphine is just very… sociable. She’s always trying to play matchmaker, silly girl.”
Despite Elizabeth’s attempt to ameliorate the situation, Miranda still wears a scowl on her face.
“Um, I’m just getting off of a really tough… thing… that happened… so I’m really not into meeting anyone right now. But thanks, I guess.”
She closes the front door with a thud, as the index card flutters to the ground mercilessly at Delphine’s boot-clad feet.
“Did I say something wrong?” Elizabeth pats her on the shoulder as they walk back to the car. “It just takes time to adjust to the social climate here. You’ll find your way soon enough. I had to - I was once just as uncomfortable here as you, believe it or not.”
“So now what?”
“Now we go shopping!”
CHAPTER 3
“Hi, I’m looking for a girl…”
“Aren’t we all, buddy.”
“No, she’s… hurt. She was hit by a truck. Long, dark hair…”
“Not very specific, I’m going to need a name.”
“Uh, Luna.”
“Luna… what?” At that moment, Anthony realizes that she never told him her last name.
“Uh, I don’t actually know. I’ll just, take a walk around and look for her myself. Come on, Fel.”
After a very panicked walk around the third floor intensive care unit, Anthony is about to abandon all hope when he finally sees Luna’s characteristic long, dark, hair flowing daintily over a pillow case.
She’s still unconscious, but there are tubes and various monitors attached all over her body. The nurses likely stripped her tight restrictive jumpsuit off of her, as she now wears a typical hospital gown. Although Anthony noticed the bright pink glow of her neon jumpsuit even through the white drawstring bag labeled “patient belongings” plopped on the side table next to her bed.
A nurse enters the curtained-off area of the unit with a clipboard and a steth
oscope around her neck. Upon eye contact with Anthony, her lips form a soft “o” and she forces a small, comforting smile.
“Oh my, are you the father?”
“Me? What? No. It’s not mine. Of course not, I’m just… a friend that she’s staying with right now.”
She nods solemnly. “Well, that’s a relief, as the prognosis isn’t good.”
“What? No, don’t tell me she’s… not going to make it…”
The nurse opens her mouth to say something, and then stops. “Oh, the girl? She’s expected to make a full recovery. She’s only sleeping - regained consciousness maybe half an hour ago. I meant… the baby… is gone. Miscarriage upon impact, looks like.”
Anthony’s eyes widen, as if in preparation for a wall of emotions to hit, but he feels nothing. He just calmly nods and leads Felicia to a nearby seat.
“Here, Fel. You’re probably tired so try and relax in this chair, okay? I brought your favorite stuffed animals in this backpack.”
Felicia nods sleepily and settles herself in the chair, resting her head on the wall behind her, cuddling a stuffed bear.
Anthony buries his head in his hands, feeling upset at himself for the amount of relief he feels at the news of the baby being gone. For Luna’s sake, she was attacked, and now she wouldn’t have to live a life with a reminder of that. It’s terribly unfortunate that the accident with the truck occurred, but he’s comforted with the news that she seems to be on her way to a full recovery.
✷✷✷
In his moment of panic, Onyx decides to run to Jade. He rings her doorbell, but she isn’t there. I better check the Sorting Room, she’s probably working. He wastes no time running there next, quickly spying the back of Jade’s characteristically dyed silver hair tied into a neat bun.
“Oh, hello Onyx. Something I can do-”
“Luna’s fetus was destroyed and somehow ended up here, in the utero chamber. It didn’t even go through the system, when I scanned his arm, an error message came up. This isn’t… protocol. I have no idea what to do.”
Jade’s eyes widened, as she begins to realize that Zephyr’s plan was beginning to come to fruition. They had to act, and they had to act fast.
“Onyx, we need to talk.” She turns to her assistant and barks some instructions to be carried out in her absence, and then guides Onyx out of the Sorting Room.
“What? Do you know something that I don’t?”
Jade slowly nods. “I had spoken to Zephyr, because I was concerned about Luna. I… I didn’t want any harm, I promise…”
“Jade, what did you do…”
Her normally calm gray eyes begin to grow red and watery.
“I… I somehow made him think that she should be destroyed.”
“You did WHAT?”
Jade nods, the words were failing to move past the tip of her tongue and instead began choking her from the inside out.
“I can’t even remember what I said, but he’s… going to have her destroyed.”
“How? When?”
“Zephyr said something about her fetus being used against her, I think? I can barely remember.”
Onyx drops to his knees and begins to choke on his own words. “Jade, I need to know where, how, and what. And then… then I need to get to Earth. I’ll protect her myself.”
“What? But Zephyr said-”
Onyx mumbled a few words characteristic of Earthly profanity that he likely picked up during his century of humanoid studies. “I don’t care. Get me to Earth, and I honestly don’t even care if I ever come back, at this point. I really need your help here, Jade.”
Everything Jade had been trained to do, causes her to want to question everything he was asking her to do. None of this is protocol, but then again, neither is destroying a sorter through her own undead fetus. With that logic, Jade nods her head slowly, and agrees to get Onyx to Earth.
