Journey to a darker world

by Christian Mathis

  “What are you doing to Toni! Catalyst what the hell he saved my life!” I turned around to see Annabelle run toward me.

  “Annabelle! You’re ok. I’m sorry I didn’t know it was Toni; it’s been a crazy couple of days. I must tell you something. The ship didn’t malfunction. It was sabotaged. That means we must go back to not trusting anyone me, you and James,” I said.

  “We have to trust Toni he saved me, and he’s been helping us since we got here, not to mention he saved you and James,”

  “You’re right, Annabelle, your right, be careful, though, alright?“

  Annabelle gave me a tight hug. I felt her stress and worry lessen as If she were sharing her grief with me. She ran her fingers through my air, and I felt her heart beating feverishly in her chest. I wrapped my arms around her waist and pulled her even closer. Her arms snaked around my neck, and she held me until her heart slowed, and she relaxed. I looked into her eyes as I gently closed mine and our lips touched. We kissed hard and passionately as her hand travelled through my hair.

  “Uh excuse me, can I get you guys a room? Maybe some dinner.”

  James deep voice from across the room, and he helped Toni to his feet.

  We pulled our lips apart and hugged each other one more time. One at a time everyone descended the hole to where we stood. Gabriel had to constantly hover in the air because his feet were to burn to stand on. Since Agatha used her powers her body was weak, and Reuben had put her on James’s gurney. Everyone stood around and stared at each other because, for the first time in several days, we were all together. We didn’t know what to do next.

  I peered over at Annabelle as If to gain reassurance in what I said next. She nodded her head as is she agreed in telling them. Annabelle is a big believer in telling people everything and that not telling people is the same as lying. I ran my hand over my chin before speaking. I gathered my thoughts. The room grew silent except for a sound I had not heard for a long time. The sound on Annabelle scribbling feverishly into her journal. I paced the room and looked deep into the eyes of each of my team members, my friends, my mysteries.

  “Guys I know we haven’t gotten along the greatest lately, and it is important to celebrate everyone being alive and safe. However, the ship is messed up, and I am sorry to say that someone is responsible for it being messed up. Someone sabotaged the fuel lines. All four of them were cut completely in half. I know that this will cause us to fight and point fingers, it was everyone’s right to know,” I said

  Zadok’s eyes turned golden, and his amulet burned bright. From his chest, he pulled a large Sai and pushed the blade to my throat.

  “Catalyst what if you’re only telling us to divert suspicion away from yourself, it’s convenient that Annabelle reappeared moments before this big reveal.”

  I pushed him to arm’s length, and Annabelle tossed me a sword. I grabbed his wrist and bent his arm until the blade touched his chest.

  “We are not doing this! Two people know I didn’t sabotage this ship. Me and the person who did it. Now back off before I do what I should have done yesterday and sent you to your maker “

  Gabriel had flown up to the ceiling and dropped his acid on my sword and my bad hand. I recoiled and took a few steps back. Zadok dived, and we both hit the floor hard. James grabbed his shirt and wrapped it around Gabriel’s wings before pulling him to the ground. With a loud gasp I heard the wind get knocked from his lungs.

  “Gabriel, Please be ok!” Agatha screamed, she ran over and pushed James away before cradling Gabriel’s head in her lap.

  Everyone started to push and shove and beat on each other.

  “Enough! Everyone settles down. This is not getting us anywhere. Gabriel is messed up, and more of us are going to get hurt now stop Fighting. We need to work together to think of another way to fuel the ship and get home,” I said.

  “Why so someone can sabotage us again. We’re not going to get home. We are going to be stuck here forever. We’re no better off than we were in Ehud’s prison. At least there we got fed. You claim to be a leader catalyst; we have only been led to demise. Prove me wrong”

  I glanced at James, Annabelle, Reuben, and then Toni, and Gabriel collapsed on the floor.

  My brain clicked as if all the gears meshed at once, and finally everything made sense, I knew what I had to do.

  “Zadok, you’re right about everything.”

