Page 22 of A Million Stars and Shadows

“I have a gift,” Jana said. “I have a destiny. Even the Monsters know about it. I’ll be fine. I’ll go kick their butts. But you…you have to get us to New Earth. By all means possible.”

“My brave Jana,” Thomas said. “If our child is half the woman you are, the Monsters better watch out.”

“Yes, they better!” I said. I touched a few more buttons, preparing the ship for a faster speed. “Look, Captain,” I said. “There’s no turning back.”

Thomas and I walked together down the hallway to the elevators. “Ready to kick as many Monster butts before we separate to do our human-saving duties Mrs. Captain Thomas?”

Thomas brought out his staff, and I wrapped my cross necklace around my fists.

Whatever the future would bring, we would fight as hard and as long as we could to have one on New Earth. For humans, our animals on Earth, and our future New Earthling child.

ELEVEN

EVIE

I closed Mom’s journal in time for Sally to say, “We must get out of here. They’ve broken in.”

I grabbed Mom’s journal, tucking it into my shirt. Then I opened Sally up from a backpack and into a suit, quickly getting inside. Next, I placed my helmet back on.

“How many Monsters, Sally? How many broke in?”

“A swarm.”

“Not helping. Quantities precisely please,” I said.

“About five to eight,” Sally said.

“Can I fight them off?” I asked.

“The odds are slim,” Sally said.

“Create a diversion,” I said. “In here. Lead them here.”

Sally tapped into the system, and the lights began flashing in the room.

“Evie,” Mom’s voice suddenly said much louder than before. “Instead of leading them here, escape through the engine room. There’s a bag of supplies you can pick up from there. Touch the wall at the bottom of the ship. It will open and let you out. As soon as you’re out, Sally will inflate, and you will be able to leap-glide your way back to the Shelter. I’ll buy you some time. Go now!”

“Mom!” I cried out. “Thank you, even if you’re not really Mom.”

“Good-bye Evie. Forgive me for what I have done and for leaving you here on New Earth. Hopefully you will understand why I had to when you are ready.”

With that, the hologram of Mom began running to the door. She turned around and said, “Once I get them chasing me, move quickly to the engine room.”

The door opened, and Mom’s hologram ran out, “Here am I. Come and get me!” She jumped and leaped from our door, down the hallway and down to another floor, moving as fast as a spotlight. Soon she was at the end of the hallway when dark shadows like a black cloud began flurrying after her into the opposite direction of the engine room. The Monsters.

“Quick!” Sally said in my helmet. “They are all chasing her. The coast is clear as they say.”

Instead of taking the elevator or the stairs, I leaped over the railings of our floor down the length of the glass elevator falling rapidly. “Sally, inflate!” I commanded.

Before I became a splattered mess on the ground, my suit inflated into a ball, and I landed on the lobby floor where I first entered with a bounce.

“Sally, deflate.”

My suit became a flat, lightweight, and skin tight again where I was able to maneuver through the lobby easily.

“Take that staircase over there to get to the engine room,” Sally said. I quickly ran to the staircase hidden behind a wall and climbed down.

A backpack was hanging on a hook near a door. “Mom’s backpack,” I muttered. I grabbed it and put it on my back. “No time to see what’s inside,” I said. “How do I get out of here?”

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