Categories > Original > Sci-Fi > POD-poisoned dreams
They left the building and ran out to the muddy street with no other questions. They passed the rest of the structures and headed for the hills. Joe was now in a full sprint with the rest of the team struggling to catch up.
Suddenly the hut they had been in exploded in hot flames. The explosion set off a chain reaction and soon the whole village was in ashes. Flames licked at what remained.
“They must have rigged the village before we got here,” Dilton noted. “The Raints, that is.”
“Which means they know where we are. We need to get moving, try to lose them,” Joe said.
Joe noticed that Lara was shaking and walked over to her. He wrapped her in a bear hug and said, “Hey, it’s ok. We’ll be all right. We’re still alive, aren’t we?”
“So, are you two dating?” Scout asked as she chewed on a toothpick.
“They might as well be,” Alex answered for them. When he saw their confused looks he continued, “Don’t think we haven’t noticed. The quick glances, exchanged smiles, whispered talking. And you didn’t realize it but we saw you two holding hands.”
Lara blushed as Joe released her from his grasp.
Joe coughed, breaking the awkward silence that had come over them. “Ahem, well then. Let’s go.”
The rain started to let up as they started walking again, Joe leading them in a brisk walk. They weren’t sure where they were going, only where they didn’t want to be.
Dilton realized this and pulled out his cell phone.
Cal looked at the screen. “GPS?”
Dilton nodded. “I’m going to see where Richard is. There’s a tracker in the phone I gave him. I thought it might come in handy.”
“You can do that from your cell?” Cal wondered.
“Yes. It’s a lot more portable than my laptop,” he replied with a grin. “I’ve got a lock on him. He’s headed east.”
“I’ll go tell the others.”
Soon they had taken a right turn and headed east after Richard. They were moving quickly without looking back. The rocky terrain was beginning to become familiar so they weren’t stumbling as much anymore.
Joe walked up by a lone tree and took out a flask of water. “Take a break guys, we’ll need it.”
The group sat in the mercy of the shade and drank some water.
Lara looked over and saw Cal staring deeply into Zora’s dark eyes. “Looks like Cal and Zora are in a deep conversation,” she said to Joe.
Joe laughed and said, “You never can tell with them, can you?”
the following should be in italics indicating thought...i don't know how to do that though
Cal… Is that short for something?
Kind of. My real name’s Cameron. Lara nicknamed me Cal. It’s a mixture of my first and last names.
What’s your last name?
Levi
Cameron Levi, cute. That was clever of Lara to nickname you Cal. I never would have thought of that.
So, Zora, you must have a last name.
I don’t like it. It’s stupid.
Oh, come on. It can’t be worse than Levi.
Fine. It’s Heart.
Zora Heart. That’s a beautiful name.
You’re making me blush.
As did you. So how long have you guys had your PODs?
Three years now. Yours?
We just got them at the beginning of the year when we were in detention.
You? In detention?
Yea, on two accounts. One, I always correct the teachers and they were getting annoyed. That wasn’t that bad but what really pushed them over was when I hacked into the system. I got bored and decided to change some stuff around. It took them awhile but they eventually found me out.
I was home schooled. Jake taught me when he found out that I was having troubles in school. Apparently not talking is equal to not participating. Oral presentations really didn’t work out well.
Yea, I had a bit of trouble in school before I started talking. It was because of school that I started. People kept thinking that I was stupid and I couldn’t stand it.
I just don’t want to talk.
Why not?
People don’t understand. If I start talking then they’ll want me to talk about the fire. My parents’ death. I watched my house go up in flames knowing that my parents were inside. It’s not something I enjoy talking about.
No offence, but that’s a stupid reason not to talk. If someone asks you could just refuse to talk about it. But I understand. I’ve been there too.
What’s your story Cameron Levi?
I was two. My parents went away for the weekend and left me with my grandma. My grandma was told that they were almost home so she took me outside to watch for them on the highway. I saw their car. Then I saw an eighteen wheeler. My parents were killed as was the driver of the truck. I may have been young but I’ll never forget that day. It rendered me speechless. For six years. So, on a brighter note. Do you know where we are? The planet I mean.