  “Excuse me, Mr. Catalyst did you admit fault and that I was correct?”

  “Yes, I did, this whole time I thought I was supposed to be some great hero and that team of heroes needs a leader - someone who doesn’t fear or kill and that takes all the blame and worry. That’s not realistic, and you were right; neither is this perfect hero thing. Everything is not always black and white. Sometimes people try to kill you and if they're trying to kill you sometimes the only thing to do is kill them. Sometimes teams need strong players more then they need a perfect coach,”

  I paused before continuing. The entire crew had paused to stare at me in awe; they were all equally surprised and confused.

  “The only way we are ever going to get off this planet is if we work together, you and I equal. Everyone will vote on what we should do, like what we were going to do when we got here. So, any ideas on how to move the ship with no fuel.”

  I heard heavy breathing from across the room and saw Toni start to stir, and he stood to his feet. He rested his hand on Annabelle and James’s shoulder when they helped him to his feet.

  We should have no problem choosing a different form of power. Liquid fuel is not the only choice right, what about solar power, nuclear power, battery-powered “said Toni

  James interrupted him sharply and blurred out.

  “What about that radiation power or even the nuclear one. If Zadok can pull items from the past that his family touched, then what if he touched them? A series of nukes powered the Orion.”

  I looked at Zadok, who was stroking his beard and whispering to Reuben. He walked over to where Annabelle, Toni, and I stood. His voice dropped to a whisper.

  “What about nuclear-powered submarines? Back in the late 2000s, one of my ancestors worked in the engine room on a nuclear sub. There is no way I can pull something that complicated through time.

  We felt defeated and beaten. Toni leaped to his feet and blurted out.

  “What about the nuclear power used in projects like project long-shot or project AIM Star If Reuben could somehow make a cloud of antiprotons, he could activate fuel pellets. That is if Zadok could pull the pellets through time.

  Zadok grabbed his amulet, and it flowed as it had before his eyes glowed golden before shifting to dark orange. He managed to pull the fuel pellets through time and fill a metal barrel with them.

  His knees buckled, and he collapsed backwards to the floor. Agatha dabbed his forehead and cheeks with a cloth. Zadok’s eyes went from golden to brown as his eyes rolled to the back of his head.

  Reuben and I worked on making and controlling antiprotons. Deriving them from other items and elements we tried hundreds of ways and experiments. Nothing worked; after all we’re not rocket scientists were normal guys. Annabelle, Toni, and James worked on creating a magnetic nozzle from pieces of our ship and the Cosmic Carriage.

  We had tried to get the parts needed for hours and hours. The hours turned to days and then the days turned into weeks. We survived on recycled purple water, and we forced ourselves to eat the only thing we had available — dead cockroach. After several months of that terrible life we finally had a breakthrough. Reuben was able to make antiprotons. Well really, we discovered them as a team because they can occur in cosmic rays detected by the ship. Toni and Zadok got the ship’s computer back online. After that, everything was easier.

  The spaceship held documents and specifications for the magnetic nozzle and how to obtain the anti-protons. Most importantly, how to turn some of the ship's computers and components to be able to run on nuclear propulsion instead of liquid fuel as well as being able t
o store and harness them. The team had never been closer. I knew that every one of us secretly still had shards of doubt because of the sabotage and deceit perpetrated by one of us last time we thought we had a sure-fire way off the planet.

  Everyone hesitated to attempt a lift-off for fear of blowing ourselves up. The computer ran countless equations and formulas. Toni and Zadok contemplated every outcome. Even the outcome of being sabotaged once more.

  “ANALYSIS COMPLETE, NUCLEAR PROPULSION CAPABILITIES ACHIEVED “

  Chapter fourteen

  I leaned back in a makeshift chair that James and Agatha mad. Annabelle walked over to me and gently ran her fingers lightly down my jaw before gently kissing my lips. She wrapped her arms around my back and hugged me tightly. Annabelle’s nose brushed slightly against mine as she leaned down to kiss me more. I had gently pulled her on too my lap and gently ran my fingers up her spine. I felt her sweet, warm lips pressed tightly against mine as we started to kiss.