“But, what’s your plan?”
Onyx looks off into the hazy purple sky of the Upperworld. “Well, I’ll find Luna, and protect her from Seth.”
“Who?”
“Her fetus. You said Zephyr was going to use him to destroy her?”
Jade nods.
“Well, I’ll keep him away from her, and protect her for the remainder of our lives on Earth.”
“What? You mean you’re not going to try to bring her back?”
Onyx shakes his head.
“I don’t think either of us can live here, knowing what I know now, both about how badly things are run here, and the injustice. It’s horrifying.” he clenches his hands in anticipation.
“Well, it’s certainly better than Earth…
“Is it, though? On Earth, humans live with freedom to be whatever they want to be. They can love, and give love to others. And often, as we know too well, they procreate. Don’t you ever wonder what it would be like to get to control your own destiny?”
Jade shakes her head. “Uh, no. Not at all. I think that they need us to plan their lives for them. What would they do without us?”
“Whatever they want.”
“Onyx, I don’t think I’ve ever told you this…” Jade fights back the lump forming in her throat. “I’ve always admired you.”
Onyx grasps her hand in solidarity. “And I, you.”
“Now let’s get you to Earth. I believe the transporter room is open.”
“But Evander… I didn’t get to say goodbye.”
“There’s no time for that! You said you saw the fetus, right? It’s only a matter of time before Zephyr sends him after you both.”
Onyx gazes longingly at the home he’s known for his entire existence, and then deeply inhales the tepid air, as if for the very last time.
“You are right, I better go. But what will you say about my disappearance? I’ll need a replacement.”
“I’ll take care of that, just go take care of your girl.”
Onyx’s face glows with the anticipation of seeing Luna again. In all the hustle of trying to protect her, he had nearly forgotten that he was meant to build a life with her all along, before the Sorting Room got in the way. In a twisted way, it is beginning to seem like the original plan for them was winning out.
“And where will you send me?”
“Since her tracking device was expelled, we haven’t been able to follow her exact location. But I can send you to the spot where she was last tracked. I doubt that she could have gotten too far from there.”
“Well okay then.”
“And do you have Earth currency on you?
“I always do.”
Though not often mentioned, it was Upperworld policy for guides to have various Earth currency on them at all times, should there arise an emergency where they would need to visit Earth. It was rare, but happened occasionally.
Jade instructs him to lie down on the table, as she made sure that he is lined up perfectly with the molecular scrambler to be reassembled on Earth.
“Okay, you’ll feel a gentle itch, and then nothing at all, until you wake up on Earth. I want you to know that I believe in you, Onyx. And you will be missed.”
Onyx nods, and then inhales the Upperworld’s air for the truly last time, as his body feels weightless, and then nonexistent.
CHAPTER 4
Feeling especially frustrated with her recent breakup from Garth, Miranda gets herself out of bed, but only to get to the convenience store to buy more frosting and cookie batter. No matter how unhealthy it is, the gooey, sugary treat was the only thing that made her heart hurt less. She and Garth had been together for a couple years and things were perfect then, before he started doing the drugs and the alcohol. They were high school sweethearts, and they started Toxic Exposure as an act for their school talent show, before it started to get any real traction. Now they had a following, with even some people crazy enough to be groupies. But it was all down the tubes with the recent, horrific things he had done. The hitting, and the mental abuse was rightfully taking its toll on Miranda, and after she had heard what
that scoundrel did to that poor younger girl, it was all too much to handle. She dumped his sorry ass and then blocked his number on her phone before he could harass her any further. Now, cookie batter and frosting was her muse, although not a ton of good songs could come of that, and Miranda was beginning to think her music should die with their relationship.
Looks like I have to go to the convenience store for more sugary stuff. Within a minute, while still in her pajamas and hoodie, Miranda grabs her purse and house keys, and begins the trek to the store down the street near the park. Maybe a little time at the park would help me a bit, she muses to herself. But in her heart, she knows that being seen in public without Garth by her side was mortifying. All the local fans had began to view them as a unit. Miranda was beginning to resent that, and yet she also hated the thought of being seen in her pajamas. More likely than not, she’ll just get to the store, grab what she wanted, and get home.
The walk to the store is awkward for sure, as the hot sun seems to target the blackness of her worn hoodie, threatening to burn her to oblivion. She ignores it, as well as the typical catcalls, as best she can, and enters the convenience store, half expecting to see the typical cashier, Anthony, there. When he’s nowhere to be found, she gets suspicious that something might be wrong, as he’d been there for the last few cookie batter and frosting runs she had to make this week. And although they weren’t exactly friends, she’s always seen him around town and always appreciated how courteous he was, even just in the retail atmosphere.
“Uh, excuse me, is Anthony here?” She gets the attention of the bottle-blonde manager scanning bags of potato chips. “Nope. Oh, you didn’t hear? He’s at the hospital, there was an accident…”
Miranda nearly inhales her own saliva. “What? Is he okay?” The blonde shrugs her shoulders. “Oh, I don’t know, all he said to me was that there had been an accident. His job has been put on hold until he returns.”
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