Oh, it’s called Radon.
italics should end
Joe suddenly appeared beside them. “It’s time to go.”
Suddenly the hut they had been in exploded in hot flames. The explosion set off a chain reaction and soon the whole village was in ashes. Flames licked at what remained.
“They must have rigged the village before we got here,” Dilton noted. “The Raints, that is.”
“Which means they know where we are. We need to get moving, try to lose them,” Joe said.
Joe noticed that Lara was shaking and walked over to her. He wrapped her in a bear hug and said, “Hey, it’s ok. We’ll be all right. We’re still alive, aren’t we?”
“So, are you two dating?” Scout asked as she chewed on a toothpick.
“They might as well be,” Alex answered for them. When he saw their confused looks he continued, “Don’t think we haven’t noticed. The quick glances, exchanged smiles, whispered talking. And you didn’t realize it but we saw you two holding hands.”
Lara blushed as Joe released her from his grasp.
Joe coughed, breaking the awkward silence that had come over them. “Ahem, well then. Let’s go.”
The rain started to let up as they started walking again, Joe leading them in a brisk walk. They weren’t sure where they were going, only where they didn’t want to be.
Dilton realized this and pulled out his cell phone.
Cal looked at the screen. “GPS?”
Dilton nodded. “I’m going to see where Richard is. There’s a tracker in the phone I gave him. I thought it might come in handy.”
“You can do that from your cell?” Cal wondered.
“Yes. It’s a lot more portable than my laptop,” he replied with a grin. “I’ve got a lock on him. He’s headed east.”
“I’ll go tell the others.”
Soon they had taken a right turn and headed east after Richard. They were moving quickly without looking back. The rocky terrain was beginning to become familiar so they weren’t stumbling as much anymore.
Joe walked up by a lone tree and took out a flask of water. “Take a break guys, we’ll need it.”
The group sat in the mercy of the shade and drank some water.
Lara looked over and saw Cal staring deeply into Zora’s dark eyes. “Looks like Cal and Zora are in a deep conversation,” she said to Joe.
Joe laughed and said, “You never can tell with them, can you?”
the following should be in italics indicating thought...i don't know how to do that though
Cal… Is that short for something?
Kind of. My real name’s Cameron. Lara nicknamed me Cal. It’s a mixture of my first and last names.
What’s your last name?
Levi
Cameron Levi, cute. That was clever of Lara to nickname you Cal. I never would have thought of that.
So, Zora, you must have a last name.
I don’t like it. It’s stupid.
Oh, come on. It can’t be worse than Levi.
Fine. It’s Heart.
Zora Heart. That’s a beautiful name.
You’re making me blush.
As did you. So how long have you guys had your PODs?
Three years now. Yours?
We just got them at the beginning of the year when we were in detention.
You? In detention?
Yea, on two accounts. One, I always correct the teachers and they were getting annoyed. That wasn’t that bad but what really pushed them over was when I hacked into the system. I got bored and decided to change some stuff around. It took them awhile but they eventually found me out.
I was home schooled. Jake taught me when he found out that I was having troubles in school. Apparently not talking is equal to not participating. Oral presentations really didn’t work out well.
Yea, I had a bit of trouble in school before I started talking. It was because of school that I started. People kept thinking that I was stupid and I couldn’t stand it.
I just don’t want to talk.
Why not?
People don’t understand. If I start talking then they’ll want me to talk about the fire. My parents’ death. I watched my house go up in flames knowing that my parents were inside. It’s not something I enjoy talking about.
No offence, but that’s a stupid reason not to talk. If someone asks you could just refuse to talk about it. But I understand. I’ve been there too.
What’s your story Cameron Levi?
I was two. My parents went away for the weekend and left me with my grandma. My grandma was told that they were almost home so she took me outside to watch for them on the highway. I saw their car. Then I saw an eighteen wheeler. My parents were killed as was the driver of the truck. I may have been young but I’ll never forget that day. It rendered me speechless. For six years. So, on a brighter note. Do you know where we are? The planet I mean.
Oh, it’s called Radon.
italics should end
Joe suddenly appeared beside them. “It’s time to go.”
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