  Once again, our sensual moment was interrupted by the others shortly after it had started.

  “IF THE SHIPS READY THEN LET’S GO!” Toni screamed. The ship whirred and buzzed, blared, and flashed. From the crash and converting from liquid fuel to nuclear propulsion.

  “Now all that’s left is to decide on a destination, earth yes to where what is outside of the presidents reach?” asked James

  The engine began to roar, and the ship’s computer burst with life, it constantly ran analysis and formulas, options, and outcomes.

  She ran her fingers through her hair and closed her journal.

  “What If we are years ahead of Earth? I mean, we had to travel light years to get here. The days seem extremely long here; what is one day here is like a week of Earth days. We may have been gone for years. What if everything were striving for and fighting to achieve, no longer exist.”

  “She is quite right. The chance that this could be a legitimate concern is justly founded. Perhaps we should further consider the outcomes and possibilities before blasting off into a bigger problem than the one we already are not prepared for.” Said Zadok

  “How about we put it to a vote then, need I remind you that this is what our entire journey has led to. All the trials and torture we have endured all the battles fought. All my friends lost would be in vain. Do you guys so easily forget? That’s interesting because I can’t seem to stop thinking about them. Every time I try to sleep or relax or even close my eyes, their faces plague my thoughts and my concentration. So, I say we go back to Earth and kill the president and anyone else who’s trying to install some global dictatorship. So that the deaths of Sliver and Thermal, Smith and Willard, not to mention Agatha’s entire stronghold of people. Most of all Raymond all died and sacrificed Everything so that we could try to make it home. So, I say we do the right thing and honor them and do whatever it takes to get home,”

  My speech had moved the others so much they had taken to their feet. Agatha and Annabelle have been moved to tears, and the others I could tell they were trying to look tough.

  “I say we do it for Raymond and all those people suffering on Earth,” said James

  One by one, the crew sat down and buckled up each had their reason for returning to earth the one factor that United us all was still revenge against the NAC President and to bring an end to the United Nations globalist regime and to reinstate freedom to the world.

  Zadok's face was stern, and his jaw was tight. I heard his heavy breathing from several feet away. I could almost feel his frustration from several feet away. Several minutes had passed, yet still no one wanted to be the one that activated the first test of the newly donned nuclear-powered engine. Until Reuben entered the bridge and hugged Toni tightly. Toni whispered in His ear for several minutes before giving him one last hug. I gave Annabelle one last kiss before I asked everyone to join me in the cockpit. I heard the click of a draw close as Annabelle locked her journal away for safekeeping.

  “Preparing for lift-off count down initiating,” The main computer shouted. “10, 9, 8”

  The noise of the nuclear engine grew louder and louder

  With each second that past. I felt my seat vibrated and shook faster and faster.

  “3,2,1 liftoff on test flight one.…” The computer was cut off sharply as the ship grinded to a halt against the planet’s surface. I slammed back into my seat, and my neck throbbed sharply.

  “Computer what caused the malfunction,” Gabriel, Toni, and I asked in almost unison.

  “It seems something as interrupted the fission process in the nuclear core; repairs must be made before liftoff can be reattempted,”

  “James, Toni, Zadok bring your weapons. We don’t know what we are going to run into the engine room.

  I heard Toni sharpen his sword. The metal is shrieking against the metal floor.

  Gabriel, Reuben, Agatha, and Annabelle stayed in the cabin to make sure no one came in.

  Our footfall was drowned out by an unfamiliar hissing and spitting sound. Before we entered the engine room, I saw a bright purple light peeking under the door to the engine room.

  James clapped his palms together, the loud applaud echoing off the door. He clenched his fist and revealed his blood forged brass knuckles.

  James started to laugh over the gnarling and gashing sound uncontrollably.

  “James, what the hell are you finding so hilarious,” Zadok asked.

  “Oh, you don’t get it, see bloody knuckles.”

  He laughed even harder as he knelt next to me so we could wait on Zadok to decide what weapon he wanted to pull through time.

  The Familiar golden glare emitted from Zadok’s eyes and reflected off the wall as he removed an ancient Tomahawk from the amulet. Before we opened the door, Toni and asked, “Catalyst, what’s going on with Gabriel? Is he going to be alright?”

  “He honestly hasn’t been the same ever since his legs got so burnt he can no longer walk, and thanks to James and me, he can barely fly I think he’s getting tired of being on this planet after dozens of years, almost like he can’t win. So, let’s make sure we get him home,” I said

  Our conversation ended abruptly when a strange liquid oozed from beneath the door. Zadok dipped the tip of his tomahawk into the ooze, and it immediately started melting forcing Zadok to let go before the ooze reaches his hands.

  “James, get the door!” I shouted

  James pried the door off as Toni used his bone sword to slice through the hinges one at a time. It was then I heard high pitch click-clacking of hundreds of little feet.

  “What the hell is that!” James screamed as he attempted to slam the door against the floor. Zadok fell to the floor and slid along the ground, inching closer to the nuclear engine.

  “HELP! HELP! HELP! Zadok’s screams were muffled against the metal floor.

  I dove into the doorway and grabbed at whatever had hold of Zadok. My hand wrapped around a cylindrical object. I thought it was someone’s big arm when I pulled it off him one piece at a time the light glistened off aback. Off a dark shell of a centipede, these insects were the size of small hounds. It began to wind itself tightly around my arm digging one of his dozens of legs into my arm one at a time. I clawed and tugged as the creature dug into my flesh. I tried to poison it, the toxins slipped off the shell, so I did what I had to do. I’d it wanted to feat on my blood I would let it. I stuck my finger into the hole in my arm and injected myself with a trace amount of venom from the brown recluse spider. The centipede’s feet retracted, and it immediately curled and fell to the floor.

  “Everyone be on guard. We don’t know how many of these blood feasting centipedes there are,” I said.

  “Millipedes actually they have too many legs to be centipedes,” Zadok said snarkily.

  The millipede I had killed began to seep the same type of ooze as the stuff by the door.

  We had managed to enter the engine room when I saw dozens of the millipedes were on top of the Nuclear core feasting on the radiation and emitting the glo
wing ooze. I heard the swishing of Toni’s blade as he hacked through several millipedes. Another millipede has latched onto James' leg, and he punched and squished several more.

  Like the cockroaches in Ehud’s castle, these pets never stopped coming. I felt myself getting sick, and my vision had blurred.

  We had removed most of the millipedes with poison or blades or by squishing the was when Toni had begun to scream. It had gotten harder and harder to hear him. Toni shouted.

  “I knew it was too easy; these creatures are like the patriots at the Alamo. Their goal was never to beat us; it was to weaken us break us. Make us go painfully and tear each other apart from within. I don’t think they weren’t sucking our blood I think they were filling our blood with this radiation laced liquid from their mouths. I opened my mouth to respond the closer we got to the nuclear engine the more our bodies were affected by the radiation. My knees hit the floor, and my vision went dark.

  I drifted in and out of consciousness, only able to lift my eyelids for a few seconds at a time. It was long enough that I saw Gabriel for a brief second and heard Agatha crying and screaming.

  When I woke up, we had returned to the bridge of the Mach infinity.

  When I woke up, I heard several people whispering.

  “Gabriel why does it have to be you? Maybe we can fix our suits, and we can all go in there and fight them together, we’ve only noticed how much we care about each other, and I haven’t stopped thinking about you or losing you since we found each other in that prison all that time ago. Please don’t leave me”

  “Agatha you know it has to be me; I am the only one who has an intolerance to radiation! You saw what it did to the others. It nearly killed them. As much as I don’t like Catalyst, I still don’t want him dead. If killing these and sealing the nuclear engine means a chance you can get home, I have to do it